Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1876-09-28


Obedience to superior orders ceases to
be duty the moment those orders en-
danger life and general safety. Pressing
cases like the following may occur where
a subaltern is aware of something un-
known to his officer, and must act before
he has time to explain. The "Army
and Navy Journal" tells the story
In 1888, the typhoon of the Northern
Pacific was not rs well understood as it
is now, and that sea was little known to
our naval vessels. In that year the
Potomac, commanded by Com. John
Downes, was crossing its waters on her
cruise around the world.
Reuben X. Pinkham was her third
lieutenant, thorough sailor born in a
northern whaling port, he had made sew
eral voyages TO the North Pacific as a
whaler, and was comparatively familiar
with that region, where the other officers
were strangers He and Com. Downes
have both been long dead.
The day was drawing to a close; Pink
ham had the watch, and the commodore
was walking the deck. The wind, which
before was fresh, had increased to a gale /;
topgallant sails were handed, topsails
reefed and spanker brailed up; when
all at once Pinkham gave the order
"Man the weather head-braces-
weather main-brace-weather maintop-
sail-brace-lee crossjack braces"
"What is that for, Mr.. Pinkham ?"
asked the commodore.
1--WE shall have the wind out here in
moment, sir" said Pinkham, stretching
his arm out and pointing to the leeward.
With that the commodore ran over to
the lee rail, and looked anxiously out in
the direction indicated. Presently he re-
turned and said,-
al see no signs of it, Mr.. Pinkham
let the men leave the braces"
With that a number Of the crew drop
ped the ropes, and Pinkham called OUT
keep hold of those braces, every man
Of you," when they resumed their grasp.
The commodore's face flushed with an
ger to find his directions thus disregarded,
and he called out, in peremptory tone,--
LET the men leave the braces, SIR"
Again the crew dropped the ropes
from their hands, when Pinkham, shak.
ing his trumpet at them, exclaimed
Don't any of you dare to let go of
those ropes"
At that moment the wind did not die
away, but stopped, and the sails tapped
against the masts. Raising his trumpet
to his lips, Pinkham shouted, Haul
taut! Haul off all |" and the ponderou:
yards swung to reversed direction.
They had hardly done so when the
wind came out from the opposite quar-
ter, and struck the ship like a sledge
hammer. She bent over before it, blu,
shaking the spray from her bows dashed
forward unframed
Com. Downes said not a word, bu,
rushed into his cabin and presently the
orderly came up to Mr.. Pinkham and
to the first lieutenant to relieve him fol
few minutes, as he wished to see hin
in the cabin.
Entering the cabin, Pinkham fount
the commodore seated by table.
"Mr. Pinkham," he exclaimed, al
consider myself indebted to you for m,
own life and for the lives Of all on boarc
this ship. Had you not hauled the
yards just when you did, the ship would
have gone down stern foremost. But
tell you frankly that, had the wind no
come out as you predicted, would have
put you under arrest in two minutes"
"Com. Downes," replied Lieut.. Pink
ham, AZ did not intend any disrespect
and should be sorry if you thought
did, but have been in these seas before
and am familiar with these sudder
changes of wind. / saw undoubtful in
dications of such change then, and knew
that had no time for explanation"