e shriek of the shell that should announce the opening of
the attack. At Washington, politicians were intriguing. The loyalty of
no man could be regarded as certain. Officers of the army and navy
were daily resigning, and hastening to put themselves under the
command of their various States. In the South all was activity. In the
North the popular desire for a compromise hampered the authorities so
that no decided stand against the spread of the rebellion could be
made. The new Secretary of the Navy found himself face to face with
the certainty of a long and bloody war, yet had under his command a
navy hardly adequate for times of peace. To add to his perplexity,
many of the oldest and most skilful officers in the navy resigned,
saying that their duty to their States was greater than to the United
States as a whole. A few revenue officers even went so far as to
deliver to the State authorities the vessels of which they were in
command. One commander, a Georgian, bringing his ship back from
foreign waters, hesitated long whether to take it to the navy-yard at
New York, or to deliver it to the Southern leaders. He finally
decided to obey orders, and the ship remained with the United States.
Some days afterward the commander told his lieutenant of his
hesitation. "We all saw it," said the younger officer; "and had you
turned the ship's prow towards Charleston, you would have been
instantly put in irons."

The surrender of another naval vessel called forth that famous
despatch from John A. Dix that will ever be linked with his name. The
United States revenue cutter "McClelland" was lying at New Orleans,
under the command of Capt. Breshwood. The revenue service is distinct
from the regular navy, and is under the general command of the
Secretary of the Treasury. John A. Dix, then Secretary of the
Treasury, suspected that Capt. Breshwood was about to surrender his
vessel to the Confederates, and sent an agent to order him to take the
vessel to New York. Breshwood refused, and instantly Dix sent the
despatch: "Tell Lieut. Caldwell to arrest Capt. Breshwood, assume
command of the cutter, and obey the order through you. If Capt.
Breshwood, after arrest, undertakes to interfere with the command of
the cutter, tell Lieut. Caldwell to consider him as a mutineer, and
treat him accordingly. _If any man attempts to haul down the American
flag, shoot him on the spot._" This despatch was intercepted by the
Confederates, and the cutter wa