The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1892-05-13
Ghr1murrA-StM
ADMIRAL rARACUT.
A Religious Man Who Prayed at the
Battle Of Moblle.

The Atlantic Monthly.
Farragut was "A seaman of the
old time when the navy stood
apart, with a history, traditions and
life peculiar to itself. Once off
sounds it owned The great world,
and yet had a little world of It's
own. In no respec, would he have
been called The "Sel dog" even
when that term was ilntteringly
applied. lie was the sea officer
and gentleman, well, bred, keen.
eyed and gracious, and comp etent
to take his ship wherever ships
could 90. An utter sincerity shone
in his life. II is not an uncommon
trait in ~seafaring men. 1t found
expression IN tearlessness of
speech, and won that confidence
on the part Of those with whom he
had 10 do which enabled him TO
execute through them. lie had
The sacred hunger for fame, but
was mol influenced by political am.
bition, refusing without hesitation
when he was approached with ref
erence to a candidacy for the pres
idency. II am to have a flag In
the gulf" he j0yously writes to his
wife, "and the rest depends upon
myself" Outside of the service
nothing tempted him.
There came 20 Farragut
throughout his life, as to other
men, various griefs and disappoint.
men,s, but he bore them all with
iOrlitude and dignity. At the out
break of the war lie exclaimed :
God forbid that | should have to
raise my hand against the South"
Southern by birth and association,
he went back to New Orleans, his
boyhood's home, conqueror indeed,
but with none of The conqueror's
pride in his heart; and yet among
many friends and acquaintance
"nO man dared to say he was hap.
ply to see him." Secretary Welles
has written Of the annoyanccs
which he suffered during the last
eighteen months of his life
"ChanoeS- were made in the service
without his knowlege and against
his judgment. The Office OF adm.
raj, which congress created for him
in ackledgement OF his distinguish
ed and unequaled services, was,
he saw, destined by favorilism to
pass another. In derogalion of
his real rank and position as chief
Of the navy he was made port ad.
miral, an usher 10 wait upon and
receive naval officers al New York,
an employment which self.respect
and regard tor the navy compelled
him to decline. Among other in
dignilies was that Of ordering the
uniform and flag Of the admiral 10
be changed. tarragut
would neither change his coat, nor
permit the lawdry substitute for
the admlral's flag 10 wave over
him. On his special personal ap-
plicalion, which he fell Inundated
10 make, The secretary of the navy
permitted him TO be spared these
indignities during his lifetime, but
it was with The knowledge that the
flag which he had earned, the en-
blem which lie had chosen and
prescribed as the emblem Of high
est naval rank, was to be buried
with him.
Sincerely religious in his nature,
his faith was a marked character
in his life. He tells of himself
that, at the critical battle of Mo-
bile Bay, when defeat or victory
hung in the balance, he offered up
this prayer: % God, who created
man and gave him reason, direct
Us what 10 do. Shall | go onw
And it seemed as il, in answer, a
voice commanded him to $50 on"
The people at large saw him on.
ly as the hero dashed 10 the rig.
ging of the Hartford, amid the
smoke-clouds, flashing guns and
roar of battle. 1t was no act Of
bravad0 on his part, but the con.
seriousness, that so he might best
fight the battle, seeing everything
with his own eyes.
Farragut, our first admiral, was
OF a race which has already pass.
ed away. lie brought 10 us, in
this generation, that high moral
grace which made bravery and
strength so beautiful in those cd
days. He bore the burden of re.
s%ponsibility %cheerfully, and Car.
ried himself through all the vicis.
Itudes of a long struggle with dig.
nifty and heroic bearing and thor.
ough patriotism. In opening The
Mississippi he started the life cur
rents in our body polite which has
flowed SO strongly ever since. The
republic was not ungraieful !; the
people delighted to know him, and
when he died The busy world OF
our greatest city stood still for a
whole day ito do him reverence"
lie illustrated best his own saying /:
"He who dies in doing his duty to
his country and at peace with his
God, has played out The drama of
life TO the best advantage"
Mamma-"Bobby, don't you
want TO 20 over and play with the
little Brewster boy 7"