not commissioned, that is given to the commissioned officers. For this reason the men, sons of Ohio, who distinguished themselves by personal bravery behind the guns and in subordinate positions in the naval battles of the Revolution and War of 1812, are unrecorded except in the dusty volumes of the navy department which are really inaccessible and in them there is no record of these brave unknown Ohioans that is so arranged that the men of Ohio can be picked therefrom. Ohio contributed many men and officers from the steamboat fleets that plied the Ohio to the naval warfare on the Mississippi, men who fought in the gunboats on the rivers, whose persevering earnestness and unhesitating courage were so important in winning the victories that opened the "Father of the Waters" after they had been closed by the forts of the Confederates, strengthened as these defenses were by the Confederate gunboats. Many a son of Ohio, in the capacity of pilot, mate or enlisted man performed splendid services for his country during the Civil War, and retired to private life, after his services for his country, with no permanent remembrance of his patriotic sacrifices except those in the voluminous war records. It is a duty to remember that these records are only of officers appointed from Ohio. Now if we knew what men born in Ohio had been appointed from other states and distinguished themselves it would be highly interesting, perhaps, but such information has not been available. There is a story on Admiral Skerrett. It appears, that Skerrett married a Southern woman. At the beginning of the war she went South and sent in her husband's resignation. He was off on duty and when he heard of her action he recalled the unauthorized resignation. She threatened to leave him if he remained in the service. But he stuck to the flag. They separated for the war, the children going with her. Skerrett had a splendid record as an officer and was one of Farragut's captains. Rear Admiral Roger N. Stembel was another distinguished officer. So was Rear Admiral Reed Werden, who is sometimes mistaken for the Admiral Worden who commanded the Monitor. Rear Admiral Joseph S. Fyffee is remembered in the navy for his picturesque personality and more interesting stories are told. among the officers of "Joe" Fyffee than of any other officer of the navy. Rear Admiral J. F. Schenck was from Dayton, and a brother of General Schenck. He distinguished himself in the opening of Japan and of China. Commander Edward P. Wood, is one of the later officers of the navy. He was distinguished as the commander of the little Petrel which was one of Dewey's Squadron at Manila. REAR ADMIRAL DANIEL AMMEN, who was, perhaps, best known because he was the inventor of the "Ammen" ram which was not a success, though congress appropriated money for the construction of a vessel of that type. Admiral Ammen thought that a vessel built solely for ramming purposes would be a success. He regarded the use of any other offensive machinery as unnecessary, so the ram carried no battery. But Admiral Ammen was distinguished as an executive and served with distinct ability as the head of the bureau of navigation of the navy, which, in its duties, is similar to the adjutant general's department of the army. Admiral Ammen was, also, distinguished as an advocate of the Nicaraguan Canal. He was one of the original advocates of such a waterway and on one or two isthmian commissions. With Senator John T. Morgan he is regarded as entitled to the title of "Father of the Isthmian Canal." He urged the Nicaraguan route, but his work was important in helping pave the way for the final selection of the Panama route. Admiral Ammen was an intimate fried of General Grant. The strenuous nature of the western river gunboat service, for the possession of the Mississippi and her southern tributaries, is revealed in many extracts from official reports of bloody and destructive combats in which the gallant hardihood on both sides, and the bitter earnestness of the struggle, are made manifest. ADMIRAL PORTER'S REPORT OF THE FIGHT. SIR: yette lying in an eddy and fighting stern down stream. The vessels below silenced the lower batteries and then drawing the enemy's fire, failing in this she withdrew. We, along with those on shore were under the impression that the enemy blew up a Torpedo just forward of the "Chillicothe's" bow. The upper batteries were hotly engaged by the Benton and Tuscumbia, both ships suffering severely in killed and wounded. The Pittsburg came up just at the moment when a large shell, passed through the Benton's pilot house, wounding the Pilot Mr. Williams and disabling the wheel. The Pittsburg, Acting Volunteer Lieutenant Hall, for a short time bore the brunt of the fire, and lost eight killed and wounded. The Benton received forty-seven shots in her hull alone, not counting the damage done above her rail, but she was just as good for a fight when she