Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-05-04

stitution or any other. OF a family of
three boys and two girls, he is the last
one living. over 20 years ago he enlisted
in his native town of Bennington with an
orderly sergeant of the list L. S. artillery
and was assigned to company command
cd by Capt. Justin Dimick, native or
Bennington, and whose father for many
years kept what is known as the Dim
TEX stand" hotel on the stage route TO
Troy but which was destroyed by fire
number Of years ago. The first service of
Spraguc was at Portsmouth, n. u. From
Fort Constitution his command was or
dercd to Mexico, but did not reach there
la time to 80 into active service, ana at
the close of the Mexican war he came
back to Fort Hamilton, where he was dis
I charged at the expiration of his five years
service. Soon after his discharge he ship
ped on board a whaler bound for the
North Pacific. The cruise was around the
Horn ana he was gone % months. When
the ship returned to Sag liarbor he left
with the intention of entering the navy.
Ills first enlistment in the navy was on
the frigatc Brandywine al Baltimore. Cap
tain FoNhall \. Parker was in command.
ana soou after the ship was ordered to
Bombay where 1t was to receive Elliott
Gushing, It Massachusetts man who had
been appointed minister to China, and
who was to proceed to his destination on
/ the Erandywine. The ship on which hc
! took passage, the Missouri, was burned
while stopping at Gibraltar, and it was
. nearly month before the BraHdyWlne
/ Ioit iombaN Tor emma SpraSuea lnreo
years on this ship expired while ii WAS at
Valparaiso where he was discharged.
Going to Cllldo he shipped on the store
snip Rehcf. serving on it three years
/ lrlallE being discharged at New FORK
! later making ms iourth TRIP around the
! ltorn ana completing MS sixth year OF
| service in tho L. s. navy. la May, 1856 he
! Skinned
/ e the ship started for San Francisco with
/ dispatches Tor CommOdor" stockton, VINO
/ lhtn had command or the Paclhc Meet
/ from san francisco the snip went TO
Shanghai ana Hong kong, and at the lat
ter pldc" Spraguc was transferred to the
SuSquehanna, when was the faSShlp oi
( commodore Perry. VINO was to lead the
, expedition to Japan. SpraSue was pro-
noted to the position OF quarter gunner
/ ON TINS snip, ana as such STOOD at the
/ hloech oil ms gun When Inc Heet entered
| the harhor of Neddo, Japan, expecting to
I ID" nrtd ON at any moment. Inc fleet OF
I tour vessels was the hrst that mad ever
entered Il, and the natives were struck
"Inost dunp at the temer1ty OF the
/ Amc rlCan cominitnder. lie saw tnt prcSen-
tdtion Of the letter sent by the President
of the United States to the Emperor of
Japan. which he says was one of the most
interesting .lGhts that ne ever Witnessed.
. Everything connected with the ceremony
was very deliberately carried out, and the
Japanese othclals, VINO received the letter
in receptacle trimmed with gold and
/ decorated With precious stones were rich
~ dressed while the American officers
/ Nrr" IN run UNIFORM. tfs was one OF the
. d, tail from the ship that went on shore
with tn" officers OF the Meet. lie was with
q tho ilcct in the bay about month.
Leaving the Susquehanna, he afterward
served on the Constitution and San
intl u.