The age-herald., 1898-05-08
TECHNICS FROM
 CURRENT TOPICS

The reports received from the Philippine Islands of the great naval victory achieved by Admiral George Dewey and his sQuad- ron have made that brave officer and his men the heroes of the hour. All the facts of Dewey's previous life have an attrac- ton for the nation and the reverberatlops of his grns fired at Manila will echo for ever through ''the corridors of time. America is a nation of hero- o-worshipers. The republic has had countless courageous men who have written their names indelli- bly upon the pages of history with tho bayonet and the sword. When one remem- bers how little warlike as a people Ameri- cans are and always have been, it Is sur prising that so young country should have produced so long list of celebrated military men whose personal achievements have given them undying fame. But. com- paratively little trained in the arts of war, though Americans have been, they have a list of famous soldiers to their credit which can be compared favorably with those of any other country. no matter what it's age or what its history may be-
 
 But the United States has never had very many distinguished officers owing largely to the fact that in the few wars which have involved the people of this country the American navy has played but small part.
 The present hostilities existing between Spain and the United States have neces- sarily made the naval forces the most inn portant factors in settling the disturb ance
 
 squadrons. What is accomplished by the land forces will be supplementary to that first achieved by the American navy. Therfore public attention is primarily di- rected to the different fleets of which stand guard at Havana and Manila.
 Connected with the Asiatic squadron upon which now rests the attention of the civ- ilized world are several Alabama and Geor- gia men who share in the glory of Dewey's recent magnificent victory at Manila, be- cause they were among those intrepid American fighters who have won for the republic one of the most brilliant naval battles of the century. Alabama contrib uted as her share to the victory two young sons who very near and dear to large and influential family connections in this state.
 On the gunboat Petrel, in the Dewey squadron, is Paymaster George Goldthwaite Seibels, formerly of Montgomery. He is the son of Major and Mrs. Emmett Seibels of that city and a grandson of the late United States Senator George Goldthwaite, one of the most distinguished lawyers and judges in Alabama's long list of remarka- ble men. Young Seibels is man of high character, lofty, laudable aspirations and of more than ordinary intellectual endow- ments. He was appointed to his present position few years ago through the infiu- ence of Ex-Secretary Hilary A. Herbert, and his career has justified the expecta- tions and ambitions of his Alabama friends.
 Ensign Lay Hampton Everhart, of the cruiser Boston, is another young Alabama hero, who has lived to tell of Deweys vic- tory, and the part he played so bravely in it. Ensign Everhart is son of the late Rev. Geo. M. Everhart, for so many years resident of Montgomery. He is also a brother of Mrs. Robert Cunningham, of Birmingham, and has been her guest on several occasions, so that he has number of friends in this city, who rejoice to learn that the victory at Manila brought no loss of life to the officers and men of Dewey's fleet.
 Ensign Everhart is only 27 years of age, and was graduated from Annapolis in 1895. He was appointed soon after his gradua- tion to accompany the remains of Ericsson to Sweden, where he was presented with medal from the king.
 He was stationed at Japan during the war between China and Japan, to observe the naval operations and to witness the bombardment and destruction of Port Ar thur. His ship, the Boston, was one of the cruisers that entered the harbor and de- stroyed the Spanish vessels at Manila
 In this campaign Ensign Everhart car- ries with him an historic sword, around which cluster the patriotic traditions of a long line of heroic ancestry.
 His great grandfather, Captain Banner, first used this sword in the revolutionary war of 1776; his grandfather carried it in the Mexican war; his father added to its glory by wearing it in the confederate army and now this young son of race of dar- ing courageous men has fought with it in the far away Asiatic squadron, under the leadership of the immortal Dewey. En- sign Everhart's mother, Mrs. G. M. Ever hart and his sister, Miss Adelaide Ever hart reside at Decatur. Ga
 Georgia has contributed among other brave men to Dewey's fleet Lieutenant Thomas M. Brumby, the first officer on Dewey's staff. He is on the flagship Olym- pia, which was one of the four vessels to enter the harbor and give battle to the Spanish forces.
 He is native of Marietta, Ga., and a son of Major A. V. Brumby, graduate of West Point and afterwards president of the Georgia Military Academy at Marietta Lieutenant T. M Brumby graduated at the naval academy at Annapolis in 1SS0 Since that time he has remained in the navy, and has steadily risen to his present posi- ton on Admiral Dewey's staff.
 He Is esteemed as one of the coming men of the naval force. Lieutenant Brumby has relatives in different part of Alabama, who are watching his career with a pro-