Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-10-26
BIOGRAPHICAL


furnishes the following sketch of his life:
BIOGRAPHICAL.
Cant Howell was born at Eatchez in 1910. he
was the grandson of Gov. Richard Howell, of New
Jersey, and son Of william BUR- howell s e;
battle of Lake Erie. At an early age Capt Howell
was appointed by President Buchanan Lieutenant Mt
serve until his native State seeded from the
Union; then, true to his allegiance to the
Tinted States service and entered that of
the Confederacy. In 1861 he was appointed
was assigned to duty on board the Sumter,
the first Confederate cruiser which left our ports,
and unfuried the flag of the new republic on the
ocean The eventfui career of this little merchant
ship converted into q vessel OF war is too we'll
Known to require notice here. When at last she
was no longer seaworthy, and was condemned and
sold the commander, Capt. Raphael Semmes, went
snother ship in which they would again try to
promote the cause of their country by maritime
war. Capt. semn1eS, with part OF his olfeers,
in 1852 on the steamer Bahama TO join the Ala
bama, merchant ship which mad been built In
ceira with crew artieled only for the voyage.
There she was Joined by her commander and the
nis,ad from he m n on board the Bahama and
the Alabama. The armament which had been sent
commissioned as a ship of war by the president
of the Confederaey she raised the flag of her
SWhtch struck terror among our enemy, and forms
q record than which none in naval annals Is more
Of ToI marines on the Alabama As the crew
Of this vessel wss necessarily enlisted
abroad and the blockade o,d.;6s Of ,, our own
against Confederate cruisers made It impossible to
recruit the crew except among foreigners, persons
nize the extraordinary difficulties thus imposed
on the commandment of marines in the mainte-
nance of order on board the ship. The cruise Of
the Alabama was not confined TO the Atlantic, but
was pushed 50 far 70 the east as TO include
where the existence of the Confed-
eracy inst became known oy the dis
ps9 q me cations. In all these exgences as
wen on the open sea as IN port. SaPt; Howell so
performed his duties as 70 receive the highest com
ilIing the sphere he occupied In the last battle
OF the Alabama, in which she was sunk by the
VesseI sinking directed Capt. Howsl 10 place the
wounded in the longboat, and with some OF the
Szir, 10 puIl away from the sinking ship, he soon
discovered helplessy struggling IN the sea, and
seh a. he Ras taken from the ship he found him
self under FIRE OF the Kearsage, and that the steam
yacht Deerhound was approaching 70 assist the
TO the Deerhound. and was Hospitality received BY
that true type OF the the owner OF the
United States subsequently claimed that al who
mad escaped from the wreck and had been res
seaIa be suendered as prisoners Of war The
pueriIity of the claim was exposed bv Lord Rus
sell minister of foreign affairs of England, though
its extreme absurdty scarcely made it fair sub
et of discussion After the close OF the war be-
tween the States Capt Howell engaged in cot
Davis. Like his gallant father, who win be vel
rem rendered in New Orleans. he was quiet, void
of ofense, sensitive. brave and generous AL
his Instincts were those of thorough gent eman.
S ses A He gave bis whole heart and his mind e
his country during the war. and 70 the last hour
of his life never yayered In his fidelity to il
cause