The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-10-29
CAPTAIN THOMAS
JEFFERSON PAGE
How This Gallant Soldier Defed
Superior Mum erS.
TWO AGAINST The ST0NEWAlL
The Niagara and the Sacramento
Feared to Give Her Battle-Cap-
tain Craven, L. :. ~, Court
Martialcd FOR Cowardice.
TWO AGAINST The ST0NEWALL

AS Mr.. Virglnius Newton was one OF the
officers Of the Stonewan, commanded by
Captain Thomas jefferson Page, repre-
sentative Of The Times saw him yesterday
evening. Mr.. Newton gave the following
account OF the history Of the stonewah:
I'm January. 1860 was serving on
board the Confederate frigate Kappa
hauno-k. lyins in tho harbor OF Calais
France. detained by the French Govern
ment under some technicality In the
early part OF January ] was detached
from this command and ordered TO pro-
coed 90 London, where ] Joined the block
ade-Iunner. city of Richmond, under COM
maud of Captain Hunter Davidson. we
sailed for the coast Of France and an
chorod in nook OF Quiberon Bay. ] knew
nothing OF what the general purpose OF
our movement was, or the purposes OF
the Confederate Naval Department IN
other quarters We lay IN Quiberon Bay
until the evening Of the next day. the
2ph of january, when "a steamer came
in sight and hailed us. We found IL was
the Confederate states steamer StonewaI'
built iu France for Denmark. rejected by
Denmark. and sold 90 Col~lhagen 10y her
builders % the Confederate States Gov
eminent Captain Thomas Jefferson
PAGE and Lieutenant r. r. Carter OF
Shirley. Va boarded this vessel at Co
penhagen and met tho city Of Richmond
On Qulberon Bay on the day named, the
2i,h Of january 1866
A HEAVY GALE
we kept In touch with the Stonewall
during this day transferring stores sup
plies and q portion OF our crew, until the
next day az noon. We then got under
way. and in the Bay of Biscay encoun-
tered q heavy gale. when the Stonewal
became short of coal, and orders were
given Co the blockade-runner, city OF
Richmond TO proceed 20 the island OF
bermuda. and there await tho arrival OF
the Stonewall.
"The Stonewan then proceeded 70 the
harbor of FerrOl in Spain. for the pur-
pose of taking on coal. Whilst there, the
Federal frigate. Niagara, under command
of Captain T.. IT, Craven, and the Sacra-
meuto. vessel of war Of the United
States navy. commanded by Captain
Wake. appeared off this port and an
Ch0rei at Corunna, nine miles distant,
from whence they could watch the Stone
wall. The Niagara was one of the fastest
ships IN the navy Of the United States. and
carried "a battery of ten l5)-p0unG Parrot
rifles. while the Sacramento mounted two
c.cven-inch guns. two nine-inCh guns and
one 60-pound rifle. The StonewaN carried
"a 300-pound Armstrong rifle in her for
ward turret and TWO 70-pOund Armstrongs
l her stern turret, that being her entire
armament
DECLINED TO FIGHT.
"On March oath, the Stonewall steamed
out of the harbor i'm plain sight of the
enemy, but. 10 the surprise Of Captain
Page who had expected an engagement,
they declined this challenge For the fall
ure on the part OF Commodore Craven TO
accept this gage Of battle. he was brought
to trial by court-martial found guilty and
sentenced 10 two years suspension. but
the Secretary Of the Navy annulled the
sentence on the ground that IT was not
sufficiently severe for the offence. on
revision Of the proceedings the court
martial made the same finding. which't the
Secretary again set aside for the same
reason. ana Captain Craven was restored
20 duty,
"After this incident the St0ncwau cross
cd the Atlantic Tor the purpose Of rails
ing tho blockade an Port Royal and other
scaports on the Atlantic. coast. but on
entering the harhor OF Havana for sup
plies there learned of the conclusion of
The war and the surrender of Lees army
CO.. App0mattoX. The vessel was then
bonded TO- the Captain-General ~ cuba
f.r lle sum of $4,000 with which her Off
GERS and crew were paid off and dis
charged Tnc Stoucwau was subsequently
surrendered o. the United States Govern
ment and by that government sold to Ja-
pam She was for some years in the naval
service OF Japan and finally sunk I'm
typh0on.
"AGer leaving the stonewan in April,
1861 Do the harbor of Havana, ] proceeded
90 Mexico, whore I was engaged i'm en-
cheering ON the first line of railway in
that country. Returning 20 this country
in the summer OF 1856. ] visited the
G0sp0rt Navy Yard at Norfolk and
there 10 my great surprise found the
old Stoncwal in dock. rehtting for her
subsequent voyage around Cape Horn
ana delivery 90 tho Japanese authorities
WAS SURGEON on SrONEWALL.
Dr T. W. Green who was a surgeon
ON board the Stonewal recalled the ca-
rcer OF the Confederate irOn-clad ram
$40 his home 54 east Grace street last
evening. and expressed the sadness which
Captain Pages death had caused him.
ID. said. Captain Page when / knew
him on the stonewall. was past three
score years. but he was alive. energetic
and brave His bright eye never faltered.
and more courageous oncer never tFod
the deck ~ a vessel"
Dr. Green himself is no longer a young
man. but Boz talked with great animation
ON tho subject Of the stonewall. which he
said $685. quite q formidable vessel i'm her
Day. $40 wa- Cd ram. clad with -FOUR inches
of iron, and armed with three Armstrong
eius-one 3U-p1uuder and two 70-pOund-
trt THE shiphunding firm OF Messrs
Amman 90 bordeaux. France undertook
the contract Oh build her for the Confed-
crate government Emperor Napoleon III
granting permission Before the vessel
was completed however. the Emperor
revoked tne permission and refused 20
GLOW thc O. livery of 80 vessel 10 tho
Confederate states agent However the
vessel was bought by Denmark. which
country was thcn az war with Austria
and Prussia The Danes emerged from
H.stlfies in "a bankrupt c0nd ton and he
Stou.wau. which had never been paid
f0r was thrown back on the hands OF
the French finn
HOW VESSEL WAS SECURED.
4 plan was conceived by the Codader-
ate authorities 10 obtain possession OF
the vessel. which lay m Copenhagen.
Captain Pago and Lieutenant Robert b.
Carter a son OF the late Hin Carter. II
shirley who were I'm Europe. were d.
rected 70 proceed 10 Copenhagen with
the agent Of the ship-builders. who was