Omaha daily bee., 1898-07-01
=. TSNS.T


WEN OF TUE lt''"
incidents 4, lives a., copA,odorc wat
son mud commanded uroNn$""'
The Eastern squadron" selected to carry
the war across the Atlantic to the coas' %
Spain. comprising the FIRST class hht''eS"lp'
Iowa and Oregon, the flagship Newark '"v
auxiliary cruiser Yankee and two colllers' -
abundautly able 20 have the ocean pea WV"
anything Spain has aloat, The opera'o"S
of the squadron will be watched Win great
interest. and some facts about the COZ"
manders will enable readers TO forecast
what the squadron may accomplish II Cuuu'
tions are half way favorable. II IS heeo'uss
TO mention CAPTAIN Clark OF the Oregon OF
Captain Evans of the Iowa, Their nap'ss
and deeds are as familiar rs war stamps
will no n month hence. Two Of the COM
manders have not been conspicuous IN t"c
prints since the war began; nevertheless
I they have performed the duties to Whlch
they we're assigned with energy ana jung
ment. These are Commodore Johh Crl.'e"-
den Watson, commander of the squauron'
and Commodore willard II, Brownsoh OF tne
auxiliary cruiser Yankee. Commodore wa
son has had charge of the blockadlus me-.
at Havana since Admiral Sampson s'"l'cu
for San Juan. Commander BroWhsoh was
the commissioner sent abroad TO purchase
ships and munitions of war last March anu
ON his return was given OIL INC
Yankee.
Commodore Watson comes from 'ne plue
bloods of Kentucky. He was born III ri"uN
fort, Ky, August "a, 1912. HIS talher' E",
ward Howe Watson, was a skilled ana
ponular musician of the old school, and his
mother, Sarah Lee Crittenden Watson, was
a daughter of John Jordan Crittenden, the
famous Kentucky statesman, rival of Henry
CLAY. governor at one time of Kentucky anu
attorney general in william Henry Harri-
sons cabinet.
Commodore Watson's naval career has
been a notable one. He entered the haVal
academy September 90, 1855, and was grauu-
ated in June, 1860, standing high in his
class.
He was Immediately assigned to the rank
of midshipman, and August 10 Joined the
Susquehanna in that capacity for n cruise
to Europe. While he was abroad the civil
war broke out, and he returned at once to
take part in it.
He was promoted to the rank of master
August 81, 1861. His career as a hghter
did not really begin, however, until January
10, 1862. when he was ordered to the Hart
ford as navigator. This was Admiral Far
| bbu . lnSoillDs L q
lieutenant July 16, 1862, and in January,
1854, he was made flag lieutenant to Far
ragut. He was at the battles of New Or
leans, Mobile Bay. Vicksburg and Port Hud-
son. In a letter to his son Loyal during
the war Admiral Farragut tells him of
Watson's volunteering to slip off and blow
up a blockade runner. Among other things
he says:
1T was an anxious night for me, as |
am about as fond of Watson as an of
your own dear self"
The ship referred to by Farragut was
burned--blown up as effectually and com
pletely as was the Merrimac the other day
by heroic Hobson and his equally heroic
crew.
1t is probably not remembered by many
that it was the same Commodore Watson,
then a young lieutenant, who dashed Far
ragut to the rigging during the battle of
Mobile Bay, says the New York Herald.
That incident of the great struggle between
the states long since became historic, and
poets and artists have found in it the in
SEPARATION for some of their best and most
spirited work. This is the story briefly
told:
The powerful confederate iron-clad Ten
nessee attacked the Hartford tierCely. Far
ragut took up his position in the port miz-
zen rigging. the better to observe the prog
ress of the fight and to direct and cheer his
men. Lieutenant Watson, seeing the great
danger to which the intrepid admiral was
exposing himself, procured a rope and
dashed him in his place. In a letter which
Lieutenant Watson wrote to his mother af-
ter the battle he mentions in detail the
reckless bravery of Farragut, and adds:
nk+ Iorr,b I lncbn1 him IN tho riypiOp
with my own hands, having in vain begged
him not to stand in such an exposed place
The relations which existed between Ad,
miral Farragut and his flag lieutenant were
of the most affectionate description. In hi!
official report of the Mobile battle Farragu'
showed what he thought of young Watson
Lieutenant Watson he wrote, "ha:
been brought to your attention in formeI
times. He was on the poop attending tt
the signals and performed his duty, a
might be expected, thoroughly. He is
scion worthy of the noble stock he sprans
from, and | commend him to your atten
ton"
AT the close of the civil war Lieutenan
Watson was ordered to the Colorado, OF
the European station. He was made lieu
tenant commander July &c, 1866,
January %, 1874, captain March s, 1887
and commodore November 7, 1897. During
the last thirty years he has commanded
number of the best ships in the navy ant
held important posts on shore.
, Commander Willard II. Brownson is a Sol
of New York, hailing from Lyons, tina
furnishing town on the New York Central
midway between Rochester and Syracuse
He is now in the prime of 80, just a littl
gray, peppered over his hair, 1.-the as
panther, eyes keen and penetrating, courte
Gus always in his manners, while thorough.
self-possessed.
When the Detroit was finished. in July
1898, Commander Brownson was given III
cruiser, a sister ship of the Montgomery
, now at Key West, and was ordered to III
, South Atlantic squadron under Admiral Ben
! ham. When he reached the harbor of Ri
: de Janeiro, Admiral Da Cana OF tn
= Brazilian navy was leading a revolt agains
the government, which had control of tn
=, land. AS Da Cana aimed to keep up a
, ostensible blockade he notified America
trading vessels not to discharge thci
cargoes. This was more than Admiral Ben
ham could stand, and he gave Commando
Brownson the job of ending the interference
= 1t was a short horse and soon Curried whe.