Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-08-17
NS'rIC.
OUR NAVAL OFFICERS.

. AS every thing connected with our Navv md
ITS character, are Interesting to us, and as Il /,
operations In the w est Indies in the suppression
Oh Tracy concern the whole civilized world.
we are gratiiied to have it in our power TO la
before the public such official statements ne ar,
calculated To make it acquainted with the pecn-
mar nature oil Il service, which, while il make
dreadful havoc among the officers and sea,nen
OF our Navy, offers neither honor or profit In
them. andjudging from the disposition which has
lately been manifested as advertei to in m
paper OF the 9th inst. secures to them neither
Tue tnahks or gratitude OF those for whose safe
ty they sacrifice themselves.
The interest we take in these matters ;nd,
ces us sometimes to ask for information 70 Law
before our readers and we have been PROMPTED
10 do SO lately, by the death of I.eut,s MoS.r-
aoMERf and CUMMINGS as well rs several o.
theirs, who have persisted in the arduous duties
winch tho suppression of piracy imposed on them.
we have ielt curious to know how Lit MoNT-
GoMERY, who commanded one of the small
schooners OF about 35 tons, and mounting 3
guns, with complement of 90 men, has been
employed, and for our answer the following CO.
py oil letter to his commanding officer, com
nenced by him, and finished by his successor
was handed to us. Ii will no doubt SURPRISE
many, that reliance for protection should be
placed by all vessels on, and property TO such an
immense amount should be entrusted to. YES
sci not larger than that of our smaller bay craft
and no less surprise them, that neither sickness
or death should, for an instant deter her officers
ana men from the performance of their dutv.
And yet complaints are made that they do not
suppress piracy!
Lit. MONTGOMERY, then a MidsIipman lost
an arm during the late war, in the chace of the
BelyIdcrc by the Frgate President, has since
distinguished himself in action on the Lakes.
was highly esteemed by all his brother officers,
and is universally regretted.
The death of Lit. CUMMINGS has also deprived
the service OF an cnterprizng and sllful officer.
He entered the service in or about 1912. and
bore an active part in the battle on Lake Erie.
where he received an honorable wound. He
was also in the affair under Capt. Angus al
BACK Rock, where he also was wounded He
was otherwise actively. engaged in the war. until
captured In the Schooner Caledonia. He bore
with hun to the grave the scars of ten or eleven
wounds received in his country's service He
was as modest as he was brave and skilfil, and
Hothing but particular inquiry of his comrades
ras made us acquainted with facts, which no
one ever heard from his fps whilst living. Let
us here add the brightest leaf in the wrcath
which decks his tomb. He husbandcd his paw
constantly refused TO join in the ordinary alse-
mcnts and recreatlons on shore, and applied
every cent he could save to the support of his
mother and sisters. Such are the men whose
lives are sacrificed, to protect those, whose
gratitude is shewn by public i,npntations unon
them! We could enumerate twenty snoh
Young CLINTON, of New York, for example.
though but Midshipman. was great loss TO
ms country-possessag very fine talents, he
promised to be useful to his country, and an
honor and solace to his friends, had lie not met
an untimely fate Nat. Int.