The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-09-24
Andrew Walsh.
Humble Hero.


Andy Walsh had been in a drunken
stupor several days. No one on the
ship had seen him in such a condition
before. and they wondered what had
happened TO make him go "off and iii
| up He was one OF the best men In
the navy and had seen service In the
early sixties. he could do more work
than any other two men on the ship,
but there was something that had both
cred Andy since he was detached from
the receiving ship and sent TO the bat
tleship -. 1t was the first time In all
his long service in the navy that Andy
was sent for duty on board Of as he put
ii, "a tin ship. with nothing but en-
gines and not yard of canvas any
| where" Andy was lost. and when he
was given liberty he went on shore and
partook OF the cup that cheers until
II got the better Of him. He was taken
back to the ship in disgrace. and. all
though the officers paid no attention 10
him, he considered himself TO be under
arrest.
While making tour OF inspection OF
the vessel one day the captain noticed
the condition of Andy and asked an offi-
Ger why he had not been reported. The
officer tried to make some excuse, but
| IL was no use. He was reprmanded.
and Andy was put in the brig" He re-
| mained there several days and was then
| brought before the court to be tried for
his serious offense" When told that
ne was going to be court martialed.
Andy worried. He had several medals
for good conduct and was proud Of
them. He asked one Of the younger Of
! icers what they were going to do with
! him and when he learned how serious
the charges were against him asked the
! officer to act as his counsel. This he
; agreed to do.
} The day OF the trial came. and in or
} der to make a good impression on the
: members OF the court Andy was told by
, his counselor to appear In the best uni
form he had and also to wear his med
ais.
Some OF the sailors have medals OF
honor for bravery. There are so few OF
! them however, that IL Is safe to say
| that half the officers in the service have
never seen one
Several minor cases had been disposed
OF by the court. and the recorder called
Andy Walsh"
The orderly ushered the old seaman
into the officers quarters. where the
court was held He was nervous and
trembling, but saluted as he answered
to his name. On his clean blue shirt
were pinned his good conduct medal
and the badge OF the Grand Army OF
the Republic, while between them hung
an odd looking bronze medal suspended
from an eagle with outstretched wings
None OF the officers had ever seen one OF
. ltbese medals. and II was the medal that
nIxv
After being sworn and the charges
read to him the president Of the court
was about to proceed when one Of the
Junior officers leaned forward and whis-
pered something To him. The old skip
DER adjusted his glasses and looked al
the old sailor who thought his doom
was sealed.
what kind of a medal is that you
have got there?" he gruffiy asked the
old seaman.
Andy pointed to the medal and tried
to say something. but 1t was useless
His voice failed him.
Before the captain could repeat his
question Andy had taken the medal on
and placed IL on the table before TN
officers Of the court. All looked at II
but none seemed to know what II was.
Finally Andy's voice came to him
was given to me by congress during TN
war" That was ALL and those few
words had an effect on that court tina
was surprising. Andy did not have Z
stand trial but was sent TO his quarter
and ordered to return to the courtroom
with the certificate that was given MIR
with the medal IL was handed TO tn
captain and read as follows
Andrew Walsh. seaman, belongin
to the ". s. S. Mctacomet. constitute
one of the boats crew which. In chars
of an acting ensign in the United State
navy. went to the rescue OF the officer
and crew OF the u. S. S. Tecumseh whe
that vessel was sunk by torpedo !
passing the forts in Mobile bay. Aug.
1864. This boats crew, under their brav
leader, went within few hundre
yards of one OF the forts under nj
which Admiral Farragut expressed q
one of the most CALLING he ever sa'
and succeeded I'm rescuing from deaf
ten of the crew OF the Tecumseh. The'
conduct elected the admiration OF bot
friend and foe"
When the captain had read the ces
tincate. he turned TO Walsh and shoo
hands with him and told him he was ex
cused. After Andy left the courtroom
the captain turned TO the members q
the court and said: Gentlemen. ther
is a man who has received the highef
gift the department can give. and ther
is no doubt that he deserved IL. J DC
lieve there is not enc OF you here wn
.ir would not be willing to lose an arm "a
ry the privilege of wearing one OF tnol
medals"
O., Andy had been oct c: the rsrvice Il
es some years, bat whsa urole sam cal
d. ed for volunteers to help waip Spain
Nv was one CT the first TO respond. The q
-e- limit. however. kept him out the cal
at tain who once tried Andy never fors
ey the incident OF the first medal OF non
ed he ever saw and never tires or tcin'
1 a a. =. n. xlxr brot<o s.v, fha r0llr L