The Washington times., 1917-09-10
At 74ADMIRAL
SERVES IN
HIS THIRD CONFLICT.

& BALTIMORE. Sept 1O.-Actively
engaged in doing his ''bit" In his
third war, Rear Admiral Luther
Giteau Billings, a man of remarkable
experiences, is among those OF unique
distinction in Baltimore.
Veteran OF the civil war, the last
surviving officer OF the United
States ship Water Witch in the earth
quake and tidal wave at africa, Peru.
in 1866, and the former head OF the
Coast Signal Service during the
Spanish-American war, he now Is at
the head OF the fifth naval districts
purchasing office. His headquarters
Is In the custom house.
In spite Of his age Che will be
seventy-hve years old December 81
next) he is as alert mentally and
physically. as any man OF thirty. A
few days ago he went alone on a
shooting trip on the Patuxent river,
met two tides and bsgged sixty birds.
Nothing appeals to him more than a
good gun and plenty of birds.
~HoIIow Ship Surprised Him.
A New Yorker by birth he became
a paymaster in the Government en-
ploy when eighteen years old. Il was
such q greenhorn to the sea and
boats" he said yesterday, "that when
1 was assigned to the man-of-war
Water Witch in the civil war didn't
know the ship was hollow"
The Water Witch. more like a yacht
than q war vessel, was blockading
Savannah, Ga, in 1854 with the Union
fleet In Assabaw sound a Confed
crate war boat was encountered. The
two ships came alongside each other
In the bloody fight. Pistols and cut
lasses were the weapons used.
Though he was a paymaster young
Billings used his pistol and as the
result of his conspicuous gallantry
he was advanced three grades to the
rank OF captain. He was wounded
thrice by cutlasses and taken
prisoner. For seven months he was
held by the Confederates before his
exchange. While q prisoner he was
confined in numerous Southern jails
and fortresses-
On one occasion he and q few com
rades managed to break prison. They
headed toward the coast, hoping to
make their way to the Union fleet.
A swamp about three miles in extent
was encountered. By swimming,
lodging snakes. wading through mud,
nearly hip deep at times, they man
aged to struggle through fvs hours,
only to be captured by q posse with
thirty-four hounds.
In Path Of Tidal Wave.
On August 6, 1866, he was paymas-
ter aboard the United States ship
water witch, which was doing cruis-
ing duty and had stopped at africa,
Peru. One afternoon an earthquake
destroyed the city Of africa, its har-
Dor and all ships therein, with the
exception of the Water Witch. Where
the city had stood q sandy plain ap-
peared There were $50 men aboard
the Water witch, which was placed
high and dry by the quake. Only
one man from the Water Witch was
lost. He was in a small boat, and was
carried to sea with the receding
waters.
At 10 o'clock the same night came
q tidal wave, lifted the Water Witch
and plunged 1t inland. Those aboard
the vessel believed they were doomed,
for they were head direct for a rocky
fort, forty feet high, that Peruvians
had garrisoned with 200 men and
cQulppCu "AAA I"O
ITS uncomfortable" said Rear Ad-
miraI Billings, but just as we were
reconciled to the belief we were to
be crushed, the fort disappeared.
Whether the water closed over 1t or
the earth opened none could say. We
passed over the srot where 1t had
stood. Our ships was unframed. The
wave beached US within seventy-five
feet of q perpendicular rock Of the
Andes, two miles inland. The vessel
still is where It was deposited by
the wave"
Captain Billings was in active ser.
vice until 1910. Then he was retired
with the rank OF Rear Admiral. His
presence here was brought about
through the request he made about a
month before the United States broke
relations with Germany to be put in
service. He is the ranking officer in
the Paymasters' corps and the first
of his grade to be called out from
the retired list.
rUIHIrn IT nDCDc TAVC