Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-05-09

academy to Newport, the academy's s
Fifty years ago today the famous old
frigate Constitution was saved from pos
sible damage or loss by the arrival at
Annapolis of a regiment of volunteers
bound for Washington, the Eighth Mas
sachusetts
Lying in the waters of a border state,
in which the public mind was greatly
infiamed because. troops destined for the
federal capital had been moved the day
before across its soil, the old ship might
easily have been cut adrift or set on
fire by boat load Of men from Balti-
more.
The people of Annapolis were greatly
wrought up by the reported approach
of Yankee troops. Their sympathies
were largely with the south
At the naval academy Commandant
George S. Blake had no adequate force
with which to protect federal property.
The Constitution lay off the academy
with a small crew on board, in command
OF Lieut.. G. w. Rodgers
| Only proper force afloat was needed
by friends of the south to seize her and
add her to the navy that the Confeder-
ate states hoped soon to bring into being.
The hour was a critical one in the long
record of the old ship. Her commander
was prepared TO scuttle her and see her
settle, a useless hulk, into the mud of the
Severn, before he would surrender her.
Thus danger beset the old ship from
without. and within.
The Massachusetts regiment arrived at
Annapolis in the small hours before
dawn on the 21st on board large rail-
road car ferryboat the Maryland that
had brought them from Perryville on
the Susquehanna,9 it having been found
/ they could not march through Baltimore.
/ BOARDING THEA CONSTITUTION.
When the Maryland came to anchor.
near the Constitution, the town was light
ed up and wide awake.
When daylight had come and Gen. B.
F. Butler commanding the Eighth learn
ed of the small force on board the
/ frigate he offered the services of some
of his men to help protect her and work
her out of the river to deep water, so
that she could sail for the north.
Two companies were detailed from the
regiment to board the ship and reinforce
her crew. In their ranks were men from
Salem, Lynn. Gloucester and Marble
head. waterside communities, in which
every man knew something about ships.
The soldier-sailors at once set about
assisting the crew in an effort to get
the ship out of the harbor. She was
aground, and could not at once be moved,
The Maryland had also grounded.
The arrival of .he steamer Boston from
Philadelphia with the Seventh regiment
of New York on board afforded a means
of freeing the gallant old ship from the
mud, and under tow of the Boston she
was taken out over the bar, to sail for
the north
The handy young men from Gloucester
way helped bend the sails Of the frigate'
eating the while rations from her stores
that included hard tack stamped ls4S
the year 1t was baked and raw pork that
had been packed the same year
BALTIMORE AVOIDED
While the incident of saving from pos
sible damage or loss the veneraole old
ship revered by Americans, north and
south. was picturesque it was less sig
niacant than the arrival itself of the
nrst volunteers to use the new route
from the north to the federal capital.
This showed not only that there was
mo desire to invite bloodshed in Balti-
more by marching troops through the
city, but also that there was a road
open from the north that might be fol-
lowed without unduly arousing the feel
ings of the people of Maryland's chief
city.
The route followed by the Eighth Mas
sachusetts and Seventh New York was
the safest one from Philadelphia to
Washington, since the way through Bal
timore was no longer open.
The Eighth Massachusetts, regiment,
which had left Boston for Washington
on April 49, had been ordered to proceed
through Baltimore. The regiment reach
ed Philadelphia on the evening of the
18th
When General Butler reached Philadel-
phia on the goth he was informed by
Samuel M. FELTON,, president of the Phil
adelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore rail-
road, that the route to Baltimore was
no longer open, as the bridges between
the Susquehanna river and Baltimore
had been burned the night before, fol-
lowing the clash between the Sixth Mas
sachusetts and the inhabitants of the
| city that had resulted in 16 deaths.
NEW ROUTE TO CAPITAL.
General Butler spoke impetuously OF
marching to the city, of laying in ashes
any house from which a shot might be
fired at his men. of leaving his bones, il
need be, in Baltimore.
! Mr.. FELTON, persuaded him that as an
open route lay before him, by way of
Annapolis, he would 90 well to follow
it. Conferences were held between Gen
eral Butler, General Patterson, of the
Pennsylvania militia; Admiral Dupont
| coHInanudnt OF lhe Ehliduelpnla navy
yard, and others.
The railroad president had devised a
plan fer moving the regiment around
Baltimore by water from PerryvilIe, on
| the Susquehanna- The companys big
car-ferry boat Maryland was ready for
use as transport.
| General Butler accepted the plan and
on the afternoon of the 10Th the Eighth
Massachusetts arrived by cars at Perry
Vile and marched on board the ferry
boat. which presently started for An.
napolis.
The voyage hither was without incl
dent, but the men, there being about
| 700 on the boat. were extremely un-