Page:Autobiography of Rear Admiral Charles Wilkes.djvu/90

64 far removed from a Portuguese Man of War. The United States was a beautiful model, and every attention had been paid to her discipline & equipment; but although this outward appearance was evident to us all, yet there was a very great and marked advantage in the old Guerrier or, as they named her, the Old Wagon.

Capn McDonough was a moral and religious Man of high tone and character, and carefully watched over his officers and crew. Profanity, rowing, and crime of any sort were never suffered to go unpunished, and correct deportment was urged upon all and suitably rewarded. The Guerrier was a sober ship and bore no marks upon the conduct of officers and crew, but the United States, Capn Crane, was, I regret to say, the reverse, and one could not well be on board or alongside of her without hearing oaths and imprecations. The Capn himself set the example and a more foul mouthed officer could not be found. He obtained the Sobriquet of Billy the Bilger. He was about the usual height, broad and corpulent, awkward and very unwieldly in his person, his face full and broad and rubicund all over giving him the appearance of a dissipated Man. He was firm & tyrannical & both officers and Men I think despised him. His discipline, through the lash and vulgar abuse to his officers, kept them in awe of him. I always felt glad that my lot had not been thrown under his command. He was a great leader, and one of ready wit, and described as very entertaining. He was greatly afflicted with the gout. I did not perceive any refinement in him but coarseness and vulgarity of the old Benbow style. He was in charge of one of the Bureaus in the Navy Dept when he brought himself to an untimely end by committing suicide in his office by deliberately cutting his throat with a razor. At the time of his death this act was attributed to excess of spirits brought on by a religious excitement for several weeks. His manners were very austere and his prejudices very strong. None of his officers cared for him, and he elicited much fear on their intercourse with him. There are many anecdotes relative of him, but, as they have no interest to you, I will not relate them, especially as they do not redound to his credit or that of the Navy. Captn McDonough was in every way a contrast to him, abstemious and very correct in his deportment and having an eye in constant watchfulness over his officers.

During our stay at Syracuse a duel took place between Midn [Egbert] Shaler, the Captn['s] brother in Law, and Midn [George P.] Upshur belonging to the same mess. It grew out of the feeling of Virginia against the Eastern officers, Shaler being from Connecticut, and required but very trival circumstances to bring it to pass. Shaler received a wound which was at first believed mortal, but did not prove so. Capn McDonough was very much distressed at its occurrence and particularly as Shaler was so nearly connected with him. I had been on shore that day and although I had nothing whatever to do with the affair and did not know of its coming off, yet the Captain sent for me to enquire of the particulars. I frankly told him I knew nothing about it, and, if I did, I would not answer any questions he might put to me.