The Republican journal., 1910-05-26
March 9. 1862. Was promoted for gal
liant service August l, 1862.
THos. ]. WOODWARD.
Late s.. Navy.
A MARITIME INCIDENT

Which Occurred Many Years Ago BROUGHT
to Mind Through Careful Reading of Cur.
rent Newspapers.
[Capt. George L. Norton in the Marine Journal
In a recent issue of the Bath, Me-,
Daily Times there appeared lengthy
article on the successful sea experience
of Cant. Lemuel H. Soule, now living in
retirement on his farm in Woolwich, Me-,
at the age of rs. The article is descrip-
tive of the extraordinary career OF "a
mariner on many SEAS. his thrilling res
cue from death. mishapss, and successes
of half century ago., Certalnly a
splendid record and one that Capt. Soule
in his declining years should have par,
donahle nr;de. in The writer perused
this interesting personal history from
beginning to end in consequence OF nav
ing known this strenuous mariner many
wears ago through rather unpleasant
Conditions wherein the writer won de-
cided victory on land over the big brusque
sailor that attracted considerable atten-
ton at the time and will doubtless be
remembered by some Of our older read
ers. We would not think OF printing
these facts if they in the least discredlt-
ed that which appeared IN the Bath
' II was during the year 1871 or '72 that
Can't. Soule arrived at the port of New
Orleans in the bark mot ship as stated
in the Times) Shatemuc with cargo OF
salt. The writer, who was harbor master
at the time, berthed the vessel opposite
a salt warehouse to which her cargo was
| consigned. After the Shatemuc was ais
charged we instructed capt: oouie 10
haul outside the two snlps IN the TIER
ahead, so as to let the ship kentucklan
of Boston, Capt. Sears, dlscnarge ner
cargo of salt into the warehouse: DIS was
the custom of the port. ne reluseu W
do so, saying that he should keep the
berth he had until Re could get one oe.-
ter than outside of two otner shlps'
day or more was lost IN trying TO con-
vince Capt. Soule that the demand was
necessity and reasonable one, pu. ne
was firm in his determlnatlon 10 resist
any interference with his ideas; hence IL
became necessary to notify him that the
next morning we should move his ship IN
conformity to the port regulations.
AS it looked then, it was to be strenu-
GUS morning, as Capt. Soule was stall
wart six-footer weighing perhaps, 2oo or
more while the harbor master (the VIII
teri was only about five feet four, weigh
| ing but 14O Notwithstanding this dis
crepancy in size and weight, we walked
aboard the Shatemuc at the hour stated,
i met our insubordinate captain OF the
quarter deck, bid him good morning, and
notified him that a tugboat would be
| alongside soon with a crew OF men to
move his ship unless he decided to do it
| himself. After few words that it's not
necessary to print the captain of the
| Shatemuc put on his coat and hat and
| descended over the side, doubtless to get
what sympathy he could from his con-
| signee. When he came back to his ship
! that afternoon he found her well made
| fast outside of two others that were load
ing, and to his credit be it said, there
were no further differences between us
while he was in port.
Our readers are doubtless curious to
know why Capt Soule refused to comply
with the request of the authorized Of
fetal who made it. We can only state
what was learned second hand after
ward, which was that Capt. Soule SYM
pathized with the 'lost cause;;" in other
words, as termed in New England during
the civil war, was "copperhead, and
didn't believe that the Republican State
government of which the harbor master
f! was an officer, should control Southern
State like Louisiana, consequently it was
in order to make such as uncomfortable
and as much trouble as he could. 1t was
losing game, however, and cost the own
ers of the Shatemuc something more
than if their representative had prompt
ly complied with the port regulations.
During those trying times of recon-
struction in the Southern States, the
writer had dealings with one other ship
master, notably the late Capt. William
Strickl and, whose political opinions when
in the port of New Orleans were OF the
opposite character to what they were
when in Maine, the State of his nativity,
from which the writer halls, and to which
he has ever been loyal. We are pleased
to be able to state that through such
loyalty we never suffered any indignlty
from a native southerner during our
thirteen years official life in the Crescent
City. 1t was the native of New England
who went there "befoh de wah' that
made the most of the trouble after it
was over. Capt. Soule's consignee was
one of these.