Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-10-08

Fleet Captain and Chief of Staff, Naval Veterans.
driven the administrator distracted with
its depredations. The big ram was put out
of service for time by the little cheese
box and never again did the confederacy
any service in that shape She was blown
up and sunk after Norfolk was taken.
Porter and Farragut.
And then there was the magnificent naval
victory of April, 1862, when Admirals Far
ragut and Porter sailed up Pass a TOutre
and. anchoring their ships, for six mortal
days poured the shot and shell into the
forts, and then, under a murderous fire
through torpedoed channels, over sunken
hulkS and between the guns of the fort bat
terieS-passed UP to the very walls Of the
city, which Farragut captured and placed
under martial law, hosting the flag above
the mint. 1t was heralded the most glo-
rlous naval victory since Nelson, and far
outdid that admirars greatest achievements.
From that moment Grant and Farragut
stood side by side in the hearts Of the peo-
pie
To rehearse the victories Of the navy in
the war of the rebellion would be to give
the whole history of that giant struggle, for
the army and navy fought side by side, the
one on land and the other supporting at
sea, or on river, in many of the most i'm
portant and decisive battles of the war.
When the war closed 132, 554 men had been
enrolled In the navy. OF this number 1904
were killed in action, 265 were drowned, 90
died in rebel prisons, II died by accident,
81 were scalded to death and $50 died from
various causes. making total of 1904 men
serving in the navy who lost their lives in
that service before the war was over.
Order of Naval Veterans.
Like the Grand Army of the Republic, the
Naval Veterans, desiring that comradeship
of shipmates which comes Of the closer
association in organization, formed the or
der of Naval Veterans. The organization
was achieved in New York in 1887. Like the
older and larger body, to which all soldiers,
sailors and marines are eligible, and to
which great many belong, there had been
small societies of naval veterans early
as 1865 and 1867, but no national society
was projected until 1887, as has been stated.
William Simmons of Philadelphia, for many
years fleet historian of the National Asso-
citation, is credited with being the founder
Of the national organization. He called a
meeting of the gulf squadron and assisted
in organizing the first association of naval
veterans, some little time before the Grand
Army of the Republic came into existence.
Mr.. Simmons entered the service under
Commodore Dahlgren, and was aboard
the Brooklyn on that memorable day when
the vessel was rammed by the Merrimac.
The object of the association is to per-
petuate the memory and associations of the
war of the rebellion, and the glorious record
and deeds Of the navy; to strengthen the
to advance the best interests and to extend
all possible relief to the widows and chill
dren of members; to enforce unqualified
allegiance to the general government; to
protect the rights and liberties of American
citizenship, and to maintain national honor,
union and independence.
The Eligible List.
Those eligible to membership are officers
or enlisted men who served In the United
foe ri0
rine service, from April II, 1861 to August
rs. 1865 who have not borne arms against
the United States, or been convicted of any
infamous crime, still in the service, or who
has been honorably discharged, resigned
therefrom by an honorable acceptance OF
resignation.
Naval veterans throughout the country
can organize subordinate associations which
shall be subject to the national, and report
to It. In the first organization, six states
sent representatives, and a strong society
was the result Of that consultation.
The organization Of the association, which
now numbers about 5000 naval veterans,
was perfected by the following representa-
McCalmont, J. E. Barstow, c. Brandt. John
Trineman, Andrew Jackson Gilman, H. I.
Hayden, A. NJ. Lyon, A. A. Villers and
Michael McAndrew of New York Louis
F. 0'Sullivan and Otto Henriques Of New
Jersey, William Simmons. George L. Var
nick, P. Higgins. G. w. Mayberry,J. P. Far
ley and Frederick Shoeber of Pennsylvania,
G. A. Stillman, w. G. Staples. A. H. Rowe,
W. s. Wells and S. P. Crafts of Connecti-
cut William H. Thompson. ]. w. Page, e.
W. Perry and e. W. Adams of Illinois and
L. B. Vance of Wisconsin.
The officers of the National Association
are designated as rear admiral, commodore,
captain, commander, lieutenant commander,
lieutenant, master and ensign; also fleet
surgeon, fleet paymaster. fleet engineer,
fleet chaplain, feet judge advocate, fleet
secretary and fleet historian. Each Of the
seven aforementioned officers has the rank
of commodore. The rear admiral is the
commanding officer, the commodore is the
second in command and president of the
executive council. The captain is the chief