Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1884-07-26
GALLANT ENSIGN SuLDS
Naval ONisrr WkS fnrn~1 n Decoration
W hieh ~aa Hesrndsr

In mld-Atlan'ic the T. s. ship C.ui-
stellatinn ~aS cv.rfakcn iv a gale I'll
Wind and was compelled 10 Ito While
the storm was at ia iicieli. q wreck was
sighted short distance away, with men
clingirg to it. 1t was evident that cy-
er. so'il IN the founder,l vessel would
l." lost ur!aes immediate aid WINS rem
q real. Every efliccr and man on board
tire war Vessel Wa sinxluus 10 GO to\thcir
assistance, but III consequence of the
very heavy sea running at the time the
commanding officer did not deem 1t safe
to send n boat away from the slip. He
was Of the opinion that 10 boat could
possibly live ii such n sea. He was i'm
portuned SO much, however, by the Off
GERS that he finally consented, and a vol
untecr boats crew was picked out and a
senior lieutenant, a careful and excellent
officer, was sent in charge.
When the boat reached tic disabled
vessel, which proved to be an Austrian
bark, it was found impossible to board
ler, owing to the large quantity Of spars-
rigging and other debris by which she
was surrounded. Had the boat gotten
amorg this httershe would undoubtedly
have been smashed to pieces and the
crew drowned. aDscournged, the lieu
tenant returned te his vessel and report
cd his inability to do any thing to save
the unfortunate creatures on the sinking
ship.
Ensign Reynolds, who was the Young
est officer on board, then volunteered to
make the attempt. The captain told him
that it was impossible for him to succeed
where an experienced officer had failed,
but the young man pleaded SO harl and
SO earnestly that permission was at last
granted. The ensign found tue came
state OF affairs as his superior officer had
reported, but determined to overcome
the obstacles. Keeping the boat at n
safe distance hc stripped off his clothes
and swan TO the wreck with the end OF
line. BY means Of the rope he trans
ferred every soul on board the bark to
the boat, which was ohj~~ar. Each
';..t :taa~nont rn..---..a with frAsl
crew, the others being worn ont, but
there was no relief for the gallant officer?
The last trip had to be made for him
solely, because lad he gone in the boat
the previous trip there would have been
one more person in her than sho would
hold
When at last he swan from the
wreck and was taken into the boat, he
said there was no use in allowing the
wreck TO float about TO the danger ~
other vessels, for it was right N the
transatlantic track. Again b" swan "
4he/ foundercl bark. aud succeeded III
setting her o., CIV, thus getting rid OF a
1aoecr.,u, obstruction to navigation.
For this brave and heroic conduct the
Austrian Government desired to reward
the young officer, aud the Emperor
asked permission for MIN to accept
decoration. When the matter came hc-
fore Congress, Messrs. Robinson and
Weller objected, ani caused delay III
the passage Of the bill. Keynolds WAS
one Of the first officers to volunteer for
the Greely relief expedition. and sa'iei
a few days ago for the Arctic. The de-
Law occasioned by the two Congressman
prevented him from receiving the decor
atidu before he sailed, though the bill
aftervrard passed