The Atlanta constitution. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, January 17, 1893, Image 1

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Newspaper Page Textsßsooa L. XXII IB Ml f FffllL" X Uttle Romance of Country Journalism. Bv Blaver Scott Mines. IWr ttcn fs.r th'; Constitution. Frank Hastings came down to his office one Wednesday morning and found upon his desk thirteen copies ol The Brigiitville Gazette. Being a man of no superstitions he did net attach any premonition of ill luck to tile number, but on opening the first one he found a paragraph circ.ed with a blue pencil mark, and his brain clouded as he read: “it is understood that Frank Hastings. th<' popular 'fbr.ng lawyer, is soon to wed Miss Dorothy Lawrence.” He read the paragraph over again, and then glanced at the remaining dozen papers, each addressed in a different hand. “Confound it,” he muttered, biting his under-lip, while a tint of rose spread from ear to ear, "]’<l like to know who did that. Probably the asinine editor, who wants to run the planetary system and the people on this particular planet us well. Con found it?’ It was a serious matter to Mr. Hastings. He had gone to Brightville to study up his suits for the coming winter, and in the meantime bad made love to Miss Lawrente. The positions were reversed shortly—that is, the law business occupied the meantime, finally there was no law business. Then he returned to town and took up law again with the echo of a “no" ringing in his ears, a decided no, that bad been repeated after an interval of twenty-four hours and was evidently sincere. For six weeks after he had deserted the green country he devoted hhnself to law —dry, musty law that would not let him forget his ideal by force of contrast. It was at the beginning of the seventh week that he found the papers on •ide” with all country editors.” ,r a moment of thought, uddenly decided to go to ■' u n dim idea of thrashing hen reporting to Miss Law 'll! done so. This decision nnt’on as he opened the , found it to be congratula ’• n a mutual friend. Separating "tiiess letters from those addressed in’mi-ar tlmructers he threw the lat iilato'is ’< ’k -t. thinking to rend then ..r r.rightville if he needed er.” a] stimulus to the undoing of . L;ec. ] editoi of that false journal. * J’f.eTtriftndlle Gazette was the leading -per of DttnbV county—in fact the only >e. It appeared every Saturday niorn g. and aceor .fng to a reliable newspaper rev; ..y, ,»rsoj i -t jircwlatian of tifiO opies, which estimate the editor and pub :sher declared to be false, though he never ot the exact figures. Its columns contained summary/ of everything that happened * ’■ previous to its issue, and the jf everybody within range of ye were duly chronicled therein. .‘d ihings that existed only in the imaginntrer, where there was lots n for lots of • hings to exist, but it •er sued for libel because the tran dents didn’t think it worth while, ■ usfolk were only too happy to It.mns. But the very peo le who didn't want Io be ekly in cold type were the the editor wrote, for that hi reasoned that the. duty to* sovietv at large outweighed their’objections. As everybody lived cut of doors in st miner the editor could observe their movements, and his heart was -ad when they went HM.Je. > 1 hen the editor resorted to fiction. Mrs. Poindexter was credited with a dinner she never gave, mid though the villagers were delighted with the account of a Barmecide feast Airs. Poindexter was exceedingly wroth, being tn mourning for a deceased and wealthy rela tive When a full description ol a card partv at Mrs. Winthrop’s was printed in The Rriglitville Gazette society was horrified find the worthv lady herself decidedly angry for she never’had a card (squeezer) inside her house. The editor and proprietor—a certain Matthew Harkins—was highly pleas ed nt the result of his fictions, for they sold more papers and furnished food to the polite Inquisitors of society; and, therefore, contin uing in his e\ il ways, he brought out the disturbing paragraphs on Mr. Hastings. The voting man’s attention had lain noticed by the mute editor and lie r -asoned that if the matter was not settled it ought to be— the result being that I’rank Hastings ar rived at Brightville at 11 o’clock on Wednes day evening and put up at the one hotel in town. The Brightville hotel enjoyed the advan tage t' at m arly all country hotels are bless ed with—that is a near proximity to the railroad. All night long freight trains & M Si tri j '' |7 / 34' / . ■ I 4'' Is * lIH .4 «,! BUT ON OPENING THE