Griggs courier., 1898-05-13

They didn't fire; It was all blum.
"Where are you going?" they hailed
him.
"Where it pieases me-" was the rug
ged response.
great extent maritime, yet the navy
played an honorable part and strictly
held its own. On one occasion Gen.
Scott asked for some of the guns for
use on shore. Certainly" replied
Capt. Perry, but l must fight them.
Wherever the guns go, their officers
and men must go with them" And with
them they went.
| Later Tattnal asked Perry: "What
point shall! engage, sir?"
"Whcre you can do most execution,
sir"
The execution done by the naval bat
teries was. indeed, SO great, that Capt.
Mayo was presently able to report to
Scott: General, they are done; they
will never fire another shot"
"Who? your battery?" cried Scott in
CONSERVATION.
mo, gencral--the enemy"
The navy during the civil war was
more characterized by deeds than
words. Some good things, however.
were uttered. Among these, perhaps.
may be reckoned the non-committal
answer of 14ncoln-head of the navy
us we'll as of the army-when pcstered
by presulning politician as to the pro-
posed destination of u certain feet.
'Well, my FRIEND" said the presi-
dent, "Tll tell you-they are going to
sea-"
In the celebrated duel between the
Monitor and the Mcrrimac, Lieut.. Wor-
den, commanding the former. was hor-
ribly hurt by u shell which exploded
almost in his face. While writhing in
agony, he was told that the Minnesota,
which he had been fighting to defend.
was safe. ''Then I can die happy" he
said. But luckily he did not die. and
rendered good service afterward.
Some of the most memorable utter
anccs of this period we're from the lips
of Farragut, but there was nothing
theatrical about them; he was plain.
practical man, not given to posing.
This was particularly noticeable in his
absolutely informal but phenomenally
effective order on the day when he ran
the terrible gauntlet of the guns at
Mobile bay. In the morning, as he fin
ished his breakfast. he simply re-
marked: "Well. we might as we'll be
getting under way"-and in an incrcd-
IDLY short time the command was sig
nailed all over the fleet. Later, when
the fight grew hot and the vollcys from
the forts were something terrific. he
climbed high in the rigging to see over
the clouds of smoke; and here he was
lashed to the shrouds that he might not
fall if wounded. While he was in this
position, directing the battle with
matchless skill. his leading ship, the
Brooklyn, suddenly stoppetland backed.
throwing the whole line into disorder.
Then came the signal-"rorpedoes."
"Damn torpedoes!" roared the adj
miral from his perch. "Go ahead; four
bells!"
And taking the lead himself, amid a
scene of the most awful carnage, he
brought order out of chaos and went
on to victory. His profanity has not
> been greatly criticised.
!, Our list may we'll close with the
heroic speech and act of Commander
Crnven-such was his strangely inap-
propriate name-during the same en-
gagcment. He. too. had been warned
of the torpedoes, but had replied: II
don't care pinch of snuff for them" "
Nevertheless his vessel, the monitor
> Tecumseh. was blown up and sank like
stone. Craven and his pilot sprang
together to the opening leading out of
!, the iron pilot~honse, but only one could
pass through at time.
"After You, sir" cried Craven. step
: ping back. But there was no "after."
: "When reached the last round of
the ladder, the vessel seemed to drop
from under me-" said the pilot subse-
quently; and Craven went down like
the victims under the decks of the
Maine.
Such are few of the words that
have been heard upon our battleships
brief, pregnant. and inseparably
linked with deeds. The watchword of
Capt. Sampson is simply the latest on
the list; and that his deeds will match
it if occasion arises, no one doubts.
DAVIS TURNER.