The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1909-12-02

Sumter and Moultrie.
Naval officers lived comfortably and
pleasantly aboard ship, except on the
ironclads where the ventilation was poor
and the heat terrific. They had good
quarters, fair table, and plenty of SER
wants. The marines and sailors slept in
hammocks below deck. Squads, called
messes, received the mess allowances
from the cooks, spread mess cloths upon
the deck, clustered around cross-legged,
and enjoyed their rations as they told
stories of marvellous adventures.
Every officer and man had his station
and duties indicated by number or name
upon Watch Quarter and Station
Bill, - for every maneuvre and condition
of the vessel. When the drum and fife
called to Quarters, or the officer-of
deck gave orders for any important
maneuvre, all went as regular as clock
work. The precision of action and lack
of confusion were pleasing to see and
admirable in their disciplining effects.
The great crews carried by war ves-
/ sells made individual labor light, and
there was opportunity for reading,
music and sociability.
The great change in naval vessels since
the war has abolished many old navy
maneuvres and rendered machinists
about as important in the fighting
machines as the sailors. With the sup
preston of sailing ships, the glory of
/ the sailor has departed, and Cooper and
Marryatt may be read as ancient his
tory
| Officers and sailors are often given
liberty on shore for exercise and amuse-
ment, and, though they are likely to run
into excuses from long isolation, vice in
Uncle Sans navy is much less than
landsmen suppose. 1t is mistake to
think that naval officer is necessarily
roue, OF a common sailor vile in con-
duct and morals.
Naval vessels visit all parts of the
world to look after the interests of
American citizens, and to let nations
know there is such place as the United
States of America, with power to main
tain her rights. They look pretty, fire
salutes. and exchange dinners and COM
pliments. Most nations judge each
other by the size and power of their
men-of war. Hence the necessity of
strong navy for moral effect, as well as
for protection. A few vessels were
kept on foreign stations during the Civil
War but the good ones were ordered
home and took part in the conflict.
War vessels blockaded the southern
ports to prevent supplies going in, and
products Of the South going abroad;
they protected places that had fallen in
to our hands, and operated with the
army in destroying rebel supplies, salt
works, rendezvous, and Notifications.
They menaced and attacked torpedo
boats and ironclads that sought to open
ports, and drove them back into har-
! bors. Every navigable inlet from Hamp-
ed by one or more men, of-war, and their
armed boats lay in smaller channels by
night and explored the rivers during the
day, destroying boats and capturing YES
sells. Boats crews often went forty to
fifty miles up rivers, destroyed bridges
and rebel rendezvous, captured bush
whackers and ouJposts, rescued slaves
! and Union men, and seized vessels full of
cotton, waiting for the dark of the
moon to run past the blockaders to Mas
sau or Havana.
/ The large steamers that ran into Mo-
bile, Charleston and Wilmington carried
full cargoes of arms ammunition, equip
ments, clothing and drugs, and We're Of
( ten more valuable inbound than out
bound. Some sold for a quarter of a
million dollars, and one such capture Of
ten made the captors wealthy.
The army enabled US to gather GU
vessels in harbors for repairs and sup
plies, as at Norfolk, Port Royal and
Key West, and they protected army
posts. for the rebels did not like shells
from the Y ankee gunboats. A gunboat
soon cleared the shores and the army
could land unmolested. Thus co-opera-
ton was mutually advantageous and sue
cessful.
History records how the naval vessels
demolished Notifications, led the army
transports, opened and kept up com
munications, covered the landings, and
/ echoed the advancing, artillery roar and
musketry rattle, with heavy broadsides
and ear-splitting rifle reverberations.
/ Upon the James, St. Johns, Cumber-
/ land, Tennessee and Mississippi, what
could the army have done without the
navy? The right or left wings of the
lines of battle were often held by flying
artillery pivot guns upon white winged
ships. Whoever turned their flank or
saw them falter? Down past Island
Number 1G, Vicksburg, Port Hudson,
up past Fort Jackson and St. Philip,
they struggled and stormed against
sunken stones, vessels, chains, fire.
RATS, rams, armored ships, and hurri-
canes of shot and she'll and cO-Operated