by Oliver Optic
CHAPTER VIII.
THE UNITED STATES STEAMER CHATAUQUA.
Somers had served in several vessels, but never before had he gone onboard his ship with a heavier responsibility resting upon him, than whenhe took his station on the deck of the Chatauqua. He was now a ward-roomofficer, and as such he would be required to keep a watch, and be incommand of the deck. But in addition to his professional duties, he hadin his keeping valuable but dangerous information, of which he must makea judicious use.
The young officer was perfectly familiar with the routine of his duties.He knew the ship from stem to stern, and from keel to truck. He feltentirely at home, therefore, and hoped soon to merit the approbation ofhis superiors. He was formally presented to Captain Cascabel and theother officers of the ship. He was kindly and cordially greeted by all.Mr. Pillgrim, as acting first lieutenant, proceeded at once to make outthe watch, quarter, and station bill; and, whatever his politicalprinciples, it must be confessed that he performed this difficult dutywith skill and judgment.
Every day, until the ship sailed, the crew were exercised at the guns,and in all the evolutions required for carrying on ship's duty, from"fire stations" to piping down the hammocks. They made the usualproficiency, and were soon in condition to work together--to handle theship in a tornado, or to meet an enemy. On the fourth day, when Mr.Pillgrim was superseded by Mr. Hackleford, who was appointed in theplace of Mr. Waldron, everything was in an advanced stage of progress.
The Chatauqua was a screw steam sloop of war, of the first class. Shecarried ten guns, and was about fourteen hundred tons burden. Hercomplement of officers and men was about two hundred and fifty,including forty-two attached to the engineer's department. The ship wasa two-decker. On the upper or spar deck was placed her armament,consisting of two immense pivot guns and eight broadside guns.
Below this was the berth deck, on which all the officers and men ate andslept. The after part was appropriated to the officers, and the forwardpart to the men. The former were provided with cabins and state-rooms,while the latter swung their hammocks to the deck beams over theirheads.
As most of our readers have probably never seen the interior of a shipof war, we present on the adjoining page a plan of that portion of thevessel occupied by the officers. The round part is the stern of theship, and the diagram includes a little less than one third of thewhole length of the vessel.
A. The Captain's cabin, to which are attached the six small apartments on each side of it.
1. The Companion-way, or stairs, by which the cabin is reached from the deck.
2, 3. Store-rooms.
4. Water-closet.
5. Pantry.
6, 7. State-rooms.
B. The Ward-room, in which there is a table, long enough to accommodate the eight officers who occupy this apartment.
8. First Lieutenant's state-room.
9. Second " " "
10. Third " " "
11. Fourth " " "
12. Chief Engineer's " "
13. Master's " "
14. Paymaster's " "
15. Surgeon's " "
16. First Assistant Engineers' state-room.
17. Second Assistant Engineers' room.
C. The Steerage, occupied by Midshipmen and Masters' Mates.
D. Third Assistant Engineer's room.
18. The Armory.
19. Ward-room pantry, through which passes the mizzen-mast.
20, 20. Berths.
21, 21. Mess store-rooms.
In the floor of the ward-room, between the state-room, 8 and 12, thereare two scuttles leading down to the magazine, so that, during anaction, all the powder is passed up through this room. Woollen screensare hung up on each side of these scuttles, when they are opened, toprevent any spark from being carried down to the powder.
There are four other scuttles leading down into the hold from theward-room to the various store-rooms located there, and several in thefloor abreast of the steerage.
On the forward part of the berth deck, just abaft the foremast, thereare four state-rooms for the use of the carpenter, gunner, boatswain,and sailmaker. All persons except those mentioned sleep in hammocks.
The engine department of the Chatauqua consisted of one chief, two firstassistant, two second assistant, and one third assistant engineers, witheighteen firemen and eighteen coal heavers. The chief engineer is award-room officer. He has the sole charge of the engine, and all personsconnected with its management, but he keeps no watch. The otherengineers obey the orders of their chief, and are divided into watches.They attend to the actual working of the engine. The firemen are alsoclassified, and receive different grades of pay, a portion of themattending to the oiling of the machinery,--called "oilers,"--whileothers superintend or feed the fires, and do other work connected withthe engine and boilers. The coal-heavers convey the fuel from the coalbunkers to the furnaces.
Mr. Ensign Somers was the fourth lieutenant of the Chatauqua, andoccupied the last state-room on the left, as you enter the ward-room. Itwas a nice little apartment, and the young officer was as happy as alord when he was fully installed in his new quarters. And well might onewho had commenced his naval career as an ordinary seaman, sleeping in ahammock, and who had never before known anything better than theconfined accommodations of the steerage, have been delighted with hispresent comfortable and commodious quarters.
His state-room was lighted by a bull's eye, or round glass window, whichcould be opened in port, or in pleasant weather at sea. The roomcontained but one berth, which was quite wide for a ship, supplied withan excellent mattress; and one who could not sleep well in such a bedmust be troubled with a rebellious conscience. There was also a bureau,the upper drawer of which, when the front was dropped down, became aconvenient writing desk, supplied with small drawers, shelves, andpigeon-holes. The room was carpeted, and contained all that a reasonableman could require to make him comfortable and happy.
