It is not so much because of his life as of his death, that every
Fredericksburger cherishes the memory of Commander William Lewis Herndon.
He was born here in 1813, and fifteen years afterwards was made a
midshipman and in 1855 reached the rank of Admiral. Commander Herndon made
the first exploration of the Amazon, amidst great dangers, and his book on
this subject became a standard.
With 478 souls aboard, Commander Herndon started from New York for South
America in 1857 on the big passenger ship "Central America." She sailed
proudly out, the flying fish fleeing her prow down the Gulf Stream through
sunny days, until suddenly in the Gulf of Mexico the ship shattered
against a rock.
Standing with his sword in his hand, Commander Herndon saw the boats
lowered one by one until each woman and child was safely on the sea in
life boats. Ordering his men to continue disembarking passengers he went
below to put on his dress uniform, and coming back directed the making of
rafts. Hundreds of men jumped and nearly 150 were lost. Commander Herndon
stood last on the ship upon the Bridge that is a Captain's castle, the
gold of his uniform losing its glow as the sun fell behind the far off
shore lines. Still hovering near, the sailors in a half dozen boats in
which were women and children, cried out to him to come over. He bent his
head a moment in prayer then doffed his cocked hat, and smiling, went down
as his ship plunged bow forward into the Gulf waters. There is no
tradition of our Navy more glowing than this one, which Commander Herndon,
of Fredericksburg, added to its legends.
[Sidenote: _Men of the Old Navy_]