Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-07-26
WARshIP MUSEUM
Sloop Portsmouth, Famous as
Sea Fighter, Consigned to
Ignoble Use.
GOES TO PACIFIC COAST
Has Seen Nearly Three-Score and Ten
Years as War Craft and a
Training Ship.

Nearly tEreescOre years and ten of
usefulness, first as a warship and then
as ship on which lighting men are
trained. the sloOp of war Portsmouth is
| to end her days in peace. She will be
sent to San Francisco. where she will
be used as a naval museum. For four
teen years she has been the home of
the First naval battalion, naval re-
serve of New Jersey, and during all
that time she has been moored to piers
at Hoboken, n. ].
For several years the Jersey sailors
have been cramped for room on the old
wooden sea fighter, and the United
States government has given to them
the monitor Tonopah, a more modern
ship. The Portsmouth will soon pro-
coed to the Pacific, going around Cape
Horn.
Conspicuous In the Mexican War.
The state of California has been very
anxious to obtain the old sloop, for she
was one of the most active craft in the
Mexican war, and it was through her
efforts as a blockader that California
was annexed to the Union. On her ar
rival in San Francisco harbor the
Portsmouth will be moored at the foot
of one of the principal streets. She
was built in 1S43 in the New Hamp-
shire city whose name she bears.
Three years later she broke into fame,
in June, 1876, at the outbreak Of the
Mexican war, when her commander,
John B. Montgomery, took possession
of the harbor Of San Francisco, in
which she was the first United States
warship to enter.
In August. 1916. the Portsmouth
took part in the engagement which re-
suited in the capture Of Los Angeles
on the 18th Of the month. Later she
figured in the capture of Monterey.
The next year QS4O, in October, her
guns and those Of the United States
steamer Congress bombarded the city
Of Guayamas. which was reduced in
few hours.
After the close of the trouble withs
Mexico Captain Andrew II. FOote was
placed in command of the Portsmouth
and ordered to China to put an end to
the attacks of the Chinese on Ameri-
can ships. At that time the Chinese
treated all English speaking countries
as enemies.
The big black ship. her sides bris-
thing with guns, kept the Chinese quiet
for a time. but there were occasional
outbreaks, in suppressing one of which
Captain Foote himself led his men in
person.
Earned Title of tho "BIack Devil"
1t was on Nov. 10. 1856. that Captain
Foote was in a cutter crossing the har-
Dor of Canton when one Of the Chinese
forts opened fire. The fact that the
American flag was flying made no diff
ference to the orientals. and when the
fire was taken up by another fort Cap
tain Foote found himself in danger Of
a furious crossflre of grape and CAMS
ter
Returning to the Portsmouth, Cap
tain Foote took up a position in front
of the forts and opened fire. soon 81
lencing the Chinese guns. More than
500 Chinese were killed. and the lesson
was so salutary that never again were
Americans in danger.
Through this engagement the Ports
mouth earned her title of the BLACK
Devil" This was carried until after
the civil war. During the rebellion
she was rather inactive. her principal
service being at the blockade of the
Mississippi by Farragut
After the civil war. having become
antiQuated by the advent of ironclads
and no further opportunities present
ing themselves for her to distinguish
herself. she lay at anchor at the navy
yard until the Jersey naval reserve
wanted her. and she was turned over
to it for a training ship. For several
years she was moored at the foot of
Fourth street Hoboken, and later was
taken to her last berth 1T the foot of
Fifteenth street. She is $50 tons. Full
ly equipped. she carried twenty-five
guns and a crew of 161. The Tonopah.
which is expected to arrive within q
few weeks, will be moored at the same
place, and the Portsmouth will be sent
to the New York navy yard to be pre-
fnr- I, L.,