The Republican journal., 1906-03-22
THE VOLUNTEER NAVY.
A Foolhardy Expedition, Inspired by Act
ing Master Smith, who was not IN II.
Smith Makes his Exit from the Service.

IN.
In my last stated that we had re
turned to our old cruising ground OH
MataCorda, Texas, where things for a
time resumed their old phases, with a
few exceptions. After witnessing the
brilliant exploits on the Mississippi
Acting Master Smith, of whom have
previously spoken, became more and
more convinced that he was 1t, and
finally arrived at the conclusion that he
could put down the remainder of the
Rebellion ali by himself. He appeared
to liken himself to Alexander the Great
and to be looking for worlds to con.
ouer. On the other hand we likened
him to Don QuiXote, a man who would
charge a windmill, but Smith did not
seem to be able to get Sancho Panza
to follow him. He was more frantic to
do something to distinguish himself
than ever before and at last Thought he
had the opportunity. And by rea
son of this the executive officer, Mr.
Dean, and myself and thirty two men,
came very near being captured. and the
good. Either the one or the other
Would have been the result had it not
been for an accident.
out of the Rebellion a revenue cutter, a
small sailing schooner with compile
ment of three officers and thlrty-tiv
men, was stationed at MatagOTda. The
officers proved traitors and the men
went with then, and they SURRENDERED
tile cutter to the Texas State troops OH
the verv first demand and the captain
was thereupOn made Colonel or the
Texas State troops The vessel was
hauled we'll up to the head of Matagor-
da Bay, aud there she laid during the
time we were blockading off that coast
and could be plainly seen from the
masthead of our vessel every day. she
was not near enough to tell whether or
not her sails were bent. Acting Master
Smith in looking about him for worlds
to conquer, got his eye on this vessel
and came TO the conclusion that she
must be cut out and made prize to the
United States. Going into an enemy S
port and cutting out prize is rare
thing to accomplish and Such EFFORTS
are seldom rewarded with success. The
records of the world show ten failures
to one victory; particularly II the az
tempt is made to capture an armed yes
sci. Many failures were made at ana
around Sabine Pass to cut out small
>>.-
Acting Master and two boats were cap
tured and the officers We're dismissed
from the service The Secretary of the
Navy said that an officer who Wonid
make such toolhardy efforts, attended
with such results. WAS not tit per
son 70 hold a commission in the [. ;.
Navy.
This plan Of Acting Master Smith S
seemed to me to be more touihaidy
than any sane person had ever dream
ed AS stated III a former letter the
entrance to Matagorda Bay was be
tween the extreme ends of DecroW' S
Point and the northern end OF Malta
gorda Island. At that time there was not
more than 10 feet of water on the bar,
and the bay was full of shoals; and no
person on board the Midnight had ever
been into that bay i'll a small boat even.
1t had not been surveyed up to that
time and there were no charts to be
had; and vet this Don QuiXote wished
to 90 in and undertake to cut cut and
bring out schooner that drew at least
eight feet of water, thinking that II
successful in the capture he could AVOID
all the shoals, Gotten steamer VIII
one gun mounted, and outside of that,
on Natagorda Island, a fort. \ ct he
made the captain think it was poSSlb,e
to accomplish that result | never
knew why the captain listened to hum
for a moment unless he thought, being
fresh from the capture of New Orleans,
that the Navy could accomplish any
thing. lie tod us later that at first he
had 10 thought of permitting the boats
and men to 90, but we were all pushed
into 1t by this man Smith. He untolded
his plan to the captain, which was as
follows: That some night when the
moon sh0ne dlmly and the wind was
from the west or off shore, so as to Ell
sure a leading wind to run the schooner
out of tine bay, to land on DecroN S
Point about three miles up the coast
from the entrance to the bay with two
boats and about thirty men, leaving
one of the boat there under a guard.
Then pull the other boat across the
land, which we Judged to be about two
miles, and launch into the waters of
tine bay, if we we could find a chance
board the schooner and bring her out
of the Day past the distractions. He
said that was all there WAS to do. 1t
was Il very simple matter from his
STANDPOINT, but to the rest of us it had
a somewhat different look.
In some manner Smith had got the
captain W look upon MS proposition
with favor and he was told that it he
was willing to risk himself he, the cap
tain, was willing to risk the boats and
the men, provided they were willing TO
risk themselves He said that he should
order no man to 90 Oh such a hazard
Gus expedition, but would have all
hands called to muster and Mr.. Smith
could lay his proposition before them,
and if enough would volunteer for the
undertaking he, as captain of the ship,
should raise no objections. According
iy the men were mustered on the main
deck, where the captain told them that
Mr.. Smith had a little enterprise for
the accomplishment of which he re-
CURED volunteers. Mr.. Smith would
now lay his plans before them, and if
after listening to him any one saw fit
to volunteer he should be pleased to
have them, but he did not care to order
them to go.
Mr.. Smith then stepped forward and
farangued the men for about half an
hour His themes were glory and prize
money and he drew very beautiful pic
ture. But with alehis eloquence and
bombast he somehow failed to en-
thuse the men up to his high tempera-
ture, for after eXhauSting his eloquence
he requested those who wished or were
willing to follow him to step two PAGES
ia thp front To his great 6iSannoiut-