The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-10-08
LADIES ON BOARD A MAN. or WAR.
How Capt. barrett Clements the Cracks Made
In tho Union by the civil War.

In the Union by the Civil War.
A few days before the United States
steamship Plymouth was ordered from New
York harbor to Hampton Roads / was invited
by her captain, through mutual friend. to
visit her.
She is n beautiful vessel" said he. the
crack ship OF the navy. moro admired by for
eigp sea captains than any other vessel ever in
New York harbor the largest ship OF tho three
men -of-war now in the harbor, and her COM
mander is Capt Edward Barrett. a Southerner.
u Louisiana man ono of the few naval officers
Of Southern birth vino remained in the navy
when the war broke out the man who was Sc
lectcd to mako that cruise up the Mississippi to
vicksburg which brought THE Sun down upon
the Government for throwing away public
money in yachting up and down our rivers.
You must say yes; Capt Barrett expects you.
and you ought not to miss tho opportunity OF
seeing the ship and the man."
why the man 2"
You want hero. very common want"
lis he n hero"
rs it possible you don't know who Capt.
Barrett is p
No. did not and so. Harry Virgins. our
mutual friend gave me long story of the gal
liant Captains youthful exploits in the Mexican
war, and. later in the war between the States. his
cruises all over the world. and his valuable SER
vices since the war in the reorganization Of the
Ordnance Department Of the Norfolk Navy
Yard. and as Instructor OF Gunncry in organ
izing the schoolship Savannah. and lnstly OF
that yachting cruise up the Mississippi-and
there stopped him short, and made him stare
by asking " the Captain was handsome man.
gentlemen do. You must decide that for your
So. next morning. II was Sunday. and lnspec-
fion and drill Iuv hoard tho plVilOltn. |
went with Harry Virgins and Miss Nellie Flte-
wood to see the crack ship and her captain;
to escort us aboard.
don't know. much about nautical matters;
but. as we stood on the bout landing mt the Bat
tory, looking over the sunshiny wnter at the
three great black vessels with port holes and
sanppg guns hat Jay Tut in the har ,1, i ,
Plymouth was the handsomcst rs we'll as the
largest Both the Osslpce and the Minnesota.
her companions stood nighcr out Of the water
and We're not 50 trim. The Ossipec. in fact has
very ugly stern. Harry Virgins said she
looked as If she had been built By the milo and
1t dld not take many minutes for tho little
steam cutter to 'nrh the sid" OF the huge black
the black open mouths of the guns, went up the
little gangwdy the gentlemen handed Us over
the side Of the ship. and there stood the Cap
tain and his officers all sltterng in gold lace.
buttons. and epnulcttcs, with barcl heads. wait
INK. caps in hand To receive Us. The Captain
looked excessively grave stern. and sQdierly:
tie has side Wll-kcrs ana "a muustnchc, AMI
hue-gray eyes and a Roman nose. and he is not
tall: but when Nellie Elt,wOOd was presented
To- him tshe is very pretty h. smiled Just u
little. and smiling made him look hundsome.
Then We went into the Captains cabin and
sat few minutes. and then there was whistle
| followed by Il ilfc and drum roll and. grave rs a
judge. the Captain gave me his arm. and said:
" Madam, may l have the honor OF show
Ing YOU how We Keep house on board man-oi-
| war -
Lieut. Commander Cook gave Miss Nellie his
arm and we walked out and down the long line
| OF scamen, with their gllttcriug drawn cut
| lass"s on one sido of the spar deck. and the
! midshi pmen and marines on the other, They
! stood i kc statues. saw two men wink their
eyes. They say the Captain IL n splendid dis
| ciplinarian. | am sure he is. We stopped a
! lew seconds to admire a long sixty-pOunder
! PARROT rifle that is mounted lcngthwlso the
boat. and polished until you can almost see
| your incc in its curious notified. cheneed sur
| iarc. that peculiar color made by polish Of
lamphlack. breswnX. and vermilion-so we
were told went down 10 the mess dock. and
visited the officers mess and the mon messes
saw The Kitchens and the inirmary admired
the hrightness and cleanliness Of all things
wondered at the order and n"atn"ss u men :
| hous. Iing-nOt u woman to do anything.
Who max, the bed ana sweep and dust and
a.bsi. Inc ''0'"'s anu COOK ~u'" ana IRON
THE mon They not only sew. hut they ON
hroldcr beautifully. and carve tortoise shell
/ into combs and ornaments replied Cupt. Bar
r,tt. and b. showed Us beautiful specimens Of
their work nilrrwurd n the cabin.
Alter We had b'"u all over tho ship and adj
| nred al things So much ~ 20 make the stern
Captain sni.ir several times We went on the
woman il permitted there" We wore told; but
! from the qunrtcr-deek We saw the drill.
When We descended 10 the Captains cabin, he
| looked mo square in the eye, and said:
Docs this look ike pleasure yacht.
| madnmf'
Not at ALL Capt Barrct;' and looked him
| full in the face, ana We both smiled.
Then We had break INST and the Captain was
| worry polite nni genial. and he told us that the
Plymouth crussup the Mississippi aud other
rivers ha not cost the United STAT ono cent
! for the entertainment Of tho thousands of
| ladies who had Visit 'l the ship.
All tue hn~ ritaitics on board n man Of-war
! in the United Suites Navy arc expected 10 ho
| and are nj the cNprnS" Of thu Can ain and his
| IN 'ors,' said our host. We entertain our
friends ut our own expense. and not at that Of
| the Government
Alter breakfast We wont agNin on the quarter
| explained 10 us the difference between monitor
! and "A mau-oi war, and tho necessity for both
| Kinds of ships lu th" navy. Anifh"u Miss Nellie
| wont down with Lieut.. Judl 'o the spur dock
! where Hll the shining black guns are md MID
-hipnan Dheil put a printing ON one Of the
gl'- Tor h'r fn rNlI ldr, which She Il ia. and tho
gun was named Noiio flfeWood n compliment
/ o. her. Then We 'uin" ashore I'm the Captain :
/ XIX. escorted hy the Captain and several OIL
! co.'s IN their unit Hrms.
| had soon tho mun-of-war Plymouth and her
! cr"wot 225 mon AMI officers as thcy appeared in
/ the eyes ut tap-e Thousands OF southern ladies'
WHO Nlsi ed mgr on her cruise upthe Miss iss ippi
/ On Nl"kshurg." began to understand. imlrr-
/ inctly, perhaps, how that cruise probably " re-
/ Nlvci patriotism and lid tho work of cement
/ ,ng N" cracks made by the civil war in tbs
| Union Of the States"