Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1892-10-20
ouELINe IN rHe NAVY.

corps of confederate midshipmen de-
tailed to guard the confederate treasure
found himself in Augusta, Ga, anxious
ly awaiting the result of the armistice
proclaimed between Gems. Johnston
and Sherman. At the hotel he met old
Commodore Josiah Tattnall, whom he
had long known.
Several gentlemen of the city, ex-
pressing a wish to hear the commo-
dore's naval "reminiscences, the COM
mander invited them to meet the com
modore in his room after dinner, and
there over pipe and a iglass of bad wine
it was in the days Of lS65-they would
endeavor to draw him out The plan
succeeded, and the commodore talked
as only he could talk of the old navy
and its traditions
Finally, turning to the commander,
he said:
Ibid you ever know Commodore
Charles Morgan?"
81 was his aid in 1s43-ri4 in the Med
iterranean."
did you never observe that he was
subject TO fits Of depression or moodi-
ness2" said Tattnall.
The other replied that although "a
cat might look at a king" yet in his
day REFER was not permitted to OBJ
serve commodore too closely, but that
he had supposed Morgan TO bc partic-
ularly joviul, good-tempered man.
TattnaD proceeded TO tell those pres
emit that Morgan, when midshipman
in frigate lying off Sandy Hook, quar-
relied with another MILDLY, challenge
,,l o.. sbnf
and fight duel without seconds the
survive TO bury his antagonist and to
return TO the ship. The commodore
81 i'd Morgan killed his man and buried
him in the sand, and that this was the
cause of his moody fits.
| This struck the commander rs a re-
markable story. lie knew the tradi-
lions of the navy pretty well, but had
| never heard of it. Still he knew TAFT
nall had good memory, was n man of
unquestionable veracity, and not all
given TO establishment.
For the last twenty-seven years the
| commander has had the story in his
mind lie has asked many old navy
men about il, but no one had any in
formation on the subject lie has been
| told that he must have dreamed it, and
/ indeed he has sometimes wondered
whether Tattnall did really tell him
| the story.
And now comes the strange part If it.
Being in the State library at Richmond,
Va, few days ago l took down the
English Naval Chronicle for 1912, and
there found the following;
| "'rhe following extraordinary success
II = 4 Al s.I.v
board the United States frigate Consti-
tuition: Two midshipmen of the names
of Morgan and Rogers went on shore
and fought duel, in which Rogers was
| killed and Morgan wounded. The next
day, while the procession of boats was
moving to attend the funeral of the
young man who had thus fallen mis-
cradle victim to the imperious laws of
honor, sailor fell from the masthead
| of the frigate and was killed. In n
| quarter of an hour another fell from
the same place and was hurt so that he
| died the next day. While they were
| lowering the wounded man into the
cockpit another fell backward into it
and badly fractured his leg. Two days
afterward, as the frigate was sailing
rapidly up the Delaware bay, a mid
shipman fell overheard and was
drowned. While they were lowering
the boats to go to his relief three men
were plunged in the water, from which
| they were saved with difficulty by the
surrounding boats"
II Morgan was a midshipman when
he fought the duel IT probably came off
before 1919, for he was in that year an
acting lieutenant on board the Consti-
tuition. He was the sixth lieutenant
| (acting) of the Constitution when she
captured the British frigate Guerrero
| August 10, 1912.
Charles Morgan entered the navy as a
midshipman in 1907. In the spring Of
that year a gentleman in gig was
driving along country road in Able
marie county, Va, and, overtaking a
boy Of some fifteen years Of ago, invited
him TO take scat in the conveyance.
what is your name2' said the gem
tleman.
Charley Morgan" was the reply.
The gentleman entered into CONVEX
sation, and was much pleased with the
youths frankness and wit lie asked
him how he would like 10 enter the
| navy anu 80 W bcut anu upon Nhullty =
saying he would like it very much, told
him that If he would come TO Washing
ton he could assure him of a midship-
mans warrant As Charley stepped
out of the gig TO take crossroad
home, the gentleman called out 10 him:
Tell your father you have been rid
ing with Thomas jefferson, president
Of the United States"
"No won't neither" replied the boy.
"Why not?" asked Mr.. jefferson in
surprise.
IF my father heard had ridden with
Thomas Jefferson" said the boy, The
would give me the worst hiding | ever
had in my life"
well" said the president, come to
Washington anyway, and I'll keep my
word"
And this is the way Charles Morgan
happened TO enter the United States
nayy.-N. Y. World.
THE ORDER TO FIRE.