FIRST ONE. rumbled up and down, and if there chanced to be an intermission of trains an engine that stood under Hastings’s window would invariablv let off steam a- an interlude. So it went through the long hours of the night until the young man aimliieiiiaiiznl the ed itor, the inventor of the steam engine, and everything in general. But aftei a v.iiile came a period of thought—of thought with out reason that holds us in a half somno lent state. Frank wondered whether it would be wort!: while to sue once more— would she think that he had caused the paragraph to be written? “All’s fair" did riot mean the underhand coercion of the anonymous v titer. No—be would thrash the editor when—when—tired nature, defy ing legions of engines, found relief in sleep.. lie awoke in tie refreshed and full of (Copyright, 1893, by F. S. .Mines.) a wild ambition to see Air. liarkins. It was an overpowering desire, but he curbed it in order to eat a little breakfast. As he sat at the table the hotel proprietor en tered with that half-sliding step so sugges tive of the feline race and peculiar to a hole] man. “Good day, Mr. Hastings.” was bis greet ing. “We are soon to lose one of our Brightville belles. 1 see.” Brightville belles! -luckily the potato was too hot to admit of un immediate and vehement dis claimer. ft ! € ?W4’ I B <44:? 4 1 $ \ '4 W7| MA 7 'l4!A "4444\ / MV I' .A I -fegRSS 4< ; 4t,4444 ' TA-Ab u A ;■ • AZv 7 -- ' ■ ‘•DOROTHY,” HE SAID. “DOROTHY." “I hope you are going to make your resi dence, for a portion of the yeat at least, in Brightville.” eouiinned Boniface, as he moved about- “AYe vonld miss you very much.” It is hard to say what the outcome would have been had not Hastings's good augvi (in disg”ise) stood outside and called loudly fur the proprietor, which summons he obey ed and left the young man alone. “Is this tile beginning?” musr-d that love-smitten press-ridden individual as ho rose from the table. "AVill every man I know come up and inspire me with mur derous thoughts? Am I to be hounded and driven desperate because a tuppenny — no, a live-cent—newspaper, prints a false item about my private affairs? 1 wish 1 had a supply of good old Arabian maledictions. I could dispose of them without injury to my conscience. May the foul fiend fly off with your mother-in-law’s bones. May green dc'-ils ho'd open y< ur eyelids at night! May—spirit of Isis, but 1 am in liard luck!” Then he went forth to heard the lion. A good cigar and the pleasant air restored his equaiiinr’ty, and he didn’t feel half as “iM.'ign as hn ’tanted. An lie neared the office ho saw Mr. laiwrenee’s light wagon standing before the door and at that 1110- moiiF-Mr. La'vren>-e himself emerged from the porta’s of Tb> Gaz< He building. “Hello, Fravk.” he called. <het-iily. grasp ing the young man’s hand. “On the same errand, I’ll be bound. Never mind now —l’ve fixed it and there will be a denial on Saturday. Non get in here and I’ll pick up vur valise on the way to the Imus?. AVe’ll l><«p jeu for a few days now Brat ymi are lure. Non sense,” he continued, as Hastings drew back. “Ycu must come. AA’e’ll show these people that, we don’t care a rap what they say about us. They can deny the engagement and at the same time say that you are spending your time at the Lawrence stronghold. AVhat better way could there be to stop the evil tongues? Come now, get in,” and forthwith Hastings was hustl«»d into iiie wagon. It was not an enviable position—But yet, not so bad if she would understand. ' You are going to deny the report, eh?” asked Mr. Lawrence, suddenly, throwing a train of reflection off the track “How did you hear about it?” “Exactly thirteen copies from thirteen considerate persons reached me yesterday morning.' answered Frank, ‘so 1 deemed it advisable to come out, and if necessary lick the editor. Mr. Lawrence gave vent, to a hearty laugh—then suddenly checked himscil “i rauk,” he said, "go in and win! I'll back you! Never say die'. She’s a good girl but oilunate. You’re bashful- liy it again .’’ A man likes to believe his adored one honest in her decision, even though the lov er rebels. The. man counsels immediate sur render. the lover looks fo‘r parley. The man w ishes to go to the ends of the world— to Africa to the North pole -anywhei : while the lover wants 10 stay where hs is. II is a dual existence the man is proud, the lover humble. However, tiiere was no help i’o’i* it. thought Frank, as the gate was reached ami he ‘resigned himself to the in evitable. The young lady received him graciously. She was even glad to see him. iie imagined, and when her father told her of his blood thirsty desire she laugued right merrily. But she was the same in her manner —evi- dently unchanged in her mind—and mu even the proverbial straw came along. He sat opposite to her at lunch and discussed life with all the graphicuoss of an actual liver— wiieueas he had only existed lately. He said lots about nothing. For a little after lunch the motid man conquered and then he grew so dull and gloomy tnat Miss Lawrence was obliged to iiee irom a prospective tete-a tete and leave him to the tender, mercies of her father who took him out to look at the new chicken house. They played tennis later on —with two dragons watchful of each movement. Mamma had been taken into confidence, and liana against his will was forced into acting the part of a dragon—but he tried to sleep when mamma wasn't looking. ATLANTA. GA.. TUESDAY, JANUARY 17, 1893. Then they sat upon the piazza after tea with the dragons in attendance —one as sleepy as usual and the other vigilant. As they parted for the evening, Frank announced his in tention of returning home on the morrow. The old gentleman’s objections had not the least effect upon him, though ho would glad ly have surrendered at a single word from Dorothy. Mrs. Lawrence, however, had something to say. “No Frank.” was her remark, “it would be better to stay. We were going to Mi's. I’iondexter’.s to a tennis party tomorrow, i and seeing you driving this morning she lias sent word for you to come. 1 took the 1 liberty of accepting for you. You can laugh ad congratulations off and get ahead of the i paper. People won’t talk so much if you 1 come with us instead of seeming to run away. If you should go now they might say something unpleasant. ” Mrs. Lawrence put it very_ nicely, for 1 there was not the least doubt but what i they* would goss.p a great deal, and out i of courtesy for his friends Frank thought I he might to say: “Thank you.” whispered Dorothy. That night he sh pt very little -thinking I of the whisper. He arose early the next morning and saui tcred to the edge of the lake just outside th? grounds—where he 1 met the person of his thought. Dorothy 1 was seated in a boat, and greeting her, Frank got in also and pushed out. “I am an old fool,” he said suddenly. ’ln what particular way?" she asked, looking at him. 11 testings laughed. '<>!’, Sn coming to Brightville to see Mr. Harkins and then not seeing him. I did so long to get at him.” _ . . “Yes,” she answered with a rising ; intonation. "Don’t you think it just as | well you met papa?” "Os course,” tie assented, “otherwise I I should not have been here but—” i “Then you are not glad to lie here—you ' would rather have seen -Mr. Harkins.” I’rank looked at the girl who was bending over the side of the boat running her hand through the water. "What is the s’ tisfaction of being here, he asked bitterly. "It is a continual mis ‘ and the country’was but. fiiti.e kqowu, and that there were hundreds of oilier places even aloi g the coast more healthful and cry, but 1 came for your sake, at your father’s suggestion, to stop the tongues of the people. 1 don’t care what they say about me, nut with you—with you it is different.' . “is it,” she replied, absently. Frank was pai*‘<ularly astounded for the moment then he dropped the oars and leaned over to th ■ girl. ‘‘Don.thy." he said, "Dorothy, was Har ! kins a prophet?” Shall we drive down to the village attei breakfast?” said I’rank, as they alighted from the boat half an hour later. AA e want tin. former paragraph eorrected non. She shook In r head, laughing. About 11 o’clock that morning, Mr. Mat thew Harkins was astounded to see Air. Hasting- and Miss Lawrence drive up to the oliice. He didn’t exactly know what to think, but he determined to make the best of it. . "Good morning, Mr. Hastings, was the editor's greeting, as the young man entered. "You have a paragraph which is to appear in thi* m‘xt issue of 1 he Gazette eontiadii t ing your note of last, wvek, 1 believe, said the visitor, rather abruptly. “I have, sir," said the man of ink and paste, “I "You needn’t print it, Mr. Harkins, re plied Hastings preparing to go out. The eiliror nearly screamed in his excite ment. “It has been set tip, sir. and printed, sir. and the whole'edition is oil the press. He poin.ted to a pile ot papers awl Hastings, picking up one, read: "< hir report of last week regarding the engagement of .Miss Dorothv Lawrence to Air. I- rank Hastings was an error. The editor feels it incumbent upon him to make this correction. Hastings laughed as ho thought that he