Hobson was to try to take the ship to the right spot, and then to blow holes in her sides with the torpedoes and sink her across the channel. Would not he and his men sink with her? Oh, well, they took the chances on that.
Lieutenant Hobson had a fine plan laid out; but the trouble with fine plans is that they do not always work in a fine way. He was to go in to where the channel was very narrow. Then he was to let the anchor fall and swing the ship round crossways with the rudder. Then he would touch the button to fire the torpedoes. When that was done they would all jump overboard and swim to the little boat that was towed astern. They expected the Merrimac would sink across the channel and thus cork it up.
That was the plan. Don't you think it was a very good one? I am sure Lieutenant Hobson and Admiral Sampson thought so, and felt sure they were going to give the Spaniards a great deal of trouble.
It was about three o'clock when the Merrimac came into the mouth of the channel. Here it was pitch dark and as still as death. But the Spaniards were not asleep. They had a small picket-boat in the harbor's mouth, on the lookout for trouble, and its men saw a deeper darkness moving through the darkness.
They thought it must be one of the American warships and rowed out and fired several shots at it. One of these hit the chains of the rudder and carried them off. That spoiled Hobson's plan of steering across the channel. You see, as I have just told you, it does not take much to spoil a good plan.
The alarm was given and the Spaniards in the forts roused up. They looked out and saw this dark shadow gliding swiftly on through the gloom. They, too, thought it must be an American battleship, and that the whole fleet might be coming close behind to attack the ships in the harbor.
The guns of Morro Castle and of the shore batteries began to rain their balls on the Merrimac. Then the Spanish ships joined in and fired down the channel until there was a terrible roar. And as the Merrimac drove on, a dynamite mine under the water went off behind her, flinging the water into the air, but not doing her any harm.
The cannonade was fierce and fast, but the darkness and the smoke of the guns hid the Merrimac, and she went on unhurt. Soon the narrow part of the channel was reached. Then the anchor was dropped to the bottom and the engines were made to go backward. The helm was set, but the ship did not turn. Hobson now first learned that the rudder chains were gone and the ship could not be steered. The little picket-boat had spoiled his fine plan.
There was only one thing left to do. He touched the electric button. In a second a dull roar came up from below and the ship pitched and rolled. A thousand pounds of powder had exploded and blown great jagged holes in the ship's sides.
Hobson and his men leaped over the side into the water. Those who were slow about it were flung over by the shock. Down plunged the Merrimac beneath the waves, while loud cheers came from the forts. The Spanish gunners were glad, for they thought they had sunk a great American battleship.