ce of a Virginia home, of the period when
Virginia was the garden spot of America, when her daughters were the
"mothers of Presidents" and her sons were statesmen, "_Sans peur et
sans reproche_."

On the 9th of September, 1841, he was appointed acting midshipman in
the United States Navy; served six months at sea, and then received
his warrant as midshipman. During the war with Mexico, young Rochelle
served on both the _Falmouth_ and _Decatur_, in the gulf. He was with
Commodore Perry, and participated in all the brilliant exploits of the
naval forces, and remained on the Mexican coast until there was added
to the United States a territory as large as Germany, France and
Spain, all three added together.

In September, 1847, he reported at Annapolis, the Naval School, and
was one of the 245 midshipman belonging to the famous "Classe 41,"
which passed in 1848. He was at once ordered to the frigate
_Constitution_, then in Boston harbor, ready to sail to the blue
waters of the Mediterranean and the sunny coast of Italy. On this
cruise he paid a visit to the beautiful and historical Island of
Malta, and here, in the very cradle of Free Masonry, he became a
member of that ancient institution. He saw three years' sea service
before returning home.

In 1852 the United States Government sent a naval force, under the
command of Perry, to open intercourse with Japan and her then unknown
people. Rochelle received orders to report for duty on the ship
_Southampton_. Perry sailed from Norfolk on the 24th of November,
1852. With great judgment and ability he rendered his mission a
success, and sailed for home from Linada, in Japan, on the 1st of
October, 1854, and after an eventful voyage reached New York in the
spring of 1855.

After a home leave of some months, Rochelle was promoted on the 14th
of September to master, and on the next day was commissioned
lieutenant and assigned to duty on the Coast Survey Squadron. He
assisted in the survey of New York harbor, Casco bay and the Florida
reefs.

His next cruise was in the expedition to Paraguay. Unfortunately, few
of his many letters home were preserved. We give one written in 1859:

U.S. STEAMER _Southern Star_,
MONTEVIDEO, REPUBLIC OF URUGUAY,
March 11, 1859.

_My Dear Mother_:

The steamer _Harriet Lane_, one of the vessels of the Paraguay
expedition, will sail for New York on tomor