Somers and the Admiral. Page 202.
BRAVE OLD SALT.
Oliver Optic.
LEE & SHEPARD.
BOSTON.
BRAVE OLD SALT;
OR,
LIFE ON THE QUARTER DECK.
A Story of the Great Rebellion.
BY
OLIVER OPTIC,
Author of "THE SOLDIER BOY," "THE SAILOR BOY," "THE YOUNG LIEUTENANT,""THE YANKEE MIDDY," "FIGHTING JOE," "THE WOODVILLE STORIES,""THE RIVERDALE STORY BOOKS," ETC., ETC.
BOSTON:
LEE AND SHEPARD,
SUCCESSORS TO PHILLIPS, SAMPSON & CO.
1866.
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1866, by
WILLIAM T. ADAMS,
In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts.
ELECTROTYPED AT THE
Boston Stereotype Foundry,
No. 4 Spring Lane.
TO
SAMUEL C. PERKINS, ESQ.,
This Book
IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED,
BY HIS FRIEND
WILLIAM T. ADAMS.
[5]
PREFACE.
This volume, the sixth and last of "The Army and NavyStories," is a record of "Life on the Quarter Deck," mostly inthe squadron of Vice Admiral Farragut, one of whose familiarappellations, used in the ward-room and on the berth deck, hasfurnished the leading title of the book. The terrible war whichdevastated our country for four years has given to history twogenerals, Grant and Sherman, and one admiral, Farragut, whoseachievements are unsurpassed, if they are equalled, in the annalsof military and naval warfare; but while the author, in thiswork, has gratefully rendered his tribute of admiration to thedistinguished naval commander, he has not attempted to presenta complete biography of him.
Those who have read the preceding volumes of this series needhardly be told that this is a book of adventure—of personalexperience in the great struggle of the nineteenth century. JackSomers, "The Sailor Boy," Mr. Somers, "The Yankee Middy,"and Captain Somers, Lieutenant Commanding, are the sameperson; though often as he changes his official position, he is stillthe same honest, true, and Christian young man.
In our completed sixth volume we take leave of the Somers[6]family with many regrets. If our young friends in the army andnavy had been less true, noble, and Christian, we could haveparted with less sorrow. Yet the army and navy, as theycrushed the Rebellion, have given us many young men just astrue, just as noble and Christian. Let us gratefully cherish theseliving heroes, and they will not pass away from us "like a talethat is told."
To the readers, young and old, who have perseveringly followedmy heroes through the two thousand pages of this series,I am even more than grateful; for I feel that they have sympathizedwith me in my desire to present a lofty ideal to theyoung man of to-day—one who will be true to God, true tohimself, and true to his country, in whatever sphere his lot maybe cas