Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-11-30

OF courage.
The following appears In the Houston
CTexl Chronicle:
Contrary to all the teachings OF his
tory. to a Texan belongs the honor of
having constructed and commanded the
vessel that revolutlonized naval warfare
and displaced wood hulls for those of
steel.
throughout the world it is stated that
the Merrimac and Monitor were the first
successful opponents of ironclad archl-
lecture This idea is taught in the public
schools from one end of this land to an
other. and teachers have impressed ana
continue to impress upon their pupils.
But il is not true history
Designed conformity by Captain John a
Stevenson and Captain Charles ". Aus
tin. and constructed and commanded by
the latter. the Confederate ram Manassas
was the first ironclad ever built Captain
Austin was q Texan, a relative Of Ste
!7hen T. Austin. and his family resides
to-day in Houston at No. 2il2 fannln
ytreet But for the success OF TINS YES
eel the Merrimac would never have pcen
built, and Ericsson would never nave SUD
,1litted his plans for the cheese box on
raft"
The first ironclad the Enoch Train.
toyvboat on the Mississippi river. was
purchased by Mr.. Stevenson before the
Federals had been driven from the held
of Bull Run. 1T was a powerful vessel,
with twin screws and mammoth engines
for a craft Of its size. One hundred and
eighty feet in lengtll.s1it was reglstercd
at about 100 tons. Hauled upon the WAYS
at New Orleans. builders SWaTmed over
ifs hull while all the city laughed al
-tl,r. plans laid down by the two captains.
1t was sheathed above the water line
under the direction Of Commander AUS
tin with two thiClnesse5 of railroad rails
and was fitted with a ram OF iron point
ing out beneath about five feet IN lenSth.
BEFORE the vessel had been completed
The blockade of the Mississippi was es-
tablished. a commodore stationed at New
Orleans refused to man the vessel, ana
shared The accepted belief that she was
useless Permission to call for volunteers
was given. however. With crew OF
ninetcca she steamed down the river to
the mouth There lay four sloops OF war,
bearjn. q total armament of Sc guns.
of ali the twenty souls aboard, CAPTAIN
Austin alone stood upon the deck. Bear
ing down at full speed upon the BLOCK
aiding feet he aimed for the steam s!oo!
of war Richmond - guns. IN the teeth
O
hundred cannon the intrepid commando.
standing alone ard in open sight from
every vessel. commanded the engineer
to pile more coal under the boilers Broad-
side after broadside came crashing ABOUT
him like the fury Of hell. Flowing through
the water with all the speed Of whlch
the vessel was capable, it was seen toe
late that coal schooner lay between
the ram and its victim. Without swerV-
ing the Manassas steamed on. Solc
shot crashed and broke upon the IRON
sides. but still Captain Austin stooc-
lInhurt. y III an awful shock the iron
clad cut through and through the sailing
vessel. and plunged her spur far into the
wooden sides of the Richmond, Just as
every cannon aboard belcled forth its
load OF canister and she'll
BACKED AWAY UN1NJURED.
The Manassas backed away unhurt.
with it's gallant captain still standing on
the dec1 His clothes were torn TO shreds
3ut burned end blac5ened as lie was,
aot wound appeared upon his DOGGY.
The Richmond however, was, wreck
while the coal schooner was already a
the bottom of the sea. In hot haste the
remainder OF the Federal feet were
steaming away from the monster that
had attacked them Ine Confederate YES
sci was left alone and the blockade WAS
temporarily broken. But in getting ava!
from its victims the port engine OF tne
possible. Slowly the Manassas steamed
back to New Orleans, only TO be later
vitality injured She was run upon
sand bank 10 save the crew, and was
there abandoned by force Of circu'n-
stances, never TO sail the sea again:
But the advantage Of an ironclad yes
sci Of war had been demonstrated. me
Manassas had been unarmed. At the
same time the power Of a craft OF her
stamp manned by a sufficient crew ana
mounted with guns Of large bore, was re-
Ccgnizcd. Upon similar lines the Merfi-
mac waS built or the Atlanuc coast. ana
the Monitor was evolved from the brain
Of Scandinavian Captain Austin and
Captain Stevenson had won their victory
IN more ways than one. They had taught
the scoaing world a lesson, and in coi1g
80 developed hero for the Southern
States whose record is unsurpassed.
And Vet his nan,e is almost unknown,
while those Of leseer lights have been
brought into a publicity that Will i've
forever There was much TO be desired
IN the chron.cled histories of the south
ern navy and It's official records. No man
who ever fought upon the seas showed
more intrepid valor than did Captain
Austin in his service beneath me s1aIs
and Bars In the North his name is I'M
kIIossn. while in the South few recognize
The fact lat nero came out of Texas
who set a standard for the world IN Ter
titude and daring With his death IN 1879
the major part OF his life's history was
lost. Like all true men, ne seldom TANK
cd OF his achievements.
a DISTINGUISHED FAMILY.
Roger Sherman, one of the New Eng
land ancestors Of Captain Austin, signed
the Declaration Of Independence An
other OF his relatives. Stephen +. Austin,
is known as the Father Of Texas
lis home was in the Lone Star State.
Al The breaking ont of the war. he com
handed orc of the Harris and Morgan
Line steamships plying between New Or
leans and Galveston. He built and fonSht
with the Manassas lie hos a brother
who was an officer in the Confederate
army. row q resident of Atlanta. Ga.
For four years his life was filed with
daring exploit after ;,lott. Three times
he WIS In prison. twice escaping NOW,