The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-07-03

FAMOUS DocAuHo IL was not only q torrlhiy naro-
fought battle. but because 1t inauRurAted . new
systoln OF naval warfare, or. perhaps. It would
DO better to say. naval warfare by engines OF
war hitherto unknown in naval battles, What
the effect Of tho night was at the time can
DO easily imagined. To say nothing OF the
prestige our navy gained By 1t, II saved
millions of dollars worth of property TO the
United States, and cheered tho dropping spirits
OF the North, which. naturally, had been cast
down by the loss Of tho Congress- and tho Cum.
horland. Tho Government and people Of the
country showed their appreciation OF the
achievement by rewArdinE the gallant wordsn
for his services, but. In my opinion. not TO tho
extent no deserved, taking into consideration
the Importance OF the event and the results
which followed from It." 1t In woll known that,
not long Rfterward, the MerrimAo was blown
up by the ConfederRteS to prevent her falling
into the hands of the UnionistA. Franklin. who
had also witnessed tho explosion of the Con-
Eresa. cav the Merrimnc blown into the air.
Presently, Frankliu's vessol, the Dakotah, WAS
ordered to Now Orleans for the purpose OF oar
ryinE dispatches TO FarraRut. She found the
Admiral with his flagship. the Hartford, an
chored In front Of the city. After having made
his gallant dash past the Mississippi forts. he WAS
resting for q while On his oars, making UP his
mind as to where the nost effective blow could
next be struck. "He wRR buoynnt in spirits, a.,
indeed, he always Was; / do not think ] ever
saw him depressed about anything. and / saw .
good dsal of him from time to time
during my long service In the Gulf
and in the nsiGhborhood of Now orleanR.
1 think Ferragut was tho pluckiost man
I ever knew. I think he was absolutely insenAt-
BILE TO fcar; indeed. that feeling did not enter
;-tp NJ H., ,, . Nn- - III 80 ~
lieve that DO could appreciate the meaning of the
word. do not mean that he was 30 influenced
IN this way as to destroy his Judgment and
oauBe him to take unnecessary risks. for no had
n great abundance of naval wisdom, and knew
we'll when to take great chances to accomplish
great ends. lie was, par errsltencs. tho man for
the times, as his glorious deeds have Nbundantly
demonstrated.'
In the summer of 1852 our author waS or
dered to command the GunboAt Aroostook, and
from that day to this he has never served on
board ship in n lower position than that of COM
manding officer. He was employed for a while
in running between Hnrrison's Landing and
Fortress Monroe. The Aroostook became famii.
lar to the denizens of the shore OF the James.
and was known among the negroes as old
Rooster" Subsequently he was ordered to re-
port to the senior officer of tho blocksding
squadron of Mobile. and he remained on
that duty from the autumn OF 1862 until
the autumn OF the following year. He
had his share OF experience with blockade
runners. and succeeded In capturing a schooner
loaded with cotton. which made a fairly good
prize. At New Orleans, whittier he went n
September, 1868. he was made by Commodore
Bell Fleet Captain and Chief of STAFF. lie was
with Farragut's feet in August. 1864, tho time
fxed upon for the attack on Mobile. Il think
1t was on the 9Th of that month that he accom-
plished this memorable feat. lie had directed
that all hands should be called Mt daylight. and
that at the signal tho fleet should stand into the
bay in column of vessels by pairs, each pair
tied together. The order concluded: The fleet
will pipe to breakfast inside of Mobile Bay at
8 o'clock 1t always seemed to me that
there was something grand in this conclud-
ing paragraph OF tho order. There was no
doubt in Farragnt's mind OF his ability
to carry out his design. When he conceived q
plan 1t was already an accomplished fact. and
herein he resembled Nelson in q very high de-
gree" 1t was here and at this time that tho
author Of these "reminiscences performed q re-
markRble achievement. lie undertook, In n
small boat with muffled oars, to carry by night
from the gunboat Sonoma, stationed in Mis-
sissippi Sound, II communication past Fort
Powell and Fort Gaines to Admiral Farragut,
who by this time was inside the bay. He man.
hktu W ChG Iub ldILlOT hi'l 70 T0IuTn III Lno
same night. "Farragut WAS delighted to 500
me. He placed his two hands on my shoulders
and began MT ouco to relate to me tho Incl.
dents OF tho fight He waA In the best OF
spirits, as he always was, and now he had an
especial reason for being 40, for he had made
a gallant dash and achieved a brilliant victory
/ then had a conversation with Kimberly, the
present able and gallant Admiral. who was the
executive officer OF the Hartford. He pointed
-. 80 -
lying about tho decks. tho former sewed up in
their hammocks all ready. poor fellows. to be
launched into the sea. Kimberly told me that
they had lost heavily. and 1t was only necessary
to look around the decks to be convinced Of the
truth of his statement. 1t was about midnight
when I reached the Hartford. whero l remained
nearly an hour. a time of mingled feelings Of
Joy and sadness. Tho melancholy spectacle
of these poor fellows. as / saw them stretched
out in death. haunts me still; but It was war
and at such a time one must Rccustom himself
to such scenes"
After the fall of Mobile our author returned
to New Orleans. and. during tho rest of the tim,
that he remained in Southern waters com
manded the Tho war presently
drawing toward It's close, no gave up his com
mand and went North, taking passage In
steamer OF the Cromwel line. He tells US tina
ono or his fellow passengers was Liout.-Gsn
Richard Taylor, n son Of President zachar!
Taylor. and lately OF the Confederate Army. ",
had known Taylor before the war. Our relation
had always been Of tho most cordial nature; and
although VI had been for oeveral years pas
trying to cut ench others throats. yet VI
met a. this time on the Same frIendl,
terms that had existed between us before tn,
civil war. lie was one OF tho most charmlnl
mon that 1t has ever been my good fortune u
encounter, q brilliant talker, an excellent racon
teur, never at a loss to Illustrate by some ap
quotation or suitable prOverb the well-founde,
sentences of his conversation. / met Taylo
again some years Rfterward; We crossed the At
lantic together In 1879. found him then tn
Same genial gentleman that l had known bG
fore. He was most agreeable and entertaining
as he RlWays was"
y.
Among tho References to interesting person
whom the author has known in tho course or
ia cal S,-I.fu L.