The Wilmingtonian., 1888-05-19
p+e CURIOSITY SHOP.

vssss o~n Of the Civil wsrINot at sum-
Ter. - CeHnssly euppessA.
N bAs been generally thought that the Hrst
nm of the great civil war was thst fired on
Fsrt Sumter, while other accos,nts havs
given the doubtful honor to q battery at
Psusacola harbor in Florids, whcre Admiral
Portsc, then but . lieutenant, distinguished
Airssof BY reinforcing the United States
garrison with extraordinary vigor and
psomp4ttuds before the actual outbreak Of
the war. But tho war department at wash
fnGeon has ascertained, on clear evidence,
that tho original overt act Of hostility was
eesnmitted al vfcksburS on the Mississippi,
whesc an Attumpt was made, some days be-
fors the Charleston and Pensacola Affairs, TO
asp steamer passing down the stream with
Acrs on beard belonging 10 the Fed
wsf government As the armament If
~ plsos at that time consisted OF
cns four FOUNDER, ths property Of ihe
city and intended for salutes, IL ia not
sarprisinG that the steamer went by unhurt,
And the circumstance had been almost Tor
gotten In ths greater events Of which Yicks-
burg wAz the scene until the late inquiries
revived the memory Of them. The gun was
hroaghs away when the works OF Pembsrton
~srs dismantlcd after his surrender TO Gram,
IN Less, and was found in the ordnance
Sscro ~ Washington, whence it was sent to
wss rotas end presented to the academy.
G( a. As.s.. -
h sAyiax. "God tsmpsrs the wind To she
yAass saaA. n commonly attributed to the
oshaA u 70 In The Story Of ''Maxisr In
Bsssnrs ''6ssttmentsl Journey" II h nearly
v~d fos word with ssntence in tho "Prsn-
ka' Of Hs.ri Essisnne ao0Q: "Disu mesurs
b fsssd . IL brsbis tondusn Hsrbsrt In his
~Ssspss rrpdsntum" Qs40, has, ITO . Gloss
ehssA sAsp God gives wind by msssurs.n In
Ae.Nsnoapo Of Henri do BcsursgasdH QT17-
Moe, 6Appyard abbo rsmArts, fs~ pocti-
SLY; 'Sed cuts uaan's cost according 10
NJ nasHN" 10 i not unusual for pcrsons
SonsAs uss Of fsvorits quotations and to
e<se1s tAsen to the Bibie, who, II they know
~ rsnl origin Of them, would hesitate. Not
rssy icH{ sxo gentleman who said he ~
SrAsd Qkak~pesrs a. "vils and wicks4s
6pu~s pssupn hsd told him 20, for he sdmiasd
hsvg Av1ng read any OF the great poets
wceko, ussd the line: There Is tide "a
By rsul in his Epistles.n And yet he seemed
% b yloes snd hnccrc, notwithstanding the
fac1 shAt he svideatly knew as little about
>sfshtp" Us NJ ofA sbobs
afa
Hsv~a Feress OF the MexIcss War.
gsverAi squAdrons of United States vesseh
saeaGsd fn ths Mexican war on the Pacific
eeass fron is4S to 1913, and they uers Al
@nss cooperating with the land forces in
6ks prosscut4ou Of that war The flag ships
ana oommAaderv thereof rers as follows:
YAs Ccsgxcs, commanded by Lieut.. J. w.
kAsfsgstca; squadron Of Commodore r. y.
eepoASoA. Ths Independence, commanded
y CspA h. A. r. LAyelette; squadron Of
Cnsnaodors w. D. Shubrick. The Ohio,
sanmAnAsd by Capt. O. X. stribling; squad.
ron Of Commodore T. A. Jones. The Column
bss, oosaznSnded by Capt. 7. w. Wymsr;
Hssdrop Of Commodore James Biddls. The
Savannah, commanded by Capt. William
n~vi~s; squsdron Of Commodore John d.
sIo~A There wers other vessels attached to
asss sqrsdrons, some OF which may at some
tns hs-s borne the flag Of the commandes
m ehisS.