There was only one drawback upon the happiness of Somers; and that wasthe absence of Mr. Waldron. There was not one among the officers whom hecould now call by the endearing name of friend, though all of them weregood officers and gentlemanly men, and he had no reason to anticipateany difficulty with any of them, unless it was with Mr. Pillgrim. Hesighed for the friendly guidance and the genial companionship of thelate commander of the Rosalie, especially in view of the embarrassingcircumstances which surrounded him.
But it was some compensation to know that his old shipmate, TomLongstone, had been promoted to the rank of boatswain, and ordered tothe Chatauqua. The old man's splendid behavior in Doboy Sound hadenabled Mr. Waldron to secure this favor for him, and to obtain hisappointment to his own ship. Mr. Longstone, as he must hereafter becalled, came on board in a uniform of bright blue, and his dress soaltered his appearance that Somers hardly recognized him. The old salthad always been very careful about "putting on airs," when he was acommon sailor or a petty officer; but he knew how to be a gentleman, andhis new dignity sat as easily upon him as though he had been brought upin the ward-room. Though he looked well, and carried himself like anofficer, he could not immediately adapt his language to his newposition. He was a representative sailor, and he could not help being"salt."
The boatswain was Somers's only real friend on board, and the distancebetween a ward-room officer and a forward officer was so great that hewas not likely to realize any especial satisfaction from the friendship;but it was pleasant to know that there was even one in the ship who wasdevoted to him, heart and soul.
"All hands, up anchor!" piped the boatswain; and it was a pleasant soundto the fourth lieutenant of the Chatauqua, as doubtless it was to allhands, for "lying in the stream" is stupid work to an expectant crew.
The ship got under way with all the order and regularity which prevailon board a man-of-war, and in a shor
t time was standing down theDelaware River. Her great guns pealed the customary salute, and as thewind was fair, her top-sails and top-gallant-sails were shaken out assoon as she had passed from the narrow river into the broad bay. Off thecapes the sealed orders were opened; and it proved, as the knowing oneshad anticipated, that the Chatauqua was bound to the blockading stationoff Mobile Bay.
At eight o'clock in the evening the ship was out of sight of land.Everything on board was in regular sea trim. Mr. Garboard, the thirdlieutenant, had the deck, and the other officers were in the ward-room,or in their state-rooms. They were discussing the merits of the ship, orthe probable work before them at Mobile; for a great naval attack inthat quarter was confidently predicted. The "Old Salamander," "BraveOld Salt," as Admiral Farragut was familiarly called, was understood tobe making preparations for one of his tremendous onslaughts.
Somers was occupied in his state-room, putting his books, papers, andclothing in order, which he had not had time to do before to hissatisfaction. He placed his Testament on the bureau, where it could betaken up for a moment without delay, and where it would constantlyremind him of his duty, and of the loved ones at home, with whom theprecious volume seemed to be inseparably associated.
Among his papers were the rebel commission, the written orders, and thestatement he had made of the interview between Coles and Langdon, whichhad been extended so as to contain a full account of his conference with"Mr. Wynkoop," and his inquiries into the character of the Ben Nevis, inBoston and New York. These documents brought forcibly to his mind hisrelations with Lieutenant Pillgrim, who was still a mystery to him.Since Somers had come on board of the Chatauqua, not a syllable had beenbreathed about the dinner with the "officer of the royal navy." As Mr.Pillgrim doubtless believed he had changed the letters, and thuscorrected his confederate's mistake, before the letter intended for himhad fallen into Somers's hand, the lieutenant had no reason to supposehis treasonable position was even suspected.
Somers felt that he had a battle to fight with Mr. Pillgrim, and thesuspense was intolerable, not to mention the hypocrisy and deceit whichthis double character required of him. Now, more than before, heregretted the absence of Mr. Waldron, who would have been a rock ofsafety and strength to him in the trials that beset him. While he wasmoodily overhauling his papers, and thinking of his difficult situation,Mr. Pillgrim knocked at the door of his room, and was invited to enter.
"Ah, making stowage, are you, Somers?" said the lieutenant, pleasantly.
"Yes, sir; putting things to rights a little."
"It's a good plan to have everything in its place," added Pillgrim, ashe took up the little Testament which lay on the bureau. "You are a goodboy, I see, and read the book."
"That was given me by my mother, and I value it very highly."
"Then I shouldn't think you would want to wear it out."
"She gave it to me to use, and I am afraid, if she saw it was not soiledby handling, she would think it had not been well used."
"I am glad you use it. I don't fail to read mine morning and evening."
Somers could not believe him, and he could not see that a traitor to hiscountry should have any use for the New Testament.
"By the way, Somers, did you see your friend Wynkoop again before wesailed?" added Mr. Pillgrim.
"I did not; I have not seen him since we dined together. I judge thatyou were better acquainted with him than I was."
"My acquaintance with him was very slight. By the papers I saw on thetable before you, when you were at dinner, I think you made good use ofthe short time you knew each other."
"To what do you allude?" asked Somers, now assured that Mr. Pillgrimknew the nature of the papers.
"To your commission as a commander in the Confederate navy. Mr. Somers,I could not believe my eyes."
"Were you very much astonished?"
"If I had been told that President Lincoln had gone over to the rebels,I should not have been more astonished. Your conduct has severelyembarrassed me. It was my duty to denounce you as a traitor, in theservice of the enemy, but--"
At that instant the rattle of the drum, beating to quarters, caused bothof them to hurry on deck.