would have made it incumbent upon him if he had had a chance but ho only pointed to the pile of papers, asking, "How many are there? I wisii to buy the entire edition. I suppose none have left, the office.” “None, sir.” answered the editor. “The Gazette is not anachronistic, it is dated to morrow and will he published tomorrow.” "How much do you ask lor the entire edi tion?” again asked Frank, “and, mind you. ' if you print another edition you are to omit this paragraph. Miss Lawrence and 1 are to ma rr,‘.." “I I congratulate you, sir. That pile holds 700 papers at 5 cents. AA’ell, sir, say “Kindly have them carried down stairs to the wagon, Mr. Harkins, 1 will send you a check a,t once," ami I’rank hurried down to explain why the editor and the printer’s devil appeared with the great bun dles. FROM THE BRIGHTVILLE GAZETTE OF SATURDAY. The Gazette is Booming. “Yesterday, just as our entire edition left j the press, before the ink was dry, an enter- I prising gentlern.in recognizing the power of 1110 itriper purchased the entire lot. We | worked all nigh: io get this second edition I out in Line. Our advertisers are to be con i grat'ilated. Six hundred and ninety eight, of the first i edition went up in smoke —the other two were kept as souvenirs. Soinei liing Money C annot Buy. From The Oil City Blizzard. No healthy person is poor. THE GREAT FIGHT BETIfLUNTHE BAM A AXD THE KEARSABGE. Chief Officer John M. Kell Speaks About the Truth of the Engagement—The Story of a Brave Alan’s . Life. The histories of all ages and peoples are full of trash that passes for truth. The vagrant yarns that get circulation in cur rent ebrouicles afterward become firmly embedded in the solid historic lorinaiioii, because they were not promptly contra dicted while the men who knew the actual facts were yet alive. The history of the civil war is likely to suffer hereafter in this lashion and convey to posterity as veracious chronicles many fictitious boast ings of the present day. on .Monday last, 'lite Boston Journal published an article on the famous •Txeai’sarg'e-Alabaina Naval Battle," pur porting to give a genuine history of the eugagv .iienl by ex-Corporal Quimby, of the Marine Guards of the Kearsage- Tb<» account U.ere giteii wito baaiiuay s>ub uiilted to Adjutant General John Mc- Intosh Kell, at ids ohice in the state eapitol. General Kell, it is well remem bered, was the executive officer of the Alabama, and, therefore, one of the most active of the observers and participants in the thrilling events of that marvelous naval action. , Alter carefully inspecting the account given by ex-Corporal Quimby, General Kell said: “Much of the matter here written is accurately stated, of course, but there are some glaring errors that need cor rection. I ha»e already put upon record a full and circumstantial account of the engagement, but 1 have no hesitancy in giving you the truth, as I understand it, with reference to the erroneous matters in this article. “To begin with, Mr- Quimby says that ‘the battle between the Kearsarge and Alabama was the only deep-sea light that I took place during the whole war.’ That j is not, correct. It should be remembered I that we fought and sank the Hatteras s off the bar of Galveston, in deep sea ; waters, on her first going out. The north erners tried to ignore that as a deep sea ; naval action, but it was such, neverthe- , less. And, in that connection, it must be ! stall'd, that the .Alabama was not built for a war ship. She was a light wooden ship, intended for a cruiser, to destroy the mer- | chant service of the enemy. She had speed and was easily converted from | steam to sail, and vice versa. But we i had positive instructions not to engage I the vessels of war of the enemy should ■ v.e encounter them.” “General, this story says that the Ala bama was manned by Englishmen, many of whom belonged to the English naval service, and seven of them were called the crack gunners of the English navy. ; What about that?” “That is not true. She was not manned ■ by Englishmen. Tito only Englishmen j we had were our boatswain's male, two or three men-of-war’s men ami some others—but a half dozen would cover the number who had served in the English navy. Our best men on board wore ' , north-countrymen—Danes and Swedes— :m<l int'ii who vohiutofrod from T inted States vessels that we had captured as ■ ■ T 4 ? \ ■? ’ Z .1 k •' 1 O; 3 Ml . ; -?