Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1899-11-03
TRAGEDIES OF THE SEA.
Six of Uncle Sans Mcn-Of-War "Nev-
err Heard From"


Recent calamities at sea have turned
public attention strongly to the ever
fascinating story of the ship that never
returns Yet the truth is that travel
by water is as safe as, if NOT safer than,
by land, as one sees by comparing the
number Of accidents. and it is seldom
that all traces Of ship are lost.
In the list, however. Of the United
States men-of-war that the ominous
words, Never heard from, are writ
ten against are the names Of six vessels.
The first Of these was the namesake
of Pennsylyania's schoolship, the Is
gun frigate Saratoga, one Of the few
vessels which belonged to the colonies
during the Revolution. After the treaty
Of peace was signed she sailed away
from this port and disappeared forever
from all human knowledge No signs
Of her wreckage were ever found. She
probably foundered in Il storm and
went down with all on board.
On July IA. 1900. the 36 gun frigate
Insurgent. Captain Patrick Fletcher
sailed out between the Chesapeake capes
and was never seen or heard of more
She was a prize taken from France by
the Constellation. under Captain Trux-
tun, in 1899, after a hard fought battle
off the island of Nevis, East Indies.
In August Of the same year the IA
gun brig Pickering, under Captain
Benjamin Hillar was last seen at Qua
deloupe 1t is supposed that she went
down in gale She was a merchant
vessel poorly adapted for naval service
and her guns were too heavy for her
tonnage
The next Of our vessels TO vanish was
know as GunbOat No 7. Lieutenant
Agelbic commanded her. and she put
out from New York on the l tn Of May,
1905. to re-enforce our squadron in the
Mediterranean during the war with
Tripoli When short distance out of
port. her mast was sprung. and she re-
turned to New York for repairs She
sailed again on the 2Oth Of June and
was never heard from again.
One of the greatest tragedies Of our
navy however, was the loss Of the
Wasp. Within five months during the
war of 1912 this boat had taken 10
English merchantmen and fought many
a good fight against British men-Of-war
Of greater size and strength On the
1st of October, 1914. she hailed the
Swedish bark Adonis and took on board
two Of the surviving officers of the old
gunboat Essex, destroyed in Valparaiso
harbor After that she was never heard
from again.
The last Of our vessels Of which we
lost all trace was the Epervier. When
Commodore Decatur in 1915 dictated to
the dey Of Algiers the terms of a treaty
with the United States, Lieutenant
John Subricll was dispatched to Wash
ington with copy for the approval Of
our government. The brig Epervier was
detailed for his transportation. and he
was accompanied by Captain Lewis
and Lieutenant Neill. who had married
sisters few days before sailing with
Commodore Decatur for the Mediter-
ranean. and by Lieutenant Drury and
Lieutenant Yarnell, who had fought
with Perry in the battle Of Lake Erie
Just before this brig put out to sea En-
sign Josiah Tattnell, watch officer
aboard Of her, induced an officer on one
of the other ships to change places with
him. as he wanted 10 remain where
there was chance Of fighting. A few
days out the Epervier passed the strait
of Gibraltar and signaled. "All well on
board" Since then she has not been
heard from. 1t is interesting to know
that Ensign Tattnell. who escaped the
fate of his comrades. lived to command
the ram Merrimac of the Confederate
navy. vy.-Philadelphia Times.