The National tribune., 1889-03-21

When Gen. Grant was President he made
some splendid appointments, but, TO the writer's
mind he made no one that did him more honor
than In promoting Paddy" Rowan to be the
second in I1nk Of all the officers Of the Ameri-
can Navy.
Years back, before even the writer pretends
TO remember, there were three very beautiful
young women, and all three married Navy
men. One Of these ladies was the wife OF ice
Admiral Rowan: another was the wife of the
late BeaT-Admiral Poor, and the third was Mrs.
Ring. Admiral Rowan has a broad shoaldeTed
and long-limbed son, who is now First Lien
tenant in the 2d Z. S. Art. Admiral Poor left
behind him a hansouer portrait Of himself IN
the person OF Charley Poor, who was at one
time the wearer Of a silver foul anchor =" that
marks 4 Midshipman, and Mrs Ring has son
who is now Passed Assistant Paymaster III
the Navy.
Ohio men are much given to Dragging of the
men who made history during the war, count
ing such men as $rant, Sherman, Sheridan,
R6secraDs and Steedman among her soldiers;
Salmon p Chase, Gov. Todd and John Shor-
man among her statesmen, but Buckeyes are
rather proud that one of her adopted citizens
raised himself by his brilliant, loyal service to
the second highest grade in the Navy.
Since this sketch was written Admiral
Rowan, at his own request, has been placed
upon the Retired List, and he tells me that he
expects TO make Washington his permanent
] j
Rowan goes the way Of all the earth, there
should be a new circle named and grand
statue erected there TO commemorate him.
SOLVED THE GREAT MYSTERY.
The last tattoo of life sounded March 10 in
Washington for two retired veterans OF the
Regular Army, both of whom had done excel
lent service during the rebellion.
Col. John Navarro MacOmb, formerly Corps
/ OF Engineers, was born in New York III 1910.
/ His father had long been a resident IN the
! Northwest Territory, and his mother lwhO had
! the blood OF Tecanlseh IN her yelns) was
daughter Of the famous French pioneer, hunter
and Indian fighter Jean Francois Baptiste
/ Navarro, who founded the old-time town of
! Monroe, on the site of the massacre on the
/ River Raisin, Ia Michigan. Col. Macomb spent
most of his youth in Michigan, but was ap-
/ pointed from New York to West Point, where
/ he graduated in 1892 into the 4th Art. In 1886
/ he was promoted to First Lieutenant, and in
/ 1855 was transferred to the Typographical En-
! ginccrs with the same rank. From June, 1886,
! to 1889 he was Aid-de-Camp to Maj.-Gen. Alex
ander Macomb, General-in-Chief of the Army,
who was his uncle. From that time until 1861
! his service was the usual routine duty OF his
/ c0rps-sGrveying the great lakes and exploring
/ in the Rocky Mountain region, and when the
1 rebellion broke out he was promoted to Major.
i In September, 1851, he was made Lieutenant
/ Colonel and Additional Aid-de-Camp Oh Gen.
! McCiellan's staff and continued as Chief T0p0-
! graphical Engineer of the Army of the Potomac
until March, 1862. LIE then Joined Gen. Nc
/ Dowell On the Rappahannock, aud remained
| with him until after the second Bull Run dis
( astcr meantime being promoted to Colonel aud
! Aid-de-Camp. He was next on duty here for
year, and prepared the military maps of the
/ Virginia campaigns, and in 1863 was placed III
| charge of Notifications IN the harbors on the
New England coast, where he remained until
| after the end of the war. Most of his subse-
4 Queut service was in charge of the Notifications
on the Delaware River, and when the act of
JGne 80, ISS2, was passed he was at once placed
! upon the Retired List, being already much
over Ga years OF age. Soon after he removed
| to Washington, and resided here until his
/ death His funeral took place March Is from
St Johns Church.
Col Charles J. Won Hermann, Captain and
/ BreVet Major in the Regular Army, gained his
title as Colonel from q brevet for gallantry.
| lie was born in Prussia Sept. IL, 1872, of a no.
! Die German family, and IN his younger days was
an officer in the PrUssian army. Coming to
/ this country just prior to the rebellion, he es-
/ poEscd the cause Of the Union, and IN the Fall
OF 1851 was appointed Major and additional
AiI-de-Camp and did gallant service in the
| Mississippi campaign, and later with the Army
OF the Potomac. In the campaign terminating
! with the surrender" OF Gen. Lee, he received
the breyet of Lieutenant Colonel for GOODNESS,
gaiantry and valuable services y; few officers
had such wording placed on the face of their
commissions. He was mustered out OF the vol
unteers in March, 1866, but when the Regular
Army was Increased tie Same year to reward
volunteers who had earned recognition by their
services, Col. Won Hermann, who was then re-
| siding in Connecticut, was appointed Captain II
the 33d Int, but with the reduction Of force
that came in 1870, he was transferred to the
4th Inf, IN which he served until retired Sept.
=
that time he has resided here, and was great
farorite with the host of veterans who make
the United Service Club their place of resort.
His funeral took place March l9, under the
auspices OF the Loyal Legion and Grand Army
OF the Republic, OF both Of which he Was mem
Der, and the remains were laid away in Airing
ton Cemetery, in a lot which he selected last
Fail.
DEATH OF ADMIRAL DAVIS.
Rear-Admiral John Lee Davis, retired, q. S
Navy, died early in the morning of March II
al the Ebbitt House in this city, whore he had
made his home Cor many years, his wife and
daughter remaining while he was on duty
afloat.
TIE NATIONAL TRIBUNE not many weeks
I ago published a sketch-bTiefed for want o.
space-of this gallant man, and the readers o.
| the paper will remember that the Admiral wa:
so modest and averse TO appearing In print
that It was not until several weeks after thi
sketch was published that the man of the
Gossip vas enabled to get possession of pho
} tograph of him.
do not know that can voice my own s0r.
row better than in quoting from the lifelong
friend Of Admiral Davis-Dr. McNairy, of thC
Navy Department, who said: Z" He was an able
and efficient officer; he was a thorough seaman
) q gallant and nervy fighter. and as true and
! noble gentleman as ever wore the navy blue
Lie despised deceit and all small things, and ht
loved q friend so that he would fight for him t.
the death. lie was rs gentle and good as ht
/ was brave and daring" The writer knew hin
} well, and says deep and heartfelt Amen Il
} DR.. McNairy.
, The Admiral contracted what is known
2 among seafaring men as the China fever
2 while he was commanding the Asiatic feet, ~
to 1886, and was still suffering from that trouble
: when he was retired, about year ago. TIL
progress of the disease seemed to have beer
s checked by treatment, but it left him with
: serious arrangement of the digestive organ
: that SO weakened him that when an attack 0
: pneumonia came upon him his constitution
y was too much impaired to rally, and lie passes
7 away to muster beyond the dark mystery il
the ranks of the heroes of the Stars and Stripe
? who have gone before.
= COL. GEORGE c. TICHENoR.
4 One of the first nominations made by tn
- ,roeap+ Administration yras that Of Col GeOrg