Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-09-11
STORY Of THE ESSEX
SAID TO Be INCORRECT
DR.. Ames Alleges Errors in
Statements Made by Dr..
Aughinbaugh.
To the Editor Of The Star:

To the Editor Of The Star:
Respect for history impels me to ask
that you publish this note. Under the
heading Bodies Of Leaders Lie in Foreign
Land" in last evenings Star. DR.. Aughin-
baugh has given for publication num-
Der Of errors, which are consequently
misleading.
In 1876. while attached to the Z. 9. 8.
Richmond, flagship Of the South Pacific
station. attention Was called by DR.. Trum-
bull of Valparaiso to the graves Of the
men who were killed in the fight between
the Essex and the British vessels Phoebe
and Cherub. Their graves were scat
tered, most Of them having been buried
at Reef Topsail, a headland at the en-
trance to the harbor Of Valparaiso. DR..
Trunbull "a missionary and DR.. Page
Gan American physician had moved some
Of the bodies, by their own efforts, to the
foreign cemetery; but it was too heavy
an expense to allow them the compile
ton of their kind and patriotic desire,
to assemble all the bodies.
There was only written memorandum
Of what had been done, but DR.. Trum-
bulls statement so much aroused my IN
terest that ! enlisted the sympathy Of Of
ficers and men and the matter was turned
over to me. l wrote out brief history.
with requests for contributions, which
were posted on the Richmond. Omaha
and Onward, and l also secured,
through an aunt. a small SUBSCRIPTION
from Marblehead. Mass, as several
Marblehead men were among those
killed.
Money Expended.
The money thus collected was given to
DR.. Trumbull, and was SO judiciously ex-
pended by him that all the bodies were
at last gathered in one spot and the sim
pie tomb erected, inscribed with the
names Of the dead and the brief legend
which it now bears. / will remark here
that all cemeteries in foreign countries
are, from the nature of things. OBSCURE,
but well known by all officials and foreign
residents. while hardly ever by the
money was raised entirely by our officers
and sailors, with the exception OF the
above mentioned contribution, and that
no foreigners were asked to nor did they
take any part.
Reaching home after that cruise, I saw
Admiral Porter, whose father, Commodore
Porter, commanded the Essex, talked
over the whole matter, telling him what
had been done and questioning the ad-
visibility of securing q more elaborate
monument. His reply was in substance:
Let them rest where they are! Our
sailors graves are marked all over the
world by their ShipmateS. RepuDncS are
ungrateful by forgetfulness: the episode
Is forgotten except by those who follow
the sea. Let them rest, with this simple
monument to suffice"
Inaugurated by the Navy.
I wish to impress the fact that the
movement to gather the heroes OF the
Essex, to be marked with a monument,
was inaugurated in 1876 by the officers
and the men of the navy.
A full account of the fight with the
cruise of the Essex, one of the most re-
markable and interesting in our naval
history, can be found in the life of Com
modore Porter, An examination Of it will
show numerous errors in 1.-The story OF
the fight as given in the article by DR..
Aughinbaugh as facts. | do not SYM
pathize with the plea to bring the bodies
to Arlington.
HOWARD E. AMES,
Medical Director L. S. n. (retired).