The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1913-03-03

| she was abeam and only 100 yards dis
| tant. The Florida, by way of reply
| hauled down the British flags and
| crowding on all steam headed into
Mobile Bay. The Union squadron OF
| four ships opened fire at once, and
came very near disabling the auda-
| cious vessel, which managed to limp
under the protecting guns of Fort
Gaines.
A Storm of Rage.
The news of the Floridas escape
aroused a storm of rage in the North
and, acting upon the report of Ad-
miral Farragut, President Lincoln dis
missed Commander Preble, of the
/ Oneida, from the service without trial
| This unfortunate offlcer-the grandson
| of Comm odore Preble, of Algerine wal
/, fame-directed impassionate appeals
to Admiral Farragut, Secretary Welles
and President Lincoln demanding a
court martial and fair play. He was
| finally reinstated by special act of con-
gress.
The subsequent meetings between
Commander Preble AMI the Florida
| and her captain form an interesting
chapter OF F1orida's history. In 1864,
Commander Preble, in command of the
old sloop st. Louis, was cruising off
Funchal. Madeira, and, learning that
the Florida was at anchor in the har-
Dor, sent in a message to Lieut.. Morris.
then in command. requesting him to
come out and meet him in a fair fight.
Though somewhat superior to the st.
Louis, Lieut.. Morris did not deem it
advisable to pit the Florida against
her ancient foe as far greater damage
could be done by destroying Union
| commerce and, accordin gly, he ran out
49, ,1I%o frrf,k
The next meeting was in 1872, when
COMMUNICATION captain-Preble and
Lieut-then plain Mr.-Maffitt ap-
peared in court in Mobile. Mr.. Maffitt
was chief witness for the defense In
a court of INQUIRY to look into Com
mander Preble's conduct at the time
the Florida ran into Mobile Bay ten
years before. He warmly praised his
former adversary's conduct and testi-
fed to the seamanlike manner in
which he had attempted to stop the
Florida Based on this testimony, the
court exonerated Capt. Preble, who for
ten years had been forced to submit
to the humiliation of having been dis
missed from the service without honor
with no chance to clear himself Of the
stigma.
Having finally succeeded In reach
ing a home port, the Florida now ran
into quarantine where a host of doc
tors did their utmost to stamp out the
yellow fever that still ragged on board.
Not until a heavy frost had killed the
then unsupported mosquito, however.
were they successful, and then not
until the gallant Str!bIing had passed
away victim. Lieut.. J. NJ. Stribling
had been an officer on board the
famous little privateer Sumter under
Captain Semmes, and, while returning
to the South on a brief leave of alb
sence to see his young and beautiful
bride stopped in Nassau to take the
first blockade runner into a southern
port. Learning of Lieut.. Maff1tt's
plight on the Florida, however, he
changed his plans and volunteered to
assist in getting the new ship in COM
mission
Nerve Hacking Period.
During the nerve racking period
that elapsed before the Florida reached
Mobile, Lieut.. Stribling was the main
stay of Lieut.. ,aIaffitt He was by his
friends bedside during his illness, and
lent him every announcement and aid
in all the legal entanglements and
naval battles through which the In
domitable captain piloted his ship.
Stribling's reward was death just as
he reached his native shore where his
young bride eagerly awaited his return.
It was indeed a sad -hearted captain
and ships company that laid the gal
liant fellow to rest "at Melrose just
outside of Mobile near Mr.. Stones
country place"
While waiting at quarantine, Lieut..
Maffitt received the following highly
commendatory letter from the secre-
| tary of the navy! which, in the light
OF later events, provided as peculiar
as II was interesting.
Secretary MalIory's Orders
Confederate States of America,
Navy Department, Richmond. Oct. 8,
1852.
"Sir: Your official report of your
arrival at Mobile with the Florida was
duly received, and through Admiral
Buchanan l have rendered the thanks
Of the department to yourself, your
officers and crew for the good service
so well and successfully performed.