Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-07-28


I'd heroic deeds, the de-
parture Of the old wooden vessels. with
their towering mastS and bewidering net
work of ropes and spars will always re-
main source of regret. Heroic men will
% doubt. command the naval vessels of
the future. but the reader of history will
probably look In vain hereafter for a John
Paul Jones. Lawrence. a Perry De-
tatur,sa McDonopgh, a David d. Porter of
our navy. or a Howard. Blake. Nelson
Of the English. The. typical ''old sea dog
has gone out with the wooden vessel.
When the war OF the rebellion broke out
we had IN the Union navy one two, at
least. who had taken an active part in the
last war with Great Britain but now there
Is hanIIy an old officer left.
Even the youngest OF those who rose to
great SdiStnctfOn during our civil war has
passed away. and we no longer have
Farrsgut, a FOotes a Dupont, Porter,
but even If they were here they would be
lost IN one of the great Ironclads Of the
present day, and be- so to speak, like
cat in a strange garnet. They were great
sailors and masters of their profession, as
the profession was a sthtrd of a century
Ago. bat the world has moved at a rapid
gait since they rrod the quarter deck as
the eTabodinent Of heroic battle. Not
understanding all of the old heroes have
pascal away, still those who occupy the
stations of responsibility and now
Hove 10 recall the stories of past command
,erS. Those stories seem to never grow
tQid case TO be current. They are as
delightful now as they were when first
relat-f.
Careful of Their Dignity.
There was always more punctiousness
about enforcing all the minute distinctions
OF etiquette in the navy than in the army,
and M ny 1aughabts- incidents related
OF this popularity Of naval officers. The
Smaller the vessel the more emphatic were
the officers in exaetins all that was due
their rank and station. IL is related by one
ola officer that during the Mexican war the
fleet IN front Of Vera Cruz Joined by
several sUnbOats of the most diHinutive
type. An officer of one Of the war vessels
had occasion u visit of those mimic
bats and. ranging up alongside in his
barge. stepped from his barge (which was
nearly loss the boat he visiting)
over the port quarter of the gunbOat when
Ihe lieutenant in command, in tone of in
suited dignity, informed him his vessel had
a gangway, IT being the proper thing for
officers 10 always enter a vessel by the
gangway His vessel might be no bigger
than yawl but so long as it in COM
mission he did not propose to have any of
the usual rules of etiquette omitted.
Capt Joshua Sands was of the char
ecters of the old navy. and was somewhat
Ected for falling into the bad graces of his
. Commanding officers. 1t is related of him
that on one occasion he was on board of
the Franklin. then bearing the flag of Com
ntcdore Stewart, and had been suspended
from duty for some breach of discipline.
While under suspension, one day cry was
raised during terrible gale of wind, that
q man was overheard. Being under sus-
pension, Sands was not permitted to go
the quarter deck. but boat was being
lowered to rescue the seaman he sprang
into 1t through one Of the main deck ports.
The man rescued mainly through the
efforts of Sands. On his return the COM
modOre put MIN Under arrest for leaving
the ship without permission
Advice to the Commodore.
That looks like carrying discipline to the
told Of the late Commodore NJ. C. Perry
and Lieut.. Charles G. Hunter during the
Mexican war. One of the points of agrees
sion at that time by navy was the town
of AIvarado. While Commodore Common
had been in command of the fleet great
preparations had been made to capture
AIvarado. and an extensive expedition had
been organized for that purpose. The fleet
did not actually march up the hill and then
march down again, as an army was said
rs near doing it as a feet could on the
Eeas. 1t sailed up to the town in great
pomp and with vast display Of force.
The officers and men spent the night in
preparing for the conflict on the morrow,
but, TO the establishment of all, the morn
Ing disclosed a signal from the flagship for
the fleet to return To its anchorage off Vera
Cruz. Not long afterward a second attempt
was made, and this time on a grander scale
than the first. The feet was divided into
two divisions, and the plan was to dash
ing the town Capt Sands, referred to
above, was commanding the flagship Of
Commodore COnnOr. who led one of the di-
visions himself. This division had crossed
the bar. and almost under the fire of
the forts, when the commodore discovered
that he other division had grounded. He
turned % Sands and asked what was to be
done. Go ahead and fight like - was
the rough but characteristic advice CT the
captain. The commodore did not take the
advice and once more the fleet returned
%went Beyond the Orders.
The Snext attempt. AGAINST Alvarado was
shortly after Commod re Perry assumed
comnsnd of the fleet. NJ that time the town
was blcckaded- by little steamer carrying
one gun and forty men, commanded by
Lieut. Hunter. Perry made great prepara-
tons for his expedition. and TO aid the
Meet a brigade or troops was sent along the
beach. The troops. made better time than
the fieet. and on their arrival in sight of
the town they were astonished to see the
American flag floating over the works. On
inquiry it was found that Lieut. Hunter.
with his gun and forty men. had dashed
In the day before and captured the place.
The news reached Perry before he arrived
and 1t put him In towering rage. He pro-
ceeded on TO AIvarado, however and placed
Hunter under arrest. He was tried by a
eourt-martial and sentenced to be repri-
manded by the commodore. The reprimaud
was very brief. and subjected the commo-
dOre to the lampoOns OF the press through
put the country Ii was in the following
terms: who told you to capture Alvarado?
1ou were sent to watch Alyarado and not
10 take it. You have taken AIvarado with
O single gun, and not a marine to back
YOU The reprimand wound UP by the
commodore saying the fleet would soon at
tack T"basco, ard Hunter should not take
part in u, but should be dismissed from the
fleet. He was dismissed.
Hunter returned home. but the people
took different view Of the occurrence from
the commodore and gave him dinners and
presented him with swords, and he was
ever afterward known as "Aivarado'' Hun
ter. He was gallant Officer. but eccentric
Ind hard 10 control Some years after the
incident just mentioned he was in COM
fnand Of one of the vessels attached to the
squadron stationed at Rio Janeiro. He got
into difficulty With the commodore and ac-
tpally ran away with his ship and sailed to
New York. On his arrival at that city no
issued an address to the people. giving his
version Of the difficulty with his commander
but the President promptly dismissed him