>4 J. M. KELL, As Ho Appeared When a Plucky Sixteen- Year-Old .Midshipman. prizes. Our prominent men throughout the ship were southerners, including among them pilots from Charleston, Mobile and New Orleans." “How did you come to pitch this en- 1 gageinent with the Kearsarge?” •’While laying in port at Charbourg, the Kearsarge came in and cast anchor. AVe could make out very little about her, but ; ; we had advices from the United States 1 concerning her build and armament, and i when she was outside, Captain Sennnes | informed me that he proposed to go out 1 and light her. He asked me my opinion ; ; about the project, and 1 replieil that I : thought we could safely undertake th(j 1 battle.” ! . “This xvriter says that as soon as you caught up with the Kearsage you sheered ; off and tired a broadside as your opening performance?” “That is not true. We fired only one j gun, which was the bow gun, a rifled 100- ! pound Blakely, to try the range and, if j ( possible, criple the Kearsarge at once, j She was going ahead upon her star-board j track and we upon ours, which brought, both our starboard batteries into play. ; ; The next shot after our first one was a ' broadside by both ships. You see we 1 wore fighting around a common center, yet going ahead all the time, making : ; seven distinct circles that we described before the tight ended. AVe got close in at about five hundred yards range." , “He says they sailed faster than you did?” . “That is correct, because we had been upon a long cruise. We had destroyed a vessel a day, going out and coming in. and cleared the ocean of their mer chant ships—looked them up in ports, and they could get no insurance for dread | ! of the Alabama. AVe had hoped to make | extensive repairs at Cherbourg. Our bot- ’ , tom was foul and the copper upon it j ripped and turned into rolls, impelling ’ our speed greatly. The Kearsarge was ' clean and so could outsail us.” “Did .your crew get ‘rattled’ at any j time, as this writer claims?” , “Not at all. AVhen we lodged that eleven-inch shell in the sternpost of the Kearsarge, which he says shook their ship from stern to stern, our boys saw the effects on the Kearsarge and began to cheer- He mistook their enthusiasm for consternation, probably, for at no time were our men in disorder. AVe fired faster than they did, for our men were in full practice and handled their guns beautifully. Our powder was old and much damaged, and thus lessened the effectiveness of our gunners’ work. Their eleven-inch shells were more effec tive upon us, because we were at 500- yards range, which was point-blank range for their eleven inch guns. Our best gun, the Blakely, was a long-range gun, but if that shell that we put into the sternpost of the Kearsarge had ex ploded we would have stopped her and made Iter our prize. But our fuses were very bad. and failed us in the critical juncture.” “How about that armor the Kearsarge wore under a deal-board covering?" “AVhen we determined to light the i gs _4-< | : W \ 'T4 r , b o q J. M. KEEL. As He Appeared the Day He Became Lieu tenant 01’ the Sumter. Kearsarge-we thought she was a wooden vessel, lor she had sailed from Hie United States as such, but .she had after wards put on a chain armor, concealed, such as Farragut had used on the passage up the .Mississippi river. It is the best iron-cladding a ship can wear, as it gives to the shot, and rotis them of their penetrating power almost instantly. We were caught by that trick and thus found ourselves upon greatly unequal terms 111 the light.” , “Did you fire upon the Kearsarge after your colors were down, as lie alleges?" “Never. That stateeiont is entirely in correct. On the contrary, after we had taken down our colors, they fired live shots into us, and any statement that we worked a gun niter our Hag was down is utterly false. ’’ “What about Ihe failure of the Kear- I surge to try and save your crew.-" “When I found the ship sinking and so reported to Captain Seinmes, we got a quarter boat ami put the wounded in it with Dr. Gault, ami .set them alloat. Then the balance of us gathered floating stuff and jumped over board and swam away to avoid the vortex that would follow the going down of the vessel. While we were struggling in the water we saw the English yacht, Dverhound, steam up ami begin the work of rescuing our men. Two French pilot boats also engaged in the humane service. But the Kearsarge made no attempt to save us at all. According 10 the rules of civilized warfare she should have steamed into the midst of our men and taken us all as prisoners of war, but she never moved an engine alter she ceased firing. After the Deerhound and the pilot, boats begun the rescuing, two boats then came out from the Kearsarge and picked