Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1892-09-10
DUELiNG IN THE NAVY.
Some Interesting "Reminiscences of Il
Good Old War Days.

corps Oh COnIcQerdue fnlQSnlpmen ue-
tailed to guard the confederate treasure
found himself in Augusta, Ga, anxious
iy 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, eS-
pressing 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 glass of bad wine
it was in the days of 1s65-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:
'Did you ever know Commodore
Charles Morgan?"
II was his aid in 1884 in the Med
iterranean."
Ibid you never observe that he was
subject to fits of depression or moodi-
ness?" said Tattnall.
The other replied that although "a
cat might look at king" yet in his
day a REFER was not permitted to OBJ
serve commodore too closely, but that
he had supposed Morgan to be n partic-
ularly jovial, good tempered man.
Tattnan proceeded to tell those pres
ent that Morgan, when a midshipman
In frigate lying off Sandy Hook, quar-
relied with another MILDLY, a challenge
passed, and it was agreed to go ashore
and fight duel without seconds, the
survivor to bury his antagonist and to
return. to the ship. The commodore
said Morgan killed his man and buried
him in the sand, and that this was the
cause of his moody fits.
This struck the commander as n re-
marlable story. He knew the tradi-
tons of the navy pretty well, but had
never heard of it. Still he knew TAFT
nall had good memory, was 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. He has asked many old navy
men about it, but no one had any in
formation on the subject. He 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 of it.
Being in the State library at Richmond,
Va. a few days ago l took down the
English Naval Chronicle for 1912, and
there found the following:
''rhe following extraordinary success
sion of calamities lately occurred on
board the United States frigate Consti-
tuition: Two midshipmen of the names
of Morgan and Rogers went on shore
and fought u 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 a mis-
cradle victim to the imperious laws ot
honor, a sailor fell from the masthead
of the frigate and was killed. In .
quarter of al hour another fell from
the same place and was hurt SO that hi
died the next day. While they were
lowering the wounded man into tn,
cockpit another fell backward into i
and badly fractured his leg. Two day
afterward, as the frigate was sailing
-
shipman fell overheard and wa
drowned. While they were lowerin.
the boats to go to his relief three mel
were plunged in the water, from whicl
they were saved with difficulty by tn
surrounding boats"
If Morgan was midshipman whel
he fought the duel it probably came OF
before 1912, for he was in that year a
acting lieutenant on board the Const
tuition. He was the sixth lieutenan
(acting) of the Constitution when sh
captured the British frigate Guerrier
August 10, 1912.
Charles Morgan entered the navy as
midshipman in 1907. In the spring c
that year gentleman in a gig wa
driving along a country road in Albt
marie county, Va, and, overtaking
bow of some fifteen years of ago, invite
him to take a seat in the conveyance.
..What is your name?" said the ger
tleman.
"Charley Morgan" was the reply.
The gentleman entered into conve
sation, and was much pleased with tf
Youths frankness and wit. He aslSe
him how he would like to enter IL
navy and go to sea, and upon Charley
saying he would like it very much, tol
him that if he would come to Washing
ton he could assure him of a midshi
mans warrant. AS Charley steppe
out of the gig to take cross-roa
home, the gsntleman called out to hir
''Tell your father you have been ri
ing with Thomas jefferson, presidel
of the United States"
mo won't neither" replied the bo
"Why not?" asked Mr.. jefferson
surprise.