The logic of the situation demanded that the main American fleet
be released. Cervera must be destroyed or held in some other way
than at the expense of inactivity on the part of the American
warships. Santiago could not be forced by the navy. Two methods
remained. The first and simpler expedient was to make the harbor
mouth impassable and in this way to bottle up the Spanish fleet.
It was decided to sink the collier Merrimac at a narrow point in
the channel, where, lying full length, she would completely
prevent egress. It was a delicate task and one of extraordinary
danger. It was characteristic of the spirit of the fleet that, as
Admiral Chadwick says, practically all the men were volunteers.
The honor of the command was given to Lieutenant Richmond Pearson
Hobson, Assistant Naval Constructor, who had been in charge of
the preparations. With a crew of six men he entered the harbor
mouth on the night of the 3d of June. A shell disabled the
steering gear of the Merrimac, and the ship sank too far within
the harbor to block the entrance entirely. Admiral Cervera
himself rescued the crew, assured Sampson of their safety in an
appreciative note; and one of the best designed and most heroic
episodes in our history just missed success.

The failure of the Merrimac experiment left the situation as it
had been and forced the American command to consider the second
method which would release the American fleet. This new plan
contemplated the reduction of Santiago by a combined military and
naval attack. Cervera's choice of Santiago therefore practically
determined the direction of the first American overseas military
expedition, which had been in preparation since the war began.