The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1868-05-01
BY THOMAS MAVOY.

LQLlOQ, thC WIN -
her gallant and splendid achievements
in the War Of 1872, deriving therefrom
the famous so6riquet of Old Iron
sidez," sailed from the harbor of New
York. under the command of Captain
John Percival, OF Dorchester, Mass,
in the month of May, probably
in the year Of our Lord 1913.
John Tyler, of Virginia, was then
President of the United States of
North America and Abel P. UpshuT,
the Secretary of the Navy. The Ad-
ministration had acquired political
aseendepcy under Wing auspices; but
comet-like, il became rather erratic
in its subsequent manifestations.
Captain John Percival, alias Z" Mad
Jack Percival," was a Whig-one Of
the straitest of the seet-and had
made himself popularity notorious as
such, by the mad prank-of saving the
head off the ef6gy of General Jackson
that adorned, as a fgure-head, tina
bows Of the 50 Old Ironsides." This
figure head, the Wings considered A.
great eyesore, and a disgrace to the.
vessel constructed by Wing archi-
tects, paid out Of funds furnished
by patriotic Wing ladies' residing
insthe Wing Athenium Metropolis Of
the Republic. As an acknowledge
ment of his political merit. and to re-
ward his political fidelity, the Con-
stitution frigate was put into COM
mission. When he was invested with
the command, he bad just completed
sentence imposed by a court martial,
Of three years suspension from SER
vice, for hogging the skipper Of a
whaler, and for committing suDdry
other absurd misdemeanOrs, while
stationed among the Archipelagoes Of
Polynesia, in command of the United
States brig-of-war, Dolphin. His
appointment to the command of the
Constitution, was mainly owing to the
earnest solicitation Of his friends; at
any rate, the order was issued
from the Navy Department to
have her prepared for sea SER
vice. At that moment she was
lying 10 ordinary, at the Portsmouth
Navy yard, In Norfolk harbor, Vir-
GINA. For her crew, the receiving
ship, PENNSYLVANIA, was ansacked, but
with limited success; and for spar,,
sails, and rigging, the discarded para.
phernalia Of the ~frigate Brandywine.
were appropriated and altered to suit
the ~exigeDcy. She wassthen brought
round 10 New York, where her crew,
both men and boys, was augmented
to the full compliment of FIVE hun
dred souls-a large prepOnderance of
WhOmwer Foreigners, as few native
Americans fancy the confinement or
usage of the naval service. The old
ship under the circumstances can not
be said to have had any great partial
ity shown her. La fact when we con
slider her merit, we are bound to con
TESS, that her niggardly equipment
vas a scandal to the country she had
SO nobly defended, and was then about
to represent.
Before we sailed from New York.
1t had been rumored on board that
our destination was OF no well-defned
character; that we were to have a sort
of rowing commission, and that its
duration was to continue till our old
sails and rigging had grown unser-
yiceable, and the ships hull unsea-
worthy. This report produced no
dissatisfaction or melancholy fore
bodings. The old ship had sustained
the shocks OF battle and Of storm be-
fore, and had invariably proved vic
toriOus, and the prestige Of good luck
which she consequently carried. was
amply sufficient, IN the superstiCous
estimation of sailors, to enable her to
bear up under all the hardships Of
the prospective cruise around the
world. For my part, L was then SO
enthusiastically attached TO a seafar-
ing life, SO possessed by a spirit of
curiosity to see foreign parts, and
examine their characteristics, so firm
a believer, that
The earth was made 50 various, that
Ofdesultoryanan, studious OF change,
ana PLEASED with novelty, might be IN
that l would have volunteered to en-
bark 10 the enterprise under any cir
-cumstances.
1t had been likewise rumored that
our vessel had been selected ro on
vey ;he Hon. Henry A. Wise IF
Virginia, to Rio Janeiro. as Minister
10 the Court Of Brazil. Accordingly
the evening previous to our denart-
sure, that gentleman, aceompanial
by MS family and servants. came on
board, and domiciled and domesti-
Gated themselves among Us. Early
the following morning, we weighed
anchor, sailed down the bay. passed
through the naTrows, and proceeded
to sea. The wind was propitious
and the weather charming. Every