Mutiny Averted Aboard the Cutter Grant
A new recruit refuses to drill, but the crew’s rapid display of loyalty convinces their captain of their patriotism.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
That 'Jack' on board the United States vessel Grant, now in the harbor, is 'true blue' to the core was best illustrated by an incident that occurred on board the ship yesterday afternoon. A new recruit, Joseph Calvert, was ordered to fall in for musket drill. Upon being handed a rifle, he impudently asked if he was expected to handle 'that thing,' and when told he must, he threw the gun down, declaring he 'didn't enlist for this.' He was immediately placed in irons. Capt. Tozier, concerned about the morale of the crew, gathered all hands on deck and gave them a choice: those who could not stand by the colors or obey orders were invited to step across the deck. A dead silence ensued, and not a man moved. The captain then asked those ready to stand by the flag to step across; every man in line rushed over in a display of zeal. To mark their loyalty, the entire crew immediately fashioned badges of red, white, and blue to wear on their uniforms, a gesture that earned the praise of their officers.
“Now, said Capt. Tozier, pointing to the Stars and Stripes floating over them, 'I want every man who is ready and willing to stand by those colors under any and every circumstance... to step across the deck.'”
This 1894 incident captures a moment of intense nationalist fervor in the Pacific Northwest just before the turn of the century. Today, the Seattle waterfront remains a hub for military and commercial maritime activity, though the culture of naval discipline and public demonstrations of loyalty has shifted significantly since the days of the revenue cutters.
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