The National tribune., 1910-10-06

have frequently been requested by
companions of the Loyal Legion ana
| of the Grand Army, and have more than
once been approached by book publish
ing firms. to write my naval remints-
ceDses. and to tell particularly how L
rose from an ordinary seaman" Ca sea-
man second-class) to the rank of Rear
Admiral, the only precedent IN our Navy
to this date!
| Please do not consider me as speak
ing egotisticaIIy. l have here merely
briefly stated officially condensed facts,
so as to come within the Is minutes
allowed to those who address you this
evening.
| | anu sure there were many other en-
listed men in the navy during the civil
war who deserved honor and promn-
tion, but who may not have been so
fortunate in opportunities as was
After ALL opportunities as they occur
| and doing ones duty promptly, to the
best ability. leads to success in life
in every sphere.
| You all well know how many brave
land deserving men have risen IN the
Army from a private to high rank, even
to the command of the Army. My first
reference, l dare say, applies to many
| here this evening; but in our Regular
| Navy it was always traditionally held
| that every comm issiOned line officer
must enter the service rs a Midship-
man. never direct from the enlisted
! forces
! Some years after the civil war several
ienlisted naval apprentices entered the
! Naval Academy rs Midshipmen and
graduated. They now hold the well-de-
iserved rank of Rear-Adrlirii.
! Within the last 10 years the laws and
regulations bearing on this question
have been relaxed and modified, thus
! making il possible for warrant officer
! Of the Navy who previously entered the
service IS an enlisted man to rise to
! commissioned line officer
To be inteIligcntlN understood it is
necessary for me to give a short sum-
mary of my early life, to explain how /.
who never saw the ocean until almost
IA wears old. came to choose sailors
| life. and thus made it possible for me to
| enter the Navy.
Early Life.
Nv parents, during the German inn,
migration to Texas in 1912, settled on a
ranch on the Salado River, near San
Antonio, not many miles from the fam
Gus Alamo Mission. Until l was eight
years old ! spoke and was taught only
! in the German language, hence my ac-
| cent. You may learn to speak every
foreign language and pass as a born
|
speak English from the cradle up it will
retain a certain accent to its dying day.
At the age of eight 1 was sent to New
Orleans to a French school, and there
| learned my first English. / remained
| in this school until 1 was II years old.
and then entered what was called the
Preparatory University School at Don
jacksonville, near Baton Rouge, La. Some
Years later, with several other schol-
ars, / got into a boyish scrape, and
| thinking IL meant dismissal--which L
found cut afterwards was not the case
| | went to New Orleans, and following
the strong inclination I always had for
the sea, I shipped as boy on board
the American sailing ship ST. Charles
bound for New York with load of cot
ton.
The life at sea, as I found It, rather
jdisilIusioned me, and upon my arrival
lat New York called on a relative, who
Iseveral years later was killed at Brandy
Station, Va. IreceiYed cold welcome,
went back to a sailors boarding house,
and in a few days was shipped as an
ordinary seaman on board the American
sailing ship Petronilla, bound for Cal
lao Peru. She was what was called in
those days "man-killer;;" brutal treat
ment to all sailors. / learned my early
practical profession in rough school.
We had heavy gales off Cape Horn. The
ship sprang a leak, and 1t was steady
pumping until our arrival at Callao
after a SO days passage.
Discharged. 1 shipped as an ordinary
seaman on board the American sailing
ship Rock Light, of Bath, Me. bound
for New York with cargo of guano-
We had q crew of beachcombers, a
wretched set. Out of "a so-called sail
ors not more than six could reef and
steer" I did a full seaman's duty on
the pay of S11 per month, for my wages
were not increased OFF the river Platte
on the Brazilian coast, during heavy
"pampero," our cargo shifted, and for
four days and nights we were shoveling
the constantly moving gpano. I shall
never forget the strong ammonia stencil.
lOften the men were overcome and had
to be hauled on deck. We arrived in
New York after 126 days passage. 1
made several voyages to the West India
Islands in coasting vessels, and was Wis
iting at Pittsburg, Pa, when we heard
of the firing on Fort Sumter.
Full of Patriotism
), Full of boyish patriotism, altho born
and brought up in the South, went to
New York and Joined the Naval Bri-
gade, raised by an ex-Lieutenant of our
Navy. a Capt. Washington Bartlett. In
Il few days ne enlisted over 1000 mer-
chant sailors. No provisions were made
for quarters or subsistence. and general
bad management broke up the force as
quickly as it had been enlisted.
l then presented myself at the Navy
RENDEZVOUS for enlistment, and was
told that no persons born in
a Southern State" were desired
for the Navy. Next day went
back, and informed the recruiting Off rer
that / had lived in the South, but vas
born in Germany. When | told my ge
was informed that 1 was too young.
the minimum age for ordinary seaman
being 8 years"
Not discouraged with these many re-
bluffs, in a few days / visited another
naval recruiting station. and now hav-
ing my story pat" regarding age and
nativity, l was enlisted after a thoro
mental and physical examination on
April %, 1861. 49 years ago to-day. as
an ordinary seaman (seaman second
class). at $l4 per month for three years,
or the war, for few persons beliered in
those days that the war would last more
than three months.
may mention here that it took me
years to have my record of birth and