not be amiss to note that the brick building to the right of the entrance (see illustration in January MONTHLY) was occupied as offices, for the Commandant of the Yard, the Captain (or "Executive officer," as he was formerly called), the Naval Constructor, and the Paymaster, together with their clerks, messengers, etc. The ground for this structure was broken September 12, 1856, and the building completed December 31st, 1857, costing the Government $10,805.28. The building directly opposite, occupied as a "Guard house," was finished August 31st, 1857, and cost $2,469.76. On Monday, September 11th, 1820, colors were placed at half-mast out of respect to the memory of Lieutenant James Traut, who had been attached to the Yard. It is related of this officer that from the time of the formation of the navy until the close of the War of 1812 he was a sailing-master in our service-an Irishman by birth, and is believed to have come to this country in the year 1781 with Captain Barry in the Alliance (32). Few persons have given rise to more traditions in the service than Mr. Traut. His eccentricities were as conspicuous as his nautical peculiarities and his gallantry. His whole life was passed in and about ships, and his prejudices and habits were as thoroughly naval as those of "Pipes" For England and Englishmen he entertained to the last the most unmitigated hatred, with an Irishman's conceptions of wrongs done to Ireland. He was usually supposed to be a man of obdurate feelings and of a cruel disposition, but he was not without some of the finest traits of human nature. He had been in numerous actions, and was always remarkable for decision and intrepidity. Owing to the latter quality he was once captured while in charge of a vessel called the Julia. Towards the close of his eventful life, which extended to seventy years, he received the commission of a lieutenant, an honor that evidently consoled him for all the hardships he had undergone, and all the dangers he had passed. Just before his death, which took place in this city on Sunday, November 10th, at nine o'clock in the evening, it is stated that he expressed a wish that his body be carried into blue water, and there consigned to the ocean's bed." As an evidence of the slow progress of improvements at the Yard up to this date, it is mentioned upon the "log" that John Miller, the messenger to Commodore Murray, while standing near one of the buildings, at one discharge of shot from an old musket killed on the marshy ground of the Yard "one hundred reed birds." John was evidently a "crack shot;" but should he now deign to revisit this mundane sphere, he would find that reed birds are not so plentiful as of yore, and if in the proper season a day's shooting he would take, his ancient blunderbuss would be more likely to pepper, if not bring down, an hundred sportsmen rather than birds. On Friday, October 27th, Cæsar R. Wilson, sailing-master, who was attached to the Yard, and from whose well-kept "log" we have made copious extracts, departed this life after an illness of nine days. He was buried with the honors of war in St. Peter's churchyard in this city, on the 29th. The "Naval Register" for the year 1820 gives the following list of officers as being attached to the Navy Yard and "on the station." As the document does not accurately state in every case who was "attached to the Yard," and who "on the station," we give the entire list, viz.: Captain, Alexander Murray; Master Commandants, James Biddle and Alexander J. Dallas: Lieutenants, Joseph Nicholson, Joseph S. McPherson, Charles W. Morgan, James P. Oellers, Elie A. F. Vallette, James McGowen, George B. McCullough (recruiting), Charles Lacy, Charles L. Williamson, and John L. Cummings; Surgeons, William P. C. Barton' and Thomas Harris; Purser, Samuel P. Todd; Midshipmen, Joseph S. Cannon, Joseph B. Nones, William P. Piercy, Samuel Renshaw (recruiting), and Hugh C. Sweeny; Sailing Masters, William Knight, Simon Kingston, William Miller, Daniel S. Stellwagon, and Cæsar R. Wilson; Boatswains, Thomas Nichols and Robert S. Tatem; Gunner, Thomas Barry. Marine Corps Captains, Archibald Henderson and John M. Gamble; First Lieutenants, Charles R. Browa and Richard D. Green. On Saturday June 23, 1821, the United States Schooner "Dolphin," 10 guns, was successfully launched from the Navy Yard at (according to the Log), 12 minutes before 8 o'clock A. M. This vessel was 88 feet in length, 25 feet beam, and 11 feet depth of hold, her maximum draft being 13 feet. The cost of building was $47,469.00. It is recorded that before the sun went down on the day of the launch the vessel was completely rigged. The National Gazette, an afternoon daily, ap pears to