got through as when she commenced. All the vessels did well though it was the most difficult portion of the River in which to manage an iron-clad - strong currents and strong eddies turning them round and round, making them fair targets, and the "Benton's" heavy plates did not stand the heavy shot which in many instances bored her through. Such was the warfare along the great river of Central North America. There is a mass of like testimony, that if collected, annotated and framed so as to serve the whole picture showing the true colors and preparation would be a most acceptable addition to the public service of Ohio, as illustrious according to opportunity as that of the Ohioans in the army. However, the flashlights of Ohio history at the Chillicothe Centennial have caused so distinct. an interest, and chased away to a considerable extent, a group of barely outlined shadows, that the obscurity will be patiently removed and the whole history of Ohio in the Navy illuminated with its related proportions. The History of Ohio in the Navy is one of honor and renown, of daring adventure and distinguished achievement. Unfortunately, we have not found a clear record of the Naval heroes born in Ohio, who were appointed from or inlisted in other states. THE GOVERNORS OF OHIO UNDER THE FIRST CONSTITUTION. DAVID MEADE MASSIE. Most of the writers who deal with the history of Ohio seem at a loss for words adequate to express their contempt for the first constitution of our state, and especially for its provisions concerning the office of governor. DAVID MEADE MASSIE. So fair and learned a man as the late Rufus King says in his history of Ohio, that "It would be respectful to pass that instrument in silence, it provided a government which had no executive, a half-starved, short-lived judiciary and a lop-sided legislature." One distinguished author declares that "When Ohio became a state it adopted a very foolish constitution"; another states that "It reduced the executive power almost to a nonentity." So many more similar statements can be found that it is a matter of wonder that the committee on program had the hardihood to assign as a subject at this celebration the Governors of Ohio under the First Constitution, for, according to the writers of history, the governors of Ohio should have been mere ciphers and it would be the limit of bad taste to even mention in public the constitution under which they acted during the first fifty years of our statehood. But, my fellow citizens, there are a few who hold very different views concerning the first constitution of Ohio and rejoice in an opportunity to do honor to the memory of the men who filled the office of governor of this great state for half a century. Every student of the early history of our commonwealth knows that the admission of Ohio into the Union under her first constitution was the result of a long and bitter contest between General Arthur St. Clair, governor of the Northwest Territory, and the early settlers of Chillicothe. St. Clair was a Federalist, advocated a strong central power and a paternal government; had great faith in the few; none at all in the many; the Chillicotheans were sturdy Anglo-Saxons who had sought their fortunes in a hostile wilderness; they had made their settlements relying wholly on themselves for everything; they were not a company organized and equipped in the East with capital and education behind them, with rules and religion provided for their use, but were mostly simple backwoodsmen with only their rifles and axes, brain and brawn, to sustain them; they were perfect democrats believing wholly in themselves and their right to rule themselves as seemed best to them. Many historians dismiss this controversy as a mere quarrel between a governor and his people over sordid matters of little moment; but beneath the surface lay a great political question should the people decide for themselves what was best for them, or should a governor? Should the government be popular or paternal? Aristocratic or democratic? The Chillicotheans were successful. Congress first met their wishes as to the boundaries of the proposed state and afterwards, on April 30, 1802, authorized delegates to be elected for the purpose of determining, first, whether it was expedient to establish a state government; and if so decided by a majority of the delegates, they were empowered to proceed to adopt a constitution and form a state government. The contest over the election of delegates was vigorous and bitter; when the convention met at Chillicothe in November, 1802, and voted on the expediency of statehood, thirty-four voted yes, only one voted no. This was an overwhelming victory for the Chillicotheans; they controlled the convention completely. Edward Tiffin was its president, and a careful study of its committees and proceedings will disclose what an iron grip they had upon it, and how fully they directed its actions. |