The record-union., 1898-03-19
THE INGRAHAM INCIDENT.
Story Of Austria's Bluff and How
an American Ret If


Least of all do we want any inter-
ference or suggestion from Austria.
Has Francis Joseph forgotten the
Koszta incident? Does he remember
Commander d. n. Ingraham, that
American naval officer of the old
school? Has he any recollection of IN
graham's exploit in the harbor of Smyr-
ma in the ifties?
1t is timely to recall some of these
little incidents of our naval history IN
order that Austria and other European
powers may not be too rash and that
our own people may be better instruct
ed and have renewed confidence in
themselves. their Government and par
! ticularly in the fearlessness and Prov
ess of navy officers. 1t was during
Pierce's Administration that the Turk
ish authorities at Smyrna, against the
protest of the American Consul
treacherously surrendered to the Aus
trian man-of-war Hussar a certain
Martin Koszta, a Hungarian patriot,
who had renounced allegiance to Aus
tria and declared his intention of be-
coming a citizen of the United States
While the American Consul was hold
ing A hurried correspondence with the
Turkish Government at St. Petersburg
to effect Koszta's release, the Austrian
Consul put up a job with the Com
mander of the Hussar to send him to
Trieste. At this important juncture the
American sloop of war st. Louis, COM
man1ed by Ingraham, fortunately came
/ into port June %, 1858. Ingraham was
! quickly made acquainted with the state
of affairs and anchored the st. Louis
/ between the Hussar and the mail BOAT
! on which KosZta was TO be sent, with
! springs on his cable. He demanded
] the surrender of KosZta. While wait
ing for a reply and during the night
another Austrian warship entered the
harbor, and the morning light dlscloS-
ed both Austrian vessels with their
decks cleared for action. The drum
tapped on the st. Louis and in an IN
comparably short time the vessel was
stripped for action. Another tap and
the American tars were sent to their
guns and the ports opened revealing
the batteries ready for broadslde
frowning on the Hussar.
Ingraham paced the deck with his
Southern blood fairly boiling with IN
dignation, and the least movement on
either vessel would have been the sig
nal FOR action. 1t was averted by the
prompt action of the Austrian Consul,
who sent a note agreeing, in order TO
avoid bloodshed, to send KosZta to the
French Consulate, to be there retained
until his status should be determined
by the respective Governments This
was done, and he was kept there for
six months and then sent to New York
free from Austrian tyranny.
Ingraham's spirited action became
the subject of comment all over Eu-
rope. The authorities of the old world
did not like the idea of a single Amer
lean vessel entering the Mediterranean
and debating to a European monarch
in the face of two of that monarchs 8
warships. But Ingraham's course was
approved by the American Govern
ment He received the thanks of Con-
gress and a gold medal was specially
designed and struck off as memento
to Derpetuate the appreciation of the
republic for so gallant deed
1t is we'll to remind Austria that
while Commander Ingraham, the hero
of the Smyrna incident, has passed
away, there are Ingrahams still in ser
vice in the United States navy, and
they have all the spirit, resource and
courage of the Ingrahams of 1856
I Stockton Record.