The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-04-02
COMMANDER OF THE NAVY.
SKETCH OF THE CAREER OF CAPT.
WILLIAM n. SAMPSON.

He WINS Born in PaImira, N. w., in
1910, His Father Being Day La
bOrer-AppOinted to the Naval
Academy by Congressman Morgan.
On the PatapscO when 1t Was
Blown Up in Charleston HafbOr In
January, 1865.
washington Letter In New York Sun.
The man of all others in the naval ser
vice who stands out most prominently in
all these preparations for war is Capt.
William T. Sampson, commander-in-chlet'
of the North Atlantic naval station UP
to the time he was appointed president OF
the court of inquiry charged with investi-
eating the cause of the Names destruction
he was comparatively unknown except In
naval circles. His career, while interesting
and brilliant in one sense, had run in
quiet groove. and was not full OF those
stirring incidents of life on the water
about which people love to read and hear.
But however little prominence he secured
until recently outside of naval circles, the
present naval administration knew him TO
be a man of mettle and ability and has
every confidence that he will give a good
account of himself If occasion should arise.
Since the Maine was destroyed he has been
highly honored twice, first in his selection
as president of the court of inquiry. and
again in his appointment as commander-in-
chief of the North Atlantic naval station.
Should war occur another and the great
est honor in the authority of the admins
tration will be conferred on this man OF
| the occasion. He will be nominated TO the
Senate by the president as the admiral IN
| command of all the naval forces operating
against the enemy of the United States.
| I1p in Wayne county, N. Y, they call him
"Billy" Sampson. When he goes back to
| that place the home of his boyhood, on
| occasional visits he is not the calm, digni-
| fled, studious-lookng officer who to those
| not better acquainted with him, is consid-
cred cold and distant He is still Billy
| Sampson, about whom there is no sugges-
| tim of gold lace and epaulets, and who is
| wholly lacking in that reserve which is so
| noticeable to strangers.
| Capt. Sampson was born in Palmyra,
| WAYNE county, Feb. 9, 1910. He is four
/ months younger to the day than Com
modore Winfield Scott Schley, who has
Just been assigned 10 the other important
naval command on the Atlantic COAST, the
|
| commander-in-chiefo of the North Atlantic
| station does not come of the distinguished
naval lineage, nor in fact, of promi-
nent family He Is the first Of his line
/ TO attain distinction. George Sampson,
| his father was a day laborer up in Wayne
county, and the early life of William, his
| son, was not the pleasantest and easiest.
Frequently he accompanied his father on
| the tramps from one farm house 20 an
7 OIL n hplnnp
and pile wood and do other hard work.
In his spare moments he studied the few
| text books at his command and managed
| TO attend the public schools in the county
at intervals. Old Squire William II. South
wick of Palmyra liked young Sampson for
! his energy and ambition. The Squire
was a friend of f. b. Morgan who repre-
sented in Congress the district which in
cludes Wayne county Representative
Morgan had the right to appoint a mid
shipman to the United States Naval Acad-
envy. and when Squire Southwick heard
this he exerted himself in young Samp-
sons behalf.
This was in 1857, and Sampson went to
Annapolis in September of that year ana
| donned the natty uniform of a MILDLY
/ Four years later, less than a year before
] the beginning Of the civil war. he was
graduated at the head of his class. The
| opening of hostilities found him on the
| frigate Potomac, with the rank of master
! Capt. Sampson was too young a man 10
| get a command during the war, but he
| conducted himself in a manner that won
/ him promotion to a lieutenancy in July
1862, and while holding that commission
he served on the practice ship John Adj
| ans at the Naval Academy. on the iron
] clad Patapsco of the South Atlantic block
| aiding squadron. and on the steam frigate
Colorado the flagship of the European
| squadron.
| Capt Sampson, then a lieutenant, was
| the executive officer on the ironclad Pa
| tapsco on Jan. 16, 1865. His boat was a
| part of the blockadlng fleet before Charles
ton. The Confederates knew that sooner
! or later the boats of the Union fleet which
| were doing blockade duty would seek TO
enter the harbor and compel the surren-
| der OF the city or reduce it, and for DAYS
they spent all their time laying submarine
miaes and torpedoes preparatory to giving
the Union boats a reception that they
wouldn't forget On the morning. of the
ll6th the admiral of the feet decided that
thes time was ripe to get into the harbo-.
l OF course. he SUSPECTED that the placa WAS