The Washington times., 1902-10-13
HOW L|NCOLN'S DEATH
BECAME KNOWN AT SEA
Steamer Home Carried Flag
at Half Mast.
OTHERS LEARN THE NEWS
The George Mangham, First Vessel En-
countered, Was Overhauled and
Ordered to Key West.

About the latter part of the month OF
April. on beautiful morning. in the
year 1865, there was sailing along the
eastern coast of Florida schooner
rigged sailing vessel of about 300 tons
burden. She was the American man-of-
war George Mangham. one of the many
ships purchased by the Government and
added to the navy at the beginning OF
the civil war, or the war of the rebel
lion, or the war between the States, as
those who like may designate that
dreadful episode in the history Of the
United States.
The Mangham was as stanch ship
and as good sea boat as any that
ever sailed upon the bosom of the At
lantic Ocean. She had at one time per-
formed good service as one of the Po-
tomac mortar boat fotilla, but her
worttiness for other service had i'm
] PEELED the Navy Department to alter
her into regular gunboat. The change
in her equipment was made at the
Washington navy yard early in 1868. Her
battery-a heavy one for ship of her
size consisted OF six thirty two-pound-
er Dahlgren guns, three on a side, and
twelve-pound howitzer on the fore
castle. Her commanding officer was
John Collins. jr., of Casco. Me-. as
thorough seaman as ever paced a
ships quarterback or shouted through
| .xan1 IL yiytrx L., II Is
tempest.
Bound for Key West.
On the particular morning referred to
the Mangham was on her way-after the
fall Of Charleston-under orders to pro-
coed to Key West, where she was to
report to the commanding officer OF the
East Gulf squadron for whatever duty
he might assign to her in the fleet under
his command. She had already per-
formed long and arduous service in
the South Atlantic blockading squadron.
Upon this lovely spring morning.
more charming day never dawned upon
earth or sea-she was lazily creeping
along under scarcely enough wind to
provide her with headway. Far distant
could be dlscerned the shadowy dim out
line of the Florida coast The sea, with |
it's gentle swell. was almost the personi- |
fication OF calmness and the light land |
breeze waited from the shore brought |
with 1t sweet odors from fragrant orange |
groves and wild floral gardens. This
seeming earthly paradise was about to
pass away. 1t was delnsion near the
instant of its dissipation, or
Like the snow falls in the river,
Ia.
sail ho!" sang out the man at the
masthead.
Where away" shouted back the off,
Ger of the deck.
About three points off the starboard
quarter"
Can you make her out?"
Seems to be steamer, sir. Appears I
to be heading this way
Keep your eye on her. was the COM
mand from the deck.
AYE, aye, SIR
No Word of Surrender.
AS a matter of course, this incident
excited no little interest from quarter
deck to forecastle. A steamer heading
this way. What could it mean? Per-
haps the war was over and the ship had
been ordered home. The men on the
Mangham had not then heard of the
surrender at Appomattox.
Soon, however, all guessings and sur
musings and speculations were at an
end. The sailing vessel was creeping
along comparatively at a snail's pace,
while the steamer was overhauling her
as fast as her propeller could urge her
on. The Mangham's Quartermaster, with
his glass at his eye, reported her as
carrying her flag at half-mast. There
was something approaching breathless
suspense as size came alongside the
schooner.
The first words came from the stranger
THE President of the United States
has been assassinated!" cried out ex-
citedly the captain of the ship with her
flag at half-mast. This is the United
States steamer Home. l am Instructed
to overhaul you and instruct you to re-
port the fact to the admiral at Key
West" (There was no telegraph cable
to Key West in those days.) Here is
a New York paper" he added, and. tied |
to a stout piece of twine, some one
threw a copy of the paper on board the
Mangham.
The Steamer Home.
True enough, it was the steamer Home,
and the direful story was so startling in
its awfulness that for time it was al
most impossible to believe that il was
true. The Home was on her way to
Havana to report the tragical event to
the consul general at that port. The
officer ntrusted with this duty was Act
ing Assistant Paymaster Cowan, the
Judge advocate of the South Atlantic ,
blockading fleet. He had also mass of
instructions tending upon the same sub
ject to convey to the United States au-
thorities at the Cuban capital. Mr.. !.
Cowan. if mistake not, at date some :
time after the war, led the forlorn hope t
of the Prohibition party of Massachu- /
setts, as their candidate for governor of 1
the Bay State.
The Home had hardly sheered off to
her voyage before the flag Of
the sailing vessel was also at half-mast.
The crew was called aft, and by the di-
rection of the commanding officer the