up a few of our men. It was a very belated endeavor, ami it corrob orated what we have been told, in one instance by the British comnraniler at tne Cape of Good Hope, that the I tilled States vessels had verbal orders from the navy department to run us down wherever they could find us and sinh all on board. At any rate, the captain of the Kearsarge was willing that we should go to the bottom, and it was only aLer Mr. Lancaster, the English owner of the Deerhound, asked to be allowed to save life that the Kearsarge boats came out. Mr. Lanuaster afterwards reported to his yacht club that if he had not been upon the scene not a soul of us would have been saved-” “This writer says you who were officers , of the Alabama threw your swords into the water rather than surrender them?" ' “Os course we did, for swords and pis tols are not good to carry in swimming away from a sinking ship. AVe did not surrender. AVhen we were taken on board the Deerhound. Mr. Lancaster asked■< ’ap tain Semmes ‘where do you wish to go?’ Captain Semmes replied: ’I consider my self on English territory and under the English Hag. Tin 1 soon<T you put me in England, i.m sooner you will be relieved of any responsibility in the matter.’ A\ e were' accordingly carried to England, and Mr- Seward’s subsequent demand for us was ignored by the British authori ties." “This article says you had over two hundred killed, wounded and drowned. How about that.' “That, also, is untrue. AVe had only 1-15 otiiis rs and crew on board, and of that number there were only twenty-nine killed, woumled ami drowned. Ihose ate the real facts in the case." General Kell gave a number of interest ing and thrilling incidents of the famous fight, illustrative of personal daring and faithfulness on the part of those who were working the devoted ship- The j above plain facts are given, ho\\e\ ei, without embellishment or the addition of : side-lights, in order that future history ; may weigh and judge the truth in the , light of their testimony. The story <>• il Urave Man’s Life. As long as deeds of heroism and valor ! are powi'i ful to insp’.ie admiration ami high re-nird. just s<> long will the name ol John Mclntosh Kell, the sailor soldier, be honor ed among men. , ~ , , , 1 Here is a story in truth. Modest and re- , tir'n'- the foil st »r.V of his daring < a rear I has never escaped his lips, and the qnut 1111- oiistrusive and igtiemely private life t'rit he has lived since the days when nothing to him was more unutterably ecstatic than to dash out over th- briny deep aboard some war vessel, has tended to make his chival- 1 PRICE 5 CENTS rous deeds stand out all the more con spicuous. The day has not yet come, thev say foi a perfectly impartial history of the bloody conflict bctw(?(*!i th? states to bo written. But when that oay does come, and the historian unsheathes his pen for the simple purpose of recording the incidents of that «ti’iiggle as nonesiy and truth decree, then xtill the same wreath of praise laid upon Jaspers grive entwine the name of Kell. hen, searching the pages of history for that which is at cm-t thrilling and event tiil, one wnl find but little to eclipse the wonderlul .-are (i of the old Georgia hero. His whole life is ;l story o f brilliant parts. teres-t’ I '' 1 * at WiH IK “' er luse lls iu " t<j\ 111 vi , a , ! -’ nv of sixteen summers, J Im Mclntosh Kelt became fascinated by he charm 0! the Thal w . ls ;iwa ' an K in the eany nays of the naw. .'.I the mine ol Keil’s father, in Ab-Inlosh county, the boy was thrown in almost dailv con tact wuh seam-a. He had sei rid v: v beautiful tnd ate< n.plishe<i sisters, and the olneers of the ship, touching the coast at hat point, were freqm-nt gn s f < at his lather s h mse, th y finding it pleasant to visit trie Kells at their splendid r d ■■ Y oung K 11 was not slow to ni; nifest his desire to go to sea and would frequently appeal to the oftict rs visiting his father's neme to let I un go out with them for a tile on the ocean wave. At last his petitions were heard and lie was taken on board the sloop of war. “I’.d mouth,” for a two vear’s cruise in the gulf of Mexico. llt was but ■ w’ en be went aboard the vessel. After his two years services on the eulf, he applied f-r w’MTT and v.is Liken. On this boat ho was a p-i among l.w O beers, but d< sp te his youth so n ■ 3- t.i dis.;ed himsel; as one of the most active and plucky midshipmen that ever trod tne ttei-K H e was tour years aboard the >.;ivannali, and during t ais tim? made inany voyages. He went out to the waters c. . ,-- A a,l 'l tiiere fell