The Wadsworth dispatch. [volume] (Wadsworth, Nev.) 1892-1899, 1898-02-12
I'll patcn,
PUBLISHED sEMl-WE-kLy
So 90 PR Gnnum. .
ON TIE MONITOR.

In Hampton Roads.
The important part which op-
n~ortunity plays in The lives of men
IS well illustrated 10y the career of
the late Admiral Worden," remark
cd Captain Louis N. Stodder of the
United States revenue cutter service
and United States supervisor of an
choraees, po1t Of New York, as he
sat Il day last week i'll his room in
he bargt' ofdce. Captain Stodder
las the distinction of being the last
,urviVor of the officers who were
lssisIed 10 duty on the Monitor
when 1t began its career, and who
:emained i'll constant service on the
vessel until the end off Cape Hat.
teraS.
BY Il singular coincidence Captain
Stodder room almost overlooks the
statue cieottd i'll Battery park to
the memory If Ericsson, once his
intimate friend.
You SEE. continued the captain,
naval officers were not oyerplenti-
full at the Leginnlng at the war, and
the officials at Washington had to
make tho hest use of the material
they had i'll hand. In fact. a great
many officers were enrolled from
the merchant marine service. l
went into the service from the mer-
chant marine myself. l think the
fact that Worden, then ranking only
as lieR.enapt, was placed IN CON-
mand of the Monitor would show
that that vessel was looked upon ne
rather a doubtful experiment by
the government and that the selec-
ton of a man TO take command was
not made by reason of any special
fitness for the position.
1T a Worden's good luck that
he vas assigned to the Monitor, for
the result of the fight made the yes
sci and all on beard famous.
1.-THE brave part that he played
in the fight a recognized 10y con-
eress, and he Was rapidly promoted
10 high rank. which other officers OBJ
tanned only after ~ years of service.
Il remember him well when he
first came Oh board the Monitor
about u month betore the fight. He
had just been released FROM prison
and looked thin and sallow. He had
the. appearance of II dying from
fever complaint. | eve thought
it possible tor him to hive long.
"Dalina the light he WAS cool and
collected. | recall an incident Which
| do not remember ever seeing pub
l,shed. 1he pilothouse was situated
in the bow Of tue Monitor, quite
away from the tI1ret. During the
fight | was in the turret with other
.dincers, when suddenly we saw
lieutenant No1uen climbing up.
where We were. Without saying
anything he opened one of the tur-
ret ucors and stepped out on the
deck i'll full view of The enemy.
Why, captain, what's the trou-
bio deg claimed several of the Off
GERS in astonishnent at his fearless
act.
81 can't see well enough from
the pilothopse,' came the quiet lie
ply. J. wanted TO get out here for a
moment to take in the whole situa-
lion. Then, leaking around for Il
few moments, he amt inside.
Lieutenant Worden was very
popular with officers and men alike.
1hey all wurshiped him. Although
on y IA y.a1s old at the time of the
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. fight, he looked
almost III. He wore a long beard at
TIE time, ahd locked just US the re-
cent rl,ttles Bade him appear.
II last saw Admiral Morden at
tile ceremonies attending the re-
movai OF k~Iitsson's body TO lis final
resting pace. Only II handful OF
persons were adnlItttd To the cere-
mony. They were these VIII" sur
vived from tne utncets and men oil
the Monitor. Admiral Moruen was
III a call4ase Nnh ~soIlelnry llacy.
He vac Very ltekle, and has end
even then seemed bLt II short way
off, and yct that was several Years
ago. -Aiuy 1inlen.
PAternAI Satisfaction,