The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-07-20

Ia the Century War Book." Captain
-. trueuleu Watson, L.. y. u, writes
the following acco.ut ot .ho lashins OF
Admiral larr1tut 80 ,nr .lsElnB or TIE
hartford az the BATH. of Mobile Bay
"At the comm q cWrut " the action
Admiral rurrasat Was standing iu the
port main 'ieElls, ~Li-n position enabled
niw 90 overlook tha other vessels Or the
fleet. nile az The same CINE . gave him
nrff.nt command Of botu his own alag
shin and the MetacOmet. the latter vessel
being .ashti 1n that SIDE OF me Hartford
sOr the purpose OF carrying the nasshlp
inside tte bay In case ~ the disabling
Of her oWu machinery. 4 slight wind vas
blowing the smoke from our guns on 10
Fort Morgan. As the wind fell lighter,
which 70 frequently does during heavy
l!inf. the smoke gradually ohscufed the
Admuals view, and be almost unc0n-
sclnus.y climbed tAe rigging, rdtine by
ratllne. IN order 20 see over II, until final
y D.. found himself in the futtOck shrouds
some Itt.- distance below the maintop.
Here lie. could lean backward or for
ward ia q comfortable position, having
tle lrer USE OF both hands for his spy
glass, or any other purpose. Captain
Juyt)n commanding the Hartford, ana
also chief Jl staff 10 the Admiral, becOm-
blow tfom "a splinter, or tAe cutunS 3Wty
ol "a portion cf the rigging, might throw
tle AIuir4l % The deck sent the sisnal
unlrttrflI-trr ul1,f with 70 small rope,
w. SCENE nina 10 the rigging The Adult
raj AZ first declined 20 allow the quar-.
trImAster o. 30 mis-. but quickly admitted
the wisdom ~ the prrcauuOn,l ana MN
self passed two or three turns OF the
rope around DIS body, and secured one
eul while the quartermaster lhnowles)
fastened the other. The Admiral remain
ed alott unit. after We had passed Fort
Morgan. ,.,-
slrouls DO was near enough % the pllot
who wac iu The mdlntop, JUST over *
head to communicate With hlm Hr WAS
AZ an times visible 10 Captain ljrayt1h
and the faS lieutenant tmys ~ VINO
were standing 900 the pOop-dcck. anu con-
Versed with him several times during
the action. Lieutenant \. r. ates, now
commander in the United states Navy,
who was acting as volunteer aI' VIZ
stationed underneath the Admiral and
carried his orders 10 the other parts OF
the ship.
After the passage OF the forts was
accOmpl ished the vessels were anchored
and anchOring, the Confederate rsu Ten
nessee was observed 20 be moving out
from under the guns OF Fort Morgan.
Captain DraytOn reported this fact 10
tar admiral, who was then on the poop,
stating that Buchanan, the Confederate
Admiral, was going outside 10 destroy
the outer fleet. The Admiral Immediately
said. Then we must follow him OUT
though ne suspected that Buchanan, be-
coming desperate. had resolved 10 sink
or destroy The flagship Hartford and do
us as much Injury as possible before los
ing HIS own vessel Immediately aitrr
the above remark Farragut said no.
Buck coming here. Get under way az
once we must bee ready Tor him captain
pravt0n could not believe this, ana We
were liltle slow about getting up our
anchor, in spite OF the Admlfais impa-
thence. D.,
There could never have been any dis
pute as 10 the AamiraIs having been
dashed IN the malnTgging had the fact
been generally known that the Admiral
himself told Captain Drayton and fHr,
shortly after the battle. exactly what took
place when the 4uartermaster came up
10 him with the rope and the message
from the captain, Just as ! have related
IT, lie was afterWarj amused and amazed
al the uotOriety of the incident When 4
comic picture ~ the scene, Ia one OF the
Illustrated wceklies, came 10 hand, a few
DAYS after the battle. he said 20 Captain
and myself In conversation
How curiously some trihing incident
catches the popular fancy! Ny being in
the main rigging vas Il mere accident,
owing 10 the fact that ! was driven aloft
by the smoke The lashlng was the re-
suit OF your own fears Captain Dray-
ton'D for my safety. At the close Of
the war he yielded % the solicitations OF
Mr.. PAGE L. stand for q historical por-
trait In the position In which he was first
dashed.
Terms upon which the Century War
Book" may be obtained will be found IN
another column.