into many rigns oil tin- coast of the western country mill t.ie Atexu-an ships. He c. anted to fail into the very thickest of the naval engage ments in the war with Alexieo and it was “i the Savam ih t int sent up the I lilted States colors at Monterey and took that entire western country. This is one oi the most historic incidents of the war with .Mexico. His siay in Annapolis. About this time the naval academy at -<e Annapohs was first CsLiblished and v'oungyk® Kell returning from the Pacific coast wasV*S sent to tne. academy for a course in the schooling <.f that institution. He was n- M required to slay at the academy but .six ’ 4 months after all the experience he had hiel on the. sea and from there he was sent as a lieutenant back to the gulf for an m'ler iTi.i-e. He was not detained there vi .’v long, however, before lie was ordered as i-'t-st midshipman to China ab >ard the Susqm i.-inna. lb- had a most eventful ,r PI" I 1 '.” China seas, returning just in ■ 5 time to find hiit’self ordered to take voyage with Commodor< Ferry and Captain Lee, | s a brother of Rob< rt E. Lee, to ? * '1 his was the memorable mid Um 3 age that pla-'ed tie- d t.m people of Jap.Lj--^, AD , the only high-class lite wade. . Sr ty-..r-aataining 101 pig A very interesting feature ar, nfusetv illust voyag ■ was that the ship sailed easi'L -’’‘ew su. all the time, making a complete cir^2w of the globe. In this way the crew gainGt one. day in their lives. Young Kell stood close beside Commo dore I'erry ai t e moment he di-liiored '— his papers to the Japanese rulers. He says this voyage w is one of the most eventful and surely one of the most, interesting In- has ever had on the ocean. Ni.'Xi Kell went aboard tin schooner Ara go as fir ■ lieutei ant. < vos 1 or-c dcred 1o tl e '1 exas borders, win-re lr m; 1 until ISSG. He li ff 1' gia to marryQn Macon that y- nr. I lyl f After all this service he vvas entitled < a shore station, and went aboard the re ceiving ship Pennsylvania. Here lie had a rest until he was sent on board the store ship to Brazil in the times of rhe great yellow fever epidemic. Arriving at Mon tevideo he' found an expedition of Ameri can vessels going out against the Argentine confederation, and he volunteered to join that. Tliey were to go up the river to the landing place and bring the fellows t d taw, but terms were made before an;.- en gagement took place and Kell retiirned to his store ship and came back to his own country. After these trips to Brazil Kill was sent to tacola, v here hi was j laced in the navy yards and remained there till the war broke out. In tin- Confederacy. AA'hcn Kell learned of the position Getn-gia was tailing with reference to the war be tween the states, he ran away en .1 l -.-ive of absence from his post of duty al Pen sacola and came at once to Milledgeville, at that time the caidtal of the state, id awaited re.-n is, I; was imt h clr tor- the secession convention cn<t th? fate of the Empire State oi’ tie- S-aiiii with .to <-r-fed eraey. and the moment that this was d-'tio Kell went from the convention hull with his mind fully made up as to what he was going 10 do. He lost no time in sending liis resignation as an officer in the navy to the secretary of war of the United States, and as soon as he received word that tlie resignation had been accepted he ■ m-. i , ' f, S: d- 1 ?. •'. ■ J r , ?’. ' s'' 1 l f 4 C- J. M. KELL, As lie Appears Today as Adjutant Genera of Georgia. went to the governor of Georgia and of fered his services to. the state of Georgia and tin* con I ederm-y in advance. He was ordered to go to sea and with a crew took the Savannah, a little mer chant ship, and fitted her up with a gun or two. He was soon ordered to report to Captain Semmes at. Nev Orleans, his orders being confidential and his trip a secret one ’ until he had been placed as first lieutenant on board the Sumter. This was the first confederate vessel that floated the Hag over the ocean, and was named the Sumter because of the fight that had been made at Sumter down at Charleston. The Alabama was nothing more than a merchant shin patched up with a new fit ting and loaded with several-guns. It was not intended for a war vessel, that is to say a vessel to tight, but to capture the commercial relations the enemy might have with other vessels. This was the last shiti Kell ever claimed as his ocean home. The. incidents of the cruise of the Alabama are facts of history.

Georgia Historic Newspapers

The Atlanta constitution. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, January 17, 1893, Image 1