diff options
Diffstat (limited to '26416.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | 26416.txt | 15935 |
1 files changed, 15935 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/26416.txt b/26416.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e676811 --- /dev/null +++ b/26416.txt @@ -0,0 +1,15935 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Naval History of the United States, by +Willis J. Abbot + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Naval History of the United States + Volume 2 (of 2) + +Author: Willis J. Abbot + +Illustrator: H. W. McVicar + W. C. Jackson + +Release Date: August 24, 2008 [EBook #26416] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK NAVAL HISTORY *** + + + + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Christine P. Travers and +the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +[Transcriber's note: Obvious printer's errors have been corrected, all +other inconsistencies are as in the original. The author's spelling +has been maintained. + +Page 993: "they were fired upon the Coreans" has been replaced by +"they were fired upon by the Coreans". + +Page 997: "the rescued part arrived in New York" has been replaced by +"the rescued party arrived in New York". + +Every chapter heading had an illustration; the corresponding tag has +been removed.] + + + + + THE NAVAL HISTORY + + OF THE + + UNITED STATES + + + BY + + WILLIS J. ABBOT + + + With Many Illustrations + BY H. W. McVICAR AND W. C. JACKSON + + + + _VOLUME TWO_ + + + + + NEW YORK: + PETER FENELON COLLIER, PUBLISHER. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + + CAPTURE OF THE "SURVEYOR." -- WORK OF THE GUNBOAT FLOTILLA. -- + OPERATIONS ON CHESAPEAKE BAY. -- COCKBURN'S DEPREDATIONS. -- + CRUISE OF THE "ARGUS." -- HER CAPTURE BY THE "PELICAN." -- BATTLE + OF THE "ENTERPRISE" AND "BOXER." -- END OF THE YEAR 1813 ON THE + OCEAN. + + +With the capture of the "Chesapeake" in June, 1813, we abandoned our +story of the naval events along the coast of the United States, to +follow Capt. Porter and his daring seamen on their long cruise into +far-off seas. But while the men of the "Essex" were capturing whalers +in the Pacific, chastising insolent savages at Nookaheevah, and +fighting a gallant but unsuccessful fight at Valparaiso, other +blue-jackets were as gallantly serving their country nearer home. From +Portsmouth to Charleston the coast was watched by British ships, and +collisions between the enemies were of almost daily occurrence. In +many of these actions great bravery was shown on both sides. +Noticeably was this the case in the action between the cutter +"Surveyor" and the British frigate "Narcissus," on the night of June +12. The "Surveyor," a little craft manned by a crew of fifteen men, +and mounting six twelve-pound carronades, was lying in the York River +near Chesapeake Bay. From the masthead of the "Narcissus," lying +farther down the bay, the spars of the cutter could be seen above the +tree-tops; and an expedition was fitted out for her capture. Fifty +men, led by a veteran officer, attacked the little vessel in the +darkness, but were met with a most determined resistance. The +Americans could not use their carronades, but with their muskets they +did much execution in the enemy's ranks. But they were finally +overpowered, and the little cutter was towed down under the frigate's +guns. The next day Mr. Travis, the American commander, received his +sword which he had surrendered, with a letter from the British +commander, in which he said, "Your gallant and desperate attempt to +defend your vessel against more than double your number, on the night +of the 12th inst., excited such admiration on the part of your +opponents as I have seldom witnessed, and induced me to return you the +sword you had so nobly used, in testimony of mine.... In short, I am +at a loss which to admire most, the previous arrangement on board the +'Surveyor,' or the determined manner in which her deck was disputed, +inch by inch." + +During the summer of 1813, the little gunboats, built in accordance +with President Jefferson's plan for a coast guard of single-gun +vessels, did a great deal of desultory fighting, which resulted in +little or nothing. They were not very seaworthy craft, the heavy guns +mounted amidships causing them to careen far over in even a sailor's +"capfull" of wind. When they went into action, the first shot from the +gun set the gunboat rocking so that further fire with any precision of +aim was impossible. The larger gunboats carried sail enough to enable +them to cruise about the coast, keeping off privateers and checking +the marauding expeditions of the British. Many of the gunboats, +however, were simply large gallies propelled with oars, and therefore +confined in their operations to bays and inland waters. The chief +scene of their operations was Chesapeake Bay. + +This noble sheet of water had been, since the very opening of the year +1813, under the control of the British, who had gathered there their +most powerful vessels under the command of Admiral Cockburn, whose +name gained an unenviable notoriety for the atrocities committed by +his forces upon the defenceless inhabitants of the shores of +Chesapeake Bay. Marauding expeditions were continually sent from the +fleet to search the adjacent country for supplies. When this method of +securing provisions failed, Cockburn hit upon the plan of bringing his +fleet within range of a village, and then commanding the inhabitants +to supply his needs, under penalty of the instant bombardment of the +town in case of refusal. Sometimes this expedient failed, as when +Commodore Beresford, who was blockading the Delaware, called upon the +people of Dover to supply him at once with "twenty-five large bullocks +and a proportionate quantity of vegetables and hay." But the sturdy +inhabitants refused, mustered the militia, dragged some old cannon +down to the water-side, and, for lack of cannon-balls of their own, +valiantly fired back those thrown by the British, which fitted the +American ordnance exactly. + +Soon after this occurrence, a large party from Cockburn's fleet landed +at Havre de Grace, and, having driven away the few militia, captured +and burned the town. Having accomplished this exploit, the marauders +continued their way up the bay, and turning up into the Sassafras +River ravaged the country on both sides of the little stream. After +spreading distress far and wide over the beautiful country that +borders Chesapeake Bay, the vandals returned to their ships, boasting +that they had despoiled the Americans of at least seventy thousand +dollars, and injured them to the amount of ten times that sum. + +By June, 1813, the Americans saw that something must be done to check +the merciless enemy who had thus revived the cruel vandalism, which +had ceased to attend civilized warfare since the middle ages. A fleet +of fifteen armed gallies was fitted out to attack the frigate of +Cockburn's fleet that lay nearest to Norfolk. Urged forward by long +sweeps, the gunboats bore down upon the frigate, which, taken by +surprise, made so feeble and irregular a response that the Americans +thought they saw victory within their grasp. The gunboats chose their +distance, and opened a well-directed fire upon their huge enemy, that, +like a hawk attacked by a crowd of sparrows, soon turned to fly. But +at this moment the wind changed, enabling two frigates which were at +anchor lower down the bay to come up to the aid of their consort. The +American gunboats drew off slowly, firing as they departed. + +This attack infused new energy into the British, and they at once +began formidable preparations for an attack upon Norfolk. On the 20th +of June they moved forward to the assault,--three seventy-four-gun +ships, one sixty-four, four frigates, two sloops, and three +transports. They were opposed by the American forces stationed on +Craney Island, which commands the entrance to Norfolk Harbor. Here the +Americans had thrown up earthworks, mounting two twenty-four, one +eighteen, and four six pound cannon. To work this battery, one hundred +sailors from the "Constellation," together with fifty marines, had +been sent ashore. A large body of militia and a few soldiers of the +regular army were also in camp upon the island. + +The British set the 22d as the date for the attack; and on the morning +of that day, fifteen large boats, filled with sailors, marines, and +soldiers to the number of seven hundred, put off from the ships, and +dashed toward the batteries. At the same time a larger force tried to +move forward by land, but were driven back, to wait until their +comrades in the boats should have stormed and silenced the American +battery. But that battery was not to be silenced. After checking the +advance of the British by land, the Americans waited coolly for the +column of boats to come within point-blank range. On they came, +bounding over the waves, led by the great barge "Centipede," fifty +feet long, and crowded with men. The blue-jackets in the shore battery +stood silently at their guns. Suddenly there arose a cry, "Now, boys, +are you ready?" "All ready," was the response. "Then fire!" And the +great guns hurled their loads of lead and iron into the advancing +boats. The volley was a fearful one; but the British still came on +doggedly, until the fire of the battery became too terrible to be +endured. "The American sailors handled the great guns like rifles," +said one of the British officers, speaking of the battle. Before this +terrific fire, the advancing column was thrown into confusion. The +boats, drifting upon each other, so crowded together that the oars-men +could not make any headway. A huge round shot struck the "Centipede," +passing through her diagonally, leaving death and wounds in its track. +The shattered craft sunk, and was soon followed by four others. The +order for retreat was given; and, leaving their dead and some wounded +in the shattered barges that lay in the shallow water, the British +fled to their ships. Midshipman Tatnall, who, many years later, served +in the Confederate navy, waded out with several sailors, and, seizing +the "Centipede," drew her ashore. He found several wounded men in +her,--one a Frenchman, with both legs shot away. A small terrier dog +lay whimpering in the bow. His master had brought him along for a run +on shore, never once thinking of the possibility of the flower of the +British navy being beaten back by the Americans. + +So disastrous a defeat enraged the British, who proceeded to wreak +their vengeance upon the little town of Hampton, which they sacked and +burned, committing acts of shameful violence, more in accordance with +the character of savages than that of civilized white men. The story +of the sack of Hampton forms no part of the naval annals of the war, +and in its details is too revolting to deserve a place here. It is a +narrative of atrocious cruelty not to be paralleled in the history of +warfare in the nineteenth century. + +Leaving behind him the smoking ruins of Hampton, Cockburn with his +fleet dropped down the bay, and, turning southward, cruised along the +coast of the Carolinas. Anchoring off Ocracoke Inlet, the British sent +a fleet of armed barges into Pamlico Sound to ravage the adjoining +coast. Two privateers were found lying at anchor in the sound,--the +"Anaconda" of New York, and the "Atlas" of Philadelphia. The British +forces, eight hundred in number, dashed forward to capture the two +vessels. The "Atlas" fell an easy prey; but the thirteen men of the +"Anaconda" fought stoutly until all hope was gone, then, turning their +cannon down upon the decks of their own vessel, blew great holes in +her bottom, and escaped to the shore. After this skirmish, the British +landed, and marched rapidly to Newbern; but, finding that place well +defended by militia, made their way back to the coast, desolating the +country through which they passed, and seizing cattle and slaves. The +latter they are said to have sent to the West Indies and sold. From +Pamlico Sound Cockburn went to Cumberland Island, where he established +his winter quarters, and whence he continued to send out marauding +expeditions during the rest of the year. + +Very different was the character of Sir Thomas Hardy, who commanded +the British blockading fleet off the New England coast. A brave and +able officer, with the nature and training of a gentleman, he was as +much admired by his enemies for his nobility, as Cockburn was hated +for his cruelty. It is more than possible, however, that the +difference between the methods of enforcement of the blockade on the +New England coast and on the Southern seaboard was due to definite +orders from the British admiralty: for the Southern States had entered +into the war heart and soul; while New England gave to the American +forces only a faint-hearted support, and cried eagerly for peace at +any cost. So strong was this feeling, that resolutions of honor to the +brave Capt. Lawrence were defeated in the Massachusetts Legislature, +on the ground that they would encourage others to embark in the +needless war in which Lawrence lost his life. Whatever may have been +the cause, however, the fact remains, that Hardy's conduct while on +the blockade won for him the respect and admiration of the very people +against whom his forces were arrayed. + +[Illustration: Blue-Jackets at the Guns.] + +On June 18 the British blockaders off New York Harbor allowed a little +vessel to escape to sea, that, before she could be captured, roamed at +will within sight of the chalk cliffs of England, and inflicted +immense damage upon the commerce of her enemy. This craft was the +little ten-gun brig "Argus," which left New York bound for France. She +carried as passenger Mr. Crawford of Georgia, who had lately been +appointed United States minister to France. After safely discharging +her passenger at L'Orient, the "Argus" turned into the chops of the +English Channel, and cruised about, burning and capturing many of the +enemy's ships. She was in the very highway of British commerce; and +her crew had little rest day or night, so plentiful were the ships +that fell in their way. It was hard for the jackies to apply the torch +to so many stanch vessels, that would enrich the whole crew with +prize-money could they but be sent into an American port. But the +little cruiser was thousands of miles from any American port, and no +course was open to her save to give every prize to the flames. After +cruising for a time in the English Channel, Lieut. Allen, who +commanded the "Argus," took his vessel around Land's End, and into St. +George's Channel and the Irish Sea. For thirty days he continued his +daring operations in the very waters into which Paul Jones had carried +the American flag nearly thirty-five years earlier. British merchants +and shipping owners in London read with horror of the destruction +wrought by this one vessel. Hardly a paper appeared without an account +of some new damage done by the "Argus." Vessels were kept in port +to rot at their docks, rather than fall a prey to the terrible Yankee. +Rates of insurance went up to ruinous prices, and many companies +refused to take any risks whatever so long as the "Argus" remained +afloat. But the hue and cry was out after the little vessel; and many +a stout British frigate was beating up and down in St. George's +Channel, and the chops of the English Channel, in the hopes of falling +in with the audacious Yankee, who had presumed to bring home to +Englishmen the horrors of war. + +It fell to the lot of the brig-sloop "Pelican" to rid the British +waters of the "Argus." On the night of the thirteenth of August, the +American vessel had fallen in with a British vessel from Oporto, and +after a short chase had captured her. The usual result followed. The +prisoners with their personal property were taken out of the prize, +and the vessel was set afire. But, before the torch was applied, the +American sailors had discovered that their prize was laden with wine; +and their resolution was not equal to the task of firing the prize +without testing the quality of the cargo. Besides treating themselves +to rather deep potations, the boarding-crew contrived to smuggle a +quantity of the wine into the forecastle of the "Argus." The prize was +then fired, and the "Argus" moved away under easy sail. But the light +of the blazing ship attracted the attention of the lookout on the +"Pelican," and that vessel came down under full sail to discover the +cause. + +Day was just breaking, and by the gray morning light the British saw +an American cruiser making away from the burning hulk of her last +prize. The "Pelican" followed in hot pursuit, and was allowed to come +alongside, although the fleet American could easily have left her far +astern. But Capt. Allen was ready for the conflict; confident of his +ship and of his crew, of whose half-intoxicated condition he knew +nothing, he felt sure that the coming battle would only add more +laurels to the many already won by the "Argus." He had often declared +that the "Argus" should never run from any two-master; and now, that +the gage of battle was offered, he promptly accepted. + +At six o'clock in the morning, the "Pelican" came alongside, and +opened the conflict with a broadside from her thirty-two pound +carronades. The "Argus" replied with spirit, and a sharp cannonade +began. Four minutes after the battle opened, Capt. Allen was struck +by a round shot that cut off his left leg near the thigh. His officers +rushed to his side, and strove to bear him to his cabin; but he +resisted, saying he would stay on deck and fight his ship as long as +any life was left him. With his back to a mast, he gave his orders and +cheered on his men for a few minutes longer; then, fainting from the +terrible gush of blood from his wound, was carried below. To lose +their captain so early in the action, was enough to discourage the +crew of the "Argus." Yet the officers left on duty were brave and +skilful. Twice the vessel was swung into a raking position, but the +gunners failed to seize the advantage. "They seemed to be nodding over +their guns," said one of the officers afterward. The enemy, however, +showed no signs of nodding. His fire was rapid and well directed, and +his vessel manoeuvred in a way that showed a practised seaman in +command. At last he secured a position under the stern of the "Argus," +and lay there, pouring in destructive broadsides, until the Americans +struck their flag,--just forty-seven minutes after the opening of the +action. The loss on the "Argus" amounted to six killed and seventeen +wounded. + +No action of the war was so discreditable to the Americans as this. In +the loss of the "Chesapeake" and in the loss of the "Essex," there +were certain features of the action that redounded greatly to the +honor of the defeated party. But in the action between the "Argus" and +the "Pelican," the Americans were simply outfought. The vessels were +practically equal in size and armament, though the "Pelican" carried a +little the heavier metal. It is also stated that the powder used by +the "Argus" was bad. It had been taken from one of the prizes, and +afterwards proved to be condemned powder of the British Government. In +proof of the poor quality of this powder, one of the American officers +states that many shot striking the side of the "Pelican" were seen to +fall back into the water; while others penetrated the vessel's skin, +but did no further damage. All this, however, does not alter the fact +that the "Argus" was fairly beaten in a fair fight. + +While the British thus snapped up an American man-of-war cruising at +their harbors' mouths, the Americans were equally fortunate in +capturing a British brig of fourteen guns off the coast of Maine. The +captor was the United States brig "Enterprise," a lucky little vessel +belonging to a very unlucky class; for her sister brigs all fell a +prey to the enemy. The "Nautilus," it will be remembered, was captured +early in the war. The "Vixen" fell into the hands of Sir James Yeo, +who was cruising in the West Indies, in the frigate "Southampton;" but +this gallant officer reaped but little benefit from his prize, for +frigate and brig alike were soon after wrecked on one of the Bahama +Islands. The "Siren," late in the war, was captured by the +seventy-four-gun ship "Medway," and the loss of the "Argus" has just +been chronicled. Of all these brigs, the "Argus" alone was able to +fire a gun in her own defence, before being captured; the rest were +all forced to yield quietly to immensely superior force. + +In the war with Tripoli, the "Enterprise" won the reputation of being +a "lucky" craft; and her daring adventures and thrilling escapes +during the short naval war with France added to her prestige among +sailors. When the war with England broke out, the little brig was put +in commission as soon as possible, and assigned to duty along the +coast of Maine. She did good service in keeping off privateers and +marauding expeditions from Nova Scotia. In the early part of +September, 1813, she was cruising near Penguin Point, when she sighted +a brig in shore that had the appearance of a hostile war-vessel. The +stranger soon settled all doubts as to her character by firing several +guns, seemingly for the purpose of recalling her boats from the shore. +Then, setting sail with the rapidity of a man-of-war, she bore down +upon the American vessel. The "Enterprise," instead of waiting for the +enemy, turned out to sea, under easy sail; and her crew were set to +work bringing aft a long gun, and mounting it in the cabin, where one +of the stern windows had been chopped away to make a port. This action +rather alarmed the sailors, who feared that their commander, Lieut. +Burrows, whose character was unknown to them, intended to avoid the +enemy, and was rigging the long gun for a stern-chaser. An impromptu +meeting was held upon the forecastle; and, after much whispered +consultation, the people appointed a committee to go aft and tell the +commander that the lads were burning to engage the enemy, and were +confident of whipping her. The committee started bravely to discharge +their commission; but their courage failed them before so mighty a +potentate as the commander, and they whispered their message to the +first lieutenant, who laughed, and sent word forward that Mr. Burrows +only wanted to get sea-room, and would soon give the jackies all the +fighting they desired. + +[Illustration: The Fight with the "Boxer."] + +The Americans now had leisure to examine, through their +marine-glasses, the vessel which was so boldly following them to the +place of battle. She was a man-of-war brig, flying the British ensign +from both mastheads and at the peak. Her armament consisted of twelve +eighteen-pound carronades and two long sixes, as against the fourteen +eighteen-pound carronades and two long nines of the "Enterprise." The +Englishman carried a crew of sixty-six men, while the quarter-rolls of +the American showed a total of one hundred and two. But in the battle +which followed the British fought with such desperate bravery as to +almost overcome the odds against them. + +For some time the two vessels fought shy of each other, manoeuvring +for a windward position. Towards three o'clock in the afternoon, the +Americans gained this advantage, and at once shortened sail, and edged +down toward the enemy. As the ships drew near, a sailor was seen to +climb into the rigging of the Englishman, and nail the colors to the +mast, giving the lads of the "Enterprise" a hint as to the character +of the reception they might expect. As the vessels came within range, +both crews cheered lustily, and continued cheering until within +pistol-shot, when the two broadsides were let fly at almost exactly +the same moment. With the first fire, both commanders fell. Capt. +Blyth of the English vessel was almost cut in two by a round shot as +he stood on his quarter-deck. He died instantly. Lieut. Burrows was +struck by a canister-shot, which inflicted a mortal wound. He refused +to be carried below, and was tenderly laid upon the deck, where he +remained during the remainder of the battle, cheering on his men, and +crying out that the colors of the "Enterprise" should never be struck. +The conflict was sharp, but short. For ten minutes only the answering +broadsides rung out; then the colors of the British ship were hauled +down. She proved to be the sloop-of-war "Boxer," and had suffered +severely from the broadsides of the "Enterprise." Several shots had +taken effect in her hull, her foremast was almost shot away, and +several guns were dismounted. Three men beside her captain were +killed, and seventeen wounded. But she had not suffered these injuries +without inflicting some in return. The "Enterprise" was much cut up +aloft. Her foremast and mainmast had each been pierced by an +eighteen-pound ball. Her captain lay upon the deck, gasping in the +last agonies of death, but stoutly protesting that he would not be +carried below until he received the sword of the commander of the +"Boxer." At last this was brought him; and grasping it he cried, "Now +I am satisfied. I die contented." + +The two shattered brigs were taken into Portland, where the bodies of +the two slain commanders were buried with all the honors of war. The +"Enterprise" was repaired, and made one more cruise before the close +of the war; but the "Boxer" was found to be forever ruined for a +vessel of war, and she was sold into the merchant-service. The fact +that she was so greatly injured in so short a time led a London +paper, in speaking of the battle, to say, "The fact seems to be but +too clearly established, that the Americans have some superior mode of +firing; and we cannot be too anxiously employed in discovering to what +circumstances that superiority is owing." + +[Illustration: The Surrender of the "Boxer."] + +This battle practically closed the year's naval events upon the ocean. +The British privateer "Dart" was captured near Newport by some +volunteers from the gunboats stationed at that point. But, with this +exception, nothing noteworthy in naval circles occurred during the +remainder of the year. Looking back over the annals of the naval +operations of 1813, it is clear that the Americans were the chief +sufferers. They had the victories over the "Peacock," "Boxer," and +"Highflyer" to boast of; but they had lost the "Chesapeake," "Argus," +and "Viper." But, more than this, they had suffered their coast to be +so sealed up by British blockaders that many of their best vessels +were left to lie idle at their docks. The blockade, too, was growing +stricter daily, and the outlook for the future seemed gloomy; yet, as +it turned out, in 1814 the Americans regained the ground they had lost +the year before. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + + ON THE LAKES. -- CLOSE OF HOSTILITIES ON LAKES ERIE AND HURON. -- + DESULTORY WARFARE ON LAKE ONTARIO IN 1813. -- HOSTILITIES ON + ONTARIO IN 1814. -- THE BATTLE OF LAKE CHAMPLAIN. -- END OF THE + WAR UPON THE LAKES. + + +In considering the naval operations on the Great Lakes, it must be +kept in mind, that winter, which checked but little naval activity on +the ocean, locked the great fresh-water seas in an impenetrable +barrier of ice, and effectually stopped all further hostilities +between the hostile forces afloat. The victory gained by Commodore +Perry on Lake Erie in September, 1813, gave the Americans complete +command of that lake; and the frozen season soon coming on, prevented +any attempts on the part of the enemy to contest the American +supremacy. But, indeed, the British showed little ability, throughout +the subsequent course of the war, to snatch from the Americans the +fruits of the victory at Put-in-Bay. They embarked upon no more +offensive expeditions; and the only notable naval contest between the +two belligerents during the remainder of the war occurred Aug. 12, +1814, when a party of seventy-five British seamen and marines +attempted to cut out three American schooners that lay at the foot of +the lake near Fort Erie. The British forces were at Queenstown, on +the Niagara River; but by dint of carrying their boats twenty miles +through the woods, then poling down a narrow and shallow stream, with +a second portage of eight miles, the adventurers managed to reach Lake +Erie. Embarking here, they pulled down to the schooners. To the hail +of the lookout, they responded, "Provision boats." And, as no British +were thought to be on Lake Erie, the response satisfied the officer of +the watch. He quickly discovered his mistake, however, when he saw his +cable cut, and a party of armed men scrambling over his bulwarks. This +first prize, the "Somers," was quickly in the hands of the British, +and was soon joined in captivity by the "Ohio," whose people fought +bravely but unavailingly against the unexpected foe. While the +fighting was going on aboard the vessels, they were drifting down the +stream; and, by the time the British victory was complete, both +vessels were beyond the range of Fort Erie's guns, and safe from +recapture. This successful enterprise certainly deserves a place as +the boldest and best executed cutting-out expedition of the war. + +[Illustration: On the Way to Lake Erie.] + +Long before this occurrence, Capt. Arthur Singleton, who had succeeded +to Perry's command, despairing of any active service on Lake Erie, had +taken his squadron of five vessels into Lake Huron, where the British +still held the supremacy. His objective point was the Island of +Michilimackinac (Mackinaw), which had been captured by the enemy early +in the war. On his way, he stopped and burned the British fort and +barracks of St. Joseph. At Mackinaw he was repulsed, with the loss of +seventy men; after which he returned to Lake Erie, leaving two +vessels, the "Scorpion" and "Tigress," to blockade the Nattagawassa +River. The presence of these vessels irritated the British, and they +at once set about preparations for their capture. On the night of the +3d of September the "Tigress" was captured after a sharp struggle, +which, as the British commanding officer said, "did credit to her +officers, who were all severely wounded." At the time of the attack, +the "Scorpion" was several miles away, and knew nothing of the +misfortune of her consort. Knowing this, the British sent their +prisoners ashore, and, hoisting the American flag over the captured +vessel, waited patiently for their game to come to them. They were not +disappointed in their expectations. On the 5th the "Scorpion" came up, +and anchored, unsuspectingly, within two miles of her consort. At +early dawn the next morning the "Tigress" weighed anchor; and, with +the stars and stripes still flying, dropped down alongside the +unsuspecting schooner, poured in a sudden volley, and, instantly +boarding, carried the vessel without meeting any resistance. + +With these two skirmishes, the war upon Lake Erie and Lake Huron was +ended. But on Lake Ontario the naval events, though in no case +comparable with Perry's famous victory, were numerous and noteworthy. + +In our previous discussion of the progress of the war upon Lake +Ontario, we left Commodore Chauncey in winter quarter at Sackett's +Harbor, building new ships, and making vigorous efforts to secure +sailors to man them. His energy met with its reward; for, when the +melting ice left the lake open for navigation in the spring of 1813, +the American fleet was ready for active service, while the best +vessels belonging to the British were still in the hands of the +carpenters and riggers. The first service performed by the American +fleet was aiding Gen. Pike in his attack upon York, where the +Americans burned an almost completed twenty-four-gun ship, and +captured the ten-gun brig "Gloucester." The land forces who took part +in this action were terribly injured by the explosion of the +powder-magazine, to which the British had applied a slow-match when +they found they could no longer hold their position. This battle was +fought April 27, 1813. One month later, the naval forces co-operated +with the soldiery in driving the British from Fort George, on the +Canada side of the Niagara River, near Lake Ontario. Perry came from +Lake Erie to take part in this action, and led a landing party under +the fire of the British artillery with that dashing courage which he +showed later at the battle of Put-in-Bay. The work of the sailors in +this action was cool and effective. Their fire covered the advance of +the troops, and silenced more than one of the enemy's guns. "The +American ships," writes a British historian, "with their heavy +discharges of round and grape, too well succeeded in thinning the +British ranks." + +But by this time the British fleet was ready for sea, and left +Kingston on the 27th of May; while Chauncey was still at the extreme +western end of the lake. The enemy determined to make an immediate +assault upon Sackett's Harbor, and there destroy the corvette "Gen. +Pike," which, if completed, would give Chauncey supremacy upon the +lake. Accordingly the fleet under Sir James Lucas Yeo, with a large +body of troops under Sir George Prescott, appeared before the harbor +on the 29th. Although the forces which rallied to the defence of the +village were chiefly raw militia, the British attack was conducted +with so little spirit that the defenders won the day; and the enemy +retreated, leaving most of his wounded to fall into the hands of the +Americans. Yeo then returned to Kingston; and the American fleet came +up the lake, and put into Sackett's Harbor, there to remain until the +completion of the "Pike" should give Chauncey control of the lake. +While the Americans thus remained in port, the British squadron made +brief incursions into the lake, capturing a few schooners and breaking +up one or two encampments of the land forces of the United States. + +Not until the 21st of July did the Americans leave their anchorage. On +that day, with the formidable corvette "Pike" at the head of the +line, Chauncey left Sackett's Harbor, and went up to Niagara. Some +days later, Yeo took his squadron to sea; and on the 7th of August the +two hostile fleets came in sight of one another for the first time. +Then followed a season of manoeuvring,--of challenging and +counter-challenging, of offering battle and of avoiding +it,--terminating in so inconclusive an engagement that one is forced +to believe that neither commander dared to enter the battle for which +both had been so long preparing. The American squadron consisted +largely of schooners armed with long guns. In smooth weather these +craft were valuable adjuncts to the larger vessels, while in rough +weather they were useless. Yeo's squadron was mostly square-rigged, +and was therefore equally serviceable in all kinds of weather. It +seems likely, therefore, that the Americans strove to bring on the +conflict in smooth weather; while the British were determined to wait +until a heavy sea should lessen the force of their foes. In this +dilemma several days passed away. + +On the night of the 7th of August the wind came up to blow, and the +rising waves soon demonstrated the uselessness of schooners for +purposes of war. At early dawn a fierce gust of wind caused the +schooners "Hamilton" and "Scourge" to careen far to leeward. Their +heavy guns broke loose; then, crashing down to the submerged beams of +the schooners, pulled them still farther over; and, the water rushing +in at their hatches, they foundered, carrying with them to the bottom +all their officers, and all but sixteen of the men. This loss reduced +Chauncey's force to more of an equality with that of the British; yet +for two days longer the manoeuvring continued, without a shot being +fired. On the night of the 10th the two squadrons formed in order of +battle, and rapidly approached each other. At eleven o'clock a +cannonade was begun by both parties, and continued for about an hour; +though the shot did little material damage on either side. At midnight +the British, by a quick movement, cut out and captured two American +schooners, and sailed away, without suffering any damage. + +A month then intervened before the next hostile meeting. In his +despatches to his superior authorities, each commander stoutly affirms +that he spent the time in chasing the enemy, who refused to give him +battle. Whether it was the British or the Americans that avoided the +battle, it is impossible to decide; but it seems reasonable to +believe, that, had either party been really determined upon bringing +matters to an issue, the other could have been forced into giving +battle. + +On the 11th of September, the enemies met near the mouth of the +Genesee River, and exchanged broadsides. A few of the British vessels +were hulled, and, without more ado, hauled off into the shallow waters +of Ambert Bay, whither the Americans could not follow them. Then +ensued another long period of peace, broken at last by a naval action +in York Bay, on the 28th, in which the British were worsted and +obliged to fly, though none of their ships were destroyed or captured. +On Oct. 2, Chauncey accomplished a really important work, by capturing +five British transports, with two hundred and sixty-four men, seven +naval and ten army officers. With this achievement, the active work of +the Ontario squadron ended for the year, as Chauncey remained +blockading Yeo at Kingston, until the approach of winter rendered that +precaution no longer necessary. + +The navigable season of 1814 opened with the British first upon the +lake. The long winter had been employed by the belligerents in adding +to their fleets; a work completed first by Yeo, who put out upon the +lake on the 3d of May, with eight square-rigged vessels, of which two +were new frigates. The Americans had given up their unseaworthy +schooners, and had a fleet of eight square-rigged vessels nearly +ready, but still lacking the cordage and guns for the three new craft. +Yeo thus had the lake to himself for a time, and began a vigorous +campaign by an attack upon Oswego, aided by a large body of British +troops. Succeeding in this enterprise, he set sail for Sackett's +Harbor, and, taking up his position just outside the bar, disposed his +vessels for a long and strict blockade. This action was particularly +troublesome to the Americans at that time; for their new frigates were +just ready for their guns and cables, which could not be brought +overland, and the arrival of which by water was seemingly prevented by +the blockade. It was in this emergency that the plan, already +described, for transporting the great cable for the "Niagara" +overland, on the backs of men, was decided upon. Yeo remained on guard +at the mouth of the harbor until the 6th of June, then raised the +blockade, and disappeared down the lake. For six weeks the Americans +continued working on their fleet, to get the ships ready for service. +During this time the British gunboat "Black Snake" was brought into +the harbor, a prize to Lieut. Gregory, who had captured it by a +sudden assault, with a score of sailors at his back. On the 1st of +July, the same officer made a sudden descent upon Presque Isle, where +he found a British vessel pierced for fourteen guns on the stocks, +ready for launching. The raiders hastily set fire to the ship, and +retreated before the enemy could get his forces together. + +It was July 31 before Chauncey set sail from Sackett's Harbor. He now +had under his command a squadron of eight vessels, two of which were +frigates, two ship sloops-of-war, and eight brig-sloops of no mean +power. Yeo had, to oppose this force, a fleet of no less respectable +proportions. Yet, for the remainder of the year, these two squadrons +cruised about the lake, or blockaded each other in turn, without once +coming to battle. As transports, the vessels were of some service to +their respective governments; but, so far as any actual naval +operations were concerned, they might as well never have been built. +The war closed, leaving the two cautious commanders still waiting for +a satisfactory occasion for giving battle. + +Such was the course of the naval war upon the Great Lakes; but the +thunder of hostile cannon and the cheers of sailors were heard upon +yet another sheet of fresh water, before the quarrel between England +and the United States was settled. In the north-east corner of New +York State, and slightly overlapping the Canada line, lies Lake +Champlain,--a picturesque sheet of water, narrow, and dotted with +wooded islands. From the northern end of the lake flows the Richelieu +River, which follows a straight course through Canada to the St. +Lawrence, into which it empties. The long, navigable water-way thus +open from Canada to the very heart of New York was to the British a +most tempting path for an invading expedition. By the shore of the +lake a road wound along; thus smoothing the way for a land force, +whose advance might be protected by the fire of the naval force that +should proceed up the lake. Naturally, so admirable an international +highway early attracted the attention of the military authorities of +both belligerents; and, while the British pressed forward their +preparations for an invading expedition, the Americans hastened to +make such arrangements as should give them control of the lake. Her +European wars, however, made so great a demand for soldiers upon Great +Britain, that not until 1814 could she send to America a sufficient +force to undertake the invasion of the United States from the north. +In the spring of that year, a force of from ten thousand to fifteen +thousand troops, including several thousand veterans who had served +under Wellington, were massed at Montreal; and in May a move was made +by the British to get control of the lake, before sending their +invading forces into New York. The British naval force already in the +Richelieu River, and available for service, consisted of a brig, two +sloops, and twelve or fourteen gunboats. The American flotilla +included a large corvette, a schooner, a small sloop, and ten +gunboats, or galleys, propelled with oars. Seeing that the British +were preparing for active hostilities, the Americans began to build, +with all possible speed, a large brig; a move which the enemy promptly +met by pushing forward with equal energy the construction of a +frigate. While the new vessels were on the stocks, an irregular +warfare was carried on by those already in commission. At the opening +of the season, the American vessels lay in Otter Creek; and, just as +they were ready to leave port, the enemy appeared off the mouth of the +creek with a force consisting of the brig "Linnet" and eight or ten +galleys. The object of the British was to so obstruct the mouth of the +creek that the Americans should be unable to come out. With this end +in view, they had brought two sloops laden with stones, which they +intended to sink in the narrow channel. But, luckily, the Americans +had thrown up earthworks at the mouth of the river; and a party of +sailors so worked the guns, that, after much manoeuvring, the British +were forced to retire without effecting their purpose. + +About the middle of August, the Americans launched their new brig, the +"Eagle;" and the little squadron put out at once into the lake, under +command of Capt. Thomas Macdonough. Eight days later, the British got +their new ship, the "Confiance," into the water. She possessed one +feature new to American naval architecture,--a furnace in which to +heat cannon-balls. + +By this time (September, 1814), the invading column of British +veterans, eleven thousand strong, had begun its march into New York +along the west shore of the lake. Two thousand Americans only could be +gathered to dispute their progress; and these, under the command of +Brigadier-Gen. Macomb, were gathered at Plattsburg. To this point, +accordingly, Macdonough took his fleet, and awaited the coming of the +enemy; knowing that if he could beat back the fleet of the British, +their land forces, however powerful, would be forced to cease their +advance. The fleet that he commanded consisted of the flagship +"Saratoga," carrying eight long twenty-four-pounders, six +forty-two-pound and twelve thirty-two-pound carronades; the brig +"Eagle," carrying eight long eighteens, and twelve thirty-two-pound +carronades; schooner "Ticonderoga," with eight long twelve-pounders, +four long eighteen-pounders, and five thirty-two-pound carronades; +sloop "Preble," with seven long nines; and ten galleys. The commander +who ruled over this fleet was a man still in his twenty-ninth year. +The successful battles of the War of 1812 were fought by young +officers, and the battle of Lake Champlain was no exception to the +rule. + +The British force which came into battle with Macdonough's fleet was +slightly superior. It was headed by the flagship "Confiance," a +frigate of the class of the United States ship "Constitution," +carrying thirty long twenty-fours, a long twenty-four-pounder on a +pivot, and six thirty-two or forty-two pound carronades. The other +vessels were the "Linnet," a brig mounting sixteen long twelves; and +the "Chubb" and "Finch" (captured from the Americans under the names +of "Growler" and "Eagle"),--sloops carrying respectively ten +eighteen-pound carronades and one long six; and six eighteen-pound +carronades, four long sixes, and one short eighteen. To these were +added twelve gunboats, with varied armaments, but each slightly +heavier than the American craft of the same class. + +The 11th of September had been chosen by the British for the combined +land and water attack upon Plattsburg. With the movements of the land +forces, this narrative will not deal. The brunt of the conflict fell +upon the naval forces, and it was the success of the Americans upon +the water that turned the faces of the British invaders toward Canada. + +The village of Plattsburg stands upon the shore of a broad bay which +communicates with Lake Champlain by an opening a mile and a half wide, +bounded upon the north by Cumberland Head, and on the south by Crab +Island. In this bay, about two miles from the western shore, +Macdonough's fleet lay anchored in double line, stretching north and +south. The four large vessels were in the front rank, prepared to meet +the brunt of the conflict; while the galleys formed a second line in +the rear. The morning of the day of battle dawned clear, with a brisk +north-east wind blowing. The British were stirring early, and at +daybreak weighed anchor and came down the lake. Across the low-lying +isthmus that connected Cumberland Head with the mainland, the +Americans could see their adversaries' topmasts as they came down to +do battle. At this sight, Macdonough called his officers about him, +and, kneeling upon the quarter-deck, besought Divine aid in the +conflict so soon to come. When the little group rose from their knees, +the leading ship of the enemy was seen swinging round Cumberland Head; +and the men went to their quarters to await the fiery trial that all +knew was impending. + +The position of the American squadron was such that the British were +forced to attack "bows on," thus exposing themselves to a raking fire. +By means of springs on their cables, the Americans were enabled to +keep their broadsides to the enemy, and thus improve, to the fullest, +the advantage gained by their position. The British came on gallantly, +and were greeted by four shots from the long eighteens of the "Eagle," +that had no effect. But, at the sound of the cannon, a young game-cock +that was running at large on the "Saratoga" flew upon a gun, flapped +his wings, and crowed thrice, with so lusty a note that he was heard +far over the waters. The American seamen, thus roused from the painful +revery into which the bravest fall before going into action, cheered +lustily, and went into the fight, encouraged as only sailors could be +by the favorable omen. + +Soon after the defiant game-cock had thus cast down the gage of +battle, Macdonough sighted and fired the first shot from one of the +long twenty-four pounders of the "Saratoga." The heavy ball crashed +into the bow of the "Confiance," and cut its way aft, killing and +wounding several men, and demolishing the wheel. Nothing daunted, the +British flagship came on grandly, making no reply, and seeking only to +cast anchor alongside the "Saratoga," and fight it out yard-arm to +yard-arm. But the fire of the Americans was such that she could not +choose her distance; but after having been badly cut up, with both her +port anchors shot away, was forced to anchor at a distance of a +quarter of a mile. But her anchor had hardly touched bottom, when she +suddenly flashed out a sheet of flames, as her rapid broadsides rung +out and her red-hot shot sped over the water toward the American +flagship. Her first broadside killed or wounded forty of the +Americans; while many more were knocked down by the shock, but +sustained no further injury. So great was the carnage, that the +hatches were opened, and the dead bodies passed below, that the men +might have room to work the guns. Among the slain was Mr. Gamble, the +first lieutenant, who was on his knees sighting a gun, when a shot +entered the port, split the quoin, drove a great piece of metal +against his breast, and stretched him dead upon the deck without +breaking his skin. By a singular coincidence, fifteen minutes later a +shot from one of the "Saratoga's" guns struck the muzzle of a +twenty-four on the "Confiance," and, dismounting it, hurled it against +Capt. Downie's groin, killing him instantly without breaking the skin; +a black mark about the size of a small plate was the sole visible +injury. + +In the mean time, the smaller vessels had become engaged, and were +fighting with no less courage than the flag-ships. The "Chubb" had +early been disabled by a broadside from the "Eagle," and drifted +helplessly under the guns of the "Saratoga." After receiving a shot +from that vessel, she struck, and was taken possession of by +Midshipman Platt, who put off from the flagship in an open boat, +boarded the prize, and took her into Plattsburg Bay, near the mouth of +the Saranac. More than half her people were killed or wounded during +the short time she was in the battle. The "Linnet," in the mean time, +had engaged the "Eagle," and poured in her broadsides with such effect +that the springs on the cables of the American were cut away, and she +could no longer bring her broadsides to bear. Her captain therefore +cut his cables, and soon gained a position from which he could bring +his guns to bear upon the "Confiance." The "Linnet" thereupon dashed +in among the American gunboats, and, driving them off, commenced a +raking fire upon the "Saratoga." The "Finch," meanwhile, had ranged +gallantly up alongside the "Ticonderoga," but was sent out of the +fight by two broadsides from the American. She drifted helplessly +before the wind, and soon grounded near Crab Island. On the island was +a hospital, and an abandoned battery mounting one six-pound gun. Some +of the convalescent patients, seeing the enemy's vessel within range, +opened fire upon her from the battery, and soon forced her to haul +down her flag. Nearly half her crew were killed or wounded. Almost at +the same moment, the United States sloop "Preble" was forced out of +the fight by the British gunboats, that pressed so fiercely upon her +that she cut her cables and drifted inshore. + +[Illustration: Hiram Paulding fires the Guns.] + +The "Ticonderoga" fought a gallant fight throughout. After ridding +herself of the "Finch," she had a number of the British gunboats to +contend with; and they pressed forward to the attack with a gallantry +that showed them to be conscious of the fact, that, if this vessel +could be carried, the American line would be turned, and the day won +by the English. But the American schooner fought stubbornly. Her +gallant commander, Lieut. Cassin, walked up and down the taffrail, +heedless of the grape and musket-balls that whistled past his head, +pointing out to the gunners the spot whereon to train the guns, and +directing them to load with canister and bags of bullets when the +enemy came too near. The gunners of the schooner were terribly +hampered in their work by the lack of matches for the guns; for the +vessel was new, and the absence of these very essential articles was +unnoticed until too late. The guns of one division were fired +throughout the fight by Hiram Paulding, a sixteen-year-old +midshipman, who flashed his pistol at the priming of the guns as soon +as aim was taken. When no gun was ready for his services, he rammed a +ball into his weapon and discharged it at the enemy. The onslaught of +the British was spirited and determined. Often they pressed up within +a boat-hook's length of the schooner, only to be beaten back by her +merciless fire. Sometimes so few were left alive in the galleys that +they could hardly man the oars to pull out of the fight. In this way +the "Ticonderoga" kept her enemies at bay while the battle was being +decided between the "Saratoga" and the "Confiance." + +For it was upon the issue of the conflict between these two ships, +that victory or defeat depended. Each had her ally and satellite. +Under the stern of the "Saratoga" lay the "Linnet," pouring in raking +broadsides. The "Confiance," in turn, was suffering from the +well-directed fire of the "Eagle." The roar of the artillery was +unceasing, and dense clouds of gunpowder-smoke hid the warring ships +from the eyes of the eager spectators on shore. The "Confiance" was +unfortunate in losing her gallant captain early in the action, while +Macdonough was spared to fight his ship to the end. His gallantry and +activity, however, led him to expose himself fearlessly; and twice he +narrowly escaped death. He worked like a common sailor, loading and +firing a favorite twenty-four-pound gun; and once, while on his knees, +sighting the piece, a shot from the "Confiance" cut in two the +spanker-boom, a great piece of which fell heavily upon the captain's +head, stretching him senseless upon the deck. He lay motionless for +two or three minutes, and his men mourned him as dead; but suddenly +his activity returned, and he leaped to his feet, and was soon again +in the thick of the fight. In less than five minutes the cry again +arose, that the captain was killed. He had been standing at the breach +of his favorite cannon, when a round shot took off the head of the +captain of the gun, and dashed it with terrific force into the face of +Macdonough, who was driven across the deck, and hurled against the +bulwarks. He lay an instant, covered with the blood of the slain man; +but, hearing his men cry that he was killed, he rushed among them, to +cheer them on with his presence. + +And, indeed, at this moment the crew of the "Saratoga" needed the +presence of their captain to cheer them on to further exertion. The +red-hot shot of the "Confiance" had twice set fire to the American +ship. The raking fire from the "Linnet" had dismounted carronades and +long guns one by one, until but a single serviceable gun was left in +the starboard battery. A too heavy charge dismounted this piece, and +threw it down the hatchway, leaving the frigate without a single gun +bearing upon the enemy. In such a plight the hearts of the crew might +well fail them. But Macdonough was ready for the emergency. He still +had his port broadside untouched, and he at once set to work to swing +the ship round so that this battery could be brought to bear. An +anchor was let fall astern, and the whole ship's company hauled in on +the hawser, swinging the ship slowly around. It was a dangerous +manoeuvre; for, as the ship veered round, her stern was presented to +the "Linnet," affording an opportunity for raking, which the gunners +on that plucky little vessel immediately improved. But patience and +hard pulling carried the day; and gradually the heavy frigate was +turned sufficiently for the after gun to bear, and a gun's crew was at +once called from the hawsers to open fire. One by one the guns swung +into position, and soon the whole broadside opened with a roar. + +Meanwhile the "Confiance" had attempted the same manoeuvre. But her +anchors were badly placed; and, though her people worked gallantly, +they failed to get the ship round. She bore for some time the +effective fire from the "Saratoga's" fresh broadside, but, finding +that she could in no way return the fire, struck her flag, two hours +and a quarter after the battle commenced. Beyond giving a hasty cheer, +the people of the "Saratoga" paid little attention to the surrender of +their chief enemy, but instantly turned their guns upon the "Linnet." +In this combat the "Eagle" could take no part, and the thunder of her +guns died away. Farther down the bay, the "Ticonderoga" had just +driven away the last of the British galleys; so that the "Linnet" now +alone upheld the cause of the enemy. She was terribly outmatched by +her heavier foe, but her gallant captain Pring kept up a desperate +defence. Her masts and rigging were hopelessly shattered; and no +course was open to her, save to surrender, or fight a hopeless fight. +Capt. Pring sent off a lieutenant, in an open boat, to ascertain the +condition of the "Confiance." The officer returned with the report +that Capt. Downie was killed, and the frigate terribly cut up; and as +by this time the water, pouring in the shot-holes in the "Linnet's" +hull, had risen a foot above the lower deck, her flag was hauled +down, and the battle ended in a decisive triumph for the Americans. + +Terrible was the carnage, and many and strange the incidents, of this +most stubbornly contested naval battle. All of the prizes were in a +sinking condition. In the hull of the "Confiance" were a hundred and +five shot-holes, while the "Saratoga" was pierced by fifty-five. Not a +mast that would bear canvas was left standing in the British fleet; +those of the flagship were splintered like bundles of matches, and the +sails torn to rags. On most of the enemy's vessels, more than half of +the crews were killed or wounded. The loss on the British side +probably aggregated three hundred. Midshipman William Lee of the +"Confiance" wrote home after the battle, "The havoc on both sides was +dreadful. I don't think there are more than five of our men, out of +three hundred, but what are killed or wounded. Never was a shower of +hail so thick as the shot whistling about our ears. Were you to see my +jacket, waistcoat, and trousers, you would be astonished to know how I +escaped as I did; for they are literally torn all to rags with shot +and splinters. The upper part of my hat was also shot away. There is +one of the marines who was in the Trafalgar action with Lord Nelson, +who says it was a mere flea-bite in comparison with this." + +The Americans, though victorious, had suffered greatly. Their loss +amounted to about two hundred men. The "Saratoga" had been cut up +beyond the possibility of repair. Her decks were covered with dead and +dying. The shot of the enemy wrought terrible havoc in the ranks of +the American officers. Lieut. Stansbury of the "Ticonderoga" suddenly +disappeared in the midst of the action; nor could any trace of him be +found, until, two days later, his body, cut nearly in two by a round +shot, rose from the waters of the lake. Lieut. Vallette of the +"Saratoga" was knocked down by the head of a sailor, sent flying by a +cannon-ball. Some minutes later he was standing on a shot-box giving +orders, when a shot took the box from beneath his feet, throwing him +heavily upon the deck. Mr. Brum, the master, a veteran man-o'-war's +man, was struck by a huge splinter, which knocked him down, and +actually stripped every rag of clothing from his body. He was thought +to be dead, but soon re-appeared at his post, with a strip of canvas +about his waist, and fought bravely until the end of the action. Some +days before the battle, a gentleman of Oswego gave one of the sailors +a glazed tarpaulin hat, of the kind then worn by seamen. A week later +the sailor re-appeared, and, handing him the hat with a semi-circular +cut in the crown and brim, made while it was on his head by a +cannon-shot, remarked calmly, "Look here, Mr. Sloane, how the damned +John Bulls have spoiled my hat!" + +The last British flag having been hauled down, an officer was sent to +take possession of the "Confiance." In walking along her gun-deck, he +accidentally ran against a ratline, by which one of her starboard guns +was discharged. At this sound, the British galleys and gunboats, which +had been lying quietly with their ensigns down, got out oars and moved +off up the lake. The Americans had no vessels fit for pursuing them, +and they were allowed to escape. In the afternoon the British officers +came to the American flagship to complete the surrender. Macdonough +met them courteously; and, on their offering their swords, put them +back, saying, "Gentlemen, your gallant conduct makes you worthy to +wear your weapons. Return them to their scabbards." By sundown the +surrender was complete, and Macdonough sent off to the Secretary of +the Navy a despatch, saying, "_Sir,_--The Almighty has been pleased to +grant us a signal victory on Lake Champlain, in the capture of one +frigate, one brig, and two sloops-of-war of the enemy." + +Some days later, the captured ships, being beyond repair, were taken +to the head of the lake, and scuttled. Some of the guns were found to +be still loaded; and, in drawing the charges, one gun was found with a +canvas bag containing two round shot rammed home, and wadded, without +any powder; another gun contained two cartridges and no shot; and a +third had a wad rammed down before the powder, thus effectually +preventing the discharge of the piece. The American gunners were not +altogether guiltless of carelessness of this sort. Their chief error +lay in ramming down so many shot upon the powder that the force of the +explosion barely carried the missiles to the enemy. In proof of this, +the side of the "Confiance" was thickly dotted with round shot, which +had struck into, but failed to penetrate, the wood. + +The result of this victory was immediate and gratifying. The land +forces of the British, thus deprived of their naval auxiliaries, +turned about, and retreated to Canada, abandoning forever their +projected invasion. New York was thus saved by Macdonough's skill and +bravery. Yet the fame he won by his victory was not nearly +proportionate to the naval ability he showed, and the service he had +rendered to his country. Before the popular adulation of Perry, +Macdonough sinks into second place. One historian only gives him the +pre-eminence that is undoubtedly his due. Says Mr. Theodore Roosevelt, +in his admirable history, "The Naval War of 1812," "But Macdonough in +this battle won a higher fame than any other commander of the war, +British or American. He had a decidedly superior force to contend +against, and it was solely owing to his foresight and resource that we +won the victory. He forced the British to engage at a disadvantage by +his excellent choice of position, and he prepared beforehand for every +possible contingency. His personal prowess had already been shown at +the cost of the rovers of Tripoli, and in this action he helped fight +the guns as ably as the best sailor. His skill, seamanship, quick eye, +readiness of resource, and indomitable pluck are beyond all praise. +Down to the time of the civil war, he is the greatest figure in our +naval history. A thoroughly religious man, he was as generous and +humane as he was skilful and brave. One of the greatest of our sea +captains, he has left a stainless name behind him." + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + + ON THE OCEAN. -- THE WORK OF THE SLOOPS-OF-WAR. -- LOSS OF THE + "FROLIC." -- FRUITLESS CRUISE OF THE "ADAMS." -- THE "PEACOCK" + TAKES THE "EPERVIER." -- THE CRUISE OF THE "WASP." -- SHE + CAPTURES THE "REINDEER." -- SINKS THE "AVON." -- MYSTERIOUS END + OF THE "WASP." + + +The opening of the year 1814 found the American coast still rigidly +blockaded by the British men-of-war. Two or three of the enemy lay off +the mouth of every considerable harbor, and were not to be driven from +their post by the icy winds and storms of midwinter on the American +coast. It was almost impossible for any American vessel to escape to +sea, and a matter of almost equal difficulty for such vessels as were +out to get into a home port. The frigate "President" had put to sea +early in December, 1813, and after a cruise of eight weeks, during +which the traditional ill-luck of the ship pursued her remorselessly, +managed to dash into New York Harbor past the blockading squadron. At +Boston the blockade was broken by the "Constitution." She left port on +the 1st of January, ran off to the southward, and cruised for some +weeks in the West Indies. Here she captured the British man-of-war +schooner "Pictou," fourteen guns, and several merchant-vessels. She +also fell in with the British thirty-six-gun frigate "Pique," which +fled, and escaped pursuit by cutting through a narrow channel during a +dark and squally night. The "Constitution" then returned to the coast +of the United States, and narrowly escaped falling into the clutches +of two British frigates. She managed to gain the shelter of Marblehead +Harbor, and there remained until the latter part of the year. + +But, while the larger vessels were thus accomplishing little or +nothing, two or three small sloops-of-war, of a class newly built, +slipped through the enemy's lines, and, gaining the open sea, fought +one or two notable actions. Of these, the first vessel to get to sea +was the new sloop-of-war "Frolic;" but her career was short and +inglorious, for she had been at sea but a few weeks when she fell in +with the enemy's frigate "Orpheus" and the schooner "Shelburne." A +chase ensued, in which the American vessel threw overboard her guns +and anchors, and started the water; but to no avail, for she was +overhauled, and forced to surrender. Her service afloat was limited to +the destruction of a Carthagenian privateer, which sunk before her +guns, carrying down nearly a hundred men. + +The "Adams," a vessel that had suffered many vicissitudes,--having +been built for a frigate, then cut down to a sloop-of-war, and finally +been sawed asunder and converted into a corvette,--put to sea on the +18th of January, under the command of Capt. Charles Morris, formerly +of the "Constitution." She laid her course straight to the eastward, +and for some time cruised off the western coast of Africa and the +Canary Isles. She met with but little success in this region, +capturing only three brigs,--the cargo of one of which consisted of +wine and fruit; and the second, of palm-oil and ivory. Abandoning the +African coast, the corvette turned westward along the equator, and +made for the West Indies. A large Indiaman fell in her way, and was +brought to; but, before the Americans could take possession of their +prize, a British fleet of twenty-five sail, with two men-of-war, hove +in sight, and the "Adams" was forced to seek safety in flight. She put +into Savannah for provisions and water, but, hearing that the enemy +was in force near by, worked out to sea, and made sail for another +cruise. Capt. Morris took up a position on the limits of the Gulf +Stream, near the Florida coast, in the expectation of cutting out an +Indiaman from some passing convoy. The expected fleet soon came, but +was under the protection of a seventy-four, two frigates, and three +brigs,--a force sufficient to keep at bay the most audacious of +corvettes. Morris hung about the convoy for two days, but saw no +chance of eluding the watchful guards. He then crossed the Atlantic to +the coast of Ireland. Here the "Adams" narrowly escaped capture; for +she was sighted by a frigate, which gave chase, and would have +overhauled her, had not the Americans thrown overboard some small +cannon, and cut away their anchors. Thus lightened, the corvette sped +away, and soon left her pursuers behind. + +Continued ill-fortune now reduced the spirits of the sailors of the +"Adams" to very low ebb. They were forced to struggle unceasingly +against the fierce gales which in winter sweep the Atlantic. Their +stock of food and water was giving out; and, to add to their distress, +scurvy, the sailors' worst enemy, began to show itself in the ship. +They had boldly run into the very waters in which the "Argus" had won +so rich a reward, yet not a sail gladdened the eyes of the lookout on +the "Adams." It was then with great disappointment that the jackies +saw the prow of the corvette turned homeward, after a cruise that +would bring them neither honor nor prize-money. The passage homeward +was quickly made, and on the 16th of August the vessel was in +soundings off the coast of Maine. Night fell, with a dense fog +concealing all landmarks from view. Through the darkness the corvette +sped on at a pace of eleven miles an hour, until, just as day was +breaking, the cry of "Breakers ahead!" was followed by a heavy blow, +indicating that the ship had struck. The force of the blow had not +been sufficient to stave in the bottom,--a fortunate fact, for the +hold was full of prisoners. Nevertheless, she was hard and fast +aground, on a ledge of rock that lifted her bow six feet above her +stern. Morris, who had rushed upon deck at the first alarm, was unable +to make out the ship's position, and feared that they were on Cashes +Ledge, a reef so far from the land that it would have been impossible +to save in the boats more than half the crew. He had determined, +however, to instantly lower the boats and send them off in search of +land, when a gust of wind, blowing away the fog, showed a beetling +cliff not a hundred yards away. Rugged and inhospitable as was the +coast thus exposed, it was better than an expanse of ocean; and at +once Morris set to work landing his prisoners, and the sick, of whom +the "Adams" had nearly sixty. With spare sails, tents were put up on +the beach; and, stores having been landed, the comfort of all was +assured, in case the ship should go to pieces. What the desolate shore +was to which they were thus forced to turn for shelter, no one knew. + +All hands now turned to at the capstan, in the hopes of getting the +vessel off; and about noon, the tide having reached its flood, she +gradually slid off the ledge into deep water. After trying the pumps, +to see if any serious leak had been started, the difficult task of +taking the ship out of the labyrinth of reefs in which she lay was +begun. For more than two miles their course lay through a narrow and +tortuous channel, bordered on either side with jagged reefs; but the +corvette safely threaded her way between the rocks, and soon lay +floating in deep water. The next morning the fog blew away; and the +voyagers discovered to their astonishment that they were off Mount +Desert, instead of near Portsmouth as they had expected. + +To return into the cluster of reefs after the little colony of +invalids and prisoners that had been left behind, would have been mere +folly: so sending two fishing-boats to search out the shore party, and +carry them to the nearest village, the "Adams" continued her course, +intending to put into the Penobscot River. While making for this +point, a sail was sighted, which proved to be the British brig-sloop +"Rifleman." The corvette gave chase, but the Englishman kept well in +the offing; and, as the condition of the American crew was such that +to lead them into action would have been imprudent, Morris abandoned +the pursuit, and, putting into the Penobscot, dropped anchor off +Hampden. Here, for the present, we will leave the "Adams." + +The "Peacock"--a second of the new sloops-of-war, bearing the name of +a captured British vessel--put out from New York in March, and made +her way to the southward, selecting as her cruising station the waters +off the coast of Florida. For some time it seemed that the exertions +of the sailors were to be of no avail. Not a sail was to be seen, and +the chances for prize-money seemed to be small indeed. But on the 29th +of March three merchant-vessels were made out in the offing; while a +heavy-built, square-rigged, trim-looking craft that hovered about them +was evidently a man-of-war. The strangers seemed to have sighted the +American vessel; for the merchantmen were seen to hastily haul up and +run off to the north-east, while the man-of-war edged away for the +American ship. + +The stranger was His British Majesty's brig sloop-of-war "Epervier," +of eighteen guns, and carrying a crew of one hundred and twenty-eight +men. The "Peacock" was a ship-sloop of twenty-two guns, with a crew of +one hundred and sixty-six men. The advantage, therefore, lay with the +Americans; but, in the battle that ensued, the damage they inflicted +upon the enemy was out of any proportion to their excess of strength. + +The two ships bore down gallantly upon each other, and at a little +after ten in the morning passed, exchanging heavy broadsides. The shot +of each took effect in the rigging; but the "Peacock" suffered the +more, having her foreyard totally disabled,--an injury that compelled +her to run large during the rest of the action, and forego all +attempts at manoeuvring. The two vessels having passed each other, the +"Epervier" eased off, and returned to the fight, running on a parallel +course with the American ship. The interchange of broadsides then +became very rapid; but the British marksmanship was poor, and few of +their shot took effect. The "Epervier," on the contrary, suffered +severely from the American fire, which took effect in her hull, +dismounting several guns, and so injuring the brig that a British +naval officer, writing of the action some years later, said, "The most +disgraceful part of the affair was that our ship was cut to pieces, +and the enemy hardly scratched." + +The injury aloft which both vessels sustained caused the battle to +take on the character of an action at long range. Under such +conditions, the victory was assured to the side showing the best +gunnery. For a moment only did it seem that the vessels were likely to +come to close quarters, and the English captain seized that occasion +to call up his boarders. But they refused, saying, "She's too heavy +for us." And a few minutes later the Englishman hauled down his flag, +having lost nine killed or mortally wounded, and fourteen wounded. The +Americans had suffered but little; only two men being injured, and +these but slightly. The shot of the enemy had passed through the +rigging of the "Peacock," while the "Epervier" had been hulled +forty-five times. + +The "Epervier" proved to be a valuable prize. In her hold specie to +the amount of one hundred and eighteen thousand dollars was found; +and, when the brig was sold to the United States Government, she +brought fifty-five thousand dollars: so that the prize-money won by +that action kept the sailors in good-humor for many months to come. +But, before the prize could be safely carried into an American port, +she had a gantlet to run, in which she narrowly escaped capture. After +the wreck of battle had been cleared away, the brig and her captor +made for Savannah, but were sighted and chased by two British +frigates. The "Peacock," in the hope of drawing away the pursuers, +left her prize, and headed out to sea. One frigate only followed her, +and the other pressed on hotly after the "Epervier," which, to avoid +capture, was forced to run into shallow water, whither the heavy +frigate could not follow her. But she was not to escape so easily; for +the boats of the frigate were lowered, filled with armed men, and set +out in pursuit of the brig, which moved but slowly before the light +breeze then blowing. The boats soon overhauled the fugitive, and +escape seemed hopeless; for the "Epervier" was manned by a prize-crew +of only sixteen men. But Lieut. Nicholson, who was in command, +determined to try the effect of bluster. Accordingly he leaped upon +the taffrail, with a speaking-trumpet in his hand, and shouted out +orders as if calling a huge crew to quarters. The British, who were +within easy range, stopped their advance, and, fearing a destructive +broadside from the brig's guns, turned and fled precipitately. The +"Epervier" continued her course, and reached Savannah in safety on the +1st of May. The "Peacock" reached the same port four days later. + +At the moment when the captured "Epervier," flying the stars and +stripes, was proudly making her way up the harbor of Savannah amid the +plaudits of the people of the little city, there sailed from +Portsmouth, N.H., a vessel that was destined to fight a good fight for +the honor of that starry banner; and, after winning a glorious +victory, to disappear forever from the face of the ocean, carrying to +some unknown grave a crew of as brave hearts as ever beat under +uniforms of navy blue. + +This was the new sloop of war "Wasp," named after the gallant little +craft that had been taken by the British after her capture of the +"Frolic." She was a stanch three-master, carrying eleven guns to a +broadside. Her crew was purely American, not a foreigner among them; +but all trained seamen from the seaboard villages and towns of New +England,--the homes at that time of probably the hardiest seafaring +population in the world. Capt. Blakely, who commanded the vessel, had +been attached to the "Enterprise" for some time, but had been ordered +to the command of the "Wasp" a few days before the former vessel +fought her successful battle with the "Boxer." Blakely, while in +command of the "Enterprise," had greatly desired to meet an enemy +worthy of his metal. Great, then, was his chagrin, when the +"Enterprise," two weeks after he quitted her, fought her gallant +battle. In a letter written in January, 1814, he says, "I shall ever +view as one of the most unfortunate events of my life having quitted +the 'Enterprise' at the moment I did. Had I remained in her a +fortnight longer, my name might have been classed with those who stand +so high. I cannot but consider it a mortifying circumstance that I +left her but a few days before she fell in with the only enemy upon +this station with which she could have creditably contended. I confess +I felt heartily glad when I received my order to take command of the +'Wasp,' conceiving that there was no hope of doing any thing in the +'Enterprise.' But when I heard of the contest of the latter ship, and +witnessed the great delay in the equipment of the former, I had no +cause to congratulate myself. The 'Peacock' has ere this spread her +plumage to the winds, and the 'Frolic' will soon take her revels on +the ocean; but the 'Wasp' will, I fear, remain for some time a dull, +harmless drone in the waters of her country." + +Notwithstanding his impatience, Blakely was forced to endure the +restraints of Portsmouth navy-yard for nearly three months, while the +"Wasp" was fitting out; but when she did finally get to sea, on May 1, +1814, she proved herself to be far from a "dull, harmless drone." +Slipping unobserved through the British blockading line, the "Wasp" +made straight for the European coast before a fresh wind, and was soon +cruising in the chops of the English channel, where the "Argus" had +won her laurels and met with her defeat. Many English merchantmen were +captured and burned, and the terror that spread in English shipping +circles recalled the days of the "Argus." + +At daylight on the 28th of June, the "Wasp" sighted two merchantmen, +and straightway gave chase. Soon a third vessel was discovered on the +weather-beam; and, abandoning the vessels first sighted, the American +bore down upon the stranger. She proved to be the "Reindeer," a +British brig-sloop of eighteen guns, carrying a crew of one hundred +and eighteen men. Although the British vessel was by no means a match +in weight of metal for the "Wasp," her captain, William Manners, +brought her into action with a cool gallantry which well justified his +reputation as one of the bravest men in the British navy. + +[Illustration: Boarding the "Reindeer."] + +At ten o'clock in the morning the ships were near enough to each other +to exchange signals, but several hours were spent in manoeuvring for +the weather-gage; so that it was not until after three in the +afternoon that the action fairly opened. The day was admirably +suitable for a naval battle. Light clouds floated across the sky, and +the gentle breeze that was blowing had sufficient strength to propel +the ships without careening them. The surface of the ocean was +unusually calm for that quarter, in which a rather choppy sea is +usually running. Before the light breeze the "Wasp" came down upon her +foe, bows on, with her decks cleared for action, and the men at their +quarters. On the top-gallant forecastle of the "Reindeer" was mounted +a twelve-pound carronade, and the action was opened by the discharge +of this piece. In the position she then held, the "Wasp" was unable to +reply; and her crew had to bear five effective shots from this gun +without being able to fire a shot in return,--an ordeal that less +well-disciplined crews might not have endured. For nine minutes the +Americans returned not a shot; but then the "Wasp" luffed up, firing +the guns from aft forward as they bore. The two ships were now lying +broadside to broadside, not twenty yards apart, and every shot told. +For ten minutes this position was held, and the two crews worked like +Furies in loading and firing the great guns. The roar of the cannon +was incessant, and the recoil of the heavy explosions deadened what +little way the ships had on when fire was opened. Capt. Manners was +too old an officer not to know, that, in an artillery duel of that +kind, the victory would surely rest with the side that carried the +heaviest guns: so he ran his vessel aboard the "Wasp" on the starboard +quarter, intending to board and carry the day with the stubborn, +dashing gallantry shown by British seamen when once led to an enemy's +deck. At the ringing notes of the bugle, calling up the boarders, the +British gathered aft, their faces begrimed with gunpowder, their arms +bare, and their keen cutlasses firmly clutched in their strong right +hands. The Americans took the alarm at once, and crowded forward to +repel the enemy. The marines, whose hard duty it is in long-range +fighting to stand with military impassiveness, drawn up in line on +deck, while the shot whistle by them, and now and then cut great gaps +in their straight lines,--the marines came aft, with their muskets +loaded and bayonets fixed. Before them were sailors with sharp-pointed +boarding-pikes, ready to receive the enemy should he come aboard; +while close under the bulwarks were grouped the boarders, ready with +cutlass and pistol to beat back the flood of men that should come +pouring over the side. The grating of the ships' sides told that the +vessels were touching; and the next instant the burly British seamen, +looming up like giants, as they dashed through the dense murkiness of +the powder-smoke, were among the Americans, cutting and firing right +and left. From the deck of the "Reindeer" the marines kept up a +constant fire of musketry, to which the sea-soldiers of the "Wasp" +responded vigorously. Marksmen posted in the tops of each vessel +picked off men from their enemy's decks, choosing generally the +officers. + +[Illustration: The Captain of the "Reindeer."] + +Sharp and bloody though the British attack was, the boarders could +make no way against the stubborn stand of the Americans. Capt. +Manners, seeing his men beaten back, sprang forward to rally them. He +was desperately wounded. A gun-shot had passed through his thighs, and +a grape-shot had cut across the calves of his legs; but, maimed and +bleeding to death as he was, he leaped into the rigging, and, cheering +and waving his sword, called to his men to follow him to the decks of +the Yankee. The Britons rallied nobly under the encouragement of their +brave captain, and again advanced to the assault. But the figure of +the daring officer, as he stood thus before his men, waving his sword +and calling on them to come on, caught the eye of one of the men in +the "Wasp's" maintop; and the next instant a ball crashed into the +captain's brain, and he fell heavily to the deck, with his dying eyes +turned upwards toward the flag in whose service he had given his life. + +Seeing the British captain fall and the men waver, Capt. Blakely with +a cheer called up the boarders of the "Wasp;" and in an instant a +stream of shouting sailors, cutlass in hand, was pouring over the +hammock-nettings, and driving the foe backward on his own decks. The +British still fought stubbornly; but their numbers were terribly +thinned, and their officers had fallen one by one, until now the +captain's clerk was the highest officer left. Seeing his men falling +back before the resistless torrent of boarders, this gentleman finally +struck the flag; and the battle ended, twenty-seven minutes after the +"Reindeer" had fired the opening gun, and eighteen after the "Wasp" +had responded. + +[Illustration: The End of the "Reindeer."] + +The execution and damage done on the "Reindeer" by the "Wasp's" shot +were appalling. Of her crew of one hundred and eighteen men, +thirty-three were killed or fatally wounded, and thirty-four were +wounded. The havoc wrought among her officers has already been +mentioned. Evidence of the accuracy and skill of the American gunners +was to be seen in the fact that the brig was completely cut to pieces +in the line of her ports. Her decks were swept clean of boats, spars, +and rigging. Her masts were badly shattered, and her foremast soon +went by the board. The "Wasp" had suffered severely, but was in much +better condition than her captured adversary. Eleven of her crew were +killed or mortally wounded, and fifteen were wounded severely or +slightly. She had been hulled by six round and many grape shot, and +her foremast had been cut by a twenty-four-pound shot. A few hours' +work cleared from her decks all trace of the bloody fight, and she was +in condition for another action. But it would have been folly to try +to get the crippled "Reindeer" to port from that region, swarming with +British cruisers: so Capt. Blakely took the prisoners on the "Wasp," +put a few of the wounded on a neutral vessel that happened to pass, +and, burning the prize, made his way to the harbor