The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-07-08
JACK" is TRUE BLUE.
A Patriotic Incident on Board
the Cutter Grant.
THE SAILORS LOYAL TO a MAN.
A Newly Enlisted Pspuiist Ffreman
Turns Coward In Antie!p2non
Of Danger.

That Jack" on board the United States
vessel Grant. nov IN the harbor, is t'true
blue 70 the core was best illustrated By an
incident that occurred on board the ship
yesterday afternoon and Is thoroughly
characteristic of the patriotism deep down
In the heart Of every true American sailor.
The men now on the ship have seen many
years of service and not few of them
have been tried under FIRE. Occasionally
new men are enlisted 10 I'LL a vacancy, aud
recently such . vacancy occurred among
the firemen while The vessel was at Port
Townsend.
An applicant presented himself named
Joseph Calvert, who, being Endorsed by
Collector Saunders and his friends aud
otherwise meeting the requirements of the
service, was enlisted for the fall term OF
one year. He assumed his duties and evil
IDENTITY adapted himself to the discipline of
his surroundings until the vessel was sud-
denly ordered to Seattle Friday night.
Yesterday he was ordered to fall in for
musket drill with all hands on board and,
with others. was handed rifle. Lieut..
@. l.. Garden was in charge of the drill
and Capt ID. +. Tozier at the time
happened TO be on shore. Calvert
took his rifle gingerly. and instead
OF handling it as ordered, impudently in
CURED of the lieutenant whether he was
expected to handle "that thing" The
astonisned officer. not catching the evil
spirit of the mutinous remark and think
ing he referred TO the make of the gun,
another new pattern having been received,
answered him promptly, YES" and per-
emptoriiy ordered him to get into line.
Calvert then showed his true cowardliness.
and. throwing down the gun, growled out
II didn't enlist for this"
Lieut.. Calvert then took in the full
meaning of the breach of NAVAL discipline.
and at once ordered couple of marines to
seize and strip him of his uniform and
locked him up pending the arrival of
Capt. Tozier
The wrath of Capt. Tozier on learning of
the towards action is said to have been
great. He asked where the man was. and
on being told inquired if he was in double
irons. Being answered that he was not in
irons at al the captain asked TO have a
look at the fellow, and on sizing him up
ordered him placed in irons at once and
fed on bread and water.
The action of this one man set Capt.
Tozier thinking. and knowing the import
ance OF having crew under HIM on whom
he could RELY under the most severe and
trying circumstances, and seeming q mu-
tiny In the action of this one man, he asked
how many more men were OF the same
treacherous disposition at the present
critical period.
He at once ordered all hands on deck,
and ranging them on one side be addressed
them in plain language and inquired of
the men If there were among them any
others who felt that they could not obey
orders or use q rife when so commanded;
If there were he wanted them to step
across the deck. The captain waited. a
dead silence ensued and not a man moved
out Of the ranks.
Now" said Capt. Tozier. pointing to
the Stars and Stripes floating over them.
81 want every man who is ready and will
ing to stand by those colors under any aud
every circumstance. who will obey every
order given, no matter what they may be
and follow his officers TO the last man, to
step across the deck"
solid rush was made across the deck
oy every man in line. each in his eager
ness to show his zeal trying to outstrip the
other.
Capt. Tozier breathed sigh of relief,
ohN 'oas 9oH'ASN tnoS cfci9 auaH uhusN
him with the exception of the cur in irons
could be safely depended on TO sustain the
honor of the American navy.
The men were sent to their quarters and
evidently held a meeting of their own at
which it was decided that every man
should at once wear a badge of red. white
and blue, as further evidence TO their
captain of their intense loyalty to Old
Glory, and at once badges were made aud
inside OF an hour every man on board the
ship wore the little badge of honor. This
so pleased the captain and officers that
they at once adopted the same badge and
now everybody on board the Grant is
wearing the little badge in token of 10y
atty and as a reminder of an incident that
made deep impression upon both officers
and men