The Columbia daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1865, 1865-07-01
History of the Naval Academy.

GuilS So 'iCD III FOIutS rs Llat Ol W esq
Point, but less widely known, and
| therefore particularly appropriate here.
The first naval committee was appoint
ed December II, 1915. Tor nine years
from l7sG the war and navy depart
ments were united A Naval Academy
was proposed by Alexander Hamilton,
and the last letter ever written bv
George Washington. two days before
bie death, was to urge The adoption Of
Hamiton's plan The proposition was
often debated, and when finally about
10 be executed Governors Island was
proposed as the site of the edifces per-
tanning to the schools Southern men
were loud in their advocacy OF the
scheme, and HaJne, OF South Caroline,
was one the s5anchest adherents Of the
Naval Academy, IS also Gen ". II.
Harrison, OF Miami fso,.;sS Various
obstacles were thrown in the way Of
the realization Of this excellent scheme.
For many years after the org.ni7atin
of the country, the War and Navy
Departments were united, tut at Ia>t.
taking the responsibility, George Ban
croft, Secretary Of the Navy, in ls45
determined to locate national naval
school without tha permission Of Con.
gress. lie conferred with the Virginia
commander Fraaklin Buchanan, and
through the good will Of Gen. Winfield
Scott, obtained the transfer to the navy
Of the useless post Of Annapolis: Il ew
common lace edifices were arranged
to receive the cadets, and the institution
was opened Friday. October 10, 1s45
George Bancroft. may, therefore, be con
sidereI the founder, and Commander Bu
chanan, who threw ur his commission
the beginning Of the rebellion, WAS Tie
first superintendent Of" the Naval
Academy. The second superintendent
was Conlnander Unshur, OF Virginia
who made some additions to the
schcol The schoIa ship a. first re-
sem',led that Of West Point.
The first practice ship used at An
napolis was the Preb!e, and the first
cruise was made in the summer OF 1850
This attracted great attention, although
nava! education in Europe was 4 uite
common by t!.!s ti::e; Ike second cruise
came oil u 1852. ard ra, :. very
extensive ore, em'r"ci.y Madeira, the
Canary and the West Iniia Islands
The next cruise, that Of 1854, took in
Corunna. plymouth Cherbourg. an1
Bres'. '"e latter po!. berg the sea, nt
the .'tenc;, Naval Cadet Scho:.. The
present 4 lmiral GolGshoroug., was
fourth superintendent st Annapolis
During these Years many i:nprovcnen;e
were made in the course OF staiv. the
organization, etc, AID the cadets hccans
prom."tLt IN oVr l.arne establishments
Who has forgotten i;ern or. who stood
at his post vhen The mai snip '""a6er,
ed, and pcrsled with her. There is a
ronumcn; To his h~roisli. 2. Annapolis.
Iu April. 1861, the rebellion began.
ana played havoc vi,h Annapolis. The
frjGate Constiluti,n. the. sane wAici,
Holmes the poet requested the lnunder.
bolts to sink, ane, which had been CON.
pletely aud beautifully ,e3ni'.. was
desired by the Maryland .eJe.s, WHO
planted !. battery Hcar By Annapolis,
aud dctied i.c Government to take her
out Of shoaI water This was accom-
plished by the E1hSh Massachusetts
regiment on the 2lst Of May, and in
punishment for the treachery Of Anna
polls, she lost temporarily the owner
ship Of the cadet school. loo out of
tLe 263 pupils resigned: and went
South. The l43 who remained were
placed at Fort Alar:s, in Newport
harbor and in the Summer succeeding,
the Atlantic Hotel was rented from
ElMarI 4 Nen.tnu anl .nuxAlteE IN 10