The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1909-11-12

he was under engagement to fight
duels with all the British officers on
duty at Gibraltar. He threw hot shot
into the gentlemanly ruffians of the
Barbary states, and he scattered the
pirates who in the first half of the
nineteenth century infested the Gulf
of Mexico.
Stockton entered the navy as mid.
shipman September 1, 1911, when he
was Is years old, and was ordered to
Join the frigate President, which he
did February IA, 1912. There was all
Great Britain and France had taken
men of American vessels and were
impressing them into their service.
The whole coast of the United States
was patrolled by British warships.
The President cruised along the coast
until June 1 and then returned to
New York.
On June Fl. 1912, three days after
the declaration of war with Great
Britain. Commodore Rodgers sailed
from New York in command of
squadron consisting of the President.
Congress, Hornet and Argus. For five
months the squadron ranged the seas
and young Stockton saw plenty of ac<
ton. Rodgers skirted the British
coast for time and got up as much
of a scare in Britain as did Paul Jones
in an earlier day. When the squadron
returned, after sailing $4,000 miles, it
had captured many vessels, and the
fame of Rodgers was established.
BY reason of his family's position
the young midshipman was appointed
aide to the secretary of the navy and
remained in Washington until the cap
ital was attacked by the British and
congress fled. Then he went back
to active service. He was Commodore
Rodgers aide in the defense of Balti-
more, and conducted himself so gal
lantly that he was promoted lieuten-
ant. Pretty good record: lieutenant
in the navy at Is.
1t was after the close of the war OF
1912 that Stockton got real busy. The
rulers of the Barbary states had been
preying on American commerce and
holding Americans for ransom, and
Commodore Decatur was sent to the
Mediterranean with squadron con-
sisting of the Guerrero, Macedonian,
Constitution, Ontario, Epervier, Fire
fly, Flambeau, Spark, Spitfire and
Torch to teach a lesson to them.
Stockton sailed as junior lieutenant
on the Guerrero, but was transferred
soon after to the Spitfire, in which
vessel he acted as first lieutenant.
The squadron had been in the Medi.
terranean but few days when the
Guerrero and Spitfire fell in with the
Algerian frigate Missouri, A guns.
In the chase the Spitfire kept side by
side with the Guerrero as she ap-
preached the corsair When, to avoid
getting between the Guerrero and
the enemy, the Spitfire ran close un-
der the stern of the Algerine, and the
Guerrero was ranging up broadside to
broadside at the moment the action
was opening. Stockton suggested to
Capt. Dallas that they never would
have such good opportunity to OBJ
serve the effect of frigate's broad
side, and asked leave before the Spit
fire took part in the action to go out
on the bowsprit and watch the effect
of the Guerriere's first broadside.
He went to the extremity of the
bowsprit and remained there while
two broadsides were fred. He came
back and said: "They are firing wild
". Let's go to work and knock in the
cabin windows of the pirate" During
the remainder of the half hour the
Spitfire, with her 32-pounder, poured
in a raking fire, until the guns of the
Algerine were silenced. When she
struck her flag she proved to be q
ship of the Algerine admiral. He was
killed with 80 of hts men. No one was
killed on the Spitfire and only four
wounded on the Guerrero.
For four or five years after the AL
gerian war Stockton was on cruise.
first in the Washington and later in ,
the Erie.