of L'Orient. He had +fought a brave fight, and come out victor after a desperate contest. +But, though defeated, the plucky British might well boast of the +gallant manner in which they engaged an enemy so much their superior +in strength. History nowhere records a more gallant death than that of +the British captain, who fell leading his men in a dashing but vain +attempt to retrieve the day by boarding. In its manoeuvring, in the +courage and discipline of the crews, and in the gallantry of the two +captains, the action of the "Wasp" and the "Reindeer" may well go down +to history as a model naval duel of the age of sails. + +The "Wasp" remained in port for several weeks, occupying the time in +refitting, and filling the gaps in her crew by enlistment from the +American privateers which then were to be seen occasionally in every +port of the world. She then put out to sea, and soon fell in with a +convoy of ten British merchantmen, under the protection of the +seventy-four "Armada." Though he had no intention of giving battle to +the line-of-battle ship, Blakely determined to capture one of the +merchantmen; and to this end the "Wasp" hung upon the skirts of the +convoy, making rapid dashes now at one vessel, then at another, and +keeping the seventy-four in constant anxiety. Finally the swift little +cruiser actually succeeded in capturing one of the vessels, and +escaping before the heavy seventy-four could get to the scene of the +conflict. The prize proved to be a valuable one, for she was laden +with iron and brass cannon and military stores. + +Towards nightfall of the same day, Sept. 1, 1814, four more sail were +sighted; and the "Wasp" at once made off in chase of the most +weatherly. At eight o'clock the "Wasp" had gained so rapidly upon the +chase, that the latter began firing with her stern chaser, and soon +after opened with one of her lee guns. All the time the enemy kept up +a vigorous signalling with rockets, lanterns, and guns. By half-past +nine the "Wasp" was within hailing-distance, and an officer posted on +the bow hailed the stranger several times; but as she returned no +satisfactory answer, and refused to heave to, the "Wasp" opened upon +her with a twelve-pound carronade, and soon after poured a broadside +into her quarter. The two ships ploughed through the black water, +under full sail, side by side. The Americans had no idea of the +identity of their assailant, but, by the flashes of the guns, could +see that she was a heavy brig. Her ports gleamed brightly with +battle-lanterns; and the crowds of sailors in the tops, and the +regularity of her fire, showed that she was a man-of-war with a +well-disciplined crew, and no mere marauding privateer. For a time +this running fight continued at such short range that the only +American injured was struck by a wad from the enemy's cannon. The +British gunners were poor marksmen, and the "Wasp" suffered but +little; but it was evident that the American fire was taking effect, +for gun after gun on the enemy was silenced. At ten o'clock the +Americans, receiving no response to their carronade, stopped firing; +and Capt. Blakely, seizing a speaking-trumpet, shouted across the +water, "Have you struck?" No answer came, and the enemy began a feeble +fire. The "Wasp" let fly another broadside, and Blakely repeated the +question. This time an affirmative response came through the darkness; +and the "Wasp" stopped firing, and made preparations to take +possession of her prize. Just as the boat was being lowered from the +davits, the lookout's cry of "Sail, ho!" checked the proceedings. +Through the black night a cloud of canvas could be seen far astern, +denoting the presence of another ship, probably an enemy. The drums of +the "Wasp" beat fiercely; and the men trooped back to their quarters, +ready for a second battle. But in the mean time two more sail hove in +sight, and there remained to the "Wasp" nothing but flight. She +accordingly made off into the darkness, receiving one broadside from +one of the newly arrived men-of-war as she departed. So suddenly was +she forced to fly, that she was unable to learn the name and condition +of the vessel she had forced to surrender. + +It became known in the United States later that the "Wasp's" adversary +in the battle in the darkness was the British sloop-of-war "Avon," of +eighteen guns. She was badly cut up by the fire of the American +gunners, losing her mainmast early in the action. At the time she +surrendered, she was in a sinking condition; and, had it not been for +the timely arrival of the brig-sloop "Castilian" and the "Tartarus," +both British, the crew of the "Avon" would have been prisoners on the +"Wasp," or carried to the bottom in the shattered hulk of their own +ship. The loss on the "Avon" was ten killed and thirty-two wounded, +while on the "Wasp" but three men were injured. + +Of all this the gallant Capt. Blakely was ignorant; and, indeed, it is +probable that he never knew with whom he had fought his last battle. +For the subsequent history of the "Wasp" is more tragic in its +unfathomable mystery than is the fate of the bravest ship ever sent to +the bottom by the broadsides of an enemy. What was the end of the +"Wasp," and where her bones now lie, no one knows. For some little +time after her battle with the "Avon," her movements can be traced. +Sept. 12, she captured the British brig "Three Brothers," and scuttled +her; two days later, the brig "Bacchus" met the same fate at her +hands. Sept. 21, she took the brig "Atlanta," eight guns; and, this +being a valuable prize, Midshipman Geisinger of the "Wasp" was put on +board, and took her safely to Savannah. He brought the last news that +was heard of the ill-fated cruiser for many years. Months passed, and +lengthened into years; and still the "Wasp" came not into port, nor +could any trace of her whereabouts be found. As time passed on, the +attempts to account for her delay changed into theories as to the +cause of her total disappearance. All sorts of rumors were afloat. +According to one account, the ship was wrecked on the African coast, +and her gallant lads were ending their weary lives as slaves to the +turbaned Moors of Barbary. Another theory was based on the rumor that +an English frigate went into Cadiz much crippled, and with her crew +severely injured, and reported that she had been engaged with a heavy +American corvette, which had so suddenly disappeared that she was +thought to have sunk with all on board. But, as time passed on, the +end of the "Wasp" was forgotten by all save a few whose hearts ached +for some of the gallant lads thus blotted from the face of the earth. + +Years after, the fate of the daring cruiser was again brought into +remembrance by fresh news curiously found. When the officers and crew +of the "Essex," after that vessel's gallant battle with the "Phoebe" +and "Cherub," were sent to the United States under parole, two +officers remained at Valparaiso, to give testimony before the +prize-court. These gentlemen were Lieut. McKnight, and Mr. Lyman a +master's mate. After going to Brazil in the "Phoebe," the two officers +took passage in a Swedish brig bound for England. Months passed; and, +nothing being heard from them, their friends became alarmed for their +safety. In that time, before the day of the telegraph and steam +transportation, many things might have easily detained the two +officers for a year or more, and nothing be heard of them. But, when +two years had passed, inquiries began to be made as to their fate, +both by their friends and the naval authorities. The first step was to +find the vessel upon which they had left Brazil. This was a work of +time; so that it was many years after the disappearance of the +officers when the brig was found lying at a London dock. She was the +brig "Adonis," and the master proved to be the same who had commanded +her when the two officers had taken passage. He readily recalled the +circumstance, but claimed that the two passengers had left him in +mid-ocean to go aboard an American man-of-war; and in proof of this he +brought out the log-book, and, turning back to the year 1814, pointed +out the following entries:-- + +[Illustration: The End of the "Wasp."] + + "AUG. 23.--Left Rio de Janeiro; Stephen Decatur McKnight and + James Lyman, passengers for England. + + "OCT. 9.--At eight o'clock in the morning discovered a strange + sail giving chase to us, and fired several guns; she gaining very + fast. At half-past ten o'clock hove to, and was boarded by an + officer dressed in an English doctor's uniform; the vessel also + hoisted an English ensign. The officer proceeded to examine my + ship's papers, etc., likewise the letter-bags, and took from one + of them a letter to the victualling office, London. Finding I had + two American officers as passengers, he immediately left the + ship, and went on board the sloop-of-war. He shortly after + returned, took the American gentlemen with him, and went a second + time on board the ship. In about half an hour he returned, with + Messrs. McKnight and Lyman; and they informed me that the vessel + was the United States sloop-of-war 'Wasp,' commanded by Capt. + Blakely, or Blake, last from France, where she had refitted; had + lately sunk the 'Reindeer,' English sloop-of-war, and another + vessel, which sunk without their being able to save a single + person, or learn the vessel's name; that Messrs. McKnight and + Lyman had now determined to leave me and go on board the 'Wasp;' + paid me their passage in dollars, at 5_s._ 9_d._; and, having + taken their luggage on board, the 'Wasp' made sail to the + southward. Shortly after they had left, I discovered that Lieut. + McKnight had left his writing-desk behind; and I immediately made + signal for the 'Wasp' to return, and stood towards her. They, + observing my signal, stood back, came alongside, and sent their + boat on board for the writing-desk; after which they sent me a + log-line and some other presents, and made all sail in a + direction for the line, and, I have reason to suppose, for the + convoy that passed on Thursday previous." + +And so the "Wasp," with her ill-fated crew thus re-enforced, passed +forever from the sight of man. What was her course after leaving the +"Adonis," none may ever know. Whether some chance spark, touching the +deadly stores of her magazine, sent vessel and crew to a sudden but +merciful death; or whether, after gallantly battling with some fierce +tropical hurricane, she drifted about the trackless ocean a helpless +hulk, with a slowly dying crew, carried hither and yon before the +winds and the currents, until her timbers, rotting asunder, gave a +watery sepulchre to her crew of lifeless bodies, must remain a mystery +until the day when the sea shall give up its dead. But, until that day +comes, the gallant deeds done by vessel and crew for the flag under +which they served should keep the names of the "Wasp" and her men ever +memorable in the annals of the great nation whose infancy they so +gallantly protected. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + + OPERATIONS ON THE NEW ENGLAND COAST. -- THE BOMBARDMENT OF + STONINGTON. -- DESTRUCTION OF THE UNITED STATES CORVETTE "ADAMS." + -- OPERATIONS ON CHESAPEAKE BAY. -- WORK OF BARNEY'S BARGE + FLOTILLA. -- ADVANCE OF THE BRITISH UPON WASHINGTON. -- + DESTRUCTION OF THE CAPITOL. -- OPERATIONS AGAINST BALTIMORE. -- + BOMBARDMENT OF FORT McHENRY. + + +The remaining work of the British blockading squadrons along the +Atlantic Coast demands some attention, and some account must be given +of certain land actions which were inseparably connected with the +course of naval events. This narrative can well be divided into two +parts, each dealing with the operations of one section of the +blockading fleet; thus tracing the course of events up to the close of +the war on the New England coast, before taking up the proceedings on +the Chesapeake station. + +It will be remembered that Decatur had been checked in his attempt to +break the blockade at the eastern end of Long Island Sound, and was +forced to take the frigates "United States" and "Macedonian," and the +sloop-of-war "Hornet," into New London Harbor. Early in December, +1813, he determined to try to slip out; and choosing a dark night, +when wind and tide were in his favor, he dropped down the bay, and was +about to put to sea, when bright blue lights blazed up on either side +of the harbor's mouth, and the plan was exposed by the treachery of +some party never detected. After this failure, the two frigates +returned up the river, where they remained until the end of the war. +The "Hornet" managed to get to sea, and did good service before peace +was declared. + +In April, 1814, the British blockaders on the New England coast began +active operations by sending an expedition up the Connecticut River to +Pautopaug Point, where the invaders landed, spiked the guns of a small +battery, and destroyed twenty-two vessels. Thence they proceeded down +the river, burning a few more craft on the way, and escaped safely to +their ships; although a party of militia, and sailors and marines from +Decatur's vessels, attempted to cut them off. Shortly after this +occurrence, a fleet of American gunboats attacked the blockading +squadron off New London, and succeeded in inflicting serious damages +upon the enemy. + +In June, the enemy's depredations extended to the Massachusetts coast. +The little village of Wareham was the first sufferer. A sudden descent +made by boats' crews from the frigates "Superb" and "Nimrod" so +completely surprised the inhabitants, that the enemy burned the +shipping at the wharves, set fire to a factory, and retreated before +the villagers fully comprehended the blow that had fallen upon them. +Like occurrences took place at other coastwise towns; and, in every +case, the militia proved powerless to check the enemy. All up and down +the New England coast, from Maine to the mouth of the Connecticut +River, the people were panic-stricken; and hardly a night passed +without witnessing the flames of some bonfire kindled by the British +out of American property. + +[Illustration: The Descent on Wareham.] + +In August, 1814, Commodore Hardy appeared off Stonington with a fleet +of several vessels, headed by the seventy-four "Ramillies." Casting +anchor near shore, he sent to the mayor and selectmen the following +curt note: "Not wishing to destroy the unoffending inhabitants +residing in the town of Stonington, one hour is granted them, from the +receipt of this, to remove out of town." This message naturally caused +great consternation; and, while messengers were sent in all directions +to call together the militia, the answer was returned to the fleet: +"We shall defend the place to the last extremity. Should it be +destroyed, we will perish in its ruins." And, having thus defied the +enemy, the farmers and fishermen who inhabited the town set about +preparing for its defence. The one battery available for service +consisted of two eighteen-pounders and a four-pounder, mounted behind +earth breastworks. The gunners were put under the command of an old +sailor, who had been impressed into the British navy, where he served +four years. The skill he thus acquired in gunnery, he now gladly used +against his former oppressors. It was near nightfall when the British +opened fire; and they kept up a constant cannonade with round shot, +bombs, Congreve rockets, and carcasses until near midnight, without +doing the slightest damage. The bursting shells, the fiery rockets, +and the carcasses filled with flaming chemicals, fairly filled the +little wooden village with fire; but the exertions of the people +prevented the spread of the flames. The fleet ceased firing at +midnight, but there was no peace for the villagers. Militia-men were +pouring in from the country round about, laborers were at work +throwing up breastwork, carriers were dashing about in search of +ammunition, and all was activity, until, with the first gleam of +daylight, the fire of the ships was re-opened. The Americans promptly +responded, and soon two eighteen-pound shot hulled the brig +"Despatch." For an hour or two a rapid fire was kept up; then, the +powder giving out, the Americans spiked their largest gun, and, +nailing a flag to the battery flagstaff, went in search of more +ammunition. The British did not land; and the Americans, finding six +kegs of powder, took the gun to a blacksmith, who drilled out the +spike, and the action continued. So vigorous and well directed was the +fire of the Americans, that the "Despatch" was forced to slip her +cables and make off to a place of safety. That afternoon a truce was +declared, which continued until eight the next morning. By that time, +the Americans had assembled in sufficient force to defeat any landing +party the enemy could send ashore. The bombardment of the town +continued; but the aim of the British was so inconceivably poor, that, +during the three days' firing, no damage was done by their shot. A +more ludicrous fiasco could hardly be imagined, and the Americans were +quick to see the comical side of the affair. Before departing, the +British fired over fifteen tons of lead and iron into the town. A +quantity of this was picked up by the Americans, and offered for sale. +In a New York paper appeared the advertisement,-- + + "Just received, and offered for sale, about three tons of round + shot, consisting of six, nine, twelve, eighteen, twenty-four, and + thirty-two pounds; very handsome, being a small proportion of + those which were fired from His Britannic Majesty's ships on the + unoffending inhabitants of Stonington, in the recent _brilliant_ + attack on that place. Likewise a few carcasses, in good order, + weighing about two hundred pounds each. Apply," etc. + +A popular bard of the time set forth in rollicking verse the exploits +of the British gunners:-- + + "They killed a goose, they killed a hen, + Three hogs they wounded in a pen; + They dashed away,--and pray what then? + That was not taking Stonington. + + "The shells were thrown, the rockets flew; + But not a shell of all they threw-- + Though every house was full in view-- + Could burn a house in Stonington." + +With this affair, in which the British expended ammunition to the +amount of fifty thousand dollars, and lost twenty men killed and fifty +wounded, active offensive operations along the Connecticut coast +ended. Farther north, however, the British still raided towns and +villages, showing more spirit in their attacks than did Hardy at +Stonington. Eastport, Me., was captured in July, and converted into a +veritable British colony. The inhabitants who remained in the town +were forced to take an oath of allegiance to Great Britain; +fortifications were thrown up, and an arsenal established; King +George's officials were placed in the custom-house, and thenceforward +until the end of the war the town was virtually British. Encouraged by +this success, the enemy undertook a more difficult task. A formidable +fleet of men-of-war and transports, bearing almost ten thousand +troops, was fitted out at Halifax for the purpose of reducing to +British rule all that part of Maine lying between Passamaquoddy Bay +and the Penobscot River. This expedition set sail from Halifax on the +26th of August, bound for Machias; but on the voyage down the coast of +Maine the brig "Rifleman" was encountered, and from her the presence +of the United States corvette "Adams" in the Penobscot River was +learned. It will be remembered that the "Adams," before entering the +river, had chased the British brig. Upon learning this, the British +naval commander, Admiral Griffiths, pressed forward to the mouth of +the Penobscot, and, anchoring there, despatched a land and naval +expedition up the river for the capture of the corvette. + +When the news of this advancing force reached Capt. Morris, the +"Adams" was partially out of water, dismantled, and in the hands of +the ship carpenters, who were repairing the injuries she had received +on the rocks off Mount Desert. The ship herself was utterly +defenceless, but Morris made strenuous attempts to collect a land +force to defend her. He managed to rally a few hundred militia-men, +who, with the sailors and marines, were routed by the enemy on the +night of the 3d of September. Finding that the enemy's forces were not +to be driven back by so small a body of men, Morris retreated, first +setting fire to the corvette, which was totally destroyed before the +British came up. + +The retreating sailors were then forced to march over rugged roads to +Portsmouth, N.H.; and, as walking was an exercise they were little +accustomed to, many suffered severely from the unusual exertion. The +difficulty of getting provisions along the road led the men to +separate into several parties; but, notwithstanding the opportunities +thus afforded for desertion, all who were not broken down by the long +march ultimately reported for duty at the Portsmouth navy-yard. + +Along the Southern seaboard the course of the war was even more +disastrous to the Americans. Intelligence which reached the national +authorities in the spring of 1814 led them to believe that the British +were planning an expedition for the capture of Washington. Grave as +was the danger, the authorities were slow to move; and though in July +the Government called for fifteen thousand troops, and gave their +command to Gen. Winder, yet the actual defensive force about the +national capital consisted of but a few hundred militia. The naval +defence was intrusted to the veteran Commodore Barney, who had served +with distinction in the Revolution, and during the early years