The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-07-22
A NAVAL PENSIONERS STORY.
Joys BIOuses.

MA VAL EENS1ONER'S STORY.
In the River Pei-Ho, June 25, 1850.
From Blackwood's Magazine for June, 1894.
The episode which is the sui. ect of
this ballad is in every detail historical
For certain incidents, which are now
made public for the first time, the author
desires to acknowledge his obligations to
various survivors of this gallant affair,
and notably to Admiral Sir George ON
manney Willis, G. G. 3. (who was captain
ofthe hesapeak) to Paymaster-in-Chi
James William Murray Ashby, c. B. (who
was secre airy to Rear-Aduliral Sir James
Hope, and who has lent copies of all the
official papers and plans bearing upon the
subiect); and to Staff Capt. John Phillips
who was second master of the Plover,
and who saw Flag Onicer Tattnall's boat
come a(on yside, and witnessed or heard
what happened subsequently,. 1t may
De added that no medal was granted for
this hard-fought action. ..s
The late Commodore Josiah Tattnall,
T. 5. n, of Savannah, whose remains lie
in the family vault at Bonaventure, was
Inc yankee flag officer who helped the
British in the fight to which the follow
ing poem refers When asked why he
mtertered he replied BLOOD is thicker
Than water" Commodore Tattnall two
years after the Pei-ho fight resigned from
tne United States navy and cast his for
tunes with the south. He was in COM
mand Of the confederate naval forces on
the South Atlantic coast at the battle of
FORT Royal. Afterward with his feet of
river boats he proVisioned Fort Pulaski
ana attacked the federal batteries on the
savannah river. He was in command of
tne confederate ironclad Merrimac when
mat vessel was destroyed in the James
rlVer, Va, and held other commands dur
ing the war. He died in Savannah:
a yarn about some victory?-Why, bless you,
there no need
For the likes o me to spin you one, there
The folks as writes in the papers, or as
Il n brings out regular stories,
nave tod you all you want to know about
~, them naval glories,
There S precious little danger OF the victories
n bein forg OF;
But I'm feared. we do bit forget the actions
as was not
Yet count it to their credit, when men have
m done their Lest,
though they have to turn their backs at last
Il ~ and leave undone the rest
-uere many victory, surely, decisive and
complete.
AS meant sight less aghtin than a hardly
ana i people do their duty, every man in his
~, degree
Wy deIeat may be more glorious than
victory needs TO be.
"hat DO think OF furriners?-Well, they re
v. OF many a sort:
'ou'it . md different lot of them in every
mere Christians and there's cannihals;
81 Tho. mere yallers, browns and blacks;
'uoIe people as is fully dressed with
s. Rr, hothln' on their backs;
0U' 'ae only kind o. furriner it's pleasure to
NJ L recall
Is 'ne Yankee--and, I reckon, he amt fur.
FINER at all.
Si Wen, howsomever, sir, he speaks
nc mas heart inside him: he amt French
"a Co.,, nor TX, nor Jew.
say ne amt no furriner; but have your way,
n, not nine
Enough ION Z see how he can be when I
Eli "A Illnk OF "hfty.nine. "
ny fsnere's yarn as can spin-foTgotten
'o1' 6 29r defeat in Chiney on the twenty
# ullh Of June.
ON Tor me to tell you how the troubles
NJ, uere began
uon . pretend 10 remember the whole OF
Tn. our admiral = plan:
4leotlon OF sendin' our Envoy up by
Ana ,r"y Oh Tue River Pei-hO,
nlnehe blocked the channel deter
rbov t.uel be shouldn't go
KY thfoWn ihiee looms across 10, ana
De,..,4 l iined 10th banks with forts,
l on hQ0sian friends OF theirs, aecor.
'N y ~ reports