The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1856-11-19
BY AN OFFICER OF TIE L. S NAVY.
CHAPTER I.
ruE pRrpARAToRY MovEMENrs

CHAPTER I.
THE PREPARATORY MOVEMENTS.
"lIe that has sailed upon the lark blue sea.
Has viewed at times, | wcen, a full fair sight
When the fresh breeze is fair rs breeze may be,
The white sail set, the gallant trigatc tight;
NastI, spires, aud strand retiring to the right
The glorious main expanding o'rr the bow,
The convoy spread like wild-swans in their flight
The dullcst sailor wearing bravcly now,
SO gaily curls the wave before each Ja.hing
Daring the ,ntli of November, 1916.
and while the war with Mex;ro WIS in iuIl
b'ast. happened one dav to he strolIuc
over the Navy Ward. At RronkIyn oppo.
site The city Of New Yo,k. when WAS nc
co,,eI hy an Officer with whom h:s!
formerly been = >!Ipma,e during n long
AMI c,ent:ul cruise in the Pacific
''llow are you III ! Glad to ,cc Won :
lisw have y"u been Srsn ANYTHING OF
the rar yet I Ii not. here's o,pi,sl
chance he beautiful new sioop of war
Albany is t,, filing Oh, for n cruise in
The Gult--si:s like duck On the water ;
.pars like fr:a,c accommodations Ike
scN"nty-!our--app'y fnr orders t. her
y ",
YOU may hc suic :"
To all this torrent "f worl, coull ON
ly reply that should hr mos, happy to
have " look at the ship, aud taking hi,
arm, NC str"l!ed dow. tho whllftu where
s!s WAS lying.
Shr Sa. in'lcrl most beautiful vessel.
Ny friend has act exaggerated her many
fine qualities an iota in What he hal thus
trp.ily told me, aud my eve took in at II
single glance all her symmetry and .ie,,-
ness "f appearance. and resolved to gn
ou: IN her il possible.
Captain Samuel l.. 8r.cse, brother
o. Senator Brccsc from Illinois, had been
,lrted to take comma'.I OF the Albany,
aad b dins an old acquaintance Of mine,
experienced no difficulty in procurn. an
appointment to Ecr, and after u few daya,
No hauled around into the North riser,
ar ad her grent white wings Ia the breeze,
aud in few hours weyc slow ly rising nm:
falling ON the long and Er.sIW swell OF
the wide, wide sea."
We found the AlbaNy , pAi..le sais4.
and .le fairy seemed to hy through the
water, leapng and soaring from one yian,
billow TO another. like sonc great, white
winged sea bird. and all was mirtl, and
jality on board. Every body wgs anXi.
Gus To arrive at the "seal of wag," Ia II,
WAS slrewdly sdspectc.l that the govern.
mcnt had ut last determined TO % some
thing in the way OF making denorslra.
ton agains, V.ra Cruz, aud t .rr: vas not
an otiicer or IN 10 on ooatd o.r sooLly
craft, but was anxious To have "a Iing-r
in the pie" or in the language al old
Whalin, the captain OF the iorecaslic, 10
"give the darneJ Ied skins n comsoundcd
drubbing."
After "a run Of seven days, We passed
the grim aud pondcrous Moro CaslIc, and
anchored in the larbor Of Havana. We
remained there sJnIe four or five days,
and again took our departure ior l'rbsa-
cola. After taking in iuli supply oi stores
a, tllN place, and making some Necessary
alterations about our top gallant forccas.
ile, we again made sail, and the loug, low
sand bills Of Florida sunk 10 the Distance
IS sc sped swiftly aud nesriIy onward.
A fea DAYS more, aud drc oil watch.
lowers, domes, aud walls Of Vera Crnz-.
the stern, GRIM Castle Of Sau Juan D'Uiios
rose before US, aud we were quickly ap.
ehored under the lee cf la Isle ye.da, or
Green Island, where we found Commo.
dore CQpno5, who Immediately ordered
us upon cruise along the coast, in the
neighborhood Of Del GuarJo, in order 10
intercept vessels that should attempt TO
;un the blockade Of Vera Cruz.