The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1906-04-19
that thew were very unreliable. But as

time it was coming OH night, and ouI
compasses becoming more unreliable at
this time-they were whirling around
like a top-I, as sailing master, having
the care of the ship, told the captain
that it would be hazardous in the ex-
IRENE to attempt to run down the coast
in the night time with no compass to
guide us, and suggested the propriety
of making a harbor at Delaware Break
water for the night. Every well, sir, -
the captain said, land as there are sew
eral pilot boats in sight | will signal for
a pilot to take us in" He was some
what surprised when | told him that it
was not necessary, as | could take her
into the Breakwater as well as any pilot
could, provided could do it before dark.
And | added: There is time enough
to accomplish it, provided we bear up
now" He gave the order for me to do
so, and we came to anchor off LeweS,
Del, inside the breakwater just after
sunset.
Right here perhaps it will be well to
give the calibre of the two officers that
ranked me in the ship, as to their sea
manship, knowledge of the coast, etc.
Captain William G. Saltonstall was 81
years of age, direct descendant of Sir
Richard Saltonstall, Puritan in the
Massachusetts colony and grandson
of Capt. Saltonstall who had command
of the L. 5. naval forces who neglected
to attempt the capture of Castine from
the British at the proper time, and
when lie did make the advance was de-
feated. during the war of the revolu-
ton He was an ariStocrat, highly
educated gentleman, fine discipline
rian. and had he been possessed OF a
proper knowledge of the sea, of ships
and of the coast, would have been an
ideal naval officer. His whole know
ledge of the sea and ships was acquired
from one voyage to India as supercargo
or captain S clerk of ship from his
native city of Salem, which voyage
lasted one year. Through the family
tradition he was appointed an Acting
Master of the [. 5. navy early III 1861,
and acted as Flag Lieutenant to Ad-
miral 5. p. Lee on board the steam
frigate Minnesota. The frlgate was
not outside of Hampton Roads during
the year or more he was attached to
her. But by reason Of friends at court
he was appointed to d command, though
he knew nothing about the coast of the
I nited States and next to nothing about
handling a ship. But he had sterling
qualities as man, and no Drawer man
ever lived than he. The executive OF
ticer, Acting Master Francis Josselyn
of Camden, Me-, was 36 years of age,
and thorough seaman in every re
spect. He had sailed all his life in big
suipS and was termed a deep water sail
OF: always sailing IN ships that took a
pilot as soon as they reached pilot
!, IL, n l1a
coast. particularly the southern coast,
which was the scene of our action. He,
too. was a brave man. We served to-
gether in the same ship for two and a
half years and had smelt rebel powder
times too numerous to mention here. l
had spent twelve years of my life cruiS-
ing along the coast of the United States,
the West India Islands and the coast of
South America, and it was my boast at
that time that | knew and could name
every lighthouse, every prominent head
land and every dangerous shoal on the
coast of the United States from Quoddy
Head in Maine to the Rio Grande IN
Texas; so that | was well equipped FOL
the war of the rebellion, so tar as
knowledge of the coast and of ships
was concerned.
But to resume our voyage to Fortress
Monroe The next morning after all
choring at Delaware BreakNater we
hauled up toward the town of LeWes,
where there was station established
for the purpose of adjusting ships com
passes where the true bearing is lad
down for the compass from all points.
But it was of no use to us, any farther
than it perhaps enabled us TO make a
little more intelligent guess as to our
course. We sailed from the breakWater
about p. H. The weather was very
clear and fine. with bright moonlight,
and the fine weather lasted till we
reached Fortress Monroe the next fore
noon. We ran down the coast, keeping
the land well i'll sight, for we soon
found that the cOmpaSSeS could not be
relied on, Notwithstanding we had a
liquid compass of the best make. L re-
manned on deck until midnight, know
ing that | had headed right, or about
right The captain and myself having
been relieved by the executive officer
and MI Dacomard, we went to our
rooms for d much needed rest. The
sea was very smooth, the night bright
and clear, and with an otfing of about
six miles we were skimming down the
coast at great rate. | told them to
keep the land in sight broad off the
starboard beam and they could not go
far wrong, and at about 2.30 a. NJ, if
all went well, they would sight Chinco-
league lighthouse, which is on the east
ern shore of Virginia. If they kept
their course when they made the light
it would bear about three points Off the
starboard bow and for them to run
down until abreast of that light and
then call me. At $50 a. m. they called
me and told me tina. they had not sight
ed the light | mentioned. 1t was get
ting darker, but they had sighted a
light off the port bow and thought they
could see in that direction. Well know
ing that if they had kept their course
there was no land in that direction
until the other side of the Atlantic was
reached | rushed on deck and found
that it was Chincoteague light, all right,
but they had got muddled and instead
of running south they had got her part
ly turned around and were making
their way back to Delaware Break
water. | soon got the ship on her
course again, using the light, the out
line of the land and the deep sea lead
as my guides. | got the light on the
starboard quarter, knowing that when il
came astern or hull down if we could
keep her on her course we should sight
Cape Charles, which we did just before
daylight, and at about Q O'Clock that
forenoon we anchored at Fortress Mon
roe, having had singular experience