The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-12-20
BY IRVING Fl. KING.
Copyright, 1908, by Irving Fl. King.

Revolution, been the hero Of many
daring exploits.
The first Craven in the navy came
in as a paymaster in the early days
of the organization of the service. He
married into the service, and most
of his descendants have continued in
it. One of them was Capt. Thomas
Tingey Craven, who commanded the
Potomac Flotilla at the beginning of
the Civil War, and took part in many
daring cutting-out expeditions in
those waters. He commanded the
Brooklyn when Farragut forced the
passage Of the Mississippi between
Forts Jackson and st. Philip. The
part borne by the Brooklyn in the
fight can be read in any history book,
and 1t is there recorded how, amid the
death and destruction raging around
him, Capt. Craven, calm and col
lected, stood on the break of the poop
deck, resting his hands lightly on the
ratline, intently watching the progress
Of the battle and giving his orders in
a deep, bass voice, which could be
heard in all parts of the ship"
When the flagship Hartford got
aground between the forts, it was
Craven who deliberately stopped his
ship in a position to divert and inter-
cept the fire of the Confederate guns,
and who kept that position until the
Hartford was out of danger, when ne
continued on up the river. At times
the Brooklyn was so near to Fort st .
Philip that the flashes Of the Con-
federate guns scorched the ships gum
ners.
Capt. Craven's brother, Tunis
Augustus Macdonough Craven, dis
tingushed himself in the Mexican
War, and his death at the battle of
Mobile Bay is one of the most glorious
passages of American naval history
In this battle Craven commanded
the ironclad Tecumseh, and led the
way into the bay, fearlessly running
in among the torpedoes and being
blown up by one of them. Craven had
placed himself alongside the pilot in
the pilot house, the two being alone
there. When the ship began to sink
both men instinctively made for the
narrow opening through which only
one man could pass at time. The
opening led from the pilot house TO
the turret chamber below. The ship
was plunging to the bottom. A Sec
ond's hesitation meant death for both
Craven and the pilot. With the
greatness of soul inherited from a
long line of distinguished ancestors,
Craven stepped aside, saying, you
first, pilot" The pilot escaped and
Craven plunged with his ship and
htiiNNS lIAltC vi hEA NiCN ~ Tic DOl-
tom of the bay.
The Stevens family came into the
navy at the outbreak of the War of
1872, under the name of Holdup AT
the battle of Lake Erie. Lieut.. Thomas
Holdup, then 20 years OF age, com
manded the little gunboat Trippe,
which carried for her armament one
long thirty-two-p FOUNDER. In the thick
of that immortal sea fight young
Holden gave a good account of himself,
and ranging alongside OF the big Brit
ish ship Queen Charlotte, and undis-
mayed by the fire Of her fourteen
guns, began 10 pump solid shot into
her as fast as he could load and fire
his 32-pounder.
The American brig Niagara, Master
COmmandant Elliott, with two long
i2-pounders and eighteen short 81
FOUNDERS, came bearing down on the
unevenly matched contestants.
Get out OF the way and let me al
herl" shouted Elliott through his
speaking trumpet 20 HOldup, who was
between the Niagara and the Queen
Charlotte.
But the young gamecock held his