45. A Midshipman's Nightcaps
By MIDSHIPMAN WILLIAM PARKER (1841)
I ENTERED the United States Navy as a midshipman on the 19th day of October, 1841, being then fourteen years of
age. I was almost immediately ordered to the United States ship
North Carolina, and on the 27th day of the same
month reported for duty to Commodore Perry, then commanding the station at New York.
I well recollect my extreme surprise at being addressed as "Mr."by the commodore, and being recalled to my
senses by the sharp "William"of my father, who accompanied me to the Navy Yard.
My father soon left me, and I was taken below to
be introduced to my messmates, of whom I found about thirty, messing in the gun-room and sleeping on the orlop
deck. During the first day, I was in a constant state of excitement; the frequent calling of all hands, and the
running about caused me to think the ship was on fire, and I repaired to the quarterdeck many times to see what the
matter was.
Several of the midshipmen hung about
me watching a chance to perpetrate their jokes; but
a greenhorn, like myself, happening to complain to
them that he "could not find Cheeks, the marine,
anywhere,"caused me to smile; for I was well up in
Marryatt's novels. So they let me alone with the
remark that they supposed my father and brother
(both of whom were in the navy) had put me up to the
usual navy jokes.
About this time all hands were called to
stand by the hammocks; and my surprise was great when I saw the hammocks taken out from the nettings; for I had
previously supposed that naval officers, taking the hint from General Jackson's defences at New Orleans, had
stuffed the ship's sides with bags of cotton, to resist shot! Fortunately, I
did not allow this to escape me, or I should have been called "cotton-bale Parker"to this day.
When I was taken down to the orlop deck, and saw the hammocks swung, I could not imagine how I was to sleep
in, or rather on one; for, not knowing that it was not unlashed and that it contained inside a mattress and
blankets, I naturally thought it was the way of sailors to sit a-straddle of it, and repose in this unnatural attitude. It caused
me much unhappiness that night in the gun-room, and I thought I had better, Perhaps, resign and go home at once ;
but at two bells, nine o'clock, when we all went down to turn in, I was much relieved to see the hammocks spread
out into a more reasonable shape.
Here another surprise awaited me. Up to this time I had suffered much with ear-ache, and my mother had caused me
to wear nightcaps. There was nothing strange to me in this, as other boys wore them at my boarding-school, but it
seems it was not a "way they had in the navy."My caps were of many colors,— red, blue, green, etc.,— for they were
made of remnants of my sisters' dresses. Now, as I made my final preparations for repose, I opened my trunk, and put
on a close-fitting nightcap.
It was the signal for an indescribable scene of confusion. If I had put on a suit of mail, it could not have caused
greater astonishment among these lighthearted youngsters. They rushed to my trunk, seized the caps, put them on, and
joined in a wild dance on the orlop deck, in which were mingled red caps, blue caps, white caps,—all colors of caps,
in pleasing variety. I had to take mine off before turning in, as it really did seem to be too much for their feelings; but I
managed to smuggle it under my pillow, and
when all was quiet I put it on again; but when the midshipman came down at midnight to call the relief he
spied it, and we had another scene. This was the last I ever saw of my caps. I have never had on one since, and,
consequently, have never had the ear ache.
