d with
that rank on the practice ship _John Adams_ at the Naval Academy and on
the ironclad _Patapsco_. On January 15, 1865, the _Patapsco_ attempted
to force an entrance into the harbor of Charleston, which was one
network of mines. Sampson exposed himself fearlessly and the ship met
with a fearful disaster by being blown up by a submarine mine. Seventy
went down to death as did those on the _Maine_, while Sampson and more
than a score of others, after being blown a hundred feet through the
air, saved themselves by swimming until they were picked up. Sampson was
commissioned as lieutenant commander in 1866, was at the Naval Academy
from 1868 to 1871, cruised for two years in European waters and first
commanded the _Alert_ in 1874. Appointed to the superintendency of the
Naval Academy in 1888, he held the situation for four years.

With the construction of the new navy, Sampson commanded in turn two
modern ships, the cruiser _San Francisco_ and the battleship _Iowa_. He
was a close student of ordnance matters, gave special attention to
torpedo work and was chief of the Bureau of Naval Ordnance from 1893 to
1897. There can be no question of his fine ability nor that, had the
opportunity presented, Rear Admiral Sampson, as he had become, would
have proven himself among the foremost officers in our navy. It was a
great personal misfortune that he happened to be absent from the front
of Santiago when the Spanish fleet made its venture, but it must not be
forgotten that, in anticipation of such action, he had planned the
battle that was fought by the American ships.

[Illustration: VIEW OF CHARLESTON HARBOR, SHOWING THE SUNKEN VESSELS.]

Winfield Scott Schley was born in Frederick, Md., October 9, 1839, and
was graduated from the Naval Academy at the beginning of the Civil War.
After brief service on the storeship _Potomac_ he was promoted to master
in 1861, and served on the _Winona_, of the West Gulf blockading
squadron, 1862-63. He there gained a taste of real war and performed a
number of exploits which proved his coolness and daring. He received
honorable mention for his services in the engagements which led to the
capture of Port Hudson. He was commissioned lieutenant in July, 1862,
and was executive officer of the _Wateree_ from 1864 to 1865, having
been made lieutenant commander in July, 1866, after which he spent three
years again at the Naval Academy, serving as instructor of modern
languages.

Admiral Schley h