The herald., 1895-05-26

the best known tells IN vein VI uucduHy
and gruesome humor the story OF Ben
Battle
A soldier bold,
Well used to wars slarms
But . cannon ball took OF his legs
SO he laid down his arms.
He finds that he now stands upon
sanother footing with his lady love,
faithless Nelly Gray. who declares she
would never have man with both legs
in the grave" and pursues him with
such running fire of similar puns that
be is glad 10 find refuge in suicide.
This is all very we'll as the work OF a
professional humorist. dealing with an
imaginary case. But in Washington you
80 frequently come face to face with
actual heroes OF the war, who have been
manned and shattered, so many living
wrecks of humanity. made such as mar
tyrs to their country, that poems like
II Hood IS seem to be not only heartless but
almost sacrilegious; PROCLAMATION of The
feelings OF honor respect, sympathy and
admiration which you gladly lay as
guerdons at the feet Of the men who have
saved their country at the expense OF
their own comfort, happiness and well
being.
There is no more notable instance than
that of Rear Admiral John Lorimer Wor-
den. He lives ct No. 142S street, one
of the pleasantest neighborhoods in the
CITY. His house is comfortable and taste
fully furnished. He is surrounded by low
ing reiatives, with troops of friends.
Congress has showered honors upon him
for his magnificent services in command
of the Monitor against the Merrimac on
March 8, 1862. when the Merrimac was
disabled at the very outset OF her career
and prevented from accomplishing her
purpose of destroying the national fleet
and capturing New York and Wasning-
ton, as had been expected. Undoubtedly
Worden and the Monitor saved the north
ern cause. He was retired with the high
est sea pay Of his grade in 1886, and now.
in the evening of his days. he should be
enjoying the comforts which t.antalizingly
surround him-tantalizingly because,
slasl he has never recovered from the
terrible wounds which be received in
the very conflict with which his name is
indelibly associated.
1t was just before noon that a shell ex-
pl oded on the pilot house of the Moni-
tor. while Worden was looking through
the site. Powder and flame We're driven
into his eyes. He fell senseless.
mo, can't talk about it.. he said to
me when | called upon him the other
day. MY memory has gone. 1t has
never been good since that time. 1t is
getting worse and worse. My head was
all knocked to pieces at Hampton Roads.
For three months ! lay unconscious, and
when awoke to life again l was men,
tai wreck. Since then I haven't known
the time when l wasn't suffering both
physical and mental pain. For over a
yeai haven't stirred out of the house.
It's continuous modification to me to
find that | can't recognize or remember
my best and oldest friends. get letters
every day from all parts of the country
Ali if these people knew how impossible
1t is for me to take any notice of them
nearly gone. I can neither read nor
write without a painful effort.
Yet. though this has been Worden's 8
condition, he had never hinched from the
performance of his duty, as long as such
performance was possible. He continued
in command Of the navy all during the
war, participated in the blockade at
intendent OF the naval academy 1s7O-74,
commander-in. chief of the European
squadron (1s75-77) and president of the
retiring board till December, 1886.
A magnificent record for q man who
sadly describes himself as mental
wreck.
The case of another naval hero who
lives Wltuiu leW DlOCkS OF tl0 rear
admiral is less deplorable. This is Com
modore Oscar G. Badger of No. 1917
Twentieth street. He is white haired,
checry gentleman, who would bear tn e
weight of his - years easily enough were
it not for very lame leg. The wound
which lamed him was inflicted in the en-
aagement with the forts and batteries in
Charleston harbor in September, 1868.
II was then.' said. the commodore
fleet captain of the squadron of iron.
clads. seven in ALL on board the Wee
hawkep, the flag ironclad. On the night
OF September 1st the entire squadron
made an attack on Sumter and the
other forts. We went up within three
hundred yards of Sumter. hoping to
blow 1T up BY exploding the powder mag
azlne. Though We leveled the fort almost
to the ground and left it mass of ruins,
the garrison would not surrender. 1t vas
a gallant fight. I've never known a gar
rison to hold out so long and SO success
fully. Early in the morning of Septem-
Der I'd solid l0-inch shot struck the tur-
ret OF the Weehawken. 1t was fired from
Fort Moultrle on the LETT. The shot drove
in fragment OF metal weighing several
pounds, which. after shatering nv leg.
glanced off and broke the arm OF sailor
standing by me.
II spent four months in bed. and at
the end OF that time the bones were as
loose as ever. 1t was long before they
knit. That was the end of my naval ca
reer during the war: | was never quite
cured. The wound is still painful, es-
pecially in damp weather. The leg swells
up every day, and at night time is al
ways full inch bigger than when I rise.
can only walk with cane, as YOU see.
But otherwise, thank God | am in good
health and have nothing to complain Of"
1t is known that General Walter o.
Gresham, secretary of state, is on the
pension roll for wound received in the
atlanta campaign. But few people realize
how painful that wound was and how
seriously 1t complicates the ailments un-
der which he is suffering at present. He
lies at the Arlington hotel. and only a
lew days ago was thought to be at the
point OF death. His physicians will allow
him to see no one. From comrade in
arms and a warm personal friend who
was member Of his command at the
time OF the casualty. | received detailed
account, possibly the first thoroughly
accurate story ever published.
General Gresham" said nv inform
ant, "commanded the Fourth division of
Bla1r's corps in the lighting before At
1ants. On July 20. 1864. Sherman's army
crossed the Peach Tree creek, constituting
the lett OF the army. A general engage
ment was expected next day. He got his
division IN line OF battle to make a charge
on Bald NIL, occupied. as is was afterward
learned. by dismounted confederate cav
airy. Gresham rode out further than he
should beyond his line, and was picked
out by sharpshooter. A shot hit him
in the groin and passed out at the hip.
For some time it was thought that he
could not pull though without the loss
of his leg, and would have a tough lob of