Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-01-06
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP.


Pauldng, who is just now filing so conspicuous
place in the public eye, and republishit as
being of more interest to the country than
augbt il might be in our power to write to- day
CoNMoDoRE PAULDING.-Comniodors Pauid
ing IS from family long settled in Westcbest-r
county, on the Hudson, his father being the cele-
orated John Pduldng, the Peeks kill farmer who
win Williams and Van Vert, arrested Major
andre IN his return from West Point IL Is a
good stock. Paulding. the author. il his cousin
and was born in the adjoining county of Dutch
ess, where the family had taken refuge during
portion of the Revolution afterwards returning
to Westchester county. The present Commo-
dore Panlding was boin at the old homestead.
Ihe frst fifteen years Of his life Were passed
the banks of the Hudson and in New York CITY
and his entry in the Navy as midshipInan dates
back to September LIST, ISL He is Ia the habit
OF gratefully acknowledging his obligation to
ashington Irving for his naval appointment,
ana the intimacy that has long existed be-
tween their two families is worthy of remark
resulting on the part Of his cousin, James X
Pauiding, in their joint production Of that de
lightful book, " Salima gundi.' -
While still a midshi pman, and directly after
ms entry In the navy, the war of 1872 broke out
Pauiding, then mere boy, saw some little ser
vice, and wax, we believe, on board of the Con-
stltution when she captured the Macedonian.
promotion In those days was rapid, and Paulding
was made lieutenant on the 27th April, ISi6
when but twenty -one or two years old. After
the close Of the war, half dozen years drifted
away In the ordinary routine of naval life. 1920
found him lieutenant on board the old friyate
Macedonian, Capt John Downes, where he was
solving the problem of making both ends meet
on pay of $40 month, eked out with the ration
of SIS more, making I'm all $500 a year Iieuten-
ants pay has been more than doubled since then
On board the Macedonian he spent three wears
le2o-2l-22, cruising in the West Indies At this
time the Spanish American dependencies had
given rise to piracy to an extent that had become
serious evil, and consderab BILE naval force un-
der Com. Biddle was collected for its suppress
sion. His flagship was the Macedonian aboard
OF which Paulding was serving; his squadron
consisting of the Macedonian, Congress, Adams,
feacock, Spark, and four 12-gun schooners. This
pirate war was laborous-a large part being car
ned on in open bOats-and dragged slowly along
during several years
Returning home, year or two drifted away on
leave and on duty at the Boston Navy Yard But
ne was soon ordered 10 join the frigate United
states, (l) then fitting ont for the Pacific Our
navy In those days was small, we having but six
n'ht-olaSs frigates-the United States, Constitu-
tlon, Guerriere, Java, Potomac and Brandywine
OF which only three were in commission A
single liner the North Carolina, now rotting at
the BROOKLYN Yard, but then up the Mediterra-
mean, added to half dozen sharp and smaller
| force.
