Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1899-10-07
scene ON warshlp.s deck before San

scene on warShipS deck before San
tiago last summer. when the victory
gained for our American flag over
Spanish oppression the captain took
+ Off his hat and all the sailors and sol
diers did the same. and silently they
offered thanks to Almighty God for
what had been accomplished, and
sailors were cheering MS q Spanish
vessel sank and Its officers and crew
were struggling in the waters and the
captain Of our warship cried out:
Don't cheer; the poor fellows are
drowning" Prayers on deck! Prayers
In the forecastle! Prayers In the cabin!
Prayers In the hnmmocks! Prayers on
the lookout Mt midnight. The battles
of that war opened with prayer. were
pushed on with prayer and closed with
prayer. and today the..Ainericnn nation
recalls them with prayer.
A Nations Greeting.
We hail with thanks the new genera
ton OF naval heroes. those Of the year
1898. We are too near their marvellous
deeds to fully appreciate them. a CEN
fury from now poetry and sculpture
and painting and history will do them
better justice than we can do them
now. A defeat ut Manlln would have
been m infinite disaster. Foreign ma
lions not overload Of our American
institutions would have Joined the 9TH
er side and the war so many months
past would have been raging still. and
perhaps q hundred thousand graves
would have opened to take down our
slain soldiers and sailors. 1t took this
country three years to get over the
disaster at Bull Run at the opening Of
the civil war. How many years 1t
would have required to recover from
defeat at Manila In the opening Of the
Spanish war cannot say. God avert
ed the calamity by giving triumph to
our navy under Admiral Dewey. whose
coming up through the Narrows Of
New York harbor day before yesterday
was greeted by the nation whose well
coming cheers will not cease to re-
sound until tomorrow, and next day
in the capital Of the nation the jewel
ed sword voted by congress shall be
presented amid booming cannonade
and embannered hosts, and our au-
tumnal nights shall become q confa-
grafton Of splendor, but the tramp Of
these professions and the flash Of that
sword and the huzza Of that greeting
and the roar Of those guns and the IL
Illumination Of those nights will be seen
and heard as long as page Of Ameri-
can history remains inviolate.
Especially let the country boys Of
America Join In these greetings to the
returned heroes Of Manila. 1t Is their
work. The chief character In I'LL the
scene is the once country lad, George
Dewey. Let the Vermonters come
down and find him older, but the same
modest, unassuming. almost bashful
person that they went to school with
and with whom they sported on the
playground. The honors Of all the
world cannot spoil him. A few weeks
ago at banquet In England some Of
the titled noblemen were afronted be-
cause our American minister plenipo-
Tertiary associated the name Of Dewey
with that or Lord Nelson. AS well
might we be affronted because the
name of Nelson is associated with that
of our most renowned admiral. The
one name In all the coming ages Will
stand MS high rs the other. So this
day, sympathizing with all the fes-
tivities and celebrations Of the past
week and with all the festivities and
celebrations to come this week, let US
anew thank God and those heroes Of
the American navy who have done
such great things for our beloved land.
Come aboard the old ship Zion. We sail
ors and soldiers. whether still in the
active service or honorably discharged
and at home having resumed citizen
ship. And We men Of the past. your
last battle on the seas fought. take
from me in Gods name salutation and
good cheer. For the few remaining
fights with sin and death and hell make
ready. Strip your vessel for the fray:
Hang the sheet chains over the side.
Send down the topgallant masts. Bar
ricade the wheel. Rig in the flying
jib boom. Steer straight for the shin
Ing shore and hear the shout Of the
great Commander of earth and heaven
as he cries from the shrouds, ITO him
that overcometh will give to eat OF
the tree Of life which Is in the midst Of
the paradise of God" HosanDa! Ho-
;anna!