The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1903-12-10
Told by Old Soldiers.

Chicago? lie does. and ! saw him
yesterday. When the Miantonomoh
returned from the George Peabody
obsequies at Portland In January,
1870. she was ordered to Boston. When
Mr.. Peabody died in London, you will
remember. the British government
sent the remains across the Atlantic
on the warship Monarch. and Ad-
miral Farragut with his fleet met the
Monarch at sea. escorted her to Port
land, and participated In the funeral
exercises.
Then, as have said. the Mianto-
nomoh proceeded to Boston. where we
expected To remain for some weeks.
Scarcely had we dropped anchor. how
ever. when Mr.. s. w. Murray. a quiet
gentleman from the West, came
aboard with an order from Admiral
Porter lnstructing the officers to give
the bearer every facility for applying
and testing new steering gear which
he had invented.
"The admiral, assuming that MIR.
Murray would reach the vessel before
we anchored, directed Capt. r. w.
Shufeldt TO give the Miantonomoh
turn or two to show the working OF
her machinery. As the officers were
dressed for shore tl.is order was not
regarded favorably, but Mr.. Murray
said II was not necessary for him TO
see the machinery in motion, as he
was familiar with the usual steering
apparatus. What he wanted was to
look over the engines and decide
where the new ones should be located.
1T this Mr.. Zcigler, the chief en-
gineer. smiled and took Mr.. Murray
below. where the latter admitted that
he could aee no place for machinery.
But place was found. two new en-
gines to work the steering gear were
put In, and in a few weeks there was
test Of the new apparatus very sur.
prising and gratifying to the naval
engineers. The new gearing worked
smoothly. and whereas with the old
gearing It required minute and q
half 10 turn the rudder, with the new
II required only six seconds.
This steering gear was afterward
applied To all the monitors and other
heavy vessels, and IL In use today.
My recollection IL that the Mianto'
nomoh was the first war vessel TO use
the improved gear. II am wrong
some one can correct me. This new
steering gear enabled vessels to turn
more rapidly. 20 maneuver to better
advantage. and by It's use vessel
could be steered In case OF fire from
any part of the ship.
1T surprised us, however, that such
an important Improvement should be
made by a man who served In the In
fantry during the war and not by a
man bred to the sea. l learned later
that Murray had been q steamboat
man on the lakes and had contrived
his apparatus on Lake Michigan, and
when II was perfected had gone Ia
Admiral Porter, who ordered the tesi
Mt Boston. You can't tell what an old
soldier will do"
THAT is true" said the major. "Sey
eral years ago I was travelling In Mexi
CO and went on long prospecting
tour over the mountains west from
| chihuahua. Out In the wilderness
our guides and guards came In con
flict with other guides and guards and
there was danger OF serious trouble
I went among the strangers hoping Il
make myself understood In explana
tion, and said to friend: 7 dom
suppose one of these greasers can un
dersiand a word of English
INSTANTLY came from the comman
der OF the hostile squad: Not q sin
gle word. Cap. Not single word
How do you dol? For a moment
was embarrassed. but ] caught a twin
king look Of recognition In the eyes
of the speaker. and, after iew min
utes. placed him as n teamster In oul
regiment who at Chicknmauga drov,
an ammunition wagon at a gallop Il
our line of battle. retiring because o.
empty cartridge boxes.
Ills mules were shot In ten min
utes, but he distributed the ammuni
tion 20 rapidly that when the rebel'
got the wagon there was little In II
When the mules went down Jack tool
rifle from his wagon and joino,
The men In line. lie remained Will
the company all through the siege o.
Chattanooga. saying that teaming wal
too burned risky for him. and can't
to know hin, quite well. Here he wal
now IN charge OF pack train loadet
with silver. and. as he remarked. to'
suspicious to seq straight. A wore
from him cleared the atmosphere ant
our party went on unmolested."
Speaking Of teamsters." said tn
captain, did any OF the boys OF th'
Fifth Michigan ever tell you Of Mix
in the Wiidcrnessf Onue day Capt
Blackman received orders to send tw'
wagons TO the front for wounded
Mike was the driver OF one Of tn
wagons, and he didn't want TO go. III
reported to Blackman that hts mule
were very lame. and asked him q
send another wagon. Blackman OF
dered him TO hitch up his mules. lam
or not lame. and to drive like IN
devil was after him. MIKE went oi
in nuif and was gone oil day. Abou
IL clock at night he drove up 4
the hospital with his wagon full o
wounded, IN whose interest he ws
driving carefully and slowly.
THE captain INST him with. We'll
| Mike. how did you gst ajouGr 'pre'
" wsll. slr.' replfsd Mike, 'onIy tha
| kept ~ foo)ln' about 6odgin' bullet
mooe - ~ ~ ! thpuonk e1r,