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TAPS
Fading light dims the sight,
And a star gems the sky,
Gleaming bright.
From afar drawing nigh,
Falls the night.
Day is done, gone the sun,
From the lake, From the hills,
From the sky.
All is well, safely rest,
God is nigh.
Then good night, Peaceful night,
Till the light of the dawn
Shineth bright,
God is near, do not fear,
Friend, good night. |
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Inscription
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BORN:
August 17, 1870 at Greensboro, AL
Entered Service in the US
Navy from New York, NY
Earned
The Medal of Honor During the Spanish-American War For heroism
on June 03, 1898 at Santiago de Cuba, Cuba
DIED: March
16, 1937 at the age of 66
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After chasing
the Fleet of Pascual Cerveza for months, Rear Admiral Sampson
located the Spanish ships on May 28, in Santiago Harbor.
Approach would require American vessels to pass through a
dangerous, narrow and mined channel well protected by shore
batteries. Unable to attack with his own ships, Sampson chose to
blockade the channel and trap the enemy fleet. On the night of
June 6 Richmond Hobson led 7 volunteers in guiding the old
collier Merrimac beneath the enemy guns in an attempt to scuttle
the 333-foot vessel in the channel. Within 500 feet of the mouth
of the channel the Merrimac came under enemy fire. Despite this,
and in spite of numerous direct hits on the ship, the vessel
continued ahead. When the steering gear was disabled by enemy
fire, momentum carried the Merrimack further towards its goal,
but the charges set to destroy it were damaged. Finally the ship
drifted to the shoreline, Hobson's men leaving the destroyed
ship to cling through the night to a small buoy. Admiral Cerveza
personally supervised the launch that captured them the
following day, greeting his enemies with one word--"VALIANTE!"
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