Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-08-09

AOFO OMoFhcs BeresKof0 ana At@
Adventures
A New York Times reporter a few
evenings ago fell in with an Irish waiter
at q restaurant who had served with
Lord Charles Beresford, and was full of
interesting "reminiscences of his career.
He said: well, sir, give you my word
that young fellow was the widest, most
reckless boy / ever saw in NV life. He
had everything 10 the way of money any
one could want, and he would risk his
life twenty times where / wouldn't risk
mine once. who was shaving for living.
There was nothing he wouldn't do. And
with all that he was a splendid sailor
He could show older officers that he was
all over the ship. Wild as be was, too,
he was always up straight to the
mark when on deck, but between
decks-weh, there was nothing too
hot for him. If there was ever dan
gerous place to get into Beresford was
there first. | remember during the Fe-
MAN troubles, In 1867, we were off Gal
way IN bad storm. We had been
warned not to 60 out, but there were ru.
inors OF cruisers coming from America,
and we had to go. The topsan had 10
be furled, and it was really dangerous to
60 aloft, for she was washing her wards
under Well. sir, if British sailor gets
his order to go he will go, but the Cap
tain was not willing to send the men
aloft without an officer. / mean he
would not risk mems lives where he
would not risk an officers He turned
to the officers and asked for one to lead
the men. L give you my word, sir,
Beresford was out on the end of that
yard before another officer could look
aloft
He is slight built man unless he has
fallen into flesh since, but at this time
he would not weigh more than 140
pounds, but he fought the ships Cor
poral, who was big man and a boxer,
too, and made him give in. OF course,
1t was kept very quiet, as it was breach
OF discipline, but l knew about it. We
were in harbor at Holyhead, and the
Corporal went to call him in the mora
ing. He said he wouldn't get up. The
| Corporal made him, or said he would,
or something, but anyway Beresford
jumped out and says to the Corporal :
Look here, Corporal, you're a pretty
big fellow and a good boxer, and you
think you're the cock of the ship. Now
you say nothing about it and l won't,
and we'll settle this thing at
once so he dressed and went for.
ward. There was no one about at that
hour-about four in the morning, and we
being IN harbOr-except the sentry and
there they set to. Well, sir, you never
saw so battered and bruised up pair in
your life as those two men, They were
both good boxers, but the Corporal, as
big as he was, had to give in. At the
same place Beresford went ashore one
night with another officer. and they came
to public house called the Eagle. There
was big eagle, all gold and paint,
and great big wings, over the door.
| Beresford climbed upon the other mans
| shoulder and pulled it down. just as he
was getting it down the man inside woke
up by the noise, and opening the window
began to yell for the police like mad.
The two started for the beach with the
eagle, and the police hot foot after them;
as soon as one would get exhausted carry
ing the eagle he'd drop it, and the other
would pick it up and go on. They got
to the beach, and Beresford jumps into
the boat and says to the boatman, Now
get to that ship if you want to save your
lifep AT that time / was after being
made second wardroom steward, and
when came into the room in the morn
ing to set the breakfast what should
see but this big wooden eagle set out on
the table, with a stick up collar on and
little pair of White pantalets. l knew
it was some of BeresfOrd's work as soon
as | saw it,
Zone trick of his know of, because
| saw the picture, but where it occurred
cant remember, because it was before
knew him. Anyhow, young Beresford
and another boy like himself went
ashore, and there was a flag pole carry
ing the flag at the American Consuls
residence. 1t was at night, and for pure
devilment the boys climbed the pole and
carried off the flag, took it aboard ship,
and hoisted it at the mainmast in a
basket. Well, sir, you may believe there
was a time when the Captain came on
deck in the morning. He was in an
awful stew, and of course the Consul,
or whoever was in charge, was tearir G
mad. There was great row, the two
boys were brought up, and the end
of it was they were sentenced to
climb the pole and put the
flag back Then Beresford said
he wouldn't do it. OF course he would
have been dismissed the navy for in
subordination, but some one who knew
the family we'll sent word to his mother,
and she telegraphed to him that he must
do it for her sake. There was nothing
he wouldn't do for his mother. When
she came to visit him on the ship he used
to have grand ceremonies of reception
not on board, of course, because dis
cipline would not allow anything to be
done there, but on shore He thought
the world of her. and when she tele-
graphed TO him he said he would put the
flag back because of his mothers request.
Then they put it back in grand style.
There was a public ceremony, he mad
photographer on the ground, and there
he was taken climbing the pole, he and
the other boy, with the American flag
trailing over his shoulder He had the
picture enlarged and kept it in a scrap
book with all the newspaper notices of
the affair cut out and pasted under it.
The Rese arch, when was with him,
was paid off in 1868. / next heard of
him as Flag Lieutenant on board the
Galatea, and since then he has been out
of the way until l saw about his com
handing the Condor at Alexandria.
used to think he would only remain in
the navy long enough to be able to re-
tire with the title of Captain BeresfOrd,
but he seems to stick T., it. SO | suppose