New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-07-18
CHANCES HERE AND THERE.

this city from his home In Washington to a cooler
place the New England coast. two weeks ago. In
general appearance he seemed to be good enough
for another war, And yet the old hero Of many
bates' crossed the line OF three quarters OF CEN
tury more than year ago The old admiral has
not by aLy lost all interest in the Navy, even
II he has been laid away the retired shelf HIS
reports which are incorporated with those OF the
Secretary OF the Navy sent TO Congress year after
year. read with intense interest. and many OF
the recommendation II approved by Congress would
add much 10 the improvement Of the naval service.
While here the venerable old commander went over
to the Navy lard to see the Essex, named after his
fathers famous ship Of the old Navy, which fought
against the British. French, Peruvans and pirates
Of the West Indies and annhiated the English whaling
feet in the Pacific during the war OF 1Sl2.
The home Of the admiral in Washington has often
been the OF brilliant gatherings. 1t was built
in 1926 by Richard Rush the secretary Of the Treas
ury during the Administration Of President John
Quincy Adams. Since then 1t has been owned and
occupied by Senator Preston. Of south Carolina Joel
Il. Ponsett, Secretary OF War under President Van
Buren,: Commodore shubrck General "Phil' Kearny.
Captain a." JEFF Paige. OF the Navy; sir Henry Bul-
wer Lytton and Lord Lyons. British Ministers sen en-
Treasury Hodge. The admiral bought IL from me
later s o In 1862 and ne recently reakfd m
able that death has never occurred in this house.
Admiral Porter's wife was daughter Of Commo-
dore Daniel T. Patterson, who commanded the naval
forces at NewOrlcans during the War of 1912, and
who co-operated with General Andrew Jackson Ill
the defence of that city when the British we're
routed and their commander, General Sir John Pack
enham. was killed, January g. 1915. Porter was
only a midshpman when he met the young GIRL in
1882. on her fathers ship the United states, but
there was mutual admiration at once on the ad-
mras four sons. Carlisle and Theodore are officers
of the Navy, Essex Is an officer OF the Army, ana
Richard remains at home. One of the daughters
is the viii Of Lieutenant L. c. Logan, of the Navy,
and the other IS stu at home
The big new cruiser Baltimore. the grand old Kear-
sarge and General Buffers trim yacht America made
picturesque Fourth of July group In Portland Earbor
SO close together they lay that either might easily have
sunk the other two had sudden ARRAY arisen" as
the lawyers say General Butler in fun yachting
costume with white cap and flowing locks, did not de-
tract the picturesque interest of the group and as
for the Kearsarge as one OF group OF veteran oTes
feel seventeen high and good all over just to sit
In her launch and look at June ~ 1854 III Dig cop
per letters ON the engine bulhhead'"
Soon after General Sherman and Secretary Proctor
went aboard the Baltimore the Fourth" to pay
their respects Admiral Gherardi the Americas boat
came dancing by with the owner at the tiller Gen
eral Butler, seeing that official ceremony was in
progress was steering off, when he was hailed from
the gangway and specially invited aboard. on reach
ing the deck he received with major,generaPs
dental meeting for the first and probably time
sea- not earth. Of those four old heroes of the
war, aloat and ashore
The Kearsarge still carries her deck aft the long
nine" that the of history credits with having
| done the business of the Alabama. No matter;
some gun did it or all together. You may read
aWinslown in imperlshable bronze the checks, but
memory somehow whispers Thornton The old
long ninen inch smooth bore, is rlfed somethlng
now with a steel tube jammed into Its Jaws after the
nrc1 metbod of moder science but the old glory is
there. Nobody can rlne that
When General Butler went forward on the Bat
more to spy out the newnesses of the sea- the
sailor lads cheered him briskly, all out Of their own
heads So he came aft smiling and young Major
Charck, for instance radiant, comely youth OF say
forty-ve land falls, added to the gayety
Of the nations by saying General, | came near
drawing those cheers on your account. for when
went forward Just of the boys came up and
said Beg pardon, sir but are you General ButlerP
OF course l wasn't"
"when Davy Crockett sat in Congress- said Butler
without moments pause, there was another men,
Der Of Congress named Sawyer. Everybody called
him Sausage Sawyer from thrifty way he had Of
going to the races-he never missed race-with a
chunk Of bologna sausage wrapped in bit OF old
newspaper stuffed in his pocket and eating II Off his
penlinfe between the events. one day the caravan
came TO tOwn-so we called the circus, Major about
the time you were born-and Davy Crockett went and
took lady. When he came to the baboon he stopped.
Don't he look just the living image Of Sausage Saw
yerr Then he turned to go and there stood sausage
at Sawyer. then one at the babOon, then another at
Sawyer Well says Davy, slowly, Il guess-an
Apologies due-to-somebOdy " So ends.
There were not so many of the veterans usual
at the Portland meeting OF the Society of the Army Of
the Potomac. Time and distance were both against
| 1t. But the 300 that did so were picked lot, and
many of the old Maine men whom they hadn't for
years, there to meet Them and bright hOspable
| Portland did its best, and everybody went home in
good humor, voting 1t the pleasantest reunion yet
| General John Marshall Brown threw wide open the
doors Of his home under the shady elms OF Safest
| Colts came 5000 miles after his to Alaska
pressy to preside, and did it admirably, with capt
| tai mngling Of grace. wit tact and quickness. No
body thinks Of mentioning the working party
but il Is only fair TO that the of the meet
ing as OF the society, is largely due TO the work of
| that interchangeable gentleman Colonel Samuel Trues
dell Of NewIOrk, who seems to have life mortgage
| on the treasurership.