Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1863-12-18
Of the Ga,ettc.
LETTER FROM THE NAVY.

Correspondence Of the Gazette.
LETTER FROM THE NAVY.
a. H q. y. Faakrr MINNESOTA, l
...... HAMPTON koAps. Va. :
Sept l5.--All the gun-dcck divisions were
united in ons company to-day and marched
around the decks, with drum and fife. "Are
you looking at the soldiers!" says one in the
ranks to alooker on. We are raw recruits" T"
says another. Then others: :" We are the
draft )" You don't keep step" "You
don't carry your musket right" &C., &c.
That's militia says bystander.
22.--Rumors of French Intervention, with
100000 men "Ah!" says Sheridan lone
of our Mupchausensl /" The Emperor of Rus
sia says that il France gives 800, 900 men to
the South he will give 5000, 900 to the North
beside any quantity of ironclads. He hasn't
been asleep al the time. Oh, no! He'll pay
off old scores. Yes, yes! He'll be on hand
any time wo want him." &C., &c. Very good
in Sheridan and the Emperor Of Russia.
Oct. 1O.-Sent an expedition of forty men
up York River on the 4th inst. They re.
turned to-day with fifteen prisoners and O
lot Of whisky. Our main course
which blew away in second of the North
Carolina coast was worth $500. From thi.
you may get some idea Of the loss it would
be If al! the sails blew away. A ships sails
and rigging are the most expensive part o.
her. 1t is very expensive to keep them II
good running order. Hence the expression
among sailors, when speaking Of a well-dres
cd lady, the rigging cost more than tht
hull" - y The entente cordia'e Gas tht
papers have i) between Jim Laird and m.
is not Of the best, owing to the hits give
him about British neutrality. You know
am not apt to fatter nor mnce matters. jim
cannot see why the British can't build ship.
for other powers now as well as at any othcl
time. Says also that the rams are not 70,
the confeds. Oh, no. Of course not!
Sheridan has just passed along singing
"Who'g been here since I've been gone!
sassy sailor with his seaboots on" ..H
could write yarns (nautically speaking
as long as the main top bowling "a very lont
rope) but I avoid that kind Of writing.
simply state facts and leave twisters to poll
ticians and bar-room loafers. The facts to
day are these The Admiral in company
with two ladies and four or Ave gentlemen
with splendid band, arrived in an army
boat. The barge was called away by Jo
(playing tho red, white and blue on his.bugle
The Admiral, ladies and gents came on board
Admiral and lady ahead, Lieut.. Fyfe and lad,
next, then the lone gents. Not seeing th'
ladies' faces, VIC will say they looked well
and then they cannot grumble. e..
Nov. 1.-The ships company is divided
into seven divisions--three gun.deck divis
ions, all belonging to guns-two spar decl
divisions, also belonging to guns-the mas
tcr's division, whose duty in action is to re
pair damage to spars and rigging--and III,
powder division, who pass powder from tht
magazine and shot from the lockers.
The President has made us visit. Whei
the tug on board which he was drew near, 4
hawser was thrown to her from the ship and
although there was the tugs crew to seize il
the President caught up the hawscr and
made it fast, at once raising himself high in
the estimation of our chaps, and bringing
from them such remarks as :-"He's not too
nice to take hold of rope.' He's the
boy" No airs about him" Our fellows
all believe in the President.
7th.--Charley Moore gets full, strikes 8
sentry, is gagged and bucked and put into
the brig. Gagging is piece of wood or iron
fastened in the mouth. 3ucking is sitting
down on deck, knees up to breast, wrists
tied together down over the knees, and n
stick passed through over the arms and under
the knees. @
sth.--Secretary Weles, Commodore Smith
with other gentlemen and ladies on board to-
day. When they left the ship, we expended
22l TBS powder az guns) in honor of the
Secretary.
9th.-The fort and ourselves saluted II.
B. N. s. Greyhound, just arrived. The Capt.
came on board, the neatest dressed British
naval officer have seen here. Our men
touched their caps as he passed them. He
returned their salute.
10th..-Received l25 recruits, mostly lands.
men, from the Brandywinc. Miserable,
lousy looking set A trip in Neptuno's do.
minions will blow some of the dust off them
and when they get their discharge they will
be clean at least.
12th.--Five men from North Carolina ar
rived last eve. They took boat and put off
10 the blockading squadron off Wilmington
md were taken on board.
17th.--Capt Harrison left us yesterday
he was rather liked by the people. We are
ready for sea and rumor has US going every.
where. That is worse than the Flying
Dutchman, for he was generally off the Cape
IF Good Hope, although have heard one or
Two old fish say they have seen him off Cape
Horn.
2oth.-Yesterday morning ! had piece Of
paper in my pocket, written thus:
u. g. q. MIsrsporA,
on NEWPORT Nsws, Nov I9th 1889.
H. -- lseaman) has permission to vi,it Norfolk
and return at sundoWB.
JOS. ". FYFpE, Lieut.. comd'g.
At A. NJ, Jim Laird (armorery Tom
Newman (boatswain's mate), Chas. Thomp-
son (quarter gunncr) and myself stepped
into the 4th cutter and were pulled alongside
the tug Lilac. We jumped on board and by
z o'clock were landed at Fort Monroe. Ats
~. - Al. T. ,