The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1906-10-27

Nevertheless the Wyandotte did not
| move that day. Farrand was in con.
slant communication with the rebels
at Pensacola, but nine miles away.
He knew that within 48 hours the
confederates would demand the sur
render of the navy yard, and he hoped
the way to occupy Fort Pickens would
be opened also.
Farrand knew the very hour that
Victor NJ. Randolph would present
his confederate forces at the gate OF
the navy yard, and was there to re-
ceive and welcome him, dressed in
The full uniform of United State.
naval officer, while Commodore Arm.
strong was kept in ignorance of the
whole affair, and did not know that
the confederateS were approaching
till they were reported at the gate and
the two commissioners selected by the
governor of Florida were conducted to
him by Farrand.
All the details of the surrender were
conducted by Farrand, even to the
furnishing of the faithful old quarter.
master for refusing to haul down the
flag in surrender when ordered to do
so by Renshaw.
This faithful old seaman was Will
| liam Conway, of Camden, Me. He
had obeyed the order to stand by the
hallyards, but when ordered to haul
the flag in capitulation he said:
Il will not do it, sir That is the
flag OF my country, under which have
| served many years. love it; and will
not dishonor it by hauling it down
| now"
Renshaw had to do the work with
his own hands and then he and Far
rand set about Furnishing the old quar-
termaster by putting him in irons for
his fidelity to the old flag.
Conway's heroism in the affair was
first recognized by the judge advocate
of the court-martial A. b. Magruder,
who submitted to the secretary of the
| navy the propriety, justice and good
| policy of bestowing some mark Of APP.
| probation.
The life story of Quartermaster Will
liam Conway is quickly told He ran
away from home at the age of II and
enlisted in the United States navy,
never afterward returning to make his
home with his people for any length
Of time. His whole life was spent in
the service of his country. The posi-
tons which he occupied were
boatswain's mate, captain of the top,
| master-at-arms and quartermaster.
When the Maine loyal legion began
an investigation Of hero Conways
career a year ago Maj. H. S. Burrage,
the recorder, wrote to Rear Admiral j..
b. Coghlan, commandant of the navy
yard and station at New York.
He replied that William Conway,
quartermaster, 50 years of age, native
of Maine, was admitted to the hos
pital at that station from the United
States steamer North Carolina and
died November 80, 1865.
The hospital records show that his
remains were buried in the naval
cemetery in New York, but the grave
could not be located. There are sew
eral unknown graves in this cemetery,
! and the hero of the Pensacola incident
probably sleeps in one of them.
The only surviving relatives of Con.
way are two nieces, Mrs. Louise Rob.
bins, of Thomaston, formerly Louise
Keene, of Rockport and Miss Julia
Conway, Of Camden. The gold medal
above referred to is the property of
Mrs. Robbins son, William Conway
Robbins of New York.
Conway's heroism was recalled to
the present generation through the eff
forts OF Capt. John O. Johnson, United
States navy, who wrote number OF
articles on the subject for local news.
papers year ago and interested the
Loyal Legion in preparing the me-
mortal.
The conditions found by Capt. John.
son during his investigation in Knox
county warranted him in styling his
article, "A Forgotten Camden Hero"
for in Conway's native town there
were few who had ever heard the quar-
termaSter name ana none VINO knew
of his brave act at the Pensacola navy
yard.
Capt. Johnson finally located tho
Conway medal in Thomaston. and
from the two nieces above named
learned the few particulars that could
be CLEANED concerning Conways homo
life. With this as foundation there
began the planmaking for notable
celebration.
Capt. Johnson was in command OF
the gunboat Shokolon at the close Of
the civil war, having been twice pro-
NOTED. He is junior vice commander
of the military order Of Loyal Legion.
His First Experience Under Fire.