A PLUCKY ACT BY AN ARROW BOY.

Lake County Press, Issue 974, 8 August 1901, Page 4

A PLUCKY ACT BY AN ARROW BOY.

Mrs Shanahan, of this place, has received a lettei? from her son Patrick,, who has been for. many years and is still in the .American Navy. Mrs Shanahan has -shown us a general order specially, issued by the Navy Department in respect to an act of bravery performed bv her sou. The order is signed by John D Long, secretary of the Navy Department. From its contents it appears that on the uipbt Q&

the 28th May while Quartermaster Stevens was walking forward on the gun deck he fell out of the st.arb >ard bridle port of the Alliance. Patrick Shanahan, chief boatswain’s mate, hearing the splash jumped out of his hammock and overboard after Stevens. Shanahan supported Stevens until picked up by the dinghy. Ropes ends were thrown over to Shanahan but Stevens held on so tightly to Shanahan that he could not put a bowline around Stevens. It was a matter of six minutes before they were picked up by the dinghy. The night was exceedingly dark, there, being no moon, and this rendered it so much the more difficult for Shanahan. Moreover, Shanahan was made very near helpless by the tight manner in which he was held by Stevens, who hugged him around the stomach and locked Shanahan’s legs in his own. Shanahan was very near exhausted when picked up. The Department commended the courage of Shanahan, and awarded him a medal of honor.