have been the only Philadelphia Journal 1 Chief of Bureau of Medicine and Surgery in 1842. Ditto in 1844. that noticed the launch. It says: "This morning at It says: "This morning at a quarter past 8 o'clock, the United States Schooner Dolphin was safely launched into her proper element, in the presence of a large concourse of citizens; we understand she will be commanded by Lieutenant Commander Conner, an officer of much merit in the Navy, and is intended to accompany the Franklin, 74, to the Pacific Ocean." On the Monday following the launch, the "log" states that a large number of yard carpenters had gone "into the Jerseys' for the purpose of celebrating the launch of the vessel. With a morbid curiosity reference was had to the "muster roll" of Tuesday, and lo! great was the diminution of shipwrights. The most charitable construction the Naval Constructor could possibly place upon their absence from duty was, that the unfortunate celebrators had been struck by the "electric fluid." It is a somewhat remarkable fact, that in those days, whenever the employés of the yard wished to celebrate any event they invariably crossed the Delaware for that purpose. On this occasion a "poet" of the time who had evidently been "over there," and was of course brimful of the "divine aflatus," perpetrated the following spicy morceau: I W Cooper offer the following Sentiment To wish her Strong and Staunch En passant, let us note, as another evidence of the dispatch of work at the Navy Yard in the "days of the Dolphin," that she sailed fully manned and equipped just one month from the day of her launching. The following extracts are from the ship's log-"Speed 10 knots within 51⁄2 points of the wind, and 10.6 free. Best sailing trim from 2% to 3% feet by the stern-Goodvery stiff and weathery-answers her helm quickly -lies to like a duck, and is easy except in a short sea. Outsailed the Razee, Independence and the sloop-of-war Fairfield on a wind-a good and safe vessel scudded well in a terrific gale and a heavy sea around Cape Horn, consider her rig objectionable and recommend full rig." The recommendation was evidently carried out as in a letter written by Commodore Berrian, he says: "I saw the Dolphin in Callais harbor in June 1829, she had then been fitted with a maintopsail and was called a Brig." The first voyage of this vessel was to the Pacific under the command of Lieutenant David Conner1 during 1821-23, in the latter year Conner was relieved by Lieutenant J. Percival, who remained in cominand until relieved in 1827 by Lieutenant Beverly Kennon,' he in turn by Lieutenant J. H. Aulick in 1828, who turned her over in 1829 to Master Commandant Lawrence Rousseau who in 1832 was succeeded by Lieutenant J. C. Long. He was succeeded in 1834 by Lieutenant R. Vorhees, and finally when under command of Lieutenant C. H. Bell, it was thought unsafe to bring her home, around the Capes, owing to her decayed condition and she was sold into the merchants service, traded up and down the coast for some years. In all human probability her "bones" are now laid up. On Monday, October 8th, 1821, at meridian, the mortal remains of the venerable Commodore Alexander Murray, Commandant of the Yard, and at that time senior officer of the United States Navy, were deposited in the First Presbyterian Burial Ground, in the rear of Market street. He having died on Saturday morning the 6th instant at his country seat, near Philadelphia. The body was taken from the residence of Benjamin Chew, Esq., No. 37 (old number) south Fourth street, and escorted to the grave by a detachment of artillery from the Fort, and by the entire marine corps attached to the Navy Yard, all under command of Lieutenant C. Brown of the latter corps. Among the funeral cortege were the members of the Society of the Cincinnati, Officers of the Station, Civil Officers attached to the Yard, Officers of the Army and Militia and a large concourse of citizens. Minute guns were fired during the procession, from the ships of war in port and from the Marine Barracks, colors being at half-mast. the was wounded. It is Commodore Murray's first exploit, he being then a volunteer, was in the action between the Trumbull and an English ship called Watt, and following that was an engagement between the Trumbull and the British Frigate Iris, in which battle he also said that he made one of the most desperate defences on record while in command of a private armed vessel (letter of marque) near the close of the war. In 1798, while in command of the Montezuma, he captured a small privateer of 1 Navy Commissioner from July 29, 1841 to August 31, 1842, and Chief of Bureau of Construction, Equipment and Repairs, from September 1, 1842, to March 1, 1843. 