The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1876-04-12

ana when the conversations are re-
caAed IL seems strange how far they
were from realizing the extent of the
great war in which they were about to
engage. The general opinion prevailed
among them that the ssspec of war;
would disappear in ninety days and
that the troops would soon be returned
to the frontier. Many of the brave Of
| ficers and men on board of that vessel
lost their lives in the great battles of
the rebellion. Some of the officers
were natives of the South, who had
scood Dy the government in peace, and
were too patriotic to abandon it, when
their services were needed to maintain
it's very existence. "
IL was very easy to be loyal when
one $ friends and all his interests were
on the side of loyalty, but patriotism
was required to cause one to give up
home and friends and cling to the
cause of the Union.
On the arrival of the Empire City in
Havana the news of the bombardment
OF Fort Sumpter was communicated to
the troops on board, and then the fact
began to dawn upon all that the
Southern people meant war. The
empire City was commanded by an ig-
norant, self.cOnceited old tar by the
name OF Brown. A soldier could not
place his head above deck without a
lecture upon s'System.'' It was by
system that the mariner was enabled
to guide the ship through the trackless
ocean with mathematical accuracy. His
system had been established by long
experience, having risen from cabin
boy to captain. All the officers and
troops were on the qui vive one beau
tltul morning, straining their eyes to
see the spires and domes of Havana.
Soon land was discovered, but no signs
OF city. ''Where are we e. was on
every tongue. Imagine the surprise of
all, to learn that our systematic cap
tain had lost his reckoning and had
passed forty miles beyond the city. It
was necessary to coal and water in
that harbor, so the ship retraced her
steps and in a few hours we were in
front Of Moro Castle. The old flag was
brought out and raised to the mast
head, and beautifully and majestically
the stars and stripes floated in the
breeze. The gun on Moro fired, sig
mtylng welcome to us, and we sailed
into that grand harbor. The flag of
the free was honored by foreign
country, and again tears filled our ewes
at che recollection of the indignity Of
fertd to that same flag only few DAYS
previously by our own people,
Capt. Brown felt so mortified at his
great blunder in missing the island
that he was never heard to discourse
upon navigation as a science during
the balance of our voyage. On the ar
rival OF the vessel in New York harbor,
we separated from the Empire CITY
and her commander and soon we were
in the vicinity of the field of operation.
Sam. Houston, though very unre-
liable man in many respects, was a pa
triot and did all he could to restrain
the hot headed rebels of that state.
He was singular man. Once men,
Der of Congress, and governor of Ten
nessee. Heseparated from his wife and
joined the Indians in the southwest
and became chief among. them. FIRE.
quently he would visit the garri-
son in that part of the country
to have a stalk with the comman-
der. and on such occasions would
seat him on the floor, refusing
a chair, and declining to speak one
word of English. He was always &C.
companied by an interpreter and his
conversations were conducted through
him. Sam. Houston was "big In
diam then and he always acted
the same character after his return to
civilization. The early trouble in
| TQY9C QnficfoH hio ,o41;o, owl 1, :.
finally became the head of the Texas
Republic. On the annexation he was
elected and admitted as Senator from
that state. In politics he was tricky
and uncertain in his attempt to ''carry
| water on both shoulders.
| On one occasion an acquaintance of
his, whom we will call Bell, asked him
for a letter to the Secretary of the In
terror recommending him for an ap-
pointment to some office. The letter
was given and Bell was recommended
as being ''just the man for the place.
On the same day he wrote to the Sec
| rotary asking him not to confer the
appointment upon Bell as he was
worthless and unreliable. The former
letter was given to Bell, the latter,
sent by mail reached Washington sew
eral days in advance of the office seek
er. When Bell arrived he called upon
the secretary and presented his letter
from Houston. The secretary read it
and remarked that he had received
another letter from the Senator and
handed it over to Bell to read. After
reading it over several times he asked
If he might be permitted to take copy
OF it, but the secretary told him he
! might have the original. Armed with