The Cecil Whig., 1884-02-16
COMMODORE CONNER.
HIS son REPLIES TO AN ATTACK
UPON HIS MEMORY.
Strong Defence of IA Gallant Commander
in the United States Navy-Private
Letters From or To Him, is
Respectfully Asked for
by Mr.. Conner.

Mexico, and we take the following de-
fence from the -1,mg and Macy Journal,
contributed by his son, p. S. p. Conner,
Esq, of this county:
To the Editor Of the Army and Macy .Iournal:
My attention has been arrested by the
unfavorable tone of Capt. parker's book to
my father, the late Commodore Conner.
| may return to further consideration of
this volume at future time; for the present
it is sufficient to say that Commodore
Conner was not unwilling to attack the
Castle of San Juan dUlloa, as Capt. Par
ker, following Admiral Farragut, repre-
sents. On the contrary, my father gave
the subject deep and careful consideration.
and would gladly have assailtd the fortress
if the Government had given him sufficient
means. To this end, he not only sent the
Navy Department an estimate of the force
requisite in his opinion, but, moreover,
offered to make the attempt with what
force the Government might deem suffi-
Glen %. Furthermore, he informed the
Secretary of tie Navy that he would he
prepared TO take advantage Of any oppor-
tuniIy for surprise that might offer (2).
But the Department distinctly informed
Commodore Conner that it did not consider
the force he had at all sufficient for the
attempt 60 Can opinion in which, from ac-
tual observation, he was Constrained" (I)
to agree), he of course was precluded from
,y,, !. /.
without first receiving a special order so to
do; but that order never came, and, the
Department not seuding 10 Commodore
Conner force deemed by it sufficient, a
mere naval attack was not made.
The fact is, the Government had fully
investigated the matter and had decided
that the proper manner of assaling the
castle was by IA combined military and
naval expedition.
In regard to Capt PLrker'S estimate of
my father character, viz, that lie was a
man wanting in moral courage (p. 53) all
have TO say Is that Capt. Parker is right
provided moral courage consists in ob-,i-
ence to popular clamur: but If. ON the con-
trary, il consists IN doing that which one
thinks right in spite of abuse and vitupera-
tion-then he is utterly wrong.
Captain Parker has written a pleasau,
book, humorous and otherwise enterta ming;
as for that part of It relative to the Mexican
War, to gauge its value, otherwise than an
amusing brochure, one must bear in mind
that its opinions, as he himself says, are
l,,,t has nf
(p. l0l), a reminder which does high credit
10 Captain Parker's acuteness, modesty,
caution and maturer judgment: for al
though the opinions of boyhood can never
rank as of the highest value, STILL when 80
fairly apologized for, they may ever COM
mand our kindest consideration.
But there are yet extaut some opinions
regarding my fathers character and CON
these will give two, as they touch both
the question of moral courage and profess
sional ability. 1t must be noticed that
both were 81 ven after the termination of
Commodore Conner's term of command
hence they are verdicts upon it.
~ any oI'luIoll vi
Conner is worth having it is that of Commo-
dore Tattnall, a commander in rank, at the
time o: the Mexican War and the intrepid
leader of the iotill attached to my fathers
squadron. In a letter TO the New Orleans
Dcito, dated May %, 1917, Captain Tattnal
thus expressed himself:
"With respect to Commodnre Conuer, he
is worthy of his country aud of the service;
his reputation requires no support from me
or from others: but | must be excused,
under present circumstances, i'll saying
that have always entertained for him the
very highest regard bot as an officer and a
gentleman, and have much. regretted TO
"bser>e in portions of the public press
structures and complaints rel ,tiv- to his
late command in the Gulf, which have CEN
stiiu;cd great wrong, not merely to one
who was faithfully and meriroriously sarv-
ing his country, but an IN Jury To the naval
service" And then, in accordance with
Captain TaitnaiPS views regarding my
father, as verbally expressed in an inter.
view, the editor of the Deltu writes: His
tTatnalrs) Jealous and lucid defence of
the character and conduct Of his veteran
superior anu brother officer, upon whose
apparent lassitude and inaction the public
had INDUCED in some structures, convinced
us that we; in common with o:her persons
Judging too hastily and from insufficient
data, had done injustice To the services and
merits of Commodore Conner A proud
sen>iiiveness, with somewhat of the stvical
Indifference cool self t-posses>iun and moral
courage Of the strict disciplinarian, exposed
Commodore Conner 10 much misconstruc-
tion and Misrepresentation, both among
the officers of the fleet ami among the peo-
pie OF the country from wEi.:n 4 little more
facility and less pride would have pro-
tected him. But certainly this dissatis-
faction ought to give way 10 admiration of
the magnificent debarkation of our troops
at Vera Cruz, so skillfully effected under
the direction ofCommodore Conner MANY
of the arrangements in regard to the in
restment and bombardhent of the city and
castle were also made by him. SO much of
Commodore Conner, to whom, we trust,
the i3sGpie will not be slow 10 accord that
honor and Gonsileratiou, which full
knowledge of what he has done in his diff
cult and embarrassing situation, will no
doubt satisfy them he is justly entitled to-"
No mans opinion is more valuable than
that of the Hon. John Y. Mason Secretary
Of the Navy i'll the period referred to; he
speaks thus. "A hraver man never served
IN the Navy than Gommo,iore Conner; and
with know ledge OF his inadequate means
and The terrible Consequences which would
have resulted from i failure, ! carefully
examined his operations in the Cult and
must say that my good opinion IT bim us
an officer remains unimpaired." (5.)
In conclusion, | must add that the dis
paraging tone of Captain Parker's book to-
wards my father surprises me. Had it
been written in 1916 it might be i,ardoned,
as other publications of the kind, On the
plea of unavoidable ignorance; but AZ this
I,y with Sp,uIuaS'a sESprvi,a float and