The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-09-26
Eagerness of the American Sailor
For Battle Exemplifed
BY LADS fAR FROM ACTION.
LIEUTENANT COMMANDER c. K.
CURTIS. A WEST LIBERTY BOY.
WHO HAD CHARGE OF THE
MOSQUITO FLEET IN THE Pa
c1FIc, VISITS HIS HOME. AND
TELLS OF HIS COMMANDS EAG-
ERNEss TO GET INTO THE
SCRAP"

Lieutenant Commander C. K, Curtis,
accompanied by his wife. child and
maid, arrived in Wheeling yesterday
afternoon from Norfolk, Va, and left
later for West Liberty, to visit his
mother, the widow of Gen. W. B. Cur
It's. The navy officer was born at West
Liberty, and this is his first visit to this
section in four years, and he is also on
his first leave OF absence in the same
period Of time. His leave OF absence Is
for thirty days,
During the martial festivities with
Spain, Mr.. Curtis commanded the
'musquito" or auxiliary fleet in the Pa
cifc waters. He was aboard the flag
ship, the Alabatross, and his command
consisted OF eight vessels, three being
revenue cutters and four big tugs, con-
verted into gunboats. which were pur-
chased by the government from Claus
sprecktes, the sugar king. A iieuten-
ant commander corresponds In rank to
a major in the army, and in another
year, Lieut.. Curtis is due for promotion
to commander.
When the war began, Lieutenant Cur
tbs was on the Bennington, stationed at
Honolulu. and he and his crew made
the most energetic efforts to be trans
ferred to the 'scrappIng" points, but
their desires were not gratiaed, much
to their regret. Lieut.. Curtis was given
command of the mosquito fleet, whose
duties was to cruise the Pacific, and no
Spanish craft ever turned up to make
the cruise interesting. In the mean
time the Bennington was sent up to the
Alaska coast, to look out for reported
prlvateer in that locality. The reports
OF the engagements at Manila, and the
activity later about the Cuban waters,
set the men under Lieut.. Curtis wild in
their anxiety to get in the scrap" and
all begged to be transferred to the scene
Of action.
Speaking Of the Calling strains under
these circumstances, Lieut.. Curtis said
to an Intelligencer reporter yesterday
that he had brought all the influence
he could muster to bear on the navy de-
partment to consent to his change.
Senator Elklns, Congressman Dayton,
and DoveRer, Senator Proctor, of YER
mont, and others equally influential,
visited the navy department on his be-
half, but they were met with the an
swer that were one officer transferred
the others would set up the claim that
they we're equally entitled to the same
consideration. Only three officers in
all that time had the good luck to get
into the eastern waters.
"Tve seen the men come to the
masts," continued. Lieut.. Curtis, beg
glng with tears in their eyes to be
transferred to the scene of hostilltIes,
and they offered to pay their fare east
in their eagerness. They would come
to me in squads But their pleadlngs
were in vain. officers and men, we
Hare In the same boat, literally and fig
uratIyely."
Lieutenant Curtis entered the navy
In 1865. and among his instructors at
Annapolis we're Admirnls Sampson and
Schley He cruised In the South Allan
tic In 1S77-'97 with Admiral schley, and
while he was at Annapolis, Admiral
Dewey had charge OF the ships there.
The late Hon A. W. Campbell was In
strumental in getting Lieut. Curtis his
appointment to Annapolis. The lieu
tenant and party were met at the Ohio
River depot by his brother, Hon. W. n.
C. Curtis. and driven out to the Curtis
homestead, at West Liberty.