New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-10-12


famous Ia 1851 be held the rank of lieutenant
and was stationed at tho Naval Academy On
bearinp OF the secession of Virginia he sent IN his
resieuation; and an unpleasant position III
,,bIch he found himself while awaiting Its accep-
tance is curious illustration OF the dangers "nch
beset the National Government at that ume' auu
the absurd diemmas to which WeH-meahlhg
Southern officers reduced by conflicting Claims
of allegiance. One night 1t was reported that Ihe
Secessonists WIRE coming up the river to attack
,b, Academy and the frlgate Constitution. The
long roll was beaten" says Captain Parker ana
AL hands were sent to their stations. l was IN
onorcA ot the bowitzer battery and, like many OF
the midshipmen manning it who had resigned and
were waiting 10 hear from Washington, had either
tc refuse TO do duty or fire on our friends. Inc
alarm was false one do not hesitate to say,
however that had we been attacked shoulC nave
stood by my guns and performed my duty by the
school | was still an officer OF the Navy anu
moreover Maryland bad not seeded, ana II 10 hau
war had not been declared" Captain Farkers III
tentions we're credltable, though bis reasons seem
TO have been somewhat obscure; he was also IN
officer of the Navy three or four DAYS later when
his resignation still not having been accepIeu-He
deserted and went to Richmond. after that' u
conrse he was dismissed the United states
service He accepted a commission as Lieutenant
in tina Confederate Navy, and was employed al lrsC
in organizing battery of howltzers. Ihis uu'S
kept him for some time IN Richmond ana ne gives
an entertaining description OF scenes WlVhesSeu
there AT the beginning of the war. The cOHpa-
MES coming in from the country we're dresser ID lhe
most extraordinary uniforms the eye ever reSIee
OH: but they were full of fight AS they arrived
tnev we're sent to camp near the city to be drilled.
II is useless to say they stood IN need OF It, what
said a drill-master to a captain who was speaking
Oft ha IuCu,
do Won propose 70 do with your men IN time OF
battleT Just turn them loose was his reply; ana
this appeared be the general idea as 10 now tue
impendng war was to he fought. Men lnsISte1
upon carving bowie.knife and revolver IN az
ditior to a musket, in the belief that battle was
81 scrimmGge"
The twenty-four years covered by these hVeN
"reminiscences bensld a remarkable transformation
in naval warfare Captain Parker ID not yet an Old
man. but his experience goes back to an tr' so
different from the present that we can hardly real
izs how near it really is to our own day. It was
the time of wooden sailing ships, and the officers
and men of the NAVY belonged to the types so we'll
described by Captain Marryatt. when Midshpman
Parker, boy o. fourteen, 50 small and childish
that in spite of his smart Jacket and his little drk
his father led him by the hand was taken to the
BROOKLYN Navy Yard to report for duty on board
the North Carolina. He was extremely surprised
when Commodore Perry addressed him as Mr.
Parker He sailed on his first cruise the next
year. One of his shpmates was Passed Mldship-
man ). Hogan Brown, odd character OF whom
the following story is told:
Brown was the navigator of the brig Perry, and
on a massage from CHINA 10 Mexico he allowed the
cbrouOmeters (bv which they found inc Longitude
10 run down, They were bound 10 san Bias, cnd
TnnrIps TO make Cape St. Lucas, which is high and
can be seen long way oil. The captain JOt stone
PANE was lot told that the chronometers had run
A. kbayr
Onpg for the longitude. Brown got on the parallel
of the Cape and steering due east kept good look
out ahead He kept foretOpman at the masthead
with orders to cume down and tell him quietly hen
ne saw the land. and not otherwise 10 announce It
promising him bottle OF wnlshey IN IgI 4I &C.
cOrdIngly one day shortly before II O'Clock the
ioretopInan came down and reported the lanu IN
sight from aloft. He was told by Brown TO return
10 the masthead, and when the Dell struck one 10
Trnort il i'm the usual manner. little after IL
o'clock the captain out Of the cabin and SAID:
"Wen Mr.. Brown, when do you think We Will
Ne viii make the land. SIR said Brown, q at
half-past II O'clock" lone belI).
ave will, ell u said the captain. Yes, SIR, re-
piled Brown in his most pompous manner " Ut hall
past IL precisely"
% R"% f0'r0o out III '''"'0'''" '''''' 'DO
@By George" said Captain Jot, athat's the most
remarkable landiall ever made" and he after,
ward told the first lieutenant that be considered
Brown one of the most skll1nl navlgatoTs he had
ever met!
Psrker's adventures during the next eighteen
wears were varied and often exciting. He saw seTv-
ice in the Mexican war. of which he relates some
interesting incidents He wrecked on one Of the
Cape de Verde islands in the sloop-of-war York
town, During the first year of the Rebellion he
commanded a small guuboat called the Beaufort,
canal propeller armed with 81. FOUNDER and
carrying thrty-fve officers aud men. With his
nondescript craft he participated in the famous
fight led by the Merrimac Hampton Roads. In
1863 he was appointed superintendent of the Con
federato States Naval Acaiomg, an Institution SIT
mated on a steamship in James River. He was
often employed on torpedo duty, and once fitted ont
ana commanded a boat expedition TO blow mp the
Federal monitors in North Edioto River, but at the
last moment one OF his men deserted and gave in
formation TO the fleet so that the attack abau-
doned. The boats had gone above the monitors,
pas ing them at night; but 1t was now impossible
to return the same way, They were accordingly
placed upon wheels and drawn across the country.
Shaking of torosdoes reminds me of lauGhable
incident Our river steamers went down to CITY
Point occasionally with prisoners 70 exchange. As
we had turpedOes in the river anywhere from
Drurys Butl to Trent's Reach, and below. their
captains great risks. On one occasion two OF
our boats were returning from City Point, fortu-
nately with no passenger when one OF them struck
a torpedo an immediately went down. A boat
went from the other steamer ana Ionnd the cap
tain struggling in the water with "ebSters
Unabridged Dictionary in his arms As no was
pullea into the boat he said: l did not lave time
10 get it on" He thought he had seized liie-pre-
server
On the evacuation of Richmond Captain Parker
and his mlGshpmen ordered to take charge
of the Confederate treasure and convey 1t to Dan
VILE The story of his adventures in the execution
of this trust is very modestly and effectively told.
The duty was difficult and trying one, but Cap
tain Parker kept the money safe until he met the
fugitive President Davis and his Cabinet at
AbbovIlle "In addition to the four brIgades Of
cavalry tho Prehdent had company
Bngadier- Generals than 1 thought were in the
nrnnr Many Of than Ind amhnlances mud Nxnpnns