2 Chief of Bureau of Construction, Equipment and Repairs, from March 2, 1843 to April 10, 1844. six guns. In the year 1800 we find him in com- Bainbridge says: "It is to be regretted that the mand of the frigate Constellation, which ves- Navy Yard was located in its present situation, sel, in 1802, was ordered to the Mediterranean, and that improvement has been so far extended and in the month of May of that year he arrived in it." The first vessel commanded by Commooff Tripoli, and had a sharp conflict with some dore Bainbridge was the the Retaliation, preseventeen of the enemy's gun-boats, which finally viously the French Privateer Le Croyable, capresulted in his driving them into their own harbor. tured by Captain Decatur in June, 1797. This A newspaper article of the day said of him, "Pos- being not only the first capture made in what is sessed of a well cultivated and thoughtful mind, termed the "French war of 1798," but she was Commodore Murray's sentiments and decisions the first ship ever taken by the American Navy were conceived in intelligence and executed with under the present government. In May, 1800, prudence. Of a firm constitution and energetic while in command of the George Washington, spirit he withheld no time from the public nor he was ordered to sail with tribute to the Dey of wasted any that was his own, the last year of Algiers, meeting with many novel and trying cirhis life being as active and useful as those which cumstances during the cruise. His admirable conhad gone before. His benevolence and his charity duct, however, throughout the whole affair was were as sincere and unostentatious as was the the subject of general commendation, and received hearts from which they sprang-but their effect the fullest approbation of the Government. On could not be concealed when he was no more: his return to the United States he was transferred It spoke aloud in the tear of the sailor and the to the "Essex," a much finer vessel. In 1803, sailor's children, who followed him to the grave." while in command of the Philadelphia, 38, he On the 4th day of December, 1822, Commo- captured and took possession of the Moorish mandore William Bainbridge, one of the most illus-of-war Meshboha. On the 31st of October, trious names inscribed upon our country's roll of in the same year, his vessel struck a reef off Trihonor, took command of the Yard, and shortly poli and was lost, while himself and crew were afterwards recommended, "that the Government purchase a strip of land' immediately adjoining the Yard on the south (offered by its owner for $15,000) as it was occupied as a rope walk, and the destructible character of the buildings endangered the Government property." He also recommended that a wall be built along the southern line of the Yard. The latter recommendation was approved by the Naval Commissioners, and a substantial wall was erected around the northern, western and southern boundaries. The western wall on Front street being of brick, with a coping of cast iron, the heavy pillars on either side of the main entrance being surmounted with a cannon ball. On the morning of December 16th, fire was discovered in the coal room, which was attributed to spontaneous combustion. The officers and men attached to the Yard worked until midnight before the fire was finally quenched. In a letter dated March 11th, 1823, addressed to Commodore John Rogers, then President of the Board of Naval Commissioners at Washington, Commodore 'The strip of land alluded to (afterwards called the "New Purchase") including the two houses on Front street, bought of Messrs. Arad Barrows and Albert Benton, for the use of the Naval Constructor and Chief Engineer, was purchased April 29th, 1865, and cost the Government $90,000. taken prisoners by the Tripolitans. During the time he was confined as a prisoner in the town a heavy shot from one of the American gun boats struck the Castle, and in its rebound again struck within six inches of where Bainbridge was at the time lying in bed, completely covering him with the dislodged masonry. From under this debris he was with difficulty removed by some of his own officers, and found to be considerably injured. But the exploit that crowned this distin guished officer with the brightest laurels was while in command of the Constitution. The cap. ture, after a two hours' sanguinary battle, of the English frigate Java, in which engagement Bainbridge was twice wounded-once in the hip by a musket ball, and afterwards by a shot which carried away the wheel, and driving a small copper bolt into his thigh, inflicted a painful and dangerous wound Notwithstanding his acute suffering the hero kept the deck until late