Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1892-09-16
NAVAL VETERANS, DAY


.ddress by W. s. Wells of This City Z
Last Evening In Baltimore at tho
Big Reception to the National As
ISOLATION.
The following is brief extract of the
eply of W. 8. Wells of this city, rear
dmiral commanding the National Assooi-
.tion of Naval Veterans of the United
States at their seventh reunion to the adj
lress of welcome by Mayor Latrobe of
Baltimore at the Lyceum theater, Balti-
more, last evening.
In reply to your kind words I am not
unmindful of being in the presence of
American audience, and
therefore make my salutation to the dis
tinRuished officials Of the government,
state, city, military and navy here pres
ent, and the ladies and gentlemen, veteran
soldiers of the war and my own ship
mates, whom have the honor to repre-
sent.
With appropriate words of acknowledge
ment of the grand reception rendered, Mr..
Wells continuing said: But this occasion is
not an anniversary, but an event in itself
which may we'll be added to the historic
records of this city.
There have been occasions in this coun-
try when special honor has been justly
given to a naval hero, or some grand dem
onstration in dedicating monument to his
memory (still too few Of the latter. But
the grand and brilliant history of all our
navy, from the days of our early colonies
down to this time, is not inseparable from
this hour. We instinctively turn to it all.
We are recollecting 1t now, and it has re-
manned for the monumental city, and the
Maryland Association of Naval Veterans,
to extend the first welcome to include all
the veterans of the navy of this country,
regardless of rank or department of service.
Fittingly so, as il was from the
mast of the "Alfred" at Philadelphis
flag was proudly unfurled to the
breeze under the bright skies of my own
native state. It was from the ha1yards of
man Of war, that 1t was borne so grandly
over the seas to conquer, to be feared, re-
spected and welcomed by the nations of
the world. 1t was a citizen of Baltimore
who immortalized this emblem of freedom
in imperishable verse and national song, to
be migrated into our souls, to quicken
the pulses of national pride and nerve men
to deeds worthy of free men. Yes, "our
| flag is still there" and ''long may it wave,
DER the land of the free and the home of
| inseparable in reference to the stars and
| stripes, which represents all there is in
| this great land in which We live, and for
| which we would die if necessary.
| Pennsylvania and Maryland, sister states,
Philadelphia and Baltimore, two proud
cities, are now clasping hands in congratu-
lations that although one hundred and
seventeen years have passed, the flag is
still preserved unsullied-and now more
truly the emblem of freedom than when
first given to our sacred keeping.
This is very proud moment for your
| guests, and it seems like the extravagant
fancies of dream, that we few living ones
should be the exponent or mirror of the
past, through whom a celebration is held,
and to whom long neglected special
honors are now given. There are times
| when reviewing stirring events of the past,
that the presence of the departed actors of
those days almost seems to be with us.
We feel now that your welcome has
aroused the sleeping heroes of more than
one hundred years, and that around and
above us are truly lowering the awakened
spirits of Admirals Hopkins, Paul Jones,
cambridge, your own Joshua Barney and
James Nicholson; Barry, Norris, Truxton,
Lawrence, Perry, Decatur, Preble, Nc
Donongh and Commodore Hull of my
adopted state, and many more with the
brave men they commanded. Also those
whom we personally knew 80 we'll and who
were part of ourselves, the renowned
Farragut, Porter, Dupont, Dahlgren, Foote
Stringham, Winslow, Rogers, Rowan and
many more of our departed shipmates, are
now blending their sainted souls with ours
here on earth in rejoicing that they lived
to purpose, and although their bodies
are resolved into the elements or s'lit
Wondering in the grave" their souls art
marching on, and they still live in thu
hearts Of grateful people.
We, my friends and shipmates, are dem
onstrating the truth that self-sacrifoe, de
votion, patriotism, bravery in deeds ant
words by the servants of nation are no
forgotten by the people and their work car
, | never die.
Four hundred thousand Union soldier
and sailors, with whom we were associ
ated were sacrificed in the war; lively
hundred thousand have died since SOM
here present placed their names on the rol
of their country's defenders; and you
! guests tonight are q mere remnant of tina
mighty host who were the instruments b,
which moral laws were enforced through
!, | natural though most severe means Amonl
. men who have performed work by thei
combined efforts to produce such health
results for a nation, there is an il
resistible force causing them t.
come together, to blend their hearts
, | voices and souls in praise an,
? Thanksgiving. Their reunions are expree
sions Of heartfelt gratitude that they hav
lived to perform service in one part O
3 their lives for the benefit of mankind ant
: are permitted to see the day of their coun
1 try's prosperity and new life, toward
which each contributed some part.
Proceeding, the speaker reverted to tn
glorious deeds of our navy in the war Q
8 the revolution, the war of 1912, the wa
with the Barbary states, and then spoke @
= our navy in the war of the rebellion.
= I will assert that it was upon the eficienc
of the navy that the success of our armie
t depended. It was our first victories on tn
James and Potomac, Port Royal, Hampto
= Roads, Hatteras and New Orleans that pre-
A vented the recognition of the confederac
by England and France. It was our vigil
ant waiting, watching and rolling on tn
dangerous waters of our coast for month
= and years, on blockade and the batterin
! down of the coast Notifications tha
:. sealed up these ports, cutting Of
supplies and commercial relation
with the world, that sappe
: the life of the Confederacy. It was thi
and our reliable cooperation with our gal
| liant troops on the coasts and our river
that enabled the army to advance ant
r | fight to a victorious conclusion in the in
3 | terror. It was our universal naval success
! for the first two years of the war whic
, gave hope to our loyal people.
: During this time We were educating off
, GERS and men of the army in the art O
J war with repeated and depressing disas
, ters. and at fearful cost. Blu
: in the meanwhile it was tn,
, universal and important achieve
ments of our naval operations TO
two years, that kept alive the hope of fina
! success and nerved the loyal people to re
newed efforts in the prosecution of tn,
war. It was not Gettysburg, in my opin
ion, which was the real high-water mari
, of the rebellion or maximum of danger tt
the Union. But the critical moment wa
the time when the signal was run to tn,
mast of the Hartford" for the passage o.
Forts jackson and st. Phillip and capture
of New Orleans by the renowned Farragut
The placing of this city again under tn,
protection of the Stars and Stripes, anc
, reopening of the Mississippi to the Gulf
was, in my opinion, thu real crisis passed
in the war.
| General Grant, that revered, unselfsh
and just soldier, in his memoirs, says il
was the cooperation of Admiral Porter
and his gunboats that enabled him tt
: achieve his victory at Vicksburg. Forum
ate were we in this union of forces, for il
, gave to the country the joyful tidings that
we had found a reliable and efficient leader