of the +second war with Great Britain had commanded the Baltimore privateer +"Rossie." The force put under Barney's command consisted of twenty-six +gunboats and barges, manned by nine hundred men. Chiefly by his own +energetic exertions, this force was ready for service in April; and by +June the crews were drilled and disciplined, and the commanders +schooled in the tactics of squadron evolutions. On the 1st of that +month occurred the first brush with the enemy. The American flotilla +was then lying in Chesapeake Bay, a little below the mouth of the +Patuxent; and, a portion of the enemy's squadron coming within range, +Barney ordered out his forces in chase. The British, outnumbered, fled +down the bay; but, though Barney was rapidly overhauling them, he saw +his hopes of victory shattered by the sudden appearance of His +Britannic Majesty's seventy-four gun ship "Dragon." Thus re-enforced, +it became the turn of the British to pursue; and the Americans +retreated, firing constantly as they fled. The British continuing +their advance, Barney was forced to take shelter in the Patuxent +River; and he was gradually forced up that stream as far as the mouth +of St. Leonard's Creek. The enemy then, feeling certain that the +Americans were fairly entrapped, anchored at the mouth of the river, +and awaited re-enforcements. These soon arrived; and on the 8th of the +month the enemy's forces, consisting of a frigate, brig, and two +schooners, moved up the river to the mouth of the creek. Farther they +could not go, owing to shoal-water; but they fitted out a small +flotilla of barges, and sent them on up the creek. With this enemy +Commodore Barney was ready to come to close quarters; and he moved +down upon the British, who quickly retreated to the shelter of their +ships. Two or three such sham attacks were made by the enemy, but not +until the 10th of the month did they actually give battle to the +Americans. + +On the morning of that day the British advanced in force to the +attack; and the peaceful little creek was ablaze with flags and bright +uniforms, and the wooded shores echoed back the strains of martial +music. Twenty-one barges, one rocket-boat, and two schooners formed +the British column of attack, which moved grandly up the creek, with +the bands playing patriotic airs, and the sailors, confident of +victory, cheering lustily. Eight hundred men followed the British +colors. Against this force Barney advanced with but five hundred +sailors. His sloop and gun-vessels he left at anchor, as being too +unwieldy for the narrow shoal-waters of St. Leonard's Creek; and he +met the enemy's flotilla with but thirteen barges. The enemy opened +the action at long range with rockets and howitzers. The former were +terrible missiles in an action of this character, corresponding to the +shells of modern naval warfare. Some idea of their destructiveness may +be derived from the fact, that one of them, fired at long range, +exploded and set fire to a boat, after having first passed through the +body of one of her crew. Barney had no rockets; and, as the combat at +long range was telling upon his men, he at once dashed forward into +the midst of the enemy. Soon the barges were engaged in desperate +hand-to-hand conflicts. The sailors, grappling with their adversary's +craft, fought with pistol and cutlass across the gunwales. Barney, in +a small barge with twenty men, dashed about, now striking a blow in +aid of some overmatched American boat, then cheering on some laggard, +or applauding some deed of gallantry that occurred in his sight. Major +William Barney, son of the commodore, saw an American barge on fire, +and deserted by her crew who feared the explosion of her magazine. +Running his boat alongside, he jumped into the flaming craft; and by +dint of bailing in water, and rocking her from side to side, he +succeeded in saving the barge. For more than an hour the action raged, +both sides fighting with great vigor and gallantry; but the Americans +having pierced the British line, the enemy, falling into confusion, +turned, and strained every muscle to gain the protection of their +ship's guns. The Americans followed in hot pursuit; but their +course was abruptly checked at the mouth of the creek by a British +schooner, whose eighteen guns commanded respect. For a moment the +pursuing barges fell back; then, choosing advantageous positions, they +opened fire upon the schooner with such effect that she soon turned to +escape. She succeeded in getting under the protecting guns of the +frigate and sloop-of-war, but was so cut to pieces in the short action +that she was run aground and abandoned. The larger vessels now opened +fire upon Barney's forces; and the flotilla, after a few shots of +defiance, returned to its quarters up the creek. + +[Illustration: The Battle of the Barges.] + +For the next two weeks all was quiet along the shores of the Patuxent +and St. Leonard's Creek. The enemy had learned wisdom from their late +defeat, and contented themselves with blockading the mouth of the +creek, and leaving Barney undisturbed in his retreat. But the doughty +commodore had no idea of being thus confined, and during the time of +quiet made preparations for an attempt to break the blockade. Land +forces from Washington were sent down to aid in this attempt; and two +pieces of artillery were to be mounted on a hill at the mouth of the +creek, and thence throw red-hot shot into the enemy's ships. The land +forces, however, rendered not the slightest assistance; and a too +cautious colonel posted the battery at such a point that no shot could +reach the enemy without first passing through a hill. Accordingly, +when Barney led his flotilla gallantly down to the attack, he found +that the issue of the conflict rested upon the sailors alone. From the +battery, which was expected to draw the enemy's fire, not a single +effective shot was fired. The sailors fought nobly, using their heavy +long twelves and eighteens with great effect. But they were sadly +hampered by their position; for the mouth of the creek was so narrow +that but eight barges could lie abreast, and the others coming down +from above soon packed the little stream from shore to shore, giving +the enemy a mark that the poorest gunner could hardly miss. Against +the storm of grape and canister that the British poured upon them, the +sailors had absolutely no protection. The barges were without +bulwarks, and the blue-jackets at the guns and at the oars were +exposed to the full force of the British fire. Yet in this exposed +situation the gallant fellows kept up the fight for nearly an hour, +only withdrawing when the last ray of hope for help from the shore +battery had vanished. Shortly after the Americans abandoned the +attack, the blockading squadron got under way and stood down the bay. +From the way in which one of the frigates was working her pumps, the +Americans saw that their fire had not been entirely without effect. + +Barney's flotilla had now given the British so much trouble that they +determined to destroy it without delay; and an expedition of more than +five thousand men--composed of regulars, marines, and a few +negroes--was carried up the Patuxent, and landed at Benedict, where an +armed brig had been stationed to cover the disembarkation. It was +early dawn when the signal to land was given, and the river was +covered in an instant with a well-manned and warlike flotilla. It was +hard work for the British sailors, for a strong current was running; +but by three o'clock in the afternoon the whole army was landed, and +encamped in a strong position on a hill overlooking the village. +Though no American troops were anywhere in the vicinity, the landing +was conducted with the utmost caution. As the prow of each boat grated +on the sand, the soldiers leaped on the beach, and instantly drew up +in line, ready to repel any attack. After the infantry was landed, +about a hundred artillerymen followed, and the same number of sailors +dragging howitzers. + +It is easily understood that this powerful force was not organized +solely to destroy Barney's pitiful little flotilla. The real purpose +of the British commander was to press on into the interior, and +capture Washington, which the Americans had foolishly left without any +defences whatever. It came to Barney's ears that Admiral Cockburn had +boasted that he would destroy the American flotilla, and dine in +Washington the following Sunday. This news the American commodore sent +off to the authorities at the capital, and they then began to make +futile preparations to repel the invader. In the mean time the British +commenced their march up the shores of the Patuxent, meeting with no +opposition. Barney, knowing that the defence of the national capital +was of far greater importance than the fate of his flotilla, landed +with four hundred men, and hastened to the American lines before +Washington. He left the barges under the command of the second +lieutenant, Mr. Frazier, with instructions to set fire to every boat +on the appearance of the enemy, and then join the commodore with all +the men left under his charge. Accordingly, when the invading column +reached Nottingham, Mr. Frazier took the flotilla still higher up the +creek,--a move that vastly disconcerted the British, who saw their +prey eluding them. "But in the main object of our pursuit we were +disappointed," wrote a British officer. "The flotilla which had been +stationed opposite to Nottingham retired, on our approach, higher up +the stream; and we were consequently in the situation of a huntsman +who sees his hounds at fault, and has every reason to apprehend that +his game will escape." But the game never fell into the hands of the +ardent hunters; for the next day Mr. Frazier fulfilled his orders by +setting fire to every barge, and, after seeing several of the larger +boats blow up, mustered his men, and cut across the country, to join +his superior officer. The British naval forces soon after reached Pig +Point, the scene of this destruction, and there remained; while the +land forces immediately turned away from the river, and marched upon +Washington. + +[Illustration: Sharp-Shooters.] + +It is not necessary to give in detail the incidents of the series of +skirmishes by which the British fought their way to the American +capital. They were opposed by raw militia, and the few sailors and +marines under Barney. The former fled with promptitude at the very +first fire, but the sailors and marines fought gallantly. The fighting +was sharpest at Bladensburg; and here Barney's blue-jackets won praise +from everybody, even from the enemy whose advance they disputed. +Barney himself led the Americans, and sighted a favorite gun of the +sailors' battery, until he fell desperately wounded. This battery +commanded the road by which the main column of British advanced; and +by its hail of grape and canister it beat back the advancing +regiments, and for some time checked their further progress. The +British thereupon opened with rockets, and sent out sharp-shooters to +pick off the Yankee gunners. One of these riflemen was observed by the +Americans to deliberately build for himself a small redoubt of stones +from an old wall; and, lying down behind it, he began a deliberate +fire upon the Americans. His first bullet went through the cap of one +of the sailors, and the second sent a poor fellow to his long account. +The marines answered with their muskets; but the fellow's stone +rampart saved him, and he continued his fire. Barney vowed to put an +end to that affair, and, carefully sighting one of his cannon, pulled +the lanyard. The heavy round shot was seen to strike the +sharp-shooter's defence, and stones and man disappeared in a cloud of +dust. Meantime, the enemy had thrown out flanking parties under cover +of the woods, and had nearly surrounded the little band of sailors. A +musket-ball struck Barney in the thigh, and he began to grow faint +with loss of blood; and, finding that the militia had fled, and the +sailors were becoming exhausted, the commodore ordered a retreat. The +blue-jackets left the field in good order; but their gallant commander +had gone but a few steps, when the pain of his wound forced him to lie +down under a tree, and await the coming of the enemy. The British soon +came up, led by Gen. Ross and Capt. Wainwright of the navy. After +learning Barney's rank, and courteously offering to secure surgical +aid, the general turned to his companion, and, speaking of the +stubborn resistance made by the battery, said, "I told you it was the +flotilla men."--"Yes. You were right, though I could not believe you," +was the response. "They have given us the only fighting we have had." + +Meanwhile, the British, having routed the Americans at every point, +pressed on to Washington. The inhabitants fled before them, and the +town was almost deserted when the British marched in with banners +flying and bands playing. The enemy held the city for only a day; but +in that time they did such deeds of vandalism, that even the people +and the press of London cried out in indignation. The President's +house, the Capitol, all the public buildings except the Patent +Office, were burned to the ground. The navy-yard, with the uncompleted +ships on the stocks, was likewise burned; but in this the enemy only +acted in accordance with the rules of war. It was their destruction of +the public buildings, the national archives, and the Congressional +library, that aroused the wrathful indignation of all fair-minded +people, whether Americans or Europeans. "Willingly," said one London +newspaper, "would we throw a veil of oblivion over our transactions at +Washington. The Cossacks spared Paris, but we spared not the capital +of America." A second English journal fitly denounced the proceedings +as "a return to the times of barbarism." + +[Illustration: The March on Washington.] + +But, if the invaders are rightly to be blamed for the useless +vandalism they encouraged, the American authorities are still more +culpable for their neglect of the most ordinary precautions of war. +That a national capital, close to the sea, should be left virtually +unprotected while the enemy was massing his forces only a few miles +away, seems almost unbelievable. But so it was with Washington; for +five hundred flotilla men were forced to bear the brunt of the attack +of five thousand British. True it is that the military authorities had +massed seven thousand militia-men for the defence of the city; but +such was the trepidation of these untrained soldiers, that they fled +before the main body of the British had come into the fight. That the +sailors and marines fought bravely, we have the testimony of the +British themselves. Mr. Gleig, a subaltern in the attacking army, +writes, "Of the sailors, however, it would be injustice not to speak +in the terms which their conduct merits. They were employed as +gunners; and not only did they serve their guns with a quickness and +precision which astonished their assailants, but they stood till some +of them were actually bayonneted with fuses in their hands; nor was it +till their leader was wounded and taken, and they saw themselves +deserted on all sides by the soldiers, that they quitted the field." +Therefore, in the battle of Bladensburg, the blue-jackets won nothing +but honor, though the results of the battle were so mortifying to the +national pride of the people of the United States. + +On the 25th of August the British left the smoking ruins of Washington +behind them, and made for their fleet lying in the Patuxent. They +feared that the outraged nation would rise upon them, and turn their +march into a bloody retreat, like that of the British soldiery from +the historic field of Lexington. Accordingly their departure was by +night, immediately after a furious storm of rain and wind. Strict +orders were issued to all the Americans in Washington, warning them, +under penalty of death, not to leave their houses until the sun rose +the next morning. Then the British stealthily marched out of the town. +"No man spoke above his breath," says subaltern Gleig. "Our very steps +were planted lightly, and we cleared the town without exciting +observation." A two days' march brought them to Benedict, where the +fleet lay in waiting for their reception. + +[Illustration: The Burning of Washington.] + +In the mean time, a portion of the British fleet had ascended the +Potomac as far as Alexandria, and, finding that town defenceless, +proceeded to dictate to the inhabitants the terms upon which they +could save their village from desolation. The British demanded that +all naval stores and ordnance, all the shipping and its furniture, all +merchandise, and all provisions in the town should be surrendered. +Several vessels had been scuttled, to prevent their falling into the +hands of the enemy; these, the British demanded, should be raised, +repaired, and delivered to them Time, however, did not permit the +fulfilment of this condition; but to the others, harsh and humiliating +though they were, the inhabitants were forced to accede. Heavy laden +with the spoils of the village, the pillagers weighed anchor and +started down the Potomac. But they were not destined to carry away +their booty unmolested. News of the expedition reached Baltimore, and +a large party of the sailors at the navy-yard were sent to the banks +of the Potomac to cut off the enemy's retreat. They were officered by +four men famous in American naval annals,--Perry, Rodgers, Porter, and +Creighton. At Indian Head, just below Mount Vernon, the Potomac River +narrows and flows swiftly between densely wooded bluffs. At this point +the Americans threw up redoubts, and, mounting all the cannon that +could be gathered on such short notice, prepared to dispute the +enemy's passage. When the British fleet hove in sight, they were +greeted with a storm of shot from the unsuspected batteries; and they +recoiled in confusion. Practised American hunters lined the woody +shores, and picked off the British sailors with musket-balls. For some +time the fleet was thus checked in its progress. Finally the admiral +determined that only by a bold dash could he escape; and accordingly, +massing his vessels and concentrating his fire on the chief battery, +he dashed past, and rejoined his superior officer, Cockburn, not +without paying dearly for his exploit at Alexandria. + +While the British were thus devastating the shores of Chesapeake Bay, +they cast more than one longing look toward the thriving city of +Baltimore, which, by its violent patriotism, had done much to urge on +the war. From the shipyards of Baltimore came more than one stout +naval vessel that had forced the enemy to haul down his colors. But +that which more than any thing else aroused the hatred of the British +was the share Baltimore took in fitting out and manning those swift +privateers, concerning whose depredations upon British commerce we +shall have something to say in a later chapter. "It is a doomed town," +said Vice-admiral Warren. "The truculent inhabitants of Baltimore must +be tamed with the weapons which shook the wooden turrets of +Copenhagen," cried the editor of a great London paper. But, +nevertheless, Baltimore did not fall before the invader, although for +some time the army and navy of the enemy were united in the attempt to +bring desolation upon the obnoxious city. + +[Illustration: Planning the Attack.] + +After the fall of Washington, the depredations of the British along +the shores of Chesapeake Bay redoubled, and the marauding expeditions +thus employed were really feelers thrown out to test the strength of +the defenses of Baltimore. That the marauders found some opposition, +is evident from a passage in the journal of a British officer. "But +these hasty excursions, though generally successful, were not always +performed without loss to the invaders." On one of these expeditions, +Sir Peter Parker, captain of the frigate "Menelaus," lost his life. He +had been ordered down to the mouth of the bay just after the fall of +Washington. "I must first have a frolic with the Yankees," said he. +And accordingly, after a jovial dinner aboard his frigate, he led a +night expedition of sailors and marines ashore, expecting to surprise +a small body of Maryland militia stationed at Moorfields. Sir Peter's +frolic turned out disastrously; for the Marylanders were on the watch, +and received the invaders with a fierce volley. Sir Peter was +gallantly cheering on his men, when a musket-ball cut the main artery +in his thigh. "They have hit me, Pearce," he said faintly to his +lieutenant; "but it's nothing. Push on, my brave boys, and follow me." +But even thus cheering, he fell back, the words died away in his +throat, and he bled to death before a surgeon could be found. It is +but right to say, that, though he sailed in Cockburn's command, he had +none of the cruel brutality which his admiral too often showed. + +On the 12th of September a more serious assault was made upon +Baltimore. The British naval and military forces united in the attack, +which was made by land and sea. A force of nine thousand men, +including two thousand marines and two thousand sailors, was landed +fifteen miles from Baltimore, and under the command of Gen. Ross and +Admiral Cockburn marched gayly inland, never doubting that they would +find the Americans unprepared, and repeat their exploits at +Washington. In this expectation they were sadly disappointed; for the +Maryland militia, aided by a few regulars and seamen, outfought the +British at every point, and checked their farther advance. Among the +slain was Gen. Ross, who