The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-10-09
ASSOCIATIONS OF NORFOLK HARBOR
Ships of War That Have Been ButItS Strategic Value
Fine Old Relics

waters infested by the Teredo Navalis.
Again was this station regarded by the
powers that be as calling for the ''exer-
else OF great vigilance and energy''-in
1861, While the confederateS considered it
no less worthy of attack. 1t was evacu-
ated IN flames that lighted all the coun-
Try round, and Commander Rodgers and
those remaining with him surrendered to
the southern military authorities but on
May II, 1862 Norfolk had surrendered to
General Wool and by the 10th of that
same month the yard was again in the
hands of the federals. But we turn from
the laughing Chesapeake and its inner
WORKS and chambers to the purphng hills
that stand guard around the town of Lex
ington-from gallant ships to no less for
midable guns.
The sentry PAGES under the walls of the
have lost the scars left by the red hand
or invasion, and the sunshine filters
through gently stirring leaves to CLINT
upon the guns GROWING the parapet But
II was not always the sunbeams that IL
I lumined them, nor did they always rest
, there amid the green quietude.
! The cadet battery, received in 184S from
! the government and two six-pounders,
/ these last presented by Honest John
! Stetcher," as he was often called, were
used by Stonewal Jackson in artillery
! drill while professor at the West Point
! OF the south, and they grew ruddy from
/ the glare of Hunters memorable raid.
! Upon his departure, the northern general
carried them off, but in 1874 General
/ DenalI OIL the anu
its alumni. made so spirited and earnest
an appeal to the president and secretary
of war that from Washington and Fort
ress Monroe the travellers came home
again.
But the eye is soon caught by their
magnificent neighbors-the result of the
unsurpassed casting and workmanship OF
\ those famous twins OF the famous age OF
! Louis XIV and of a bronze not cast In
the present day. Indeed, have read tnat
/ a few of these rare old pieces are kept I'M
= n O.
ious TO suffer a touch from the visitor,
and it is only reverent looks he may ac-
cord them. The two eXiles, besides the
! beauty of their form and colorlnS, snow
/ faireSt traceries and groupings, shells,
opening flowers. full-Orbed suns and rays
! notices and emblaZonries. The twin
dolphins' and the name and date of each
! piece, Il EnVie,'' 1885, and lie Severe,
! 1918. show near the muZZle succeeded by
the words, Ultima Ratio Regum.
AlaSi these warriors once had comrades
eleven of them, and equal in splendor
too Some of the missing persuaders bore
the escutcheons of favorites of the Grand
/ Monarque; one showed the bar sinister of
/ a natural son of the king; another dis
played the arms of a heroic marshal OF
! France. Doubtless they had Numbered in
the wars of the Spanish succession and
I the campaigns of MARLBOROUGH. How,
then, came they to this country? How
were their ranks depleted and how DID
the remaining pair ind their presenI
/ home? They represent part OF the AID
procured by De la Fayette during the
revolution. The corvette that more them
from over seas when inside Virginia s
cages was hotly pursued by a British wal
vessel till. taking refuge in York river;
she fioated in safety at Cumberland
Landing in New Kent county, where, III
putting them ashore, one of the eleven fell
overheard.
The remaining ten were subsequently
removed to Taylor's Ferry, where they
lay dumb within sound of war and tu-
multi By and by Tarleton found them
there and. according to his own account
spiked several of them and rolled others
into the river"
In 1901 the six which were left were
taken TO Richmond, where they remained
in peaceful seclusion until the breaking
out of the civil war. AS need pressed the
confederacy, four of these Flatchless
pieces were melted up to provide artillery,
but the last two were rescued by Gov
ernor Letcher who had them transported
to Lexington. Even in this retired spot
however they were not yet to rest, for
as has been seen, they were carried of
by General Hunter. With the return OF
peace and upon application, General
Grant ma unanimously restored them to
the institute, and so it is that as the SEN
try PAGES near them they rest under the
shade of the trees''-under skies far dis
tant from those that saw their fiery birth.
fancy Hope Mari. in Commercial Ad-
vertiser.