The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1930-07-18

head is filled with white objects. They
are their white caps which they have
hurled aloft, thus signalling their pro-
motion from midshipmen in the acad'
envy to ensigns in the navy, and these
caps. as they fall. are eagerly seized
by visitors at the graduation exercises
as souvenirs.
But most interesting of all Annap-
oils traditions are those which cluster
around a curious statue which for
generations has stood in front of
Bancroft hall. 1t is the figure of a
scowling Indian chieftain, the mock
serious patron saint of the middies-
"Old Tecumseh." the God of %"
who rules over the destinieS of the
future officers of the navy.
All who enter the academy are
warned that the great Indian chief
frownS on skeptics. but will smile on
all believers in his power. 1t is said
that in return for respectful salute
he will grant passing mark in exam
nations, which in the navy is rated as
%. and the midshipmen file past the
stern figurehead of wood. tossing pen
Hies and invoking him to aid their
wooden heads in the imminent quiz
This statue has had an interesting
history. Until this year, ."Old Te-
cumseh" was wooden Indian" that
is to say he was originally the figure.
head of an American warship. the
Delaware. But last May the wooden
statue was replaced with one of
bronze. Originally, too. his name was
"Tamanend" instead of "Tecumseh"
and thereby hangs a tale as interest
ing as that of the Annapolis tradition.
Away back in 1917 the name Della
ware was selected by the commission
ers of the navy for a ship-of-the-line.
which was laid down at the GoSport
navy yard in Norfolk, Va. After con-
sulting senators and representatives
from Delaware, it was decided that
the most appropriate figurehead for
the new vessel was that of the dis
tnguished chief of the Delaware In
dams. Tamanend. The gentlemen from
Delaware informed the navy at that
time that:
the highest veneration among the In
dams. OF all the chiefs and great
men which the Lenape nation ever had
he stands foremost on the list. :.
All we know of Tamanend. therefore.
is that he was an ancient Delaware
chief who never had his equal. He
was in the highest degree endowed
with wisdom. virtue. prudence. charity,
affability. meekness. hospitality = in
short. with every good and noble quail
ification that a human being may pos
sess. He was supposed to have had
an intercourse with the great and good
spirit. for he was stranger to every
thing that is bad
The Delaware. with the great Indian
chief poised on her bow. was a wooden
vessel of 2633 tons displacement,
mounting "a guns and with a COM
pIement of $50 officers and men.
Launched with great ceremony in
1920 she served in Mediterranean and
Brazilian waters. 1t is reported that
she never sailed except under the
broad pennant of commodore.
AT the beginning of the Civil war
the Delaware was out of commission
at the Norfolk navy yard When the
navy yard was destroyed in 1861 she
was scuttled and burned but after the
close of the war what remained of her
hulk was sold to wreckers, who raised
and broke her up for the copper in
1S66-'67 and the fgurehead was sent
TO the naval academy.
In the old naval academy "Taman-
end had place near the Lyceum. a
building devoted to gunnery and close
to the department of seamanship.
When the old building was torn down
to make way for the new academy the
fgurehead was moved to the Seaman
ship building. In 1909 it was brought
forth and given place of honor in
the gymnasium and later placed on a
pedestal facing Bancroft hall.
Gradually the tradition of his mys-
ferrous power of impairing knowledge
was established. Also by this time he
had been renamed "Tecumsehs by the
middies and had become the "GOd OF
25" Later his powers were increased
and he was charged with gaining vic
tories for the navy teams. AS the reg
iment of midshipmen departs for the
big games each platoon gives left
hand salute. to him that the navy may
win that day. Another ceremony is
centered around "Tecumseh." Wher
the final examinations are concluded
the graduating class gathers before
him to read its class history and pay
final homage to his steadfast aid.
In the archives Of the navy is an un
published manuscript, "The Private
Journal of Lieut.. S. G.. Rowan, U. S
Navy" dated 1S41'43, recording al
incident of almost century ago which
earned for"Tecumseh's" ship, the Del
aware, a reputation for gaining favor
with 1.-The powers that be" and helpin.
promotions. This journal, recent,
presented to the navy, contains an &C
count of an Official visit to the Della
ware as she lay of Annapolis and 1T
result, which WA 20 largest promo
ton of officers rh.tll had ever takeI
place in the navy.