The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1898-06-03

1TD I North Atlantic
HlM ND naval station. Up
(N.NM 20 the time he was
III TlNnlI@11 appointed president
OF the court Of inquiry charged with in
vestigating the cause Of the Names
destruction be was comparatively I'M
known except in naval circles. His
career. while interesting and brilliant
in one sense. had run In a quiet groove.
and was not full Of those stirring incl
dents OF life on the water about which
people love 20 read and hear. But
however little prominence he secured
until recently outside Of naval circles.
the present naval administration knew
him 20 be a man OF mettle and ability,
and has every confidence that be will
give a good account Of himself. Since
the Maine was destroyed he has been
highly honored twice. first In his Sc
lection a. president Of the court OF In
quiry. and again in his appointment
as eommander-ln-ehief Of the North
Atlantic naval station. Up IN Wayne
county. N. Y. they call him billy"
Sampson. When he goes back TO that
place. the home OF his boyhood. on oc-
casional visits, he Is not the calm. dig
nined. studIous-looking oficer who. TO
those not better acquainted with him,
is considered cold and distant. He Is
still Billy" Sampson, about whom
there Is no suggestion Of gold lace and
epaulets. and who IL wholly lacking In
that reserve which is 20 noticeable to
strangers.
Capt. Sampson was born In Palmyra
Wayne county. Feb. Q. 1870. lie Ia four
months younger 10 the day than Com
modore Winfield Scott schley. who was
recently assigned 10 the other import
ant naval command on the Atlantic
coast. the flying squadron. Unlike
Schley. the new commander-in-chief Of
the North Atlantic station does not
come OF distinguished naval lineage.
nor, In fact. OF prominent family lie
IL the FIRST Of his line 10 attain dlstine-
tion. George Sampson, his father. was
a day laborer up In Wayne county, and
the early life Of William. his son. was
not the pleaaantest and easiest. Ere
quently he accompanied his father on
the tramps from one farmhouse TO an
other In Wayne county. helping TO split
and pile wood and do other hard work.
In his spare moments he studied the
few text books al his command and
managed to attend the public schools
in the county at intervals. Old Squire
William II. southwlck OF Palmyra liked
young Sampson for bis energy and am
billion. The squire was a friend OF Il.
ID. Morgan. who represented In con-
sreas the district which includes
'Tryae county. Representative Nor
gan had the right 10 appoint a midship-
man to the United States naval AGA
deny. and when Squire Southwlck
heard this he exerted himself In young
SIMPSONS behalf.
This was in 1857. and Sampson went
20 Annapolis In September OF that year
and donned the natty uniform OF a
sniddy. -Four years later. less than a
year before the beginning Of the civil
Far, be was graduated at the head OF
his class. The opening OF hostllitles
found him on the frigate Potomac, with
the rank Of master. Capt. Sampson
was too young a man 10 get command
during the war. but he conducted him
1elf In n manner that won him promo
tlon to lieutenancy In July, 1862, and
while holding that commission he
served on the practice ship John Adams
at the naval academy, on the ironolad
Patapsco Of the South Atlantic block
aiding squadron. and on the steam frlg-
ate Colorado. the flagship Of the Eu-
ropean squadron.
Capt. Sampson, then a Lieutenant,
was the executive officer on the iron
clad Patapsco on Jan. iG. 1865. Ills
boat was a part OF the blockadlng feet
before Charleston. The rebels knew
that sooner or later the boats OF the
union feet which were doing blockade
duty would seek TO enter the harbor
and compel the surrender OF the city
or reduce Il. and for days they spen,
All their time laying submarine mines
and torpedoes preparatory to giving the
union boats a reception that they
eSouldn't forget. On the morning OF
he 10th the admiral Of the fleet de-
scided that the time was ripe 10 get
Into the harbor. OF course he suspect
ed that the place was full OF mines and
torpedoes. and he had to get rid Of
them In some way. lie selected the
! 'atapsco 20 do the work. She was or
3ered 10 enter the harbor searching