The National tribune., 1888-08-16

leaving Tor chicago, the EFeSllehg salus AbpuI /
that appointment; you viii hear good news
about il very soon"
This remark from so reticent q man was
enough for the Major, and on his srriTal at
Chicago he delighted Gen. Clarke as well IS
Gen. Sheridan by repeating the remark, for
ali interpreted it as being 8 sure guarantee Of
Clsrke's appointment.
Only two or three days later-the morning
Of April "A, 1S75-Lieut.-Gen. Sheridan re-
ceived q telegram from here that for once
hoOred him. Ii was from President Grant, and
announced that he had just appointed Mai.
Robert Macfeely 20 be COmmisssry- General Of
Subsistence, with the rank of BrigadieT-Gen-
eraL
Without saying q word to anyone else Sheri
dan went straight to Alacfeely's room and
placed the dispatch before him. The latter read
it, and then fell back in his chair gasping cut
well i-Ill-be-dashed " and stared blaBkiy
back at his Chief. Sheridan dropped into
chair opposite and remarked tersely: How
In - did it ali happen?"
The newly made Brigadier knew nothing
more Of this matter than an unborn babe, and
had never suspected such possible result, but
at the same time the feeling got abroad that
his visit here TO President Grant had been on
the nattern of John Alden's wo0ing and Gen.
Sheridan even thought SO himself until on his
next visit here President Grant told him all
about how hand Macfeely had worked and az
gued for Clarke.
But poor Gen. Clarke never got over the dis
appointment, and I am satisfied that he went
TO his grave here last year with the full belief
still in his heart that he had been betrayed by
the comrade he trusted.
THE TALLAPoosA's OLD CAPTAIN.
The telegraph brought last Sunday the news
of the death Aug. II at his home at Wiscasset,
Ne, OF Lieut.. David Graham McRJehie, u. S.
Navy; aud he was SO well and intimately
known aud popular mere IN Washington, and
Ti5hal was so marked a character, that he de-
serves more than passing notice.
The dispatches give his age az 50 years, but
in the Navy he was popularity believed to be at
least half dozen years older, and an inclined
t. that belief myself for he was Commander of
one of the famous Oid-time China packet lines
that used TO make annual races from Hong
I Kong 70 New York with the new crops of tea,
Tor almost 10 years before the rebellion broke
out. Boys were not placed ia command of those
! famous ocean racers in those halcyOn days of
4 American clipper ships and American sailors.
McRitchie was of scotch birth, the son of q
! Scotch sailor, bat was brought to this country
1 when = little child aud reared on the coast of
! Maine, that great nursery OF hardy and skilful
! American seamGn When but a mere lad he
! took TO the seq as the saying is, and, IS
stated above. when still quite young man OBJ
tanned command Of one Of the famous clipper
/ feet
/ Like hundreds of others Of his class, nc at
! ones turned 10 the aid OF the Union when the
/ cloud Of rebellion came, and in October. 1861,
within two weeks after the arrival of his ship
from China, he was appointed an Acting Master
in the Navy, in which he served with distinc-
/ ton 70 the end Of his active service IN June,
/ 1854 when be was retired for disability.
When the rebellion ended g number of the
/ volunteers who had served with special dis
( tinctiou were transferred to the Regular Navy,
.
signs-at the FOOT Of the list Of commissioned
line officers AicRitchie was one Of these, and
+ IL 1870 he became Lieutenant.
Ia 1863 ha was placed IN command of the old
/ doubie-endeF steamer Talap90sa, which was
used as a dispatch aud freight vessel, with her
station or headquarters at the Navy Yard
! here, and then be became q National character.
Every reader knows how the trips OF the
/ IallapOosa to the various Navy Yards along the
/ Atlantic from Portsmouth, \. H., 10 Pensacola
/ and New Orleans were utilized by various See
/ retaFi6s Of the Navy and other high officials to
take passage from one point 10 another, and IN
thai way It was that McRitchie's wit, hunor.
love of good story aud the ability to tell one,
! and his quaint Inasnerisms5 became 80 widely
known and appreciated outside the Navy cir
Gle, where he was already fast fayorite.
/ These columns could not give space for half
the good stories told ofthc veteran sailor.
During more than 10 years that he command
ed the laiiap00sa and for some years afterward,
Lieut. Mcki-chie resided here with his family.
and il was only on his retirement in 1881 that
be removed to his boyhood home, where he
died.
During the whole Of his command Of the
TaliapoJsa, another a." Mustang" (as the Acad-
eiay graduates designated the men Vko earned
their commissions IN war; Lieut.. ]. E. Jones,
another Old-time clippership Captain, was the
Executive OL6cer or First Lieutenant Of the
Iaf+ Il Hoe
ton, Of paralysis. Jones was even more of q
character than bis commanding officer, aud
though having less polish, was also a great
laVorite II the service, and was dearly beloved
By his Captain.
, So1n after the death OF Lieut.. Jones, Lieut.
NcRirchie met me here, aad re spoke Of his
saIpmate's death. lie was very sad, and said
Poor old Joe; he was grand old fellow q
splendid sailor, and the truest friend / ever
I knew otlgzt. ] don't think 7 viii OuClast him
long" LieHt HcRitchie looked as rugged and
hearty then a man Of 4, and as il good for
; 70 years yet Of life. l had no idea then how
soon hig prophecy would come true.
DEATH or 4 wgLL-KEoWE CHARACTER.
On Monday Aug @ the telegraph announced
the death Of . Col" John Harmon who las beer
3 Well-kHoWn character in the hotel Hobbies Of
+, ( Washington for years past. His death va,
, quite sudden, aud, although old man, very
70
was - years old, having been born, as he said
on the longest day Of the year June 2I) 1850
De used % Drag Of the fact that he had attended
every Democratic National Convention, anC
{ left this city last May with the intention o
E going 10 the Democratic State Convention o
Michigan-Which State he considered his home
}, and afterwBd attending tIie National Domo
: cratic Convention at St Louis lie did attend
g the State Convention, but Has too III 70 go t,
G st. Louis.
? Col" Harmon was prominent Democratic
e politician OF the Northwest. lie resided II
q Detroit, hi.ch., and was the founder Of til
o Detroit Free Press lie was Collector of Ga
! Port r that place under Pierce and Buchanan
IS was FIVE times elected Mayor Of Detroit. aut
held other responsible positions, both local su,
!. national
S He has spent most Of his time Of late year
y in Washington, and he viii be missed by eyerv
b body lie was tall and dark. and hiss hair va
& as black as q ravens wing. notwithstanding
= his advanced age His mother was a Nara
d FaHselJ IadiaB and his father a Connection
e Yankee. Eo Was most remarkable nan j
q every way. and he VIII be missed by the Maiah
j. and Jelges around Washington
ABOUT COEGREssfES.
J. 5i. Allen, Of Mississippi, vas brought sh4rI
+ ly % task }as- week by the papers on account
5f the use 81 his frank to send through the mai
% circulars oEt0liiug the virtues Of a nostrni
-alEaF flsssf E,.r.ataEsf. B.--.5f-vu AlF..-