Portland Gazette, And Maine Advertiser

ADMIRAL VERNON.

In the year 1741, a British fleet commanded by admiral Vernon, made an unsuccessful attempt upon Carthagena, the principal sea port town of Terra Firma, in South America. Whilst the fleet was lying in the harbour, a pestilential fever spread death and destruction amongst the crews. The dreadful havock made by sickness is thus described in Thomson's Seasons:-

"You gallant Vernon, saw
The miserable scene; You pitying, saw
To infant weakness sunk the warrior's arm;
Saw the deep racking pang, the ghastly form,
The lip pale quivering, and the beamless eye
No more with ardour bright ; you heard the groans,
Of agonizing Ships, from shore to shore"
&c.

LAWRENCE WASHINGTON, as is stated by judge Marshall, was among the Americans or Provincials, who were employed in the expedition against Carthagena; and in compliment to the admiral, by whom he had been particularly noticed, he called his estate on the Potomac, Mount Vernon.—Dying, in the year 1754, he left this estate to his brother GEORGE WASHINGTON, who at that time was twenty two years of age:

The writer of this article remembers having seen long ago, in some British publication, an anecdote of admiral Vernon; which if true, gives the origin of the word grog— The anecdote was this.—The British sailors had always been accustomed to drink their allowance of brandy or rum, clear; till admiral Vernon ordered those under his command to mix it with water. The innovation gave great offence to the sailors; and, for a time rendered the commander very unpopular with them. The admiral at that time wore a grogram coat: for which reason they nicknamed him old grog, And hence by degrees, the mixed liquor he constrained them to drink, universally obtained amongst them the name of grog.—U. S. Gaz.