Litchfield enquirer., 1843-12-28


ject of such infinite importance As the preservation
of the Tariff
NAVAL MONUMENT AT MOUNT AUBURN.
"A new charm is added to this sacred resting place
for the dead. A beautiful cenotaph of native mar
bic has just been erected by the officers and scen.
tlic corps Of the late Exploring Expedition to the
memory Of foursof their promising young associates,
who lost their lives In the service Of their country.
This chivalry Of feeling. which embalms the names
and memory Of brother officers, is a noble trait in
the character of brave men, and is touchingly dis
played in this plain but beautiful and appropriate
monument, on which, under chaplets of exclusively
wrought fawers, each forming the shape Of an urn,
IL Inscribed the i. Moving simple story:
On the first side .,
TO the Memory Of
Lieut.. JosEPH A. CNDERwooD,
4t .Mld'n WILKES HENRY
a. . U. S. Navy.
son the second side: 80
i. SID 10 the Memery of
= - Passed Midshipnsea
# - 4 JAS. WE. RrID,
a FREDERGK A. BAcoN,-' *
W us. N.
On Ae third side.
This Cenotaph is erected
THEIR ASSOCIATES,
the Officers and Scientific Corps
OF the
U. s. Exploring Expedition.
On the fourth side
Lieut. UNDERWOOD and Midshipman HENRY
fell by the hands Of savages, while
promoting the cause of science
and philanthropy, at
Mololo, one OF the Figi group Of Islands,
July a. fSIO
Passed Midshipnen RrID and BACON, were
lost at sea, of Cape Horn,
NAV, 1889.
The Exploring Expedition as scientific enter
prise, reflects great honor our country, for the
liberal views in which it originated, and no less
honor to the brave spirits by whoa it was carried
through 1t is however to be regretted, that TIE
unfortunate circumstances. have in some measure
yelled the true glory of this great cxpediton-ard
as yet the gratitnde of the nation lags shamefuly
behind the desert of those, whose privations and
perils should at least have earned for them the
cheap reward Of vote of thanks! But we will
not ALLURE our faith in the gratitude of our country
Notwithstanding the old adage that "republics
ungrateful, we will believe that national hon.
| or will yet be redeemed by just remembrance of
those brave men, who have contributed SO largely
to eXalt our nautical renown
The massacre of young Underwood and Henry,
was the most melancholy eventnf The whole cruise
They were murdered in sight scT Lieut. Alden and
his party, who were Fastening to their assistance
but unable to reach the shore with their boats,
We're obliged to moorfhem at the distance of a
up 10 their waists tney fred
on the savages as they advanced, and thus fortu-
nately arrived in time to save the bodies of their
comrades from the pollution of those cannibals,
whose horrid propensities they had frequent op.
portunities to witness.
Passed Midshipmen Reid and Bacon were ca
board the Sea Gull, and sailed from Cape Horn in
| company with the Flying Fish, commanded BY the
gallant Knox, who not liking the appearance of
the weather, returned into harbor-the Sea Gull
having twelve orsfourteen persons on board, pro-
| ceededs sand has never since been heard of.
Lieut. Alden and Johnson, with Mr. Drayton Of
the Scientific corps, were appointed a committee
TO carry out the wishes Of their associates in erect
ing monument to the memory Of the departed
and they have performed the duty in a manner
which cannot fail to give the highest satisfaction to
all concerned. a.
This cenotaph is an Egyptian obelisk, twenty-five
feet high, and four feet at the base erected at the
cost Of $4,000 The"design is by Drayton, and is
IN the finest style Of pure, simple, monumental
beauty-the execution by Struthers s. Sonof Phila-
delphia, sworthy Of the design.-BostOn Journal
Passed Midshipman Bacon'was anative of Litch-
field; the second son of our esteemed fellow-citi-
zen, Asa Bacon Esq. We remember him as a youth
of fine person. mind and manners, of correct prin.
cipaes and irreproachable life. He had been to
Europe'baiore he entered the naval service Of his
country During his short but eventful life he was
in Europe, Asia, Africa, and North and South A.
merica. He visited France and England. From
the sOuth'of France he travelled through the prin-
cipal cities of Italy: Genoa. Leghorn, Rome, Ma
ples' &C.; from thence to the classic grounds Of
Greece and the sacred sOisOf Jerusalem and Calya.
ry As stated above, he persisted with the officers
and crew Ofthe U. S. Schooner Sea Gall in gale
of Cape Hcrn, in May 1889. HIS memory Is en-
balmed in the affections Of every citizen Of this
village.
a Proposition Is now before The. Legislature Of