was shot down as he was leading the advance +of the British skirmishers. In the mean time, the British fleet had +been taking its share in the engagement by attempting to reduce Fort +McHenry. A large flotilla of frigates, schooners, sloops, and +bomb-ketches entered the Patapsco River on the morning of the 12th, +and, casting anchor out of the reach of the fort's guns, opened a +furious fire. The fort was manned by militia-men and a large +detachment of the gallant sailors from Barney's flotilla. When the +continual falling of shells within the fort told that the enemy had +come within range, the guns of Fort McHenry opened in response. But, +to the intense chagrin of the Americans, it was found that their works +mounted not a single gun that would carry to the enemy's fleet. There +then remained to the garrison only the trying duty of holding their +post, and enduring without response a galling fire from the enemy. All +the garrison stood to the guns without flinching; while the shrieking +shells fell on all sides, and, exploding, scattered deadly missiles in +all directions. One shell struck and dismounted one of the +twenty-four-pounders, killing and wounding several of its men. Admiral +Cochrane, who commanded the attacking fleet, saw this incident, and +ordered three of his bomb-vessels to move up nearer to the fort. This +gave the Americans the opportunity for which they had been longing, +and instantly every gun in the fort opened upon the three luckless +ketches. Half an hour of this fire sufficed to drive the three vessels +back to their original station. + +Night fell, but brought no cessation of the bombardment. But the +enemy, while never slackening his fire, had determined to take +advantage of the darkness to send out a landing party to take two +small batteries on the banks of the Patapsco, and then assault Fort +McHenry from the rear. Twelve hundred and fifty men, with +scaling-ladders and fascines, left the fleet in barges, and moved up +the Patapsco towards Fort Covington and the City Battery. But their +plan, though well laid, was defeated by the vigilance and courage of +the garrisons of the two threatened positions,--sailors all, and many +of them men from Barney's flotilla, a training-school which seems to +have given to the region about Chesapeake Bay its most gallant +defenders. Just as the storming party turned the prows of the barges +towards the shore, they were discovered; and from McHenry, Covington, +and the City Battery burst a thunderous artillery-fire, that shook the +houses in Baltimore, and illumined the dark shores of the river with a +lurid glare. Bold as the British sailors were, they could advance no +farther under so terrible a fire. Two of the barges were shot to +pieces, leaving their crews struggling in the water. A ceaseless hail +of grape and canister spread death and wounds broadcast among the +enemy; and, after wavering a moment, they turned and fled to their +ships. Cochrane, seeing his plan for taking the American positions by +assault thus frustrated, redoubled the fury of his fire; hoping that, +when daybreak made visible the distant shore, nothing but a heap of +ruins should mark the spot where Fort McHenry stood the night before. + +A night bombardment is at once a beautiful and a terrible spectacle. +The ceaseless flashing of the great guns, lighting up with a lurid +glare the dense clouds of smoke that hang over the scene of battle; +the roar of the artillery; the shriek of the shell as it leaves the +cannon's mouth, slowly dying into a murmur and a dull explosion, as, +with a flash of fire, the missile explodes far away,--combine to form +a picture, that, despite the horrors of wounds and death, rouses the +enthusiasm and admiration of the beholder. When viewed from the deck +of one of an attacking fleet, the scene is even more impressive. At +each discharge of the great guns, the vessel reels and trembles like a +huge animal in agony. The surging waters alongside reflect in their +black depths the flash of the cannon and the fiery trail of the flying +shell. Far in the distance can be seen the flashes of the enemy's +guns, each of which may mean the despatch of a missile bringing death +and pain in its track. One who has witnessed such a spectacle can +readily understand the fascination which men find in the great game of +war. + +[Illustration: The Star Spangled Banner.] + +Pacing the deck of the one of the British vessels was a young +American, whose temperament was such that he could fully appreciate +all the beauties of the scene, even though harassed by anxious fears +lest the British should be successful. This man was Francis S. Key, +who had visited the fleet with a flag of truce, but was unable to get +away before the bombardment began. When the sun set on the evening of +the 13th, Key saw his country's flag waving proudly over the ramparts +at which the British guns had been so furiously pounding. Would that +flag still be there when the sun should rise again? That was the +question which Key asked himself as he anxiously walked the deck +throughout the night, striving to pierce the darkness, and make out, +by the lurid lightnings of the cannon, whether the flag was still +there. As the night wore on, Key took an old letter from his pocket, +and on the blank sheet jotted down the lines of the immortal national +song, "The Star Spangled Banner." Its words merely voice the writer's +thoughts; for often during that night he looked anxiously shorewards, +to see if + + "the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air, + Gave proof, through the night, that our flag was still there." + +When the anxiously awaited daylight came, Fort McHenry still stood; +and over it waved defiantly the starry folds of the United States +flag. The British saw that, by land and sea, their attack had failed; +and early in the morning the fleet, after taking on board the remnant +of the land forces, sailed suddenly away, and left Baltimore safe. +They had bombarded Fort McHenry for twenty-five hours, throwing nearly +two thousand shells. Yet, wonderful as it may appear, only four of the +Americans were killed, and twenty-four wounded. With this failure the +British ended their chief offensive operations along the shores of the +Chesapeake. The greater part of the fleet and the soldiery then moved +southward, to take part in the operations along the Gulf coast, that +culminated in the disastrous defeat of the invaders at New Orleans. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + + DESULTORY HOSTILITIES ON THE OCEAN. -- ATTACK UPON FORT BOWYER. + -- LAFITTE THE PIRATE. -- BRITISH EXPEDITION AGAINST NEW ORLEANS. + -- BATTLE AT THE RIGOLETS. -- ATTACK ON NEW ORLEANS, AND DEFEAT + OF THE BRITISH. -- WORK OF THE BLUE-JACKETS. -- CAPTURE OF THE + FRIGATE "PRESIDENT." -- THE "CONSTITUTION" TAKES THE "CYANE" AND + "LEVANT." -- THE "HORNET" TAKES THE "PENGUIN." -- END OF THE WAR. + + +The naval incidents of the latter part of 1814 conferred little honor +upon either of the belligerents. Seldom did the meetings between +hostile ships rise to the dignity of battles. One or two small +American brigs fell a prey to British frigates; but in every instance +the disparity of force was so great that the weaker surrendered +without striking a blow. Such was the case with the sixteen-gun brig +"Rattlesnake," which escaped from one British frigate by throwing +overboard all her guns, only to immediately fall a prey to the +"Leander." In July of the same year, the United States brig "Siren" +was captured by the British frigate "Medway," off the coast of Africa, +after a long chase, during which the American hove overboard every +thing movable on the brig. Not all these petty encounters ended so +favorably for the enemy. Off New York a cutting-out party of +volunteers surprised and captured the British tender "Eagle," a small +craft carrying one thirty-two-pound howitzer, and fourteen men. Ten +days later, the frigate "Tenedos," which had done such good service on +the blockade, suffered the loss of her tender, which was gallantly +carried away by the crew of a Yankee gunboat. Some very desperate +combats between American privateers and British naval vessels were +fought about this time, and will be duly noted in detail in the +chapter treating of the exploits of the private armed navy. + +As the autumn came on, the British naval forces began to rendezvous in +the Gulf of Mexico, preparatory to the campaign before New Orleans. On +Sept. 14, a squadron of four British sloops-of-war appeared off +Mobile, and opened fire upon Fort Bowyer, which guarded the entrance +to Mobile Bay. The attack was vigorous, and the defence determined. A +British land expedition moved upon the fort from the landward side; +and the little garrison found itself surrounded by enemies, many of +whom were Indians, whose savage assistance the British had accepted +from the very opening of the war. A small force, only, defended the +fort. Percy, the British admiral, knew the weakness of the garrison; +and, thinking of the ninety-two guns he could bring to bear against +the twenty worked by the Americans, announced proudly, that he would +give the garrison just twenty minutes to surrender. The twenty minutes +passed quickly, and still the fort responded savagely to the fire of +its assailants. The flag of the British ship "Hermes" was shot away; +and soon after, a round shot cut her cable, and she drifted upon a +sand-bank, and lay helpless, and exposed to a raking fire. Her +captain, having set her afire, abandoned her; and she soon blew up. +The other vessels kept up the attack gallantly for a time. The +flagstaff of the fort was shot away; but the flag soon re-appeared, +waving from a sponge-staff. The Americans then redoubled their fire, +which soon told so severely upon the British ships that they were +forced to withdraw. In the mean time, the assault of the Indians and +troops had been checked, and the forces driven back in disorder, thus +leaving the victory to the Americans. + +It is not within the province of this work to treat of the military +operations that led up to the battle of New Orleans. But the last +months of 1814 witnessed a series of naval incidents trivial in +themselves, but deriving importance from their connection with Gen. +Jackson's great victory. Over certain incidents in the preparations of +the Americans for repelling the invasion hangs a shade of romance. + +To the southward of the quaint, rambling, rose-covered city of New +Orleans, the tawny flood of the Mississippi winds towards the gulf in +huge serpentine curves. The shores between which it flows rise scarce +higher than the surface of the river itself; and a slight increase in +the volume of water, or a strong wind, will serve to turn the whole +region into a great, watery marsh. From the mouth of the great river, +the whole coast of Louisiana, extending north and west, is a grassy +sea, a vast expanse of marsh-grass, broken here and there by inlets of +the Mexican Gulf, and sluggish, winding bayous that lead up into the +higher lands of the State,--waterways that lead even to the back door +of the Crescent City herself, but known only to oyster-gatherers, or +in 1814 to the adventurous men who followed the banner of Lafitte the +Baratarian pirate. + +Pirate he was called then; but it is doubtful whether his misdeeds +ever exceeded smuggling, or, at worst, privateering under the +protecting flag of some belligerent nation. When all nations were +warring, what was easier than for a few gallant fellows, with +swift-sailing feluccas, to lurk about the shores of the gulf, and now +under the Spanish flag, now under the French, or any colors which +suited the case, sally out and capture the richly laden Indiamen that +frequented those summer seas? And when a power known as the United +States Government, that had its quarters more than a thousand miles +from the country of the Creoles, passed an outrageous law known as the +embargo, what was more natural than that the Baratarians, knowing the +mysterious waterways that led up to the Crescent City, should utilize +their knowledge to take ships and cargoes in and out without the +formality of a custom-house examination? Such were the times that led +to the formation and growth of the "piratical" colony of Barataria. +Its leaders and rulers were John and Pierre Lafitte; one of whom lived +in New Orleans in the character of a prosperous merchant, while the +other led the expeditions which brought in merchandise to stock the +former's stores. Under the influence of the warlike state of Europe, +the trade of these worthies throve, and their settlement at Grande +Isle took on the appearance of a prosperous colony and naval station. +Storehouses and dwellings stood close to the sea. The fertile face of +the island was cut up into fruitful plantations and orange-groves. +Breastworks, well dotted with the muzzles of cannon, commanded the +approach by sea. More than once, from behind those ramparts, the +Baratarians had proved that they could fight, and that they +acknowledged the authority of no flag. The Creoles of New Orleans +looked indulgently upon the conduct of the outlaws; but the few +Americans in the city were highly incensed to see the authority of the +United States thus set aside, and vowed that when the war was over the +audacious adventurers should be crushed. However, the end came even +sooner. + +On the 3d of September, a British armed brig anchored near the +buccaneers' retreat, and sent a flag of truce ashore. Lafitte, with +great dignity, received the envoys in his tent, and assured them of +his protection, though the whole village was up in arms clamoring for +the death of the intruders. The British officer then announced that he +had come to secure the aid of Lafitte and his followers in the +campaign against New Orleans. He offered the pirate captain +forgiveness for all piracies committed against the British +flag,--whereat the chief smiled sardonically,--also thirty thousand +dollars in cash, a captain's commission in the British navy, and lands +for himself and his followers. It was a tempting bribe; for at that +moment Lafitte's brother lay in the _calaboza_ at New Orleans awaiting +trial for piracy, and the Americans were preparing rapidly for a +descent upon the Baratarian stronghold. But, little as he liked the +American flag, Lafitte liked the British still less: so, asking the +Englishman to wait a few days for his answer, he sent a report of the +occurrence to the New Orleans authorities, and offered to co-operate +with the Americans, if he could be assured of pardon for all offences +committed against the government. This document caused some hesitation +at New Orleans; but the military authorities determined to refuse the +offer, and break up the outlaws' nest. Accordingly, a few days later, +the war schooner "Carolina," six gunboats, a tender, and a launch, +dropped down the Mississippi, and, rounding into the deep blue waters +of the gulf, headed for Barataria. Lafitte had too many friends in New +Orleans not to know of the force thus sent against him; and, when the +Americans reached Grande Terre, they found the pirates at their +batteries, and the Baratarian flotilla drawn up in order of battle. +The contest was sharp, but ended in the rout of the Baratarians. Their +village was burned, their fortifications razed; and, when the +triumphant Americans returned to New Orleans, they brought in their +train ten armed prizes and a number of prisoners, although Lafitte was +not to be found among the latter. Thereafter, the Baratarians, as an +organization, vanished from history. Lafitte was afterwards +occasionally heard of as a desperado on the more western shores of the +Mexican Gulf; and it is further noticeable, that two guns were served +by Baratarians under their old lieutenant, Dominique Yon, on that +bloody day when Packenham's forces were beaten back on the field of +Chalmette. + +Early in December the movement of the British upon New Orleans took +definite shape. On the 8th of that month, the calm waters of the Gulf +of Mexico, off the Chandeleur Islands, were the scene of a grand +rendezvous of British naval and military forces. All the vessels of +Cockburn's Chesapeake fleet were there, with other men-of-war, +transports, and schooners, to the number of fifty vessels. At the head +was the towering two-decker "Tonnant," carrying the Admiral's flag. +Frigates, corvettes, and sloops-of-war came trooping in the rear; and +the transports bore seven thousand men for the capture of the Southern +city. The British were in high good-humor as the anchors were let fall +and the ships swung round with their heads to the tide. The voyage +across the gulf from the rendezvous at Jamaica had been like a holiday +trip. The weather had been fine, and the sea smooth; and the soft air +of that semi-tropical region was a never-ending source of delight to +sailors who had been suffering the hardships of a Northern station. + +The point at which the British fleet had come to anchor lay about +fifty miles due east of New Orleans. In that day of sailing-vessels, +no enemy could breast the waters of the rolling Mississippi and crush +the resistance of the city's defenders, as did Farragut in 1862. +Knowing that they could not hope to take their ships up to the levee +of the city, the enemy determined to cast anchor near the entrance of +Lake Borgne, and send through a chain of lakes and bayous a mammoth +expedition in barges, to a point within ten miles of the city. But +this well-laid plan had been betrayed to the Americans by Lafitte; and +a little band of American sailors, under the command of Lieut. Catesby +Jones, had taken up a position at the Rigolets, and were prepared to +dispute the farther progress of the invading forces. Five gunboats, +and one hundred and eighty-five men, constituted the American force, +which for a time held the British in check. Finally, the enemy, +finding that the swift American cutters could easily evade the +lumbering war-vessels, fitted out a fleet of forty-five barges, manned +by a thousand veteran British sea-dogs, who had seen service in half +a dozen naval wars. The Americans had news of the contemplated attack, +and made skilful preparations to meet it. The gunboats were moored in +a fore and aft line, at a point near the Rigolets. Their broadsides +bore upon the enemy, and the shallowness of the water was such that by +no means could they be surrounded. The sailors were prepared for a +desperate conflict, and spent the night before the battle in tricing +up the boarding-nettings, sharpening cutlasses, and getting small-arms +in good trim. In the morning the British came on to the attack. It was +a long pull from the fleet to the place of battle: so their commander +brought his flotilla to anchor just out of range of the American guns; +and there the grim old veterans devoured their dinners, and took their +rations of grog, with appetites undisturbed by the thought of the +coming conflict. Dinner over, the enemy weighed anchor, and dashed +forward, with long, swift strokes, into the very flashes of the +Americans' cannon. The Americans knew that their one chance of victory +was to keep the overwhelming forces of their foe out of boarding +distance, and they worked their guns with a rapidity born of +desperation. Musket-bullets, grape-shot, and canister poured in a +murderous fire upon the advancing boats. But the sturdy old British +veterans knew that the best way to stop that fire was to get at the +base of it; and they pressed on undauntedly, responding vigorously, +meanwhile, with their bow guns. Soon they were up to the gunwales of +the American flotilla, and the grappling-irons were fixed; then, with +sharp blows of cutlasses, deadly play of the pikes, and a ceaseless +rattle of small-arms, they poured upon the decks of the Americans. The +boarding-nettings could not long check so furious a foe, and fell +before the fierce slash of the cutlasses. The decks once gained, the +overpowering numbers of the Englishmen crushed all further resistance; +and the flotilla was finally taken, after about one hundred of the +enemy and fifty Americans had fallen. + +The American flotilla being thus shattered, there remained no further +obstacle to prevent the landing of the invading army. Of the advance +of that brilliant body of veteran troops over sands and marshes, and +through sluggish bayous and canals half-full of stagnant water, until +they emerged on the bank of the river, nine miles below New Orleans, +it is not my purpose to speak further. Nor does an account of Gen. +Jackson's vigorous measures of defence and glorious victory come +within the province of this narrative. The interesting story of +Jackson's creation of an army from leather-shirted Kentucky riflemen, +gay Creoles from the Creole Quarter of the Crescent City, swarthy +Spaniards and mulattoes, nondescript desperadoes from the old band of +Lafitte, and militia and regulars from all the Southern States, forms +no part of the naval annals of the war. It is enough to say that the +flower of the British army, led by a veteran of the Peninsula, +recoiled before that motley crew of untrained soldiers, and were +beaten back, leaving their gallant leader and thousands of their brave +men dead upon the field. The navy was not without some share in this +glorious triumph. On the 23d of December the schooner "Carolina" +dropped down from New Orleans, and opened fire upon the enemy. "Now, +then, for the honor of America, give it to them!" sung out her +commander, as the first broadside was fired. The attack, unexpected as +it was, created a panic in the British camp. A feeble reply was made +with rockets