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Maryland State Archives Adam Goodheart Collection MSA SC 5826 msa_sc5826_3_1-0032 Enlarge and print image (946K) |
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Maryland State Archives Adam Goodheart Collection MSA SC 5826 msa_sc5826_3_1-0032 Enlarge and print image (946K) |
| msa_sc5826_3_l-0032 ©Maryland State Archives - 32 - The society of S. Carolina was at that time a real aristocracy founded on wealth and education. Even in that early day, all their men of wealth were educated and travelled gentlemen, and were not only leaders in Society but politics. Take them altogether they were the most polished and refined people of the day. Grateful for the civilities shown the Officers, we united and gave a grand dinner to the Union leaders named above, to which Gen. Scott and Commodore Elliot were invited. All others of whatever rank subscribed, and Gen, Bankhead Col, of the 3d Artillery presided. It was at that dinner that I first became acquainted with Faragut, who was then executive or 1st Lieut. of the Sloop of War Natchez. At that time he was very gay and excitable, and was much annoyed because Com. Elliot did not respond to the toast given, "the Navy" as Scott had replied in a very neat manner to the toast "the Army", After the Citizen guests had withdrawn and with them Gen, Scott and Com. Elliot, Farragut mounted the table, as he said, to retrieve the honor of the Navy, and made, to the surprise of everyone, a very interesting speech, in which he recited in glowing terms the fight of the Essex with the English men of war in the Pacific in 1612. He was a Midshipman on board the Essex in that bloody fight, and gave evidence then, tho' not in his teens, of the heroic qualities which afterwards shed such lustre on his flag. That feast and the drills on the hot sand-beach where we were terribly punished by the gnats were the military events which impressed themselves prin- cipally on my mind. We had but one alarm, or show of action when the whole force was turned out and kept under arms until day-break, and I do not know to this day the cause of it, but am inclined to think it was a false alarm, gotten up to test the alacrity of the Troops, In that command there were several Lieuts. who afterwards rose to distinction, Sam. Ringgold, J. E. Johnston, Philip St. George Cook, and E. D. Keys. I will mention for the benefit of graduates of Artillery of the present day that we were employed most of the time in drilling raw recruits in the Infantry drill, in squads no larger than four or fives. |