en the preservation of slavery
constituted the subject of angry and stormy debate in every section of
the country, it was in the navy, no less than in the army, that the
Negro evinced that dauntless fidelity to duty which aided in stabilizing
the discipline of the field forces, thereby effectively contributing to
the success not alone of forcing the Mississippi, and intersecting the
Confederacy, but also in hermetically sealing all Southern ports and
reducing to imperceptible insignificance the possibility of foreign
trade with the South,--a factor which made it doubly sure that Northern
arms would ultimately triumph and the Union be saved. It was a colored
man, Robert Small, who single handed, stole the Union cruiser _Panther_
from Charleston harbor, foiled the Confederate fleet, and navigated her
safely to a Union port. In all the annals of courage and dazzling
gallantry, this incident has been recited; and it constitutes a
commendable example, with many others, however, of devotion to duty and
undying love for freedom. Mr. Small became a successful business man,
and was one of the few Negroes who served in the Congress of the United
States.

THE NEGRO IN THE SPANISH WAR.

The Spanish-American War (1898-1900) also has its roll of honorable dead
and surviving heroes--it was a Negro who fired the first shot at Manila
Bay, from the cruiser _Olympia_, flag ship of the late Admiral Dewey,
commanding the American forces on the Asiatic station. He was John
Christopher Jordan, chief gunner's mate (retired) U.S.N. His career is a
fair example of the Negro's ability. He was first enlisted in the United
States navy on June 17, 1877, as an apprentice of the third class, the
very lowest rating in which he could have entered. He advanced, despite
opposition, through the different grades in direct competition with his
white shipmates to the grade of chief gunner's mate, the highest rating
that could be reached in the enlisted status.

It was not because of his lack of desire for further advancement that he
did not go higher, nor was it due to his not being qualified, for it was
conceded by all officers under whom he served that he was thoroughly
competent and highly qualified for advancement. He was finally
recommended by his superior officer for the position of warrant gunner,
and the papers passed up for final approval by the commander-in-chief of
the fleet, before being sent to the secretary of the navy. There he
encountered