Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-07-23

federate Naval cadets and the
Academy on the James" from the
pan OF DR.. John w. Harris is from
n leat OF time ycllowcd scrapbook
the possession OF ,he writer of this
article:
1T may not be known In the North
that oven amid the throes OF a ter
: rihc revolution. IN which every re-
source OF the South for attack and
defense was taxed to tn. uttermOs,.
her government had established and
conducted through three ycars of Its
existence a regularly organized and
weN-perfected naval school for the
education OF IT'S officers Early in
1867 prospectus appeared In one
of the Richmond papers announcing
tho formation OF an Academy for tho
instruction OF Midshirmcn. and soon
after, by regular congressional APP
pointmeDts, the various districts Of
the Confederacy were being alicd. II
was modelled strictly upon tho An
napolis system but candidates were
not required to 20 into competitive
examinations ana tho appointments
were chiefly given 10 those whose
social and politica! Influence was ex-
tensive. The combinations. previous
to admission. we're, o; course. search
Ing and risid, ami no youth lacking
fitness succeeded. lot his social or po-
ltticai status he what Il might. As
consequence the classes vi the
academy were made up Of young men
belonging TO the gentle class oil so
ciety and many Of them nearly re-
lated TO the highest military and
civil officers OF the government
The school was placed under the
command OF Captain William II.
Parker. a lieutenant of the old SER
vice and brilliant officers. who.
when occupying the rank Of passed
Tnidshipmau had published treatise
on Practical S"lmHnship.' used as
textbook IT Annapolis and suhsc
auently by The Confederate schoo!.
Assistant Instructors N the various
departments we're also detailed. some
81 them elevcs Of Annapolis and
others men " high scholarship Sc
lcCtci from the army. The steamer
Yorl5lown. " hiCh a few months no
for" had participated in the conflict
OF the Merrimac md Monitor as a
tender To the former ship. was fitted
IN, EiNcn the name O. Patrick
Henry and anchored on tho shore
batteries n, prury's Bluff. whore the
schcoi was Quartcred in cottages
built for The purpose. Here She re-
manned for a short time and was
then lowed up the river 10 within
two miles OF Richmond. where shc
LAY F"r nearly year. with ths en-
.iuo academy on board. and finally.
about eight months previous to the
surrender, was moved M 10 the city
mud lay ~ Rockets, whore she PER
.sh"d ,ragically in the flames OF the
I'd or April, 1865.
Approaching the End.
"purlnE March. 1853, the health OF
the crew ncramc impaired by the
foGlncss ot hlgr water. and the mid
sniHmeu were removed from tho ship
a1d chartered I'm a large tobacco fac
Tory On ;hc corner ~ Twcnty-fourth
aud Franklin Streets. the writer in
cuirrauy with twelve or lftccn
others having been sent TO the Naval
Hospital In the city some two weeks
previous. On sunday. the I'd OF April.
there were anxious looks upon the
far.s OF tho medical officers OF the
hospital, and about 1 O'Clock la tho
afternoon, midsh!pman coming
iuto Tho ward TO see u sick comradc.
met the i""rs and amused express
SONS OF many OF us becnuHe he was
armrd ana equipped as an infantry
soldier. With NlrtridRe- and bayo-
net on his bell, instead ~ Tho dainty
d~css sword OF the Confederate mid
d. His father was an army officer.
high In command and he was greeted
with such salics rs say I'D. when
did you change service Daddy
has promoted him TO an army staff
position High >pr,VHt- in the hear
rank How VIII YOU FIX your rcla-
tive rank Horse marine" etc. etc.
IN" qnizzin. OF gang of ili-fed
mldshipn"m was a.ienccd.H however.
when tn. visitor informed Ms that a,
O'clock hat day orders had been is
sued for the corps to BE armed as
infantry and that they had been
marched 10 the naval storehuuse IN
d"ubi"-Quick time and supplied with
all the Announcements with which
We found him. other rurnors came in
that members Of n" senior class and
some passed inidshipmen had been
seen as officers in infantry marching
Through The streets and that nava!
brigade had been formed and the
irou-clsd >.Iadron at Drury's BluI
had been abandoned
An Evening or Unrrrtninty.
Then began a hustle IN and about
the wards, and a. SHUTDOWN the state
ineni was freely banded around that
the President and Cabinet had left
the city. and that y Was 10 be
evacuated at once ST : o'clock the
writer and two comrades All en-
feebled by weeks ~ ..lness. drove I'm
the hospital an nulance 20 The quar-
tiers of m" midshipmeu. a, tho fac
tory, and found il empty on one Of
the upp"r floors was ~. MAHOGANY.
tame ana n" SILVER table service Of
IN" warr room. Kept watcn ov,. hv
on old hoa's~ains mate ana sitting
in solemn state ~ me bottom ~ b.
drinking coffee ana eating crsck.rs
was the second lieutenant 10 hin
We mentioned lhc minors asked
where the boys mad gone and r..