Arizona republican., 1899-05-25
WATSON'S DARING FEAT
The Rear Admiral when a Boy Won
 rarragufS Lifelong Friendship.

The nomination of Rear Admiral
 John Crittenden Watson to succeed
 Dewey in chief command of the Amer
 ican squadron in the Philippines is an
 incident Of more than ordinary inter
 est. Every officer in the naval service
 realizes how difficult it vii, be to fol-
 low Dewey. "A thousand questions
 are likely to arise.'' said Rear Admiral
 JOuett, United States navy, retired-
 known in the service as Fighting Jim
 Jouett-'to perplex and bedevil the
 man who goes out to Manila as Dew
 ey's relief. Well, the department mas
 builded wiser than it knew in order
 ing Watson to the Philippines. He is
 an admirable compound in character of
 cool courage in the hour of danger and
 audacity., He will meet every trick
 and stratagem of the FilipinOs with
 one a little better, and there is not
 filter man in the service for that most
 difficult Mania detai than John Crit
 tenden Watson"
 In 1861, as a passed midshipman, he
 was on the Hartford with Farragut,
 and there won the friendship of the
 great admiral by feat Of courage that
 was as necessary as it was daring. It
 " as uu0 AprlI IHOfuluS III 1SOA Wn6n Farragut's fleet ran by Forts Jackson and St. Phillip, on the Mississippi river, ffty-two miles below New Or
 leans. The ships of Fa-ragut's fleet were all of wood, and General Duncan, commanding the forts, with his sec ond, Colonel Higgins, thought the Lord had delivered Farragut and his fleet into their hands, as they beheld it com ing up, formed in two lines, the Hart ford being easily distinguished as the flagship by it's broad blue admirars pennant The forts were admirably arranged for effective gunnery, having barbette battery of quick guns that swept the river for miles. Had net Farragut directed his fleet to run in shore and under the gun fire not ship would ever have got away. The forts are situated on the two banks of the river, and about a mile and half be- low each other. As the Hartford passed Fort St. Philip a shower of grape from one of the big guns tore the fore mast into matchwood, and seriously disabled the sail power of the ship.
 It was necessary to take in some sail and set others, but the blocks had damned and the Hartford was in dan ger of swinging about and running aground. The fire of grape aloft was so terrible that the command "Go aloft and clear the blocks and tackle on main yard" was not obeyed with that promptness that follows an Crder giv- en by the commander of a man-of-war But the hesitancy was momentary. Come on, you sons of seacooks.s' yelled a young voice, and up the rat lines to the disabled rigging went a followed by the entire l watch, shamed beyond words at their | momentary hesitation. Running out | lightly to the end of the yard and | sixty feet from the deck with | the grape clipping ropes and tearing | great s1ivers of wood from mast and | spar, young Watscn as calmly gave the | necessary orders as if he were at a | practice drill. One after another the | men were struck by the bowling storm | of grape and either fell lifeless on the ! deck below or were knocked out of the | rigging into the river boiling with the stroke Of shot and shell, but the In- dian fighting blood of his heroic an eestry was up and John Crittenden Watson never looked around When everything was taut and in working order, following the ''jackies" down, Watson saluted the admiral and re- ported All clear, sir" Grim old Far ragut simply seized the daring boy in his arms, and how the crew cheered. Had we ever got aground there the confederate guns would have destroye. IS in five minutes" said Fleet Captain Percival DraytCn of the west gulf as he ted the story to cap tain, afterwards Rear Admiral, Bry- son. Young WatsOn's ready appre- eiation of the danger and prompt ac> ton saved the Hartford, in my opin- on, and Farragut always thought 50. -Co."
 From that hour Watson's fortune was made. He became naval aide-de- camp to the admiral of the navy and was in all the subsequent sea fights along the south Atlantic seaIboard and 1t Vicksburg, Rodney and Grand Gulf, after that off Charleston If any