Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1854-03-02
Running the Greenhorns.

s Inc pTdCllco OF TunHlHS gree
;, horn" as it is called, existed to L
inconsiderable extent in our navy
n few years back. 1t is one of thos
n vulgar usages which we copied in ii
e early days of our navy, from th
3 English service, and which, it is
; be hoped, has, or will soon becom
obsolete. 1t may be considered bu
! minor reform, yet these sma
: things affect materially the tone an
character of the service, Anothe
signal abuse one singularly incon
sistent with republi can ideas : is tt,
assumption Of superiority, even Of
duty, and in social inter course, b,
virtue of rank. For distance,
have known lieutenant claim pref
erence over midshipmaA, whe re nc
distinction ought to have existed be-
tween them as gentlemen; and then
= though heaven forbid / should fl.
vor the practice of duelling 1t has
occurred in more instances than one,
among the naval officers Of our demo-
cratic government, that one of SUI
perior grade, after imposing an in
suit upon subordinate, who was in
every respect bis equal, save in rank,
has refused to meet him on that
ground. 1t could not be cowardice,
for the same individual would have
promptly accorded the required sat
isElction TO one Of his own class. =
A case Of this kind happened some
years since, in the Mediterranean,
which finally resulted in a fatal and
melancholy catastrophe A high
spirited passed midship pman received
some aifront from la lieutenant, which
he thought demanded g satislaction,"
as it is called, and in consequence
sent his friend for that purpose. i
The lieutenant, however, haughtiIy
refused to recognize any one under
his rank, and re paration was there
fore denied. This was but adding
fuel to flame, and the remembrance
of the wrong wab cherished, with
desire for revenge hat became burn
ing and intense. U4 fortunately, the
two officers we've ittached to the
same ship, their feelings of enmity
kept alive by seeing dach other daily;
when an acting appointment as lieu
tenant raisedthe junior temporarily to
The rank Of him who had given the
offence, and the demand was renewed /
in the shape Of direct challenge
The minds of both parties had be-
come too much e1ibittered to ALLOW
the amicable settlement which their
mutual friends attempted; and the
senior, not altogether satisfied with
bis own refusal to fight in the first
instance, promptly accepted the in
pitatioh. The parties met, and the
result was that at the first fire bothH
ELL, the lieutenant mortally, and the
acting lieutenant severely wounded.
RENE mber well, that the circum-a
stances made a deep suppression at
he time, throughout the, squadron,
md / have no doubt. affected serious.
y the views Of many upon the ques-
lion of rank.
But in reference to the practice of
running" --by which the reader will
understand, subjecting the unfortun-
tie new beginner to a series of coarse,
ind ofttimes offensive, practical jokes,
which lessen materially both bis.
comfort and sense Of dignity-it is
deserving Of especial reprobation, as \.
to destroy those feelings
,f courtesy and Refinement which 1,
nave ever been deemed an ornament
nd an honor to the profession Of |,
rms. Even in the exhibition of +.
his sport, which has generally been
considered harmless, / have seen the
ables turned, and some harsh re-
,ukes administered to the perpetia-
ors Of the unpalatable fun.
We we're lying at anchor in
hampton Roads. in 1886, prepaia- III
ory 70 sailing for the West India
quadron. Our sloop was full mann
d and oficered, and among the H
litlshipmen we're several who had !,
ever been at sea. They had spent a II
eek or two very pleasantly at Nor ! !
,lk, however, in the company of '
leirFfIture messmates, from whom 4
icy had received every kindness 7
nd attention, sufficient to put them }
4 a friendly and familiar footing; for, /
. it known, 4sea-trioks' are seldom y
rsneyer resorted to on shore, and