Page:Autobiography of Rear Admiral Charles Wilkes.djvu/63



A few weeks afterwards we heard that I should shortly receive my appointment in the Navy as Midshipman, procured through the instrumentality of my father's and uncle's friend, Mons. Hyde de Neuville, the French Minister at Washington who I understood had made it a personal request as a favor to himself. Just previous I think my spirits were rather dashed by letters from Fennimore Cooper, Esq who had interested himself greatly in my behalf, [saying] that "there was no more likelihood of my being appointed than the heavens should fall to catch larks." I was with my father's friend, Mr John Garnett, staying at New Brunswick when the warrant arrived, and was taken by him to the Chief Justice of New Jersey, Mr [Theodore] Frelinghuysen, to take the oath of fidelity to my country [8 January 1818]. Shortly after, my father wrote me that he wished me to go to Washington and thank the french Minister for his exertions in obtaining it, desiring me to equip myself in uniform and to get me a handsome hanger for side arms and sent me several letters to his friends, thinking I ought to become acquainted with the Secretary and officers of the Navy at headquarters, as he looked upon it as essential that they should see me. I accordingly went on and paid Washington my first visit.

Madame de Hyde [de Neuville], when I called upon them insisted that I should come & stay with them, and so I did, and through her and the Minister I was introduced to all the great folks at that time and the Minister carried me to the President's, Mr Monroe at that time. I had a pleasant time but I soon tired of it and, after a week's stay, left. Stopping at Baltimore and Philadelphia, I returned to Mr Garnett's at New Brunswick. The day after my arrival news came of the dangerous illness of my father, and that I should return home as soon as possible. I returned home on the afternoon of Feby 2nd about an hour after my dear father had breathed his last. I never saw him after I entered the Navy. I was so disappointed and overwhelmed that I had not reached home before; he had so often expressed a wish to see me before he died.

I shall not attempt to describe the feelings I experienced in the loss I had met with and the desolation which home seemed to have undergone. I had left him but a few weeks before in perfect health and joyous spirits after a small party of friends had left in the Evg. I was 37