The Life of WORTH BAGLEY
WORTH BAGLEY, ENSIGN, USN 1874-1898
GRANDSON OF GOVERNOR JONATHAN WORTH
ONLY NAVAL OFFICER TO DIE DURING THE SPANISH AMERICAN WAR
CHRIST CHURCH SECTION, LOT 1
During the Spanish American War the United States government sent several ships to destroy the gunboats used by the Spaniards to harass American shipping off the southern coast of Florida. During the week of April 24, 1898, three Spanish gunboats were found and blockaded inside the harbor at Cardenas on the northern shore of Cuba. The Revenue Cutter Hudson, commanded by Lieutenant Frank H. Newcomb USN, a veteran of numerous Civil War naval battles, received orders on May 11th to join with U.S. Navy gunboats U.S.S. Machias and Wilmington, and the torpedo boat U.S.S. Winslow to attack the shore batteries and moored Spanish gunboats at Cardenas. Aboard the Winslow was a young naval officer from Raleigh, Ensign Worth Bagley.
The small flotilla of American fighting ships moved into the lagoon and attempted to enter a larger secondary channel. The Machias, finding her draft too deep for the channel transit, remained off shore and began shelling the shoreline from a considerable distance. The remaining three attackers entered the lagoon, ran the channel without incident and steamed into the main bay of Cardenas with battle pennants flying.
As the American attackers moved toward the harbor they spotted three Spanish gunboats moored along the waterfront. Ensign Bagley's Winslow, the speedier of the three American ships, rushed in to engage the gunboats and quickly found itself under heavy fire from the enemy’s shore batteries. The Wilmington tried to follow the Winslow but found the waters too shallow for her draft. She then moved toward the center of the bay and engaged the shore batteries with her eight, long range guns. The Hudson, seeing the difficulty encountered by the Winslow, positioned herself to deliver direct fire in support of the Winslow. Within a few minutes the withering gunfire from the two American ships sunk two of the gunboats at their moorings. Satisfied with their efforts, the American warships turned their fire toward the shore batteries. The Spanish gun batteries onshore were having difficulty firing with accuracy, however, shells from the Spaniard's guns exploded overhead, raining shrapnel and shell fragments on the ship's crew. Other shells hit the water alongside the ships, creating gigantic water geysers that saturated everyone and everything. Black smoke from the ship's coal stacks mixed with gray smoke from the firing guns formed a fog that sometimes obscured the gunners' view of their targets.
20 minutes into the fierce engagement, the Winslow took its first hits. Two shells ripped through her hull, tearing out the main steering and damaging a main boiler. Before the helm could be successfully shifted, the emergency steering room and engine compartment received direct hits thereby rendering the torpedo boat without power or steerage. Worse still, the prevailing wind was pushing the Winslow toward the Spanish guns. Despite her crippling damage, the Winslow still packed a powerful punch as her main battery was manned and functioning and the ship’s main gun battery continued to blaze away at the nearest shore batteries as she drifted helplessly shoreward. The crew of the Hudson saw the Winslow taking direct hits and it became apparent that the torpedo boat was unable to maneuver and was in eminent danger of being destroyed or captured. Lieutenant Newcomb brought the Hudson about and steamed hard for the crippled Winslow. Running at full speed shoreward, Newcomb maneuvered the Hudson into a downwind position to take the Winslow in tow. As Newcomb worked the Hudson into “heaving line” distance of the Winslow, the Spanish shore batteries continued to fire relentlessly. As the Hudson closed on the Winslow, Newcomb sent Lieutenant W. H. Scott to cast a line aboard the torpedo boat. As the tow line fell over the Winslow's foredeck, a high explosive shell struck the Winslow at the very spot. Killed instantly were Ensign Worth Bagley and several men who were assisting him. Other men aboard the Winslow rushed forward as Scott tossed a second line, pulling it across and securing a hawser before signaling the Hudson to proceed. As the Hudson distanced herself and the Winslow from the harbor, the Wilmington threw salvo after salvo into Cardenas. The retreating attackers watched as the burning gunboats, warehouses, and wharves threw a thick column of black smoke high into the sky.
HISTORICALLY SPEAKING: Ensign Bagley was the only United States Naval Officer killed during the declared Spanish American conflict. Among the crew of the Winslow, three shipmates of Bagley's received Medal's of Honor for heroic action that day.
Chief Gunner's Mate George F. Brady, 31 years old, received the award as noted in the citation: “On board the torpedo boat Winslow during actions at Cardenas, Cuba, 11 May 1898. Conspicuously gallant during this period, Brady, by his energy in assisting to sustain fire, his efforts to repair the steering gear and his promptness in maintaining watertight integrity, was largely instrumental in saving the vessel.”
Chief Machinist Mate Thomas C. Cooney, 45 years old, received the award as noted in the citation: “On board the U.S. Torpedo Boat Winslow during actions at Cardenas, Cuba, 11 May 1898. Following the piercing of the boiler by an enemy shell, Cooney, by his gallantry and promptness in extinguishing the resulting flames, saved the boiler tubes from burning out.”
Chief Machinist Mate Hans Johnsen, 33 years old, received the award as noted in the citation: “On board the torpedo boat Winslow during actions at Cardenas, Cuba, 11 May 1898. Showing great presence of mind, Johnsen turned off the steam from the engine which had been wrecked by a shell bursting in the cylinder.”
HISTORICALLY SPEAKING: This life size bronze statue of Ensign Worth Bagley in full Naval uniform is located on The North Carolina Capital grounds.