The daily gazette., 1874-09-03
WHO IS RUSSELL =?
IN GEORGE CARY EGGLEsToN.
tCONCLUDED.)

W nBu II lnOHIn OF Two HtlpF, l WAS
sent with my command to Bluifton, a
little place Immediately ON the water,
and good deal of water service in OPP
en boats was expected of me, my first
care was to train my mOuntaineers in
the use of oars and sails With the ex-
ception of Russell, one sergeant and
myself, not man in the battery knew
the difference between a mast and keel
and so determined to divide the com
pany into boats crews for drill, and
make of Russell my drill sergeant, --
When the order providing for this was
read on parade Russell SAID nothing. |
hardly reached my quarters before he
came, cap in hand, asking to see me in
private
Captain" said he, when we We're
alone, II must beg you TO excuse me
from this bohting duty. | really can't
do it,"
''But you must" returned, "the
men must be taught TO handle the boats
and your skill and experience are quite
Indispensable"
sBut | have no skill or experience in
the matter, captain, he replied. 1.-The
truth is, | do not know even the no
menciature OF a boats several parts.
do know the bow from the rudder, but
that is the extreme limit of my knowl-
edge ON the subject"
This from an eX naval officer was Ger
tainly rather odd, but, will the reader
believe it, could not bring myself to
question the quiet gentleman on the
subject or even to suspect his veracity
in which had learned to have the most
implicit confidence. He was not at all
averse to boating duty in itself On
the contrary, when the oar was put in
his hand, his supply muscles lent them
selves with will to the severe physical
toll. The man seemed to rejoice in the
opportunity, thus given him 10 bring
his strength and his spirit into play.
When his fellows quilted the boat,
in utter weariness he would betake him
self to my little shell and row heraboul
| for hours in mere wantonncsS OF uneX
pended vitality. But he knew nothing
of boating. He was as awkward us pos
sible at first, though he learned rapidly
and soon became Il graceful oarSmall
and an excellent sailor
AT first was puzzled. could re
concile the mans stories Of naval ser
vice with his evident ignorance oi
everything pertaining TO boating, and
yet [ could not possibly doubt the
truthfulness of his statements. Nobody
who knew his gentleness, his modest,
and his integrity as | did could posi-
bly, entertain doubt of his truthful
lness. His conduct and his manner,
were unexceptionable always, anc
the man himself was the emhodimenl
of truth. Accordingly, when | obser
| we'd some tattoo marks on his arm
one day, which he told me were pm
there while he was in the navy, it di,
not occur To me to question him as Il
the truth of that story. On the con
trary, thought at the moment of ;
possible explanation. of the who'll
matter. Perhaps he had been II sur
ycan in the sevice, and il so, his techni
cal ignorance of boating was not alto
gcther unaccountable. | was surpris
ed, however, TO see that the letters OF
his arm were not 'W. r." but NV
w., ;" Il fact of which he volunteered
an explanation.
my name is not Russell, captain,
he said, "but Wallace, though for
lgood many years | have preferred l.
luso my mothers rather than IN.
fathers name"
| accepted his explanation, and re
lspectcd his wish to be called Russl
still. He imposed no pledge of scores,
lupon me, but ! kept hissecret sacredly
respecting it as a confidential commu
Inication from one gentleman TO an
other
Ihad haWlly,,settled it in my mind tina
tRusscllS connection with the nav,
lhad been in the capacity of surgeon
when he came to me one day with tn
request that he might be allowed to g
to Charleston, for the purpose of stand
ing an examination to the navy as ;
lieutenant. This time confess, l wa
astonished, and so / went with him be
fore the board, where, to my surprise
he passed his examination so success
fully that he was commissioned a
Ionce, and put in command of a newly
Ihuilt gunboat. Shortly afterward, h
handled his vessel so well in fight OF
1.-THE harbor, as to sccurea official CON
Ipliment and promotion.
| As j was ordered To Virginia 500
iafterward, lost sight of Russell, AN
luntil August, 1878, heard no NOR
of him. l was editing the Hearth an'
Home, and, oddly enough l was jus
ibeginning to write this sketch of m,
lsingular acquaintance when RusseI
himself walked into my Broadwa
lofiice and asked me if | remembere
him. He was we'll dressed in a quie
velvet suit, and was hardly at al
Ichanged. He told me he was married
land was living at No. - West Forty
third street that he was practicin
law, being senior member of the firl
lof Wintermute u Russell, for that hi
real name was Wintermute, an
THAT his partner, Russell, was cousin
luo nn1,n mo the firm's card and begpo