in the night. He was commissioned a Lieutenant, August 3d, 1798, promoted to Master Comman dant March 29, 1799, and received his commission as Captain on the 20th day of May, 1800. He was appointed and served as one of the Board of Naval Commissioners from December 15, 1824, until June 20th, 1827. SKETCHES OF CELEBRATED WOMEN. BY MRS. CHARLES H. HALSEY. IV. THE BARONESS DE REIDESEL. OUR present heroine, though a foreigner, has | she related every thing that happened, describing always been ranked among the celebrated women of the American Revolution. Born in Brandenburgh, of noble parentage, for her father, Massow, was, at the time of her birth, Prussian Minister of State. She was in early life distinguished for her beauty, intelligence, and varied accomplishments. She was carefully trained by her intellectual mo. ther, and she soon became the pride and idol of Brandenburgh. When between sixteen and seventeen, her father was appointed Lieutenant-General of the allied army at Minden, where she first saw Lieutenant-Colonel Baron de Reidesel. He admired her intensely from the moment he was introduced to her. This admiration soon ripened into fervent love, and he laid his heart and his fortune and his ancient home at the feet of the fair Brandenburghian. Young as she was, she fully appreciated the noble qualities of her suitor, and as she reciprocated his affection, her father gave his cordial assent to their union. They were married at Minden, the lovely young bride having just completed her seventeenth year. Her married life for several years was one of unalloyed happiness, which the birth of three children only tended to increase. Then the American Revolution broke out, and to Baron de Reidesel was given the command of the Brunswick forces in the British army in America. The Baron, fully aware of all the horrors and hardships of a prolonged war, was most anxious that his wife and children should remain with her parents during his absence in America. But not for one moment would the devoted and fearless wife entertain such a proposition. She was determined to follow his fortunes with her children, and share in all that n.ight be in store for him. Resisting alike his entreaties and those of her parents, she parted from kindred and friends with many tears, and embarked with her three little children in the transport that was to convey her husband and his command to the shores of America. Once landed in this foreign country, she began a Journal, which she sent regularly to her mother, in which her journeys in the camp through various parts of the country. This was only intended for her own friends, but it formed such a perfect picture of the war, the incidents were so graphically described, that at the request of many friends, it was published in Germany in 1801. But valuable as the record proved in its delineations of the state of society, and the distinguished men of the period, it is still more valuable as exhibiting the triumph of woman's conjugal devotion, her privations, hardships and perils from which many men would have shrunk. For a while in Canada she was separated from her husband. Then indeed she was unhappy, and when once more permitted to follow the army, no words can describe her joy. I am tempted to quote from her memoirs one anecdote which shows what she was. She was obliged to pass the night on a lonely island, where the only shelter she could obtain was in a half finished, and of course totally unfurnished house. She looked around to see what she could improvise for a bed, collected a quantity of leaves and covered them with travelers cloaks, and prepared to lie down with her children, and get what sleep they could. But she had no food, and her little ones were hungry. "I saw a soldier," she says, "put a pot on the fire. I asked him what it contained. Some potatoes, he replied, which I brought with me. I threw a longing glance at them, but they were so few that I hated to deprive him of even one. But my children were hungry, and I had nothing to give them, and that overcame my diffidence. At my timidly proffered request, he gave me half his little provision, about twelve potatoes, and took, at the same time, from his pocket, two or three ends of candles, which I accepted with pleasure, for my poor little ones were afraid of the dark. A dollar which I gave him made him as happy as his liberality had made me." The Baroness and her children joined Lieutenant-Colonel Reidesel at Fort Edward, and followed him all through Burgoyne's memorable campaign. She witnessed the action at Freeman's Farm, and some of the wounded were brought to the house in which she was staying, and entrusted to her care. She was in constant terror lest her