{"id":"01KG8AMDKXKPYATY994J702HAW","cid":"bafkreiaxvklvyd5nazhg27ugmxpkc5ltexalhamkaswl7i43cqmd22rx2m","type":"chunk","properties":{"end_line":872,"extracted_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:36.270Z","extracted_by":"structure-extraction-lambda","label":"Chunk 1","source_file":"01KG89J19NC56FFGBCM2SWEZZY","start_line":810,"text":"CHAPTER VI.\r\nTHE QUARTER-DECK OFFICERS, WARRANT OFFICERS, AND BERTH-DECK UNDERLINGS\r\nOF A MAN-OF-WAR; WHERE THEY LIVE IN THE SHIP; HOW THEY LIVE; THEIR\r\nSOCIAL STANDING ON SHIP-BOARD; AND WHAT SORT OF GENTLEMEN THEY ARE.\r\n\r\n\r\nSome account has been given of the various divisions into which our\r\ncrew was divided; so it may be well to say something of the officers;\r\nwho they are, and what are their functions.\r\n\r\nOur ship, be it know, was the flag-ship; that is, we sported a\r\n_broad-pennant_, or _bougee_, at the main, in token that we carried a\r\nCommodore—the highest rank of officers recognised in the American navy.\r\nThe bougee is not to be confounded with the _long pennant_ or\r\n_coach-whip_, a tapering serpentine streamer worn by all men-of-war.\r\n\r\nOwing to certain vague, republican scruples, about creating great\r\nofficers of the navy, America has thus far had no admirals; though, as\r\nher ships of war increase, they may become indispensable. This will\r\nassuredly be the case, should she ever have occasion to employ large\r\nfleets; when she must adopt something like the English plan, and\r\nintroduce three or four grades of flag-officers, above a\r\nCommodore—Admirals, Vice-Admirals, and Rear-Admirals of Squadrons;\r\ndistinguished by the color of their flags,—red, white, and blue,\r\ncorresponding to the centre, van, and rear. These rank respectively\r\nwith Generals, Lieutenant-Generals, and Major-Generals in the army;\r\njust as Commodore takes rank with a Brigadier-General. So that the same\r\nprejudice which prevents the American Government from creating Admirals\r\nshould have precluded the creation of all army officers above a\r\nBrigadier.\r\n\r\nAn American Commodore, like an English Commodore, or the French _Chef\r\nd’Escadre_, is but a senior Captain, temporarily commanding a small\r\nnumber of ships, detached for any special purpose. He has no permanent\r\nrank, recognised by Government, above his captaincy; though once\r\nemployed as a Commodore, usage and courtesy unite in continuing the\r\ntitle.\r\n\r\nOur Commodore was a gallant old man, who had seen service in his time.\r\nWhen a lieutenant, he served in the late war with England; and in the\r\ngun-boat actions on the Lakes near New Orleans, just previous to the\r\ngrand land engagements, received a musket-ball in his shoulder; which,\r\nwith the two balls in his eyes, he carries about with him to this day.\r\n\r\nOften, when I looked at the venerable old warrior, doubled up from the\r\neffect of his wound, I thought what a curious, as well as painful\r\nsensation, it must be, to have one’s shoulder a lead-mine; though,\r\nsooth to say, so many of us civilised mortals convert our mouths into\r\nGolcondas.\r\n\r\nOn account of this wound in his shoulder, our Commodore had a\r\nbody-servant’s pay allowed him, in addition to his regular salary. I\r\ncannot say a great deal, personally, of the Commodore; he never sought\r\nmy company at all, never extended any gentlemanly courtesies.\r\n\r\nBut though I cannot say much of him personally, I can mention something\r\nof him in his general character, as a flag-officer. In the first place,\r\nthen, I have serious doubts, whether for the most part, he was not\r\ndumb; for in my hearing, he seldom or never uttered a word. And not\r\nonly did he seem dumb himself, but his presence possessed the strange\r\npower of making other people dumb for the time. His appearance on the\r\nQuarter-deck seemed to give every officer the lock-jaw.\r\n\r","title":"Chunk 1"},"relationships":[{"peer":"01KG8AKTGR8XV55WSTC76NSQ24","peer_type":"section","predicate":"in"},{"peer":"01KG89J19NC56FFGBCM2SWEZZY","peer_type":"file","predicate":"extractedFrom"},{"peer":"01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW","peer_type":"collection","predicate":"collection"},{"peer":"01KG8AMDKTC61HR3SZ0M3H7ZR0","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"next"}],"ver":2,"created_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:36.477Z","ts":"2026-01-30T20:48:43.226Z","edited_by":{"method":"manual","user_id":"01KFF0H3YRP9ZSM033AM0QJ47H"}}