Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1886-07-14
A Story of the Concord.


Capt. TT, of the slo'p of war
Concord in the West India squadron
was curious compound of humanity.
Fanatically pious, nervous to degree
approaching actual hysteria, he kept
his officers and crew half the time in
misery.
One time his ship was nearing the
port of Pensacola and just at dawn
the white sands of Santa Rosa Island
were sighted close aboard to wind
ward. The officer of the deck sent a
messenger boy into the cabin to an
nounce the fact.
A minute later old L. rushed out of
the cabin half-dressed, gave one glance
at the surf breaking shoreward a
mile away and shouted:
"Oh, merciful Lord-here it is at
last, lee shore and no chance to claw
off! Call all hands to pra yer-call
all hands to prayer"
1t took the officer of the deck half
an hour to persuade the old gander
that there was no danger, that the
wind was off instead of on shore and
that the ship was heading for the
Pensacola Bar in smooth water.
One day in port few of the mids
put up big sell on the old man. A
party of them got permission to go to
the big bayou where we generally get
fresh water for ships in the squadron
on a fishing trip.
They had been gone just a little
while when one of the conspirators
left Oh board, purposely, went privat-
ely into the cabin and told Captain
Il. that the fishing party was only got
ten up as a ruse to conceal the real
object of the party going on shore.
That was to enable two Of the mid
dies, Brown and Ryan, TO fight a
duel, for it was known they had been
quarreling in the steerage the night
before.
"Man my gig instantly" cried the
Captain in nervous agony. 81 must
stop this wicked thing Just think of
it-officers of mine fighting duels !.
Man my gig and put in a halt dozen
marines. I'll arrest them both and
put them in double irons ~
In few minutes his boat was row.
ing as fast as the crew could pull for
the bayou. Old T. stood up in the
stern sheets, urging the men to bend
to the oars-they were on an errand
of mercy-to save human life.
The boat was near the usual land
ing, when the midshipmcn were seen
in group, and the old Captain, pale
as ghost, shouted
"We're too late--werc too late
they're at it now"
And even as he spoke two pistol
shots resounded over the water, and
he saw two of the officers drop to the
ground.
"Oh merciful Heaven, that | should
live to see this !" he moaned. "Why
was / so late Oh, men-men-pull
-pull-that ! may get there to con-
sole them as they die"
The boat touched the shore, he
leaped out aud rushed up into the
group, and kneeling down, while tears
streamed from his eyes, began to pray
loud enough to be heard mile, for
mercy for the dead or dying.
While he was thus engaged the two
who had been PROSTATE rose, and the
whole group of REFERS, with barred
heads, waited reverently for him to
get done praying.
When he was pretty well exhaust
ed he looked up and there stood
Brown, Ryan and the rest, with no
sign of wounds or injuries upon them.
"What does this mean, gentlemen :"
he asked in wonder. "Have the dead
come to life Thank heaven | was
not too late after all ~
And you might have worked week
10 persuade the old man that the
whole thing was farce and sell got
up for his especial benefit.
He went back to the ship happy.
He had saved human life.
Poor old mamie kept getting
worse and worse until the Commodore
found it necessary to send him home,
and put another officer in charge of
the ship. He was crazy, especially
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