Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-02-19
HEROES OF THE NAVY
An ADDRESS ON THE BIRTHDAY OF
GENERAL LEE.
SOME BRILLIANT ACHIEVEMENTS.
Daring That Made All the World
Wondcr-i Tribute from Captain
white. Former Executive officer
of the Shenandoah.

The following is the address of Captain
W. c. White. formerly executive officer
Confederate States cruiser Shenandoah
delivered before Pickett Buchanan Camp
at Norfolk, Va, on General r. e. Lee.
Birthday, January 10. 1899:
Mir. President and Comrades.-I esteem
Il a distinguished honor, upon 30 memora
bic an occasion. to have been invited by
your committee 10 respond TO the toast
to the Confederate navy.
l wish that the honor had fallen to the
lot OF one who was better able TO dc
Justice TO the subject. Realizing that the
subject Of my encomium is worthy Of the
finest effors of the most finished silver
tongued orator l feel entirely unequal to
measure up 10 the high duty that has
fallen upon me. Sailors know little or
nothing about making speeches. but brave
men are charitable and kind hearted, and
i know that the comrades into whose
faces l look are brave, for their war re-
cords show it, and thus l feel that your
kindness will make allowance for my poor
effort 10 express the sentiments Of my
heart towards the memory of my dear
comrades Of the navy, and my great ad-
miration for their loyal patriotism 10
duty; their great and undyng courage;
their great ingenuity, and their admira-
BILE self abnegation.
The navy Of the Confederate States was
made up of men than whom never lived
Drawer. truer, more loyal, or more pa
triotic There were two classes-viz
Those of the regular navy, composed of
men who were in the United States navy.
and who resigned when duty called, and
those who, having experience in the rev.
enue and merchant marine offered their
services in this field, which, from their
education and training. held out the
fairest prospects for their rendering eff
cent service There were equally true.
loyal, and brave hearts in each class, and
l know Of only one instance, In either.
where there was any want Of loyalty TO
cause. devotion to duty. or failure in
courage With all the impelling motive
seemed TO be 10 do or die for that which
was right.
Being best acquainted as one Of them,
with the regular officers. my remarks will
be chiefly directed to them. This will be
pardOnable, "a I best knew their motive
and feelings but my remarks must not,
from this cause, produce the impression
OF any invidious class distinction. For
who, in speaking of the high qualities of
the brave Franklin Buchanan, Tattnall,
Tucker. Barney. Barron. Matthew Maury,
William l.. Maury. Catesby Jones. John
Brooke, Semmes, Kell, Mafiitt James w.
Cooke, Waddell, r. l.. Page. T. J. Page,
Bennett, Murdaugh. Carter. "Tacony." C..
W.. Read. Marley, Huger, Loyal, ].
Taylor, Wood. Hoge Glassell, Isaac n.
Brown. Pegram Mitchell Mcintosh Bull
lock. Ward, Lynch. Minor, Parker, Tay-
Tor, Alexander, Pelot, Fry, CrOssan, and
nf OIL -. off 60
getting. or of failure to admire, the gall
liant Patrick McCarrick, J. f. Ramsay,
Harris Low, and others from the Mer-
chant and revenue marine, who were
true. loyal. and brave as any could be.
These patriots represented in the navy
OF the United States their respective
States, just as did the members Of Con-
gress, or any representative in any other
branches Of the government.
The apportionment among the States,
in number of such representatives, was
on the basis Of congressional represent
tation, which latter was on the basis Of
voting population. They were mainly edu-
Gated at the Naval Academy at an eX-
pense drawn from fund collected from
all the States, so that each Southern
State contributed its proportion, and,
thus. each Southern State paid for the
education of its representatives in the
that the charge made by the Federal
Government that these men were more
deeply dyed as TRAITORS" than any
others, because of their having owed
higher duty 10 the government for their
education was. and is, utterly false and
peculiarly unjust These men were not
politicians far from it. They loved the
flag under which they had sailed, and
whose honor they would have defended
x,.fth . a.. 10 Of their blood ~ "a
sailed by a foreign foe. They were, with
their families, entirely dependent upon
their salaries. But the war cloud came;
Il burst upon their beloved native South
land. They deemed that their highest
obligation was TO their native states. on
whose soil they were born, and from
which they were appointed. They. i'm
PEELED by a sense OF duty, resigned and
rendered their service to their Mother
States in their struggle In self-defence
and for independence.
Those OF them who were on duty were
generally ANONYMOUSLY dismissed and
only those who were on leave or waiting
orders were permitted to have their
designations accepted. This was a most
remarkable course and evidence OF bit
terness The South had no war or other
vessels, so that those who resigned had
burned the bridges behind them. and had
tinction. \ truer or more unselhsh band
OF pure patriots was never known. No
class Of men better knew or understood
their own p0werlessness or the strength
OF their enemies. Notwithstanding this.
they went out on every conceivable boat
or vessel to fight the most efficient war
vessels OF the period, and in many in |
stances In open boats with raw recruited
volunteers-not only went alongside OF
these war vessels, but actually boarded /
and captured them. Who does not recall |
the boarding and capture Of the United /
States steamship Underwater by the
brave Wood. Loyal. Gift. Hoge. Saun-
ders, II. ;. Cooke. and others. and the
>poarding and capture Of the United States
tteamer Water Witch by boarders from
'open boats, led by the gallant, lamentea
Thomas y. Pelot? Such matchless cour-
age Is not found in the annals Of
history before or since with the
most miserably equipped and vulnerable
boats. they went out 10 fight powerful
vessels and fleets, any one Of which was
more than double treble or quadruple
Their superior IN every particular. Who
docs not remember the hre,,a lx..,-f-.