and musketry; but even this was soon discontinued, and +the enemy took refuge under the steep bank of the levee, whither the +plunging shot could not follow them. All night the "Carolina" kept up +her fire; and, when at daybreak she moved away, she left the camp of +the enemy in confusion. During the day she renewed the attack, and +persisted in her fire until the British threw up a heavy battery on +the river's bank, and replied. The lads of the "Carolina" promptly +accepted the challenge thus offered, and for a time a spirited combat +was maintained. But the battery threw red-hot shot, and the schooner +was soon set on fire and destroyed. Meanwhile the corvette "Louisiana" +had come down to the scene of action, and in the subsequent +engagements did some effective work. When the final onslaught of the +British was made, on Jan. 7, 1815, the guns of the "Louisiana" were +mounted on the opposite bank of the river, and the practised sailors +worked them with deadly effect, until the flight of the American +militia on that side exposed the battery to certain capture. The +sailors then spiked their guns, and marched off unmolested. The +sailors of the "Carolina," on that day of desperate fighting, were in +the centre of Jackson's line, between the Creoles and the swarthy +Baratarians under Dominique Yon. Here they worked their howitzers, and +watched the scarlet lines of the enemy advance and melt away before +that deadly blaze; advance and fall back again in hopeless rout. And +among the many classes of fighting men whom Jackson had rallied before +that British line, none did battle more valiantly for the honor of +the nation and the safety of the flowery city of New Orleans than did +those blue-jackets ashore. + +It is a fitting commentary upon the folly of war, that the battle of +New Orleans was fought after the two warring nations had signed a +treaty of peace. The lives of some hundreds of brave Englishmen and +Americans were needlessly sacrificed in a cause already decided. Far +across the Atlantic Ocean, in the quaint old Dutch city of Ghent, +representatives of England and the United States met, and, after some +debate, signed the treaty on the 24th of December, 1814. But there was +then no Atlantic cable, no "ocean greyhounds" to annihilate space and +time; and it was months before the news of the treaty reached the +scene of war. In the mean time, the hostilities were continued by land +and sea. + +The year 1815 found the American navy largely increased by new +vessels, though the vigilance of the British blockaders kept most of +these close in port. The "Constitution" was at sea, having run the +blockade at Boston. In New York Harbor were the "President," +"Peacock," "Hornet," and "Tom Bowline," awaiting a chance to slip out +for a cruise to the East Indies. It was decided that the vessels +should run out singly, and the "President" was selected to make the +first attempt. The night of the 14th of January was dark and foggy, +and the blockading fleet was nowhere to be seen. Then, if ever, was +the time for escape; and the Yankee tars weighed anchor and started +out through the Narrows. In the impenetrable darkness of the night, +baffled by head-winds and perplexing currents, the pilots lost their +reckoning, and the orders to the man at the wheel were quick and +nervous, until an ominous grating of the ship's keel, followed by the +loss of headway, told that the frigate was aground. For a time the +ship lay helpless, straining all her timbers as each wave lifted her +slightly, and then let the heavy hull fall back upon the shoal. By ten +o'clock the rising tide floated her off; but, on examination, Capt. +Decatur found that she was seriously injured. To return to port was +impossible with the wind then blowing: so all sail was crowded on, in +the hopes of getting safely away before the blockading squadron should +catch sight of the ship. As luck would have it, the blockaders had +been forced from their posts by the gale of the day before, and the +"President" had laid her course so as to infallibly fall into their +clutches. Before daylight the lookout reported two sail in sight, and +at daybreak the ship was fairly surrounded by the enemy's vessels. All +at once gave chase to the luckless American; and a few hours were +enough to show that her sailing qualities were so seriously injured by +her pounding on the bar, that the enemy was rapidly overhauling her. +Decatur adopted every known expedient to increase his ship's speed, +but to no avail. After she had been lightened by starting the water, +cutting away boats and anchors, chopping up and heaving overboard the +ponderous cables, together with spars and provisions, the enemy still +gained; and the foremost pursuer, a razee, opened fire. The +"President" responded with her stern-chasers, but her shot had no +effect. "It is said that on this occasion," writes Cooper, "the shot +of the American ship were observed to be thrown with a momentum so +unusually small, as to have since excited much distrust of the quality +of her gunpowder. It is even added, that many of these shot were +distinctly seen, when clear of the smoke, until they struck." At six +o'clock in the evening, the frigate "Endymion" led the British +squadron in chase, and had gained a position so close upon the +American's beam that her broadsides were rapidly crippling the +fugitive. Thereupon Decatur determined upon a desperate expedient, +that sounds like some of his reckless exploits in the war with +Tripoli. His plan was to bring the "President" about, and run boldly +alongside the enemy. Every thing was to be sacrificed to the end of +getting to close quarters. When once the two ships had grappled, the +Americans were to board, carry the British ship in a hand-to-hand +battle, and then, abandoning the crippled "President," escape in the +captured frigate. So desperate a plan needed the cordial co-operation +of every man: so it was first presented to the commissioned officers, +who gladly embraced the desperate project. The sailors were then sent +aft, and Decatur addressed them from the quarter-deck. + +"My lads," said he, "that ship is coming up with us. As our ship won't +sail, we'll go on board of theirs, every man and boy of us, and carry +her into New York. All I ask of you is to follow me. This is a +favorite ship of the country. If we allow her to be taken, we shall be +deserted by our wives and sweethearts. What, let such a ship as this +go for nothing! 'Twould break the heart of every pretty girl in New +York." + +[Illustration: "President" and "Endymion."] + +With hearty cheers, the jackies returned to their guns. All were ready +for the coming struggle. Over the main hatch was mounted a howitzer, +with its black muzzle peering down into the hold, ready to scuttle the +ship when the boarders should spring upon the enemy's deck. The sun, +by this time, had sunk below the horizon, and the darkness of night +was gathering over the ocean. The two ships surged toward each +other,--great black masses, lighted up on either side by rows of open +ports, through which gleamed the uncertain light of the +battle-lanterns. On the gun-deck the men stood stern and silent; their +thoughts fixed upon the coming battle, or perhaps wandering back to +the green fields and pleasant homes they had so recently left, perhaps +forever. The gray old yeoman of the frigate, with his mates, walked +from gun to gun, silently placing a well-sharpened cutlass, a dirk, +and a heavy leather boarding-cap at each man's side. The marines were +drawn up in a line amidships; their erect, soldierly air and rigid +alignment contrasting with the careless slouchiness of the sailors. +Butts for the sailors' ridicule as they were during a cruise, the +marines knew that, in hand-to-hand conflicts, their part was as +dashing as that of their tormentors of the forecastle. + +When the "President" had come within a quarter of a mile of her +adversary, Decatur perceived that his enemy was determined to decide +the contest at long range. As the "President" hauled down nearer, the +"Endymion" sheered off, keeping up meanwhile a vigorous cannonade. To +this the Americans responded in kind; and so much superior was the +gunnery of the Yankee tars, that the rigging of the enemy was seen to +be fast going to pieces, while her guns were being silenced one by +one. But her fire did sad havoc among the men of the "President," and +particularly among the officers. The first broadside carried away +Decatur's first lieutenant, Mr. Babbitt, who was struck by a +thirty-two-pound shot, which cut off his right leg below the knee, and +hurled him through the wardroom hatch to the deck below, fracturing +his wounded leg in two places. Shortly after, Decatur was knocked to +the deck by a heavy splinter. For some time he lay unconscious; then +opening his eyes, and seeing a throng of anxious seamen about him, he +ordered them to their stations, and resumed his duties. The fire of +the "Endymion" then slackened; and she lay upon the water, with her +sails cut from the yards. At that moment Lieut. Howell turned to a +midshipman standing at his side, and said gayly, "Well, we have +whipped that ship, at any rate." A flash from the bow of the +Englishman followed; and he added, "No: there she is again." The +midshipman turned to reply, and saw Howell stretched dead at his feet, +killed by the last shot of the battle. + +[Illustration: The "President" tries to escape.] + +The enemy was now helpless, and it would have been easy enough for the +"President" to choose her position and compel her adversary to strike; +but the presence of two more Englishmen, rapidly coming up astern, +forced the Americans to abandon their prey and continue their flight. +It was then late in the evening, and the night was dark and starless. +Every light was extinguished on the American frigate, in the hope that +by so doing she might slip away under cover of the night. But the +British lookouts were sharp-eyed; and by eleven o'clock two frigates +had closed in on the crippled ship, and a third was rapidly coming up +astern. All were pouring in rapid broadsides, and the dark waters were +lighted up like a fiery sea by the ceaseless flashing of the guns. +Thus surrounded and overpowered, there remained open to the Americans +no course but to surrender; and at eleven o'clock at night the +"President" made signal that she had struck. Her fate, like that of +the "Chesapeake," had accorded with the superstitious sailors' notion +that she was an unlucky ship. In the long running fight, neither the +Americans nor the British had escaped without severe loss. On the +"President" were twenty-four killed and fifty-six wounded; the first, +second, and third lieutenants being among the slain. The "Endymion" +had eleven men killed and fourteen wounded. The two frigates were +ordered to proceed to Bermuda; but the "President's" bad luck seemed +to follow her, for on the way she encountered a terrific gale, by +which her masts were carried away, and her timbers so strained that +all the upper-deck guns had to be thrown overboard to save the ship. + +The loss of the "President," at the very mouth of the New York Harbor, +was certainly a most inauspicious opening for the naval operations of +1815. The people of New York and Philadelphia, to whom had come +neither the news of peace nor of the glorious success of the American +arms at New Orleans, were plunged into despondency. "Now that Great +Britain is at peace with Europe," thought they, "she can exert all her +power in the task of subjugating America;" and mournful visions of a +return to British rule darkened their horizon. But, even while they +were thus saddened by Decatur's defeat, a gallant vessel--the monarch +of the American navy--was fighting a good fight for the honor of the +nation; and out of that fight she came with colors flying and two +captive men-of-war following in her wake. + +It will be remembered that the "Constitution" left Boston in December, +1814, for an extended cruise. The gallant frigate, always a favorite +among man-o'-war's men, carried with her on this cruise a full crew of +native Americans,--thorough seamen, and as plucky fighters as ever +pulled a lanyard or carried a cutlass. Her course lay due east; and in +January, 1815, she was in the Bay of Biscay, where she fell in with, +and captured, two prizes. After this she cruised about for a month, +without encountering an enemy. American privateers and cruisers had +fairly driven British merchantmen from the seas, and the tars of the +"Constitution" found their time hanging heavily on their hands. The +captain was an able and considerate officer, and much freedom was +allowed the jackies in their amusements. With boxing, broadsword, and +single-stick play, drill and skylarking, the hours of daylight were +whiled away; and by night the men off duty would gather about the +forecastle lantern to play with greasy, well-thumbed cards, or warble +tender ditties to black-eyed Susans far across the Atlantic. +Patriotic melodies formed no small part of Jack's musical +_repertoire_. Of these, this one, written by a landsman, was for a +long time popular among the tuneful souls of the forecastle, and was +not altogether unknown in the wardroom. + + "Now coil up y'r nonsense 'bout England's great navy, + And take in y'r slack about oak-hearted tars; + For frigates as stout, and as gallant crews have we, + Or how came their "Macedon" decked with our stars? + Yes, how came her "Guerriere," her "Peacock," and "Java," + All sent broken-ribbed to old Davy of late? + How came it? Why, split me, than Britons we're braver; + And that they shall feel, too, whenever we meet. + Then charge the can cheerily, + Send it round merrily: + Here's to our country, and captains commanding; + To all who inherit + Of Lawrence the spirit + Disdaining to strike while a stick is left standing." + +Many were the verses of this notable production; for, to be popular in +the forecastle, a song must play a lengthy part in "teasing time." One +verse, however, is enough to show the manly, if perhaps unreasoning, +pride the blue-jackets took in the triumphs of the navy. + +But the time of the sailors on this closing cruise of the war was not +destined to be spent in sport and singing alone. The noble frigate was +not to return to the stagnation of a season of peace in port, without +adding yet another honor to her already honorable record. On the +morning of the 20th of February, as the ship was running aimlessly +before a light wind, some inexplicable impulse led Capt. Stewart to +suddenly alter his course and run off some sixty miles to the +south-west. Again the "Constitution's" good luck seemed to justify the +sailors' belief, for at noon she ran into a group of vessels. The +first vessel was sighted on the larboard bow, and, as the frigate +overhauled her, proved to be a full-rigged ship. Soon after a second +sail, also a ship, was sighted; and a few minutes more sufficed to +show that both were men-of-war. The one first sighted was the +frigate-built corvette "Cyane," of thirty-four guns; and the second +was the sloop-of-war "Levant," of twenty-one guns. For either of +these vessels singly, the "Constitution," with her fifty-two guns and +crew of four hundred and fifty men, was more than a match. Yet to +attack the two was a bold movement, and this Stewart determined to +undertake. Hardly had the character of the strangers been made out, +when the corvette was seen making signals to the sloop; and the two +vessels, then about ten miles apart, made all sail to get together +before the enemy should overhaul them. This juncture was precisely +what Stewart wished to prevent; and in a trice the shrill notes of the +boatswain's whistle sent the sailors in swarms into the rigging, and +the frigate was as if by magic clothed with a broad expanse of canvas. +Quickly she felt the effect, and bounded through the water after the +distant ships like a dolphin chasing a school of flying-fish. The old +tars on the forecastle looked knowingly over the side at the foamy +water rushing past, and then cast approving glances aloft where every +sail was drawing. But their complacency was shattered by a loud crash +aloft, which proved to be the main royal-mast which had given way +under the strain. Another spar was rigged speedily, and shipped by the +active tars, and soon the snowy clouds aloft showed no signs of the +wreck. At sundown the three vessels were so near each other that their +colors could be seen. Stewart ran up the stars and stripes, to which +the strangers responded by setting the British flag at their +mastheads. + +The purpose of the enemy was to delay the opening of the action until +night should give him opportunity to manoeuvre unobserved; but the +"Constitution," suspecting this, pressed forward hotly, and opened +fire a few minutes after six o'clock. By skilful seamanship Stewart +kept the windward gage of both enemies; and the fight opened with the +"Cyane" on the port-quarter, and the "Levant" on the port-bow of the +American frigate. Fifteen minutes of fierce cannonading followed, the +combatants being within musket-shot most of the time. Every gun was +engaged; and the heavy broadsides shook the ships, and thundered far +over the placid surface of the ocean, which was now faintly illumined +by the rising moon. The triangular space between the ships was filled +with the dense sulphurous smoke of the burning powder; so that the +gunners could see nothing of the enemy at whom they were hurling their +ponderous iron bolts. The men in the tops could now and again catch a +glimpse of the top hamper of the enemy's ships, but those on the +gun-deck were working almost at random. After a few minutes of rapid +firing, the fire of the enemy slackened; and Stewart directed his +gunners to cease until the smoke should have cleared away. At this +command a silence, almost oppressive after the heavy cannonading, +ensued, broken only by the occasional report of a gun from the unseen +enemy, sounding like minute-guns of distress. Anxiously Stewart waited +for the smoke to blow away. When it did so, the "Cyane" was seen +luffing up, to come under the frigate's stern, and get in a raking +broadside. The movement was discovered just in time to be checked. +Stewart gave a heavy broadside to the "Levant;" then, bracing back his +topsails, backed his ship down abreast of the "Cyane," pouring in +rapid broadsides, before which the fire of the corvette died away. Two +raking broadsides that crashed into the stern of the "Levant" sent +that craft out of the action, to refit. The frigate then pressed down +upon the "Cyane," and with a few heavy broadsides forced her to +strike. + +Capt. Douglass of the "Levant" then proved his bravery by standing by +his captured consort; although he could have escaped easily, while the +"Constitution" was taking possession of her prize. No thought of +flight seems to have occurred to the gallant Briton, though he must +have known that there was but little hope of his coming out of the +combat victorious. Still he gallantly came back into the fight, +meeting the "Constitution" ploughing along on the opposite tack. +Broadsides were exchanged at such close range that the Yankee gunners +could hear the ripping of the planks on the enemy's decks as the solid +shot crashed through beam and stanchion. Having passed each other, the +ships wore, and returned to the attack; but the weight of the +American's metal told so severely upon the "Levant" that her flag was +hauled down, and, firing a gun to leeward, she gave up the fight. + +As an exhibition of seamanship, this action is unrivalled in naval +annals. For Stewart to have taken his ship into action with two +hostile vessels, and so handle her as not only to escape being raked, +but actually rake his enemies, was a triumph of nautical skill. The +action was hard fought by both parties. The loss upon the British +vessels has never been exactly determined; but it was undoubtedly +large, for the hulls were badly cut up by the American's fire. The +"Constitution" had but three men killed, and twelve wounded. The +officers all escaped unhurt. + +After a few hours' pause to repair damages, Stewart took his prizes +into Porto Praya in the Cape Verde Islands, where they arrived on the +10th of March. The day after the ships reached port, a heavy fog +settled over the water, cutting off vision in all directions. As the +first lieutenant of the "Constitution" was walking the quarter-deck, +he heard a young midshipman among the prisoners suddenly exclaim, +"There's a large ship in the offing." The lieutenant peered about on +every side, but could see nothing, until, looking upward, he saw the +top-gallant sails of a large ship moving along above the fog-bank. +Capt. Stewart was quickly notified; and, coolly remarking that the +stranger was probably a British frigate, he ordered that the men be +sent to quarters, and the ship prepared for action. The lieutenant +hastened on deck to execute the orders, but had hardly reached his +station when he saw the sails of two more ships gliding along above +the fog-bank. Hastily he returned to the captain's cabin with the +report. Stewart showed no emotion or alarm, although he knew well that +the fact that he was in a neutral port would be no protection against +the British, should they once discover his presence. The affair of the +"Essex" was still fresh in his mind. Calmly he ordered the lieutenant +to make sail and take the ship to sea, signalling to the two prizes to +follow. The orders were given quietly on deck; and in fifteen minutes +the "Constitution," under full press of sail, was making her way out +of Porto Praya roads. