The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-10-29

classmates and as the rest of US formed
ranks to embark. Captain c. r. ?. Rod
gers stepped out to say a few words 10
tus before leaving the dear old alma
mater After G. short effort he managed
to say: My boys, stand by the old nag.'
/ and chen broke down. We were all IN
ltears. and braced up only when We heard
the men of the Seventh New York cheer
ling us, which we returned in feeble sort
| of way-scrambled into the boats, and
two hours later were once more on board
.'OId Ironsides." That was the last we
saw of the Naval Academy al Annapolis
until after the Civil War had done its
work. The army took possession, repair
ed the railroad and locomotives, and aft
Ter month or SO of hard work reopened
Communication with Washington.
ASSIGNED TO A HOTEL FOR STUDY.
| The Constitution was towed to New
York, from there TO Newport, Rhode ISL
and, where she was anchored in Brtn-
toms Cove. off Fort Adams, and all the
senior classes were ordered into active
service. Ny class, now about seventy
strong, was the only one LETT, and we
anxious, of course. TO join the others;
but we had not yet sufficiently advanced
to make US of much value. Once more
we settled down to routine and hard
work Fort Adams was unoccupied so
we We're transferred there, where We
could have roomy quarters and conven-
lent recitation rooms, and at the same
time man the guns in case of need. 1t
was all a lark to most Of us. and time
given to study did not amount to much.
The officers soon found that, if we were
to do any serious work, proper quarters
would have to be provided; and as the
idea of a return to Annapolis was aban-
ldoned the Atlantic Hotel, in the heart
lof Newport, was secured on long lease,
duly fitted for our accommodation, and
thither we were marched.
In the mean time steps were taken to
quarter the new class, a very large one.
which had been appointed. The Consti-
tuition and the Santee, which had been
sent north for the purpose, had been
moored at suitable docks built on the in
. side of Goat Island in the inner harbor,
and the sloops of war John Adams and
: Marion were anchored near them, to be
used for practical seamanship and gun
merry drills af1oat. This made the most
, complete outfit in ships the Naval Acad-
. envy had ever seen, and the most useful.
That master of his trade, Stephen B.
, Luce. had charge of drills af1oat and
scarcely a day passed that we were not
under his watchful eyes at some sort OF
practical seamanshIp. Every Saturday
we went outside in one or other or both
of the ships, and then the work was
most thorough and complete. each mid
shipman in turn taking charge of the
deck for different evolutions. On our way
in, in the afternoon, we could generally
tell when our work had been satisfac-
tory; If it had not been the ship was
sure to fetch up hard and fast before
we reached our anchorage. Then anchors
would have to be carried out, and the
vessel hove off, berthed and everything
made snug and shipshape before we
could leave her. For all this work we
had no man to help us. Everything must
be done with our own hands, and thus
we learned and learned thoroughly,
what a man had to do in every position
on board a sailing ship, from passing
close reef to sweeping down the quarter
deck We learned how to do il ourselves,
and how to make others do 1t under our
instruction, and many of us still cling
to the notion that there could not have
tbeen better training. If the weather hap
pened to be such that we could not get
under way, we sent down yards, masts
and rigging, and proceeded to reft every
thing. Before the year was out there
were few in the class who could not, with
their own hands, do any work required
of petty officer or seaman.
The quartering of the senior class on
shore and all the others on board ship
,
before the Academy recovered its normal
condition. All the traditions of the
school, the discipline among the classes
ithemselves-which was, and always must
be. dependent on traditions and customs
were lost sight of and. as l have be-
fore said, hazing took root on board the
Constitution and Santee. ] took twenty
years to break UP this un-naval practice
and even now it occasionally shows it's
ugly head. generally with the result that
some promising youngster has to be dis
missed and thus lost to the service.
! As soon war was assured thing
my family demanded that l should re-
sign come South and fight for my State;
! but it did not seem to me that this
course was imperative. My next young
er brother enlisted al the age of fourteen
III the Washington Artillery, and went to
! the front under Pelham; so that there
was one member of the family on each
side, which fair division, if he saw
his duty In that way. I was much as
sisted in those dark and trying days by
the advice of Captain Rodgers, who
pointed out to me very clearly what my
duty was. 1 concluded to stick by The
Old Flag" and let my family ties look
after themselves, and so informed my
mother, who was much grieved and
shamed by my determination. She finally |
wrote my resignation, sent it to the Navy
Department, where it was accepted, and |
without previous warning l found myself |
out of the service.
What to do under such conditions was |
a serious question to me, and L was |
again assisted to the right course by |
Captain Rodgers, who telegraphed to |
Washington, explaining matters. 1 was |
out only about twenty-four hours but |
they We're very unhappy ones for me, !
and ! was relieved when my reappoint- |
ment came by wire. My mother, think |
ing that she had finally disposed of the |
matter, went to Richmond to nurse my !
brother who had been badly wounded !
and there waited for me to join her. |
She was naturally much disappointed |
at the result of her efforts, and wrote |
me very severe letter which she sent
through the lines by a blockade runner,
who mailed it When it came to me it
showed no signs of having been opened,
but l found that it had, and many parts
of 1t underlined with blue pencil. MANY
OF my letters during the war, mailed in
the same way, had been similarly treat
ed, showing that in my case at least the
postotiice officials were watchful.
My brother fought CALAMITY. was twice
wounded, and served to the end of the
war. AS soon as he could make his way