The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-11-23
Discipline at Sea.

From all accounts the captain of a
man-of-war must be very unhappy be-
ing. He is grand, you know, but he
must be lonesome. He has his separate
cabin, dimes alone, reads alone, and when
he ascends to the deck, all of the rest at
once cross to the other side to leave him
one side unobstructed. He could not be
more let alone if he had the smallpox.
Officers claim that this unbending rigidi
ty of behavior is alone one of the most
potent elements of discipline with crew.
The crew of man-of-war is largely made
up of reckless, dangerous men. In num-
bers they would always be able to seize
upon the small arms of the ship and
over-power the officers, and turn the ship
into a piratical cruiser. To keep down
gang of reckless men of this class the
Slightest infraction of q rigid discipline
cannot be passed over unnoticed.
A story told of Commodore Ammen of
the navy, the inventor of the steam ram,
illustrates how important is unhesitating
action in case of a mutiny. So severe
are the penalties for mutiny, and so close
are the men held in check, that mutinies,
of late, have become very rare. At the
close of the war Ammen was the captain
of a Pacific Mail steamer. He had
shipped as part of his crew lot of SOL
diers, men who had been sailors before
the war, but had served since that time
in the army. They were reckless, bad
lot. Almost before the steamer had left
New York it was evident that there was
going to be trouble. These sailors Aaunt-
ed at the grub furnished them, and said
they must have as good as the cabin pas
sengcrs. One day the affair eliminated
by this gang forming and coming aft,
when they entered the saloon. They
were headed by two desperadoes who had
melted the mutiny. At their appearance
several army officers on board volunteered
their services to Ammen. He thanked
them mildly, but said he would not need
their help. He walked forward languid-
ly toward the mutineers, and without
giving them time to say word, he took
out his watch and said "Now, men, l
want you to go right back to the fokesel.
l will give you one minute to CO."
Ammen has the appearance of be-
nevolent old deacon who would weep
with pain at the necessity of killing fly.
His voice was as soft as if his mouth was
lined with plush velvet, and as sweet as
maiden's whisper when Adolphus first
encircled her timid waist.
When he said simply to the men,
"Now, l want you to go right back to the
fokesel," the leader grinned. This mu'
tiny was to succeed too easily. So during
the minute they scofed at the old man.
At precisely go seconds after the expira.
ton of Ammen's remark he raised a pis-
tol and shot one of the ring-leaders dead
"Will you 60 back to the fokesel?" said
Ammcn to the second ring-lcader, pleas
antly. The man hesitated; a flash a
report, and he, too, fell dead.
The deadly persistent blandness Of
Ammen's composure drove terror through
the ranks of the murderers. They went
forward and there was never any more
trouble. This prompt action alone saved
a very rich ship and large number Of
passengers from plumber, outrage and
murder Washington letter to Chicago
Times.