The three coming years, up to 1927, were now
Pdsstd IN the Pacific, partly on board of the
United states, and during a portion of the time
| on other duty. 1t was at this time that he made
lhat cruise In the schooner Dolphin which he
afterwards embodied in a volume giving an ac-
count OF his crossings among the iSlands of the
Pacific world. She sailed from Chorillos. in
Ieiu, under the present Com. Percival, (since
retired by the Board) and visited the Maranisas
ana Mulgrove islands in pursuit of the mutfneers
OF me whale ship Globe. Paulding then man
OF thirty, was his first lieutenant His book il
sketchy and well written, without any efJrt at
peinS more than simple journal Of practical
and observing man
Returning to the United States in l32e. he spent
several months with his family and was after
wards ordered on duty at the rendezvous al phil
adelphia His cousin, James Pauldinu was
| at this time Navy Agent at New York Two
years gllded bv while he was at Philadelphia,
ana IN l>3O he joined the COnsel alton d second
Grass ing OF 30 guns since cut down to a soop
as her first lieutenant, on her cruise up the Nedi
terranean, under Captain : Wadsworth-our
~ Ianean squadron then consisting of only
thIes or 1onr vessels, and the flagship being the
oio delaware. At this time the leading men of
tnp navy were those associated with the war of
iSlZ, whose names have since disappeared from
the register the last relic being swept away by
the act Of the Retiring Board three wears ago
Commodores Rodgers, Borrow Bainbridge
stewart, Hull, Isaac Chauncey. Biddle Patter-
son. NICHOLSON and Dallas. PauIding's nav bad
now grown to So month After tnisbinp his
cruise and leaving the Constellation In ord inary
al NORFOLK, Paulding passed the years 1881. 2 and
- al me New FORK rendezvous; 1884 found him
Ihcoinnand OF the ~ gun schooner Shark little
Vrssel built in Washington in 1891 of the same
SIZE win the present brig Dolphin, aud at that
aIe one OF nine schooners, each carrying twelve
guns, all OF which with one exception have nj nee
disappeared from the Naval Register In her be
spent twelve months cruising around the West
ihdia Islands, but found his way, in ISIS up the
mediterranean. where he Joined orr SQUADRON
then consisting Of the Delaware. Captain NicboI.
son, the Constitution, Potomac and the sloop
John Adams Nf
lie was here relieved from command nv Iieuf
EDehez-T Rideway, and in 1896 returned TO Nor
foik In the Delaware, spending the coming
eighteen months with bis family at his home on
staten island. His promotion to the 9 rade of
Commander took place at this time dating wb
February, leE In l-:}y, Immediately after his
promotion, he was given command of the twenty
gun Sloop ievant. then attac he'd 10 the yye.t In
ala squadron. under Commodore Dallas consist
ing OF The frigatt Macedonian, and the sloops
warren, Efle, and Ontario. Returning, he had
command OF the Navy ard at New York, and
Ioi2-3 found him waiting orders
Paulding, now a man of over ffty received his
Captalns commission February % iS44 Last at
sea IN '39, he was now, in 1886, given command
Oh tne twenty gun slooP Vincennes, which, to-
| Sether with the Columbus. formed our East In
dla squadron. Returning in April 1877 he took
| command, during the following year, of the
irlSate It Lawrence, then on her separate cruise
10 NoUhern Europe. This was during the Mex
lcan war, in which he took no share After Wis
itlng the Baltic ports, and receiving usual cour
tesles from the German towns he Joined the
mediterranean squadron in so. under old Com
Morgan Returning to New York. he AGAIN
sailed LOT England carrying out our contribu-
| tions TO the Worlds Fair
Inc next three years were passed in the quiet
command OF the w ashington Navy Yard his
OLD m gate, the St Lawrence, now being in the
Pacific, under Captain w A. Hunter. Now
Gahe tne retired List, and by its action Captain
raulding was raised OH the Naval List from No.
Three years ago he relieved Commodore New
, ION OF the command Of the home squadron, with
t Inc Potomac for his flag ship, which command
| ne mas ever since retained. This was at the time
VI our mcuities with Spain, and his position
commanding the home squadron, was one of i'm.
The present squadron under his command ia
NOT lnconsiderabie, consisting Of the Wabash
MS ndg-ship-one Of our immense new frjpates
the steamer Susquehanna, Just retur ned from the
, Mea,,erranean, the Cysne and Saratoga, both
| tWehty-gun soops, and the steamship Fulton /:
| certainly ample for any emergency that NAV arise
from fLibHSteros - ' ~
| captain Paulding, now trife over sixty Is a
man OF family: his wife having been Miss
heHogg, Of Flatbush, l.. J., by whom he has
S seveIa, children all now living at their present
| A-MAs DAY IN WAsHINGToN.-AW ashington
correspondent Of the Boston Post thus details
| her experience in this CITY on mas doy Do..