The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1878-08-22
-o--
Ben Buffers Coxswain.

Ben Buffers COxswain.
81 wonder if Ben Butler would re.
member me-" said an ex.army officer,
who is now an attache of the BROOKLYN
police department. "I was his cox
swain at Fortress Monroe. Commo-
dore GOldsborOugh, who was in CON-
mand Of the Minnesota, presented Gen.
Butler with cutter, and was made
its coxswain and was told to select a
crew from the regiment, who would be
specially detailed. Well, / picked out
regular Shoe-w cae- -mettes. There
was Sam Deering, who had been a long
time in the navy, and John Rel, who
was afterward hanged in New York for
killing a police officer, another man
who had pulled boat for long time
10 Blackwell's Island, and several more
brawny fellows. Deering, like all
sailors, was handy with his needle, and
he worked three stars, which is the
mark of a major generals pennant, on
piece of bunting, and rigged 1t at one
end of the cutter. Butler was fond of
the water, and we pulled him around
to all the men-of-war and the Rpraps,
and salutes thundered over our heads
wherever we went.
''One night Butler was ordered to
Washington. A revenue cutter came
down for him, and he slipped away,
and | was the only man he told In the
fort where he was going. Well, Major
John Missing, who is now in the board
OF city works, had often asked me to
take him out rowing. Harry Pearson,
the actor, was visiting Missing, and l
told him that If he would meet Inc at
the boat the next morning after Butler
went away, / would give him a row.
Missing is a big fellow, and, dressed in
a shining Uniform, he looked at a dis.
tance like Major Gen. Ben. He took
Buffers seat. Pearson sat alongside Of
him, and l was steering. Well, we
started of with pennant flying, but we
didn't know it. All of us were in a
jolly mood, and Harry Pearson was
making lots of fun. We pulled along
by the Ripraps, and we heard the senti-
mel call out, Turn out the guard but
it didn't strike us that it was for our
benefit, We pushed ahead and started
straight for the Minnesota. We saw
great hustle on board, and then the
noses of the guns began to run out of
the port holes.
My GOd," said old Sam Deering,
dropping his oar. "They think we've
got the major general on board, and
they are going to fire salute, and with
look of dismay he added, The PEN
nant's'a flying
"Well, if l didn't tear that bit of
bunting down in twinkle, Pm not
talking. We turned tail on the Mime
sofa and spurted away as fast as our
oars would fly. We were all too scared
to say a word, and visions of being
locked up in irons danced before my
eyes. We had insulted the Minnesota
and Old Sam, who knew more about
such things than we did, looked glum
and said, Boys, there'll be the devil to
pay about this
"Sure enough the commodore sent
over to demand an explanation. We
were all hauled up, and Ben Butler fas-
tened his game eye on me and threat
ened to send me TO Ripraps. There
we're half dozen conferences, and as
many letters sent to and fro. Finally,
il was all smoothed over but we never
forgot it.
One hot summers night since the
war l came out of Niblo's garden and
went into a place called the Theatre
Shades, where the actors meet after the
play Is over. In one corner ! saw jolly
Harry Pearson sitting behind a mug of
foaming ale, and he was telling story,
over which company was laughing.
"'By thunder!. he said, you ought
to have heard those salutes. Bang,
bang, they went off from every vessel
in that harbor. The guard turned out
and presented arms, aud tell you big
honor was done to your humble SER
|IhuAti
ASA chair and listened to the
"A Acognized in it an exag-
" experience have just
a hen he finished | said,
N 2bd story, Mr.. Pearson He
yBgnize ule, and said; It's true,
K WORD Of it, drew him aside and
ered In his ear. Don't draw it
lrong. ! was coxswain Of that
He was surprised, and pulling
php to the bar, he said; Now, old |
Fellow, don't you 20 to work and spoil
a good story iioFs. What'll you havep"