Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-10-06


were ordered and the boatswain's mate
made ready for his three pipes at the
gangway. But when the Owascos gig
came alongside the man who sprang
up the ladder was Lieut.. Schley.
81 expected to see Capt. jones'
that was not his name-"of the Owas
CO.. said Alden, with slight sarcasm.
Il am commander of the Owasco,
sir" was. Schley's matter of fact re-
ply
"Since when?" asked Alden.
'An hour ago, sir" said Schley.
"Where is Capt. Jones?"
Locked up in his cabin, sir, drunk"
"Who locked him in?"
81 did. | first put him under arrest
and then shut him up in his cabin.
Then | took command of the ship, and
here l am to report for orders"
A broad smile crept over Alden's
face, but instantly assuming an air of
severity, he said:
"Well, the first order I'll give you is
for you to lower that pennant in the
gig; go back to your ship; unlock that
duty. Then report to me in writing if
the captains illness still incapacitates
him and | will know what to do. Don't
be in too great hurry to get command
of a ship, Mr.. Schley.
AS matter of fact, Commodore
Schley did not get command of ship
until several years later, but before he
did, he had fairly earned it. He served
gallantly in all the engagements which
led up to the capture of Port Hudson.
and for his part i'll cutting out, under
heavy fire, two schooners engaged
in supplying the Confederates, he was
honorably mentioned in special or
ders. From 1864 till 1866 he was at
tached to the Wateree as executive Of
ficer, and served with her on the Pa
cific station In 1864 he helped to sup
press revolt of Chinese coolies in the
Middle Cincha islands, and a year lat
er he landed at La Union, San Saliva
dor with 100 men to protect American
interests imperiled by revolution.
Commodore Schley was promoted to
be lieutenant commander in July,
1866, and during the following three
years was on duty at Annapolis. His
next post was on the Benicia of the
Asiatic squadron, with which he par
ticipated in the attack upon and over
throw of the forces defending the forts
on the Salee river in Corea. This was
in 1871, and year later he returned
to the United States and became the
head of the department of modern Ian
guages at the navy academy. Com
missioned commodore in 1874, he was
for five years on the North and South
Atlantic stations and the western coast
of Africa. When the Greedy relief eX-
petition was organized he was called
from duty with the lighthouse board
and placed in command of it, again
proving himself the right man in the
right place by snatching Lieutenant
Greedy and his comrades from the
clutches of death and conveying them
safely to their homes.
For this service Commodore Schley
was awarded a gold medal by con-
gress and promoted by President Ar
thur to be chief of tbe bureau of equip
ment and repairs, which position he
held until 1889. While holding this
post he was made captain. When the
cruiser Baltimore was put in commits
sion he was assigned to command her,
and carried back to Sweden the re-
mains of John Ericsson, inventor of
the Monitor, for which service the
king of Sweden presented him with a
gold medal He WAS in command of
the Baltimore at Valparaiso Chilli, in
1891, when a number of American sail
ors were attacked and some of them
done to death by mob The compli-
cations between the United States and
Chill which arose from this affair were
disposed of by him in a manner that
earned the express gratitude of the
navy department. One incident of the
affair, however, never found its way in
| to the naval records. Let me tell the
story as Commodore Schley told it only
few weeks ago.
1T was O'clock" said he when
the men left the ship, and it was only
| 10 when | received the news of what
had happened. Suddenly attacked
| from the rear, they were cut down be-
| fore they could defend themselves. 1t
almost broke my heart to SOC them
brought back in such sorry condi-
ton, but we gave them the best of
care. There was one Jackie, faithful
sturdy fellow, who had been with me
before He was in a sad plight and as
| / went to him he said to me:
Captain, | guess I'm done for.
hate going this way. from a blow In
the dark from sneaking heathen; but
it's the last voyage I'll make with
you
II could not stand that, - told him
that he was not serioue.9 hurt, and
that the doctor had said l-e would come
out all right.
"'Did the doctor say that?' asked
the man, eagerly.
"To be sure he did," said l. This
| InI 60 20 h,t I ! la