Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1862-02-14
CORRESPONDENCE or rHE aAxkrrk.
Letter from the Navy.
U. 3. FRIGArE MINNESOTA, |
or Fortress Monroe, Va.

Aettox from the navy
U. =. PRuGArR MlNYR.orA,l
or Fortress Monroe. Va.
Dec. 20-Still at anchor, it is not easy to
find anything new to write. This afternoon,
I saw posted on the scuttle.butt this notice :
MOUND, a wooden mitten The owner can have the
Il same by applying to A. CLENNlN, Maintop.
A few days ago when the bell struck eight
e A. M.) the men went down to breakfast
1t ~a. the breakfast hour, but the Captain
not liking their going down without being
regularly piped by the boatswain and his
mates gave orders for them all to leave the
gun-deck (whcre the meals are served) and
go on the spar-deck again. TO show their
displeasure they howled, groaned and were
very noisy. Finding that they were not like
ly to get breakfast, they howled again. A
few minutes after ,hc drum and fife com
mcnced. Quarters #as beat. Away we
went to quarters, cross enough for all this
time breakfast was getting cold, coffee hav-
ing been poured out, &c, &c. Soon the or
der came for all petty officers to appear on
the spar deck, starboard side. (The rule is,
if any complaint is to be made to make it
through the petty oflicers.) The Captain
wanted to know the cause of the noise. No
body knew. Wanted to know ifany ofthcm
had any complaint to make. No reply. Said
that he was ready ID hear any complaint, that
he had done and was doing all that he could
to make us comfortable, &c. The retreat was
finally beat and shortly after breakfast was
pped. The Captain blamed the Foretop-
men as the noise came from where they gen.
orally stand. He WAS wrong It was made
by men in all parts of the ship There
was no reason for not giving us our break
fast at precisely eight O'clock. The boat
swain's mates should have blowed their call
the very moment the bell struck. y
Every one, from the Commodore down, has
so many rations allowed. The men draw
their rat;ons. The officers receive money
instead, and by taking little more from
their pockets Are able to get turkics, &C.,
preserved fruits, liquors, cigars, &C., &c. I
could do that but my pay would be too much
diminished by such an operation.
Yesterday, while lying down with the
Knickerbocker in the sun, fell asleep, and
when comfortably dreaming some evil dis
posed person or persons stole the magazine
have about dozen scouts on the lookout
for it who viii report as soon as they see it,
If catch the fellow he vii. amuse himself
in the brig in irons for few weeks as shall
report him to the First Lieutenant. Said
Lieutenant is down OH all thieves. There is
a great deal Of pilfcring here but that is the
first thing l have lost. Pike ard Batemcn
sitting there and in the middle of the after
noon, did not suspect any one would dare
such thing. Our clothing is under lock
and key Each mess has what is called a
bagrack for clothing. The cook of the mess
has the key. We can g to our bags at
breakfast and at supper time.
Dec. 23.-For variety give you another
of our exercises With sails--loosening, hoist
ing, reefing and furling First, Boatswain's S
mates pipe: "All hands, loose sails ~ Then
comes the order from the First Lieutenant
echoed by the officers: Lay aloft Trice
up Lay out Let fall Let go the clewlincs
buntlincs clew jiggtrs Sheet home Haul
away on the fore-topsail sheet B'lay port
sheet Haul away starboard sheet B'lay
Man the topsail halyards Hoist away Over
haul them topsai clewlines and buntlines
Let 60 the top-gallant sheets Walk away,
men! walk away you are not hauling fast
enough on them halyards. (That is they are
not hauling fast enough to suit the officer
Haul away! b'lay. Foretopsail halyards
haul taught the braces''
Re.fng.-Reef topsails! Man the topsail
clewlnes and reef tackle stand by the hal.
yards lower away! haul away that clcw-
line haul out Cd that reef tackle lower
away that yard, roundly! Lay aloft! Trice
up the hooms lay out! three reefs Haul
your sail Up snug Lay down! tumble
down, men tumble down Man the hal
yards Let go the reef-tacklcs and clew-
linesl hoist away walk along, men, walk
along! B'lay topsail halyards.
Furling.--Stapdby the lialyards clcwjig-
gers and buntlines Ease away the halyards
Haul away on the jiggcrs! Lay aloft! Tricc up!
Lay out! lay in! lay down! lay down on deck!
do you hear! The sails are furlcd. The
men are on deck. Braces arc hauled taught.
The rigging is coiled up. The swecpers
sweep down the deck and the exercise is
finished. We are not allowed to wear our
comforters or coats. This is tic rule, but
officers need not see it unless they choose.
Do you know that many sailors cat raw
salt pork? ! do, often, particularly in the
night. Sliced ahd eat with biscuit it is good
lunch for hcalthful man. - One d.
vision is now at musket drill. Another at
broadsword exercise. Master division was
exercised to-day. Masts ana yards were
fished Temporary repair after having been
partially broken by shot or gale) rigging