Page 20 - bonsal_efbeale1912

4 Edward Fitzgerald Beale

had made, at least by implication, to serve him
should the opportunity present. Without a
word, General Jackson tore off the back of a
letter lying near him (this was before the days
of envelopes) and wrote to the Secretary of the
Navy, "Give this boy an immediate warrant,"
and handed it over to Mrs. Beale. A few hours
later, Ned Beale s name was on the Navy list
and soon he was on his way to the receiving ship
at Philadelphia, which then served as a Naval
School.
The Widow Beale now returned with her trium
phant boy to Chester, Pa., when suddenly the
problem presented itself, in what guise should the
youngster make his first appearance at the Naval
School? She called in her kinsmen, the Porters
and the Farraguts, who both were neighbors at
Greenbank on the Delaware, and at their sugges
tion Aunt Polly was called in. Aunt Polly was
well known in Chester as an impoverished gentle
woman who had seen better days. She did needle
work, and it was thought that with care and by the
advice of several of the young officers of the family,
who were at home on leave, she could bring
together something resembling a uniform, and
indeed a most wonderful coat was produced, which
was fitted out with the buttons of the great Truxtun,
large metal buttons about five times as large as
those which were ordinarily worn in this day. In
this guise, three days later, Beale presented him
self on board the receiving ship. His future mess-