The Washington herald., 1907-01-20
RUSSIANS IN OUR NAVY
Narrative of an Old Sailor Who Says Foreign
Jackies Served Under Farragut in Civil War

Most OF Us, who are old enough, can
recall how, during the war OF the rebel
lion. there was a general report that
Russian fleet was in some manner going
to help, or ready to help. the Northern
States. There seemed to be a vague un-
defined idea current that Russia stood
ready 10 interfere in behalf OF the North.
If the poorly concealed assistance Eng
land was giving the South went too far.
says J. r. Chapman, late lieutenant Of
the Twenty-second Infantry, in the Port
land Oregonian.
distinctly remember such rumors, but
have never been able. until recently, ito
put my finger on, so 10 speak. anything
which I considered at all in the light Of
evidence.
During the last two years have had In
my employ an old sailor, who. On various
occasions. related to me incidents from
bis varied experience. ! became inter-
ested. and the result is the following
statement by him.
1t seemed to me so important, espe-
clally the fact Of some 500 seamen being
transferred in body from the Russian
to the American navy. that ! wrote to
the Assistant Secretary Of the Navy con
cerning the matter. His reply. In gen
eral terms. was that he could find no
record in the Navy Department OF any
considerable number" OF men being so
transferred. Whether it was meant that
between 400 and 800 were not considered
a considerable number OF that the navy
records did not show Of any seamen being
transferred. do not know. Probably the
latter. for the reader viii see. upon read
ing the narrative, these seamen were
never in the pay Of the United States
government. but received their regular
pay from the Russian government upon
their return to Russia. For this reason
their names were probably never on the
rolls Of our navy, although they took an
oath to serve the United States "as long
as needed
The narrative I am about TO relate is
absolutely true. l am certain It's author.
the old sailor, 1 have known for some
time. and know him to be absolutely
honest and truthful I know. and as he
himself says. that for years after quitting
the sea he was one of the worst OF
drunkards. not drinking" as he says,
but pouring down whisky" In some
manner he came into contact with the
Salvation Army. was converted, and has
ever since been sober, upright, honest
man. and a very enthusiastic worker IN
the Salvation Army.
4 Participants Narrative.
Il was born in Neustead. Finland, IN
the year 1876. In 1S6, when only eleven
years old. / went aboard a Finnish SAIL
ing vessel plying between Neustead and
Lubeck. Prussia. From that time until
1853 I was continually on the sea, and ali
the time on Finnish vessels. In 1863, while
my ship was in London, I deserted and
went back 10 my home IN Finland.
was there arrested. taken before a court,
tried. and sentenced 70 serve two years
in the Russian navy 1 was placed on
board the Russian man-Of-waT IvanOn
(the spelling may be wrong. a bark
rlgged steam vessel. 1t was, as well as
can remember. in August, 1858, that !
went aboard the Ivanon-
some time In 1864. think in May. while
my ship was al Cronstadt. Russia, I was
asked If were willing to go 10 the United
States and serve in the navy. / was asked
was perfectly willing, and myself. to-
gether with some 400 or 500 other sailors
from Russian men-of-war. lying at Cron-
stadt. were placed aboard \ German pas
senger steamer and sailed for New York
DonBed Uncle Sans Uniform.
we landed at New York In the night
time. and were at once taken to the
Brooklyn Navy Yard. where. within half
an hour, we took the oath Of allegiance
to the United States, and 10 serve in the
United States navy as long as needed
We then changed our Russian uniforms
for these Of the United States navy With
Us were our Russian officers, who could
speak English. captains and lieUtenants.
who were also sworn into the United
States navy. and who changed their uni
forms for those Of corresponding rank
in the United States navy II was nee
essary to have our own officers, because
none OF US sailors could speak English,
and our Russian officers repeated the
commands of the American officers.
we were all placed aboard a trans
port. and that same night before day
light, the night we came there. sailed to
ioin Admiral Farragut's fleet
we joined the fleet in the Mississippi
River below New Orleans, and were dis
tributed among the men-of-waT, I going
10 the Hartford. the admiral's flagship.
We were all sailors. and our duty was to
manage the ship, but in case OF necessity
we helped the gunners.
I'VE laid below New Orleans a while,
then went up the Mississippi and Cruised
around for a time, but had no engage
ments Then We sailed for Mobile Bay.
In the MnintOp with FnrrnEut.
when we ran the forts at Mobile Bay,
I. with four other sailors, was in the
maintop. The maintop is the first land
ing on the middle mast, about forty-five
to fifty feet above the deck. 1t is a cir
cular platform, some ten feet in diameter,
and protected around the sides by armor
a few feet high. Admiral Farragut was
not lashed to the mast, or TO anything
else, but stood on this platform in the
maintop. I know, because I lay on the
floor almost beside his feet I say lay
for as we FIVE sailors were going into the
maintop Farragut told a Russian officer.
Tell the boys to lie down. and we did SO.
The admiral stood up all through the ac-
ton, but was not tied TO anything, and
we sailors tried also to stand up and see
what was going on. but he would not let
US, and made US lie down.
From Mobile Bay we went TO Charles
ton, then TO Savannah. and then TO Hamp-
ton Roads. From here we, the Russian
sailors from the various ships, were sent
to the Brooklyn Navy Yard, and after
waiting for about four weeks for all the
sailors to arrive. we were sent back by
a passenger steamer to CTOnstadt and
placed again board our own ships, 1 GO
ing back to the Ivanoff. When at the
Brooklyn Navy Yard we changed our uni
forms back 70 those Of the Russian navy.