The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-08-20
SAYS LINCOLN
NEVER FAILED
TO KEEP WORD
Interesting Letter Written by
Eighty.Y -0Id Sea Fight
err of the West.

| I'll VI lIIC WHO'LL
The following interesting story,
written for the Saturday Blade by
George Wilson, Of Bay Center, Pacific
county Wash, now 50 years old and
during the Civil War able seaman OF
the United States gunbOat Seminole,
and later civilian cook with Illinois
troops, is attested by George T. Ken
nedy notary public and furnishes
further proof that President Lincoln
never failed to keep promise.
! EDITOR BLADE:
A recent issue OF your famous week
Iy contained an article headed, Lin
coins Promise Obeyed," in which is
stated that a promise made over a
half century ago was about to be full
filled in the case Of John Driscoll, Of
Hampton, Va, whose desire seemed to
be to pass through the Panama canal
on one Of Uncle Sans modern battle
when he served as a fireman on the
ships, asa contrast to the period
worthy foe of the then considered
fighting marvel, the MerTimac.
The article states that John Drs-
coll is said to be the oldest living sur
vivor Of the battle between the Moni-
tor and the Merrimac.
We are all glad to know that John
is still on earth and able to not only
desire to engage in a Panama trip,
but to be able to undergo it, and the
writer hopes to be able to hear from
others Of that historic era OF the
navy.
Perhaps some Of your readers will
be interested in knowing about anoth-
I err and yet older survivor Of that
strenuous event, and while the writer
was not one of the crew of the Mont
tor he was an able seaman Of the
United States gunboat Seminole, which
fought the Merrimac after its engage
ment with the Monitor; in fact, was
in the last combat of shot and shell
with that historic terror Of the seas,
the rebel Merrimac, before it blew up
and by its self-destruction relieved us
all of considerable nervous strain.
1t is my purpose in this short sketch
to show that President Lincoln never
forgot promise made, and never
overlooked the opportunity to make
one when he considered the occasion
worthy Of it, In order that the Blade
readers may feel reasonably certain
that l know whereof ! speak, I will
state that l have, Decides other Gre
dentials, my navy medal No lilo, in
( inscribed as follows: Omitted States
/ Navy: For Service. George Wilson,
Able Seaman, U. s. S. Seminole" This
medal contains on one side the illus
tration OF the battle between the two
iron clads and other schips of the line.
Joined Navy Before the War.
I Previous to the breaking out OF the
/ Civil war, ! had Joined the navy, al
though | had but recently arrived
from my native country, Norway, and
could but scantily speak, or under
stand. the American language.
Although am now so years old, and
have lived the life of western pion-
Ger. my mind is still clear as to the
events OF those stirring days. which
condition. no doubt can he attributed
to the vigorous outdoor life have
lived on the salt waters Of Willapa
harbor as an oyster tongcr for many
years, as well as ranchcr
Previous to the "unpleasantness"
between the North and South I had
been an able seaman on the United
States steamship North Carolina. but
had been transferred to the United
States gnboat Seminole, where I
served for nearly three years, re-
ceiving an honorable discharge.
On the Seminole I served as first
shell man." second "pumpman," and
was stationed in the "forctop." was
one who passed the elevon-inch "fue
shells" which. although in those
times were considered some she'll
would suffer by comparison with the
modern battleship offering.
I was present at Fortress Monroe
when President Lincoln and his cabi-
net visited there, and had the pleas
ure of both seeing him and hearing
him talk, praising as he did the valor
Of the men who had taken part in the
undoing Of the greatest menace to
our navy, our shipping and our coast
cittes-the ronclad Merrimac.
1t was upon this occasion that Pres
ident Lincoln made the promise that
whatever We men of the navy wished
that is, within reason of course
in the way Of a special favor, would
be granted and | felt then, as l now
know, that he meant it, and that the
promise would be respected by his
. successors in after life.
Becomes an Army Cook.
After my discharge from the Semi
mole | wandered west as far as Spring
field and Chicago, ILL.,, whree I became
acquainted with members Of the
! Eighty-second Illinois regiment, and
having nothing else in view Just then,
and the war not yet over with I was
prevailed upon to accompany the regi-
ment as company cook. ! at first hest
tated, as did not wish to enlist, as
wished to he free to rejoin the navy
at some later date, but after some
considerable persuasion on the part
Of the privates, agreed TO go along,
but as a civilian only agreeing to ac-
cept payment at certain figure per
head per month. ! remained with the
/ Eighty-second for nearly year, much
against my wishes at times, as I Was
growing restless for the salt air, but
always being treasured by both the
! officers and men Of the regiment that
the war would end soon-possibly in
few days" ! being foreigner, did
not doubt, but stuck TO my post Dur
/. ~ tLo voor with tho rnpir,nnf no