New-York tribune., 1886-06-06
NAVY OFFICERS NICKNAMED.
.p,.cr WHERE DIGNITY is NOT INJURED.

courtesy from their associates in the service couo
address their fellows in any other way than Nv
the title OF their rank or Mr. Yet II Is INC i"o'
that while each corps in the service has lts spoc"o-
ally created title many of the officers are iinii"i-
ly known by their ncknames. And Ie' 'hiS uoo'
not deract from the esprit dg cops OF Tue sei'oo'
tor although an officer may address Ills ''''''i
officer by hls nickname, il Is never done VII 'ncs
,poet ofic,av. The custom Of nicknames is al
most limited to the older officers those VINO eh'erea
A. sorvce prio- 10 the ClvI, War. although some
ore dubbed with nicknamcs at the Nava Academy
WHOM ,,lehes which cling to them through hie.
The iine.ollicers are generally spoken oil
Ms deck. troGdcrs," the engineers as greascrS,'
tle surgeons as saw boues.' paymastcrs IA but
tons carpenters rs "chlps.' and sallmaSers as
"sails.r MidshIpmcn are spoken of as " mlddies.'
or pretty little boys"
The ncknames given to officers arise from some
peculiar characteristic in their nature, bat the
senior officer in the Navy, Admiral Porter, was
never addressed by anything more ine.egant than
"Dave" vice-Admira S. II. Rowan. is known
throughout the service as PADDY" Rowan, prob
ably from the fact that he was born in Ireland.
A story is told of HIM which got its birth when he
was n Young commander, and which will live longer
than he Ii is said that he wanted one of the doors
in his quarters repaired so that it would not con-
tinually be swinging open. He summoned the car
penter's mate and said Z" want you to put but
ton on that door," and it is said. gave the order
with an Irish brogue The one strict rue OF the
service is TO obey, and the carpenters mate com
piled with the order to the letter, although he
knew that the place for the button was on the
door-jamb. The button was put on the door,
but as il did not keen the door closed Commander
Rowan called the man to account. who answered
Weren't We afther teln me TO put the button
on the door sir an isn't if the door, At this
Commander Rowan Strengthened out his tall, dig
nified bearing form and said:
What does il matter what told you If I'm
q fool, Is that any reason why you should be one =
The mistake was corrected and the door was kept
shut
Rear Admiral l.. Case is known rs Pump
handle" Case and he has reason to feel proud of
the title that was thrust upon him. During the
Civil War as in all Government departments. the
civil employees wont to IDLE away great deal
of Their time in the New-York Navy Yard, and one
OF the places where they collected in groups OF "A
score or more was at the pump near the Lyceum.
Case was then commander and was ordered rs
executive officer of the Yard. One of his first or
ders was that the men should not 90 to the pump
for wafer but that should be supplied to all the
departments in coolers. The men simply
poOh-poohed the order and then Commander
Case had the pump-handle removed. After
that tie men dubbed him with the undignIilci
title of " Punp-hande Case One day, when
passing one of the shops, piece of oll-saturated
waste was thrown at him from window of one of
shops and it struck him in the neck Observing
whence 1t came lie turned on his heel and walked
into the shop. Then he removed his uniform cap
and coat and said: Men, I'm not IN officer of the
navy for the time beng. but am simply a citizen,
and eau whip the scOundrel who hit Inc with that
lump of waste. Now let the blank dirty coward
come out like a man. After waiting few mo-
ments no response being made to his challenge he
said " | that the dirty thief don't dare to
assert his manhood" Then he put on his coat and
cap and walked out, From that time TIE men not not
world for HIM. The title of Pump-handie' hangs
TO hun to this day.
Captain Colvocoresses. whose mysterious murder
occurred in Bridgeport several years ago, was
known as "Crdwl-over-crosstrees" which was
play upon his name. He was of Greek birth.
Rear Admiral j. NJ. B. ClltZ was known throughout
tie service as Handsome CiItz, because Of his
tail, well-built form and inely.cut features hear
Ipshur because Of his build, his graceful manGeTs
etc. Rear Admiral c. Il. p. Rodgers was dubbed
Tnem @as IL s Is ALWAYS Mentioned
as jim" GlllIs as Commodore Richard l.. Law is
spoken of as Dick Law. Commodore Daniel l..
Braine, who is a close follower OF the regulations
recurring officers to keep the Department informed
of all matters of public Importance is known as
"Correspondence" BIalns. Commodore A. l.. Il.
Captain Henry Erben is known throughout the
service as 'Buy Erben. The title Is certainly a
misnomer since he has an entirely different nature
from that of bullying, and is one of the most pop
uar officers IN the Navy 10 serve under; captain
Joseph fyffe is known as "forgetfu joe" It's SAID
of hun that his memory was so tfeacneIous that he
could not remember his own name, and when meet
ing one who did not know him and 1t became
necessary TO introduce himself he always took OIL
his cap first 10 recall his name from Ills visiting
card which be kept pasted III 1t.
Commander William B. Gushing was known
everywhere as Albemarle Cushing, owing to bis
daring exploit on the Albemarle Sound IN destroy
ing the rebel ram Albemare at the risk of hls own
life and the others who were with hIm: captain
Joseph " Miller Is of the neateSi officers Ill the
NAVY and his dress and manners earned for HIM
the title of Dapper joe" Commodore b. +. lshci-
wood of the Engineer Corps. bears tae title of
DIGNITY Sherwood, and yet he Is one OF the most
agreeable and sOclahe officers IN the service; one
whom his juniors could approach at any time upon
any subject to do with the Navy, and with
the certainty OF being well repaid wthlntoImatlon
Enginecr-in-C hef w. w. W. Wood was known as
"WIllam Wonderful Wise Wood, when spoken
of in connection with his official duties. II one
wished to speak of him as having gwen problem
in calculus, it was Wn OF d" Wto the nth
power, . square. ID. - ,.n
lie is spoken of as Deacon from his always neat
appearance in suit of black. with the coat but,
toned up, also "Captan" Zeller, :" Iakative
Zeller and Laps, Leads and Rank the latter be-
cause of thorough knowledge Of these subjects.
Chief Engineer Arthur Pntchard was known as
My little boy on the water owing to his liking
for sea-servIce. Chief Engineer Alexander iender-
sou was SANDY" Henderson with everybody.
tie Scotch nickname beng especlally aplro;
forid complexion. Chief Engineer Henry II.
Stewart is known Fatty stewart from his
ponderous proportions. Chief Engineer Mont
eomery Fletcher is a favorite with the ladies and.
thus has earned the title of Dandy Fletcher
adept with tie brush either in oils water colors
aud he has paintings of places that he has visited
in various parts of the world. Some of the most
valuable in his collection are of scenes in the Arctic
in 1873 and which formed interesting part of
the Navy exhibit III the Centennial Exhibition:
Chief Engineer Charles ii. Baker Is slow and de-
iberate in conversation and is inclined TO suspen-
Sion of opinion action rather than given 10 I'm,
pulse, hence is spoken Of as Hestating Baker"
Chief Engineer George W. Melville, the Arctic hero
aud survivor of several expeditions. especially OF
TIE l.-fatod Jeanette expedition has been dubbed