Waterbury Democrat., 1902-05-07


 made lieutenant in 1862 and first saw sea service on the ironclad Patapsco. He was an executive officer when she was sunk by torpedo in Charleston harbor in 1865.
 In that emergency he showed the coolness that afterward distinguished him. His feet caught in the boarding net as the ship sank. He waited until the first rush of water was over, then disentangled himself and fioated to the surface.
 He served on the European station and at the Naval academy after that and finally became superintendent at Annapolis in 1886. He then had low CT rank than any of his predecessors in charge of the academy.
 He next became chief of ordnance as a captain and was considered the greatest ordnance expert in the navy
 He was at the head of the court that investigated the blowing up of the Maine in Havana harbor and again demonstrated his coolness.
 President Mckinley chose him as a commander of the fleet in Cuban wa ters at the breaking out of the Spanish war. He was moved to that position over the heads of many men of higher rank, for he was only captain.
 It was believed the controversy that was waged so fiercely after the war as to who was entitled to the credit of :. the Santiago victory had much to do with the failure of his health.
 He was retired as a rear admiral in February last
 Twice Admiral Sampson was mar ried. By his first matrimonial venture he had four daughters, Mrs. Roy c. Smith, wife of Lieutenant Smith of the United States navy; Mrs. Jackson, wife of Ensign R. H. Jackson; Mrs. Cluverius, wife of Walter c. Cluverius, and Miss Olive Sampson
 His second wife was Miss Burling of Canandaigua, and by the marriage he had two sons, Ralph, fourteen, and Harold, twelve years old.
 BOOK FOR SOLDIERS.
 A valuable little book that deals with everything pertaining to military discipline and life has just been. issued by the adjutant generals office at Washington. The volume. which bears the title, The Soldiers Handbook, is divided into 31 chapters and covers matters from the fate of deserter to the aid that soldier must give a wounded comrade on the field of bat tie. The compiler of the volume is N. Herschler of the adjutant generals department.
 Some of the subjects treated art the rights of citizens that are forfeited by desertion, the rank of officers. post caI,1 1OIc ments of all kinds of service, examina- tions for promotion, army and navy systems of signaling, and the most im- portant extracts from the articles of war.
 An especially interesting chapter is one entitled Last Will and Testament. In this chapter the soldier is told the legal way to bequeath what he pos sesses to those he desires shall inherit his property. whether on the battle field wounded or in the best of health in camp or garrison.
 Still another chapter that is some thing new is the one on first aid to the wounded. Diagrams accompany this chapter. and everything from the setting of a broken arm to the dressing of the worst of wounds is explained. One diagram shows how to take the wounded soldier from the field, when the appliances for such purposes are wanting or crude and out of date; an- other shows the different uses the wounded mans coat or blouse can be put to as sling or bandage. while still another gives an idea as to the best way in which wounds both severe and trivial are to be dressed in an emergency.
 Every soldier in the regular army will be supplied with copy of the book, and it is believed by those in authority that it will prove potent means in increasing the efficiency of the men. rF