husband should be brought in among the wounded. At last this disastrous campaign culminated in General Burgoyne's surrender at Saratoga to General Gates. The night before the Baroness had passed in a cellar, supporting her children's heads on her knees, having steadfastly rejected her husband's proposition to send her with her children into the American camp, where he knew they would be kindly treated and be in comparative safety. "Never!" she said, "will I seek safety among those whose swords are raised against your life." It was with feelings of mingled pain mortification and yet relief that she received from the Baron news of the surrender, and instructions to follow him into the American camp. Here we give her own words again. "I once more seated myself in my dear calash, and while driving through the American camp was gratified to observe that nobody looked at us with disrespect, but on the contrary greeted us, and seemed touched by the sight of a captive mother with her three children." She speaks in particular of one fine looking officer who took so much notice of her children, and who, after her interview with General Gates, conducted her to his own tent, where a good dinner was spread for them, saying he supposed she would not like to be the only woman, at dinner in General Gates' tent with all the officers, so he had brought her to his tent, where she and her children could be by themselves. She was so much touched by his thoughtful kindness that she asked him his name, and was not astonished to hear that he was General Schuyler, for accounts of his courteous kindness had reached the English camp. After dinner General Schuyler asked her to pay him a visit at his house in Albany, where he expected General Burgoyne also to be his guest, Madame de Reidesel sent to ask her husband's directions, and he advised her to accept the invitation so courteously given. Gen. Burgoyne and his suite, including the Baroness and her children, reached Albany, not as they hoped, in triumphal array, but as prisoners of war, not as such, however, were they received by General Schuyler, his wife and daughters, on the contrary, they were treated with the utmost kindness and hospitality. Our heroine in her memoirs makes special mention of their noble and generous treat ment of General Burgoyne, who had so wantonly burned down their beautiful home, near Saratoga. The prisoners were sent to Boston, and most of them quartered at Cambridge, but though being here in quiet and comfort, Madame de Reidesel was very unhappy about her husband, upon whom the disasters of the war and his own captivity pressed very heavily. He became moody and irritable, and his health suffered in consequence. In vain his wife, whose courage and cheerfulness never forsook her, tried in every way to arouse him, not even the prattle and endearments of the chil dren whom he so fondly loved, could bring a smile to his face. Towards the approach of winter, 1778, the British prisoners were removed to Virginia, and after a long and weary journey, during which they occasionally met persons not as cour teous as General Schuyler to a fallen foe, they reached their distination, Colle, in Virginia, about three hours ride from Charlottesville, where a large body of troops was stationed. Madame de Reidesel had too bright and joyous a temperament to be long unhappy any where, so but for the intense heat of the following summer, she would have been quite contented in Virginia One day her husband was brought home, suffering from a sun stroke, from which he recovered so slowly that his physician ordered him to the Frederic Springs. While there with his family he received the welcome news that he, General Phillips and their aide-de-camps were expected in New York, where they were to be exchanged for American prisoners. American prisoners. Great was the joy of the Baron, who had been pining for freedom. They hastily packed up and started for New York, but within a day's journey of that city, they were met by an officer with a letter from Washington, ordering them back to Virginia, Congress having rejected the proposal of a cartel. No words can describe the effect of this disappointment upon the enfeebled frame of General Reidesel. His utter despair struck terror into the heart of his courageous wife. The idea of returning to Virginia was so abhorrent to him, that they petitioned for permission to go on to New York, and finally were allowed to do so. Here the poor prisoner somewhat rallied from his depression and his wife speaks of the winter of 1779-80 spent in that city as a very pleasant one, and in the summer, General Clinton, placed his lovely country seat on the Hudson, at their disposal. Of this |