Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1879-02-26
MISUNDERSTANDING FIGHT.
How an Old Hero Disobeyed Orders.

How an Old Hero Disobeyed Orders.
We reprint from Harper's Weekly the
following interesting letter from that
distinguished old naval hero, Commo-
dore John Marston.: It is we'll that it
shall always be rem embered who it was
that sent the Little Monitor to meet the
Merrimac, and who, IN doing SO, dis
obeyed orders at the risk of his commits
sion, but who, by so doing, saved the
great seaboard cities of the north from
destruction. Too much honor cannot
be given to the brave, wise old sailor,
whose courage and intelligence put the
Monitor where it would do the most
good" ,..,
No, 40CS CHESTNUT STREET, PHILADEL-
phia, Jan. %, -1S79.-To the editor of
Harper's Wyeekly-SIR; My attention has
been drawn to the February number Of
Harper's Maaasine, containing as it does
sketch Of the life of the late Admiral
Paulding; and although would be the
last to detract, in the most distant man
ner, from the credit due to the gallant
Admiral, yet there is one point in that
sketch which is SO evidently a departure
from the exact state of the transaction,
that feel unwilling to allow it to pass
unnoticed, especially as, AS we sailors
would say, I" it takes the wind out ofmy
|sails." FFa a.sEF sAE4 --tsf
In the article above alluded to it is
said that it was entirely due to his
Commodore Paulding's) foresight that
the Monitor was SO speedily equipped
for service. This is undoubtedly the
case, ana too much credit cannot be
awarded to him for so doing; but it
was not Commodore Paulding who
countermanded the order of the navy
department directing the monitor to
proceed to Washington instead Of
Hampton Roads. The facts of the
case were these, and l received them
from the admiral himself; Commodore
Paulding had been ordered by the de-
partment to send the Monitor to Hamp-
ton Roads, and she left Ne,O York aaader
those orders. She. however, had been
gone but few hours when another
order was received by Commodore
Paulding from the secretary of the
navy directing him to send the Monitor
to Washington. Commodore Paulding
Immediately dispatched a fast vessel to
overhaul the Monitor, with orders to
proceed to Washington. But it was
too late; the Monitor had gained too
great distance to be overtaken, and
the dispatch-yessel returned to New
York without accomplishing her OBJ
ject. zAF E&H#a fs
At this time | was in command at
Hampton Roads. Some two or three
days before the Merrimac came down
from Norfolk [ received from the navy
department four kilograms ordering
me most peremptoily to 'ssend the Mont
tor to Washington Immediately on her
arrival" On the night. of the Sth Of
March-the dayo On which the Mer1imac
came down and sunk the Cumberland
and the Congress was burned-at about
9 o'clock the little Monitor arrived.
Captain Worden Immediately came on
board the Roanoke and reported HIM
self to me. | inquired into his condi-
ton, which was not very favora-
BILE one; his men were all green; they
knew nothing of that peculiar arma-
ment then on board the Monitor. A few
moments reflection, however, deter
sue. [ informed Capt. Worden that
my orders were very positive to send
the Monitor to Washington, but that I
was going, at the risk of my commits
sion, to di5obey those orders and send
him up to Newport News to look out
for the Merrimac. In this Capt. Wor-
den most cheerfully acouiesced, and on
the following day the result was known
to an astonisned and admiring world.
l. L have made this correction Of the
sketch of my much valued friend, Adj
miral Paulding for the reason that, af
Ter service in the navy of more than
sixty-six years. I look back on no part
of that service with the pleasure and
satisfaction do on my having on that
memorable occasion disobeyed my Or
ders. @ s@~Est
A recent writer Il think in the United
Service, speaking of the introduction of
new means of warfare, asks the ques-
ton, "Where would the United States at
this moment have been if Ericsson had
not given us the Monitor?' and may [
not ask the question, Where would the
United States at this moment have
been if [ had not disobeyed my orders?"
There was nothing to prevent the Mer-
rimac going to Philadelphia, New York,
Or Boston, and the fall of either OF those
cities would have been the signal for
Europe, but especially for England, to
acknowledge the independence of the
south. Is ~sz6#
May [ trespass SO tar on your kind
ness as TO ask you to give the foregoing
an insertion in your paper9 Your ODE
dent servant. gen Eeaa
- a-s JOHN MARsroN, -.
Commodore United States Navy.
CAPT. GELMAN, of the Caucasian en-
gineers, who was dispatched short time
ago from Tiflis to Kniva to report upon
the inundation Of the Amou Daria, has
telegraphed to the Russian Grand Duke