Thibodaux minerva. [volume] (Thibodaux, La.) 18??-1858, 1854-11-04
The Signal Gun.

is one that impresses us with q feeling of awe
and admiration, and shows all the world that
the age Of heroes is not yet altogether gone by.
We refer to the young man whose post of duty
throughout all that trying scene was the firing
of signal gun at Intervals in the hope of at
tracing the attention of vessels from distance
to the scene Of the disaster While all around
him were death and despair, in bold relief there
he stood Qike Hope herself,) with the calm de-
termination of true hero, dischargng gun
after gun, until the gallant ship went down be-
meath the waves.
Here was a courage and manliness,-a de-
fiance of death, and an adhesion to duty, we
might walk over the most famous battle fields
in history to look for and not find. The soldier
who braves the King of Terrors at the lannon's
mouth, is animated by species of courage i'm
provlsed for the occasion, by the ''pomp and
circumstance" around him. There can be pro-
perly towards when men are drawn up in
battle array, with drums beating, coors flying
and thoughts of reward and promotion fitting
through the brain if victory is won. Dastards
dare anything then under such stimulants But
the bravery of the attle-feld is not the bravery
which was shown by our young hero of the
wreck. The former is a species of unnatural
courage-lt is of an animal nature; but the
latter was moral courage of the highest and
noblest kind. With his lighted match he SEEM
ed to stand, on the quarter of that devoted ship,
hurting defiance, as it were, in the very Jaws of
death itself
Others were desperately struggling for life;
he alone seemed to have resolved to demonstrate
how man may die at his post of duty, without
| dread or fear, in the mids of horrors that would
| make most men towards. Awfuly impressive,
| lndeed-terribly melo- dramatic-was the last of
all, IN which our young hero shone forth, wiring
ing EXPLANATIONS of admiration even from lips
| that were buffetng the hungering waters then
murmuring for their prey. Stuart Holm, flor
that was his name,) "could not be induced to
leave the ship; his post was at the gun from
first to last, firing signals; he kept firing that
gun at intervals till the ship went down. We
saw him in the very act of firing as the vessel
disappeared below the waters"
In Greek or Roman days, such man, if he
had not had awarded him the honors of deifca-
ton, would have had Senates decreeing him
statues and Monuments everywhere to com
memorate his deeds, that his example might not
be lost upon posterity. His conduct has given
a new lustre, coutrasted with that of the cravens
who, only anxious to save their own lives shut
their ears to the shricks Of the helpless women
and children that were graphing with horrors
all around and about them Honor, then, eternal
honor to him who went down to death u CON
queror Of death! That noble ship had many
Aoute ou bUdid,--but uuHe noDeE tllau ue
" The brave man is not I'D who feels no fear
For that were stupid aud irrational
But he whose noble soul its fear subtues,
And bravcly braves the danger nature shrnks from"
-Eapress. [sHA1EsrEARE.
CAPTAIN LUcEs HIsToRY.-We have collated
from various sources the following facts relative
to the past history of Captain Luce, which We
take pleasure in laying before our readers:
James c. Luce was born at Rochester Mass,
in the year 1906, and is consequently at this
time 4S years of age. At the age of sixteen
years he commenced his career as a mariner,
and so successful was he in all of the subor-
dinate positions he occupied, that before he was
and from that time up to 1850, he was a very
successful commander In that year, on account
of the eminence he had attained as skiliful
navigator and able Captain, he was invited to
the command of the noble steamer Arctic. He
accepted the invitation, and obtained popularity
both for himself and that noble vessel, seldom
equalled and never exceeded and his noble
conduct subsequent to the recent calamity, has
crowned him with laurels which in coming years
will remain ever green, and will associate his
name in the future with all that is brave and
In Captain Luce's experience as commander,
|
when, as the Arctic was passing the southern
coast of Ireland, on her voyage home, the last
previous to this, she struck on the Tuscan rock, |
but was speedily got off. Capt Luce, however, !
deemed it prudent to retura to Liverpool, in
order that the full extent of the damage might {
be ascertained. 1t was found that the injury
was slight, and she was enabled to resume her l
voyage in few days.
Another singular fact connected with the S
history of the vessels which he commanded prior
% his taking the Arctic is that seven out of
line were lost after he left them.
Captain Luce has been twice married The q
irst time, in 1885, to Miss Leonard, of Massa- /
,husetts, who died in 1886, after having given :
birth to his only remaining son, Robert, now
eighteen years of age, who is at present in Troy, :
Engaged in studies to perfect himself in engineer
ng. In 1888 Captain Luce married Miss Eliza
'eth Fearing, his present wife, and the mother "
f little Willie her only child, the history of
whose sad fate has been fully published in our Il
olumns.-N. 7. Times, 10Th.
Dr.. AcHILI AND ARCHBISHOP HUGHEs.-The al
Jew Orleans True Delta mentioned few days
60, that DR.. Achili had been engaged upon y
translation of the Bible for the American Bible g.
Union. He sent copy Of his version, with
7ttei, " AiSApiouoP AuSCS, LII WuCu uc |
he Archbishop to have it examined, in order
hat if found to conform to the original, he will
low it to be read in the Italian churches of his R
iocese. His letter concludes as follows: R
" IF you, them shall approve my translation .
faithful, I, with great pleasure, viii distribute :,
lis book among my brethren of your COM h h
union, whom | love as brethren in the Lord, G
nd to whom ever desire to be useful. When tn
ceased to believe in certain doctrines of the
oman Church, and consequently to belong to to
8 communion, I did not cease to love those di
HON | had served with SO much affection in W
y ministry, as that ministry of mine has never al
sased, but has been greatly enlarged because he
was formerly limited to the followers of one H
'eed, and is now extended to all. Ny gospel, at
) it is written in the book which send you, is pa
lie faith Of all good souls which live in the wi
ord, and which, although they stand among sh
ferent denominations, really and spiritually
elong to one ehurch-to one church only-that ne
the first born, whose names are written in Z
eaven." And this is my church. belong to u
. other. Of this | am always minister of :
re divine word of God, under 'sthe shepherd M M
I'D bishop of our SOULS" As it happens that Of
IT Italians are scattered everywhere, may gu
u -