The record-union., 1898-05-01

interesting fact that is we'll worth re-
counting, and it is new, too," continued
the reporter, as he saw that Mr.. Wright
Wayered. The story that followed was
an interesting one. Mr.. Wright told
OF his duties He was the first loader
OF the gun 'midships, just forward of
the gangway, and, exposed as the posi-
uon was, received but scratch.
The Admiral was up in the port
main rigging, just under the rffaintop,
during part of the battle. I will tell
you how he came to be there, as l re-
member it, and about his being 1ashed,'
as they call it. Some time before the
day of the battle rubber hose was
suspended to the mainmast from the
top TO the deck. This had a tin mouth
piece at each end 1t was to be used
we supposed, by the Admiral to aid
him when giving orders as he then ex-
pected to be at the top during the
fight. Now, a short time before the
battle began they decided to place a
small gun in the top, and, as the Ad-
miral thought he would be in the way
OF the gunners, he decided to stand in
the rigging, just under the top, where
he could be close to our pilot, Free
man, who remained in the top Not
withstanding it may appear bold for
me to assert, Dick Knowles did not
secure the Admiral in the rigging, as
has been told and as Knowles himself
says, but it was done by John Gal
Hgher, one of our petty officers.
Knowles had been told by Mr. Drayton
to go and have the Admiral secured,
for fear of his falling. You remember
that he was over 60 years of age-an
old man, you might say. Now, think
that Knowles, when he got to the main
rigging, saw Gallagher up in the rig
ging, just below the Admiral. and he
let Gallagher know Mr.. Drayton wanted
the Admiral secured At any rate. he
shouted to me, as / was coming along
the quarterback in this way: Harry,
go to your locker and get me a storm
gasket!' did SO, and as / came for
ward to pass it up to him, he again
shouted, You needn't bring it up, but
toss it up to me!' which / did. AS 1
had desire to see what he was going
to use it for, 1 watched, and saw him
ascend the rigging to where the Ad-
miral was standing and proceed to Sc
cure him. Why, / am just as sure as L
am l was present.
You remember I told you about the
boy, Clark, getting shot. Well, one of
the shots that struck him went over
to the port side and struck one of our
quarter gunners who was leaning over,
mangling him frightfully and leaving
a pool of blood where he fell. In fact,
he was literally torn to pieces. Now.
when the Admiral released himself Gas
I remember that any one did not do it
for him), he let this gasket fall to the
deck, and it landed in the bloody mess.
and some time after the fight I found
it lying there. AS it is the rule on
board ship to put everything in its
place when not in use, took the gas
ket to the locker where I took it from,
after first washing it as well as possi-
BILE. A storm gasket is about as large
as an old-fashioned clothesline.
"Now, that is a correct story of the
affair. / we'll know that history has
named Knowles as the man who Cid
the lashing,' and it is, after all, not an
important matter. No one thought
anything of it at the time, or that it
would become the one thing that was
destined to catch public fancy and
make the Admiral more famous than
any one incident in his long career. L
remember how much fun was made of
it later when we saw it described IN q
Philadelphia paper We had on board,
and which we sailors laughed at. Later
we saw picture of it in some illus
trated paper, and it was passed from
hand to hand"
An entertaining account was that of
the excitement on board when the
Lackawanna ran into the Hartford
Men shook in their shoes, for they had
seen the Tecumseh go to the bottom
"It was question Of getting hit by the
Lackawanna or running into the Os-
sipee," said Mr.. Wright, "and the old
man slowed down and took it, thinking
the Hartford could better stand it. All
breathed easier for moment, and then
the Admiral pointed for the Tennessee,
when he found the Hartford was not
cut to the waters edge The Tennessee.
was strongly-made vessel, as she took
a number of thumps from some of our
vessels, but did not mind it, and kept
hammering away at some of us until
the end. She made good fight You
know that she was commanded by Bu-
chanan, who had command of. the Mer-
rimac in Hampton Roads He was
badly wounded in the Bay fight, but
lived many years after.
"They tell a little story about the
feeling Admiral Farragut had against
Buchanan. You see, the day Buchanan
was taken on cot in one of our small
boats from the Tennessee to one OF our
gunboats that had been detailed to
take the wounded to the hospital at
Pensacola, where they could get better
care the boat had to pass quite near
our stern-so near in fact, that Bu-
chanan was plainly seen from our poop
deck. 1t is said that Admiral Farra-
gut, as soon as it was reported to him
that Buchanan was approaching, walk
ed as far forward on this deck as he
could, as he said he did not want to put
his eyes on a man who had become a.
traitor to his country. 1 cannot vouch
for this, but it was reported by many
of the rew'-Hartford Times.
Lester dear said Mrs. Giddings,
anxiously to her husband, Il don't like
that cough of yours
Tim sorry" replied Giddings, but it is.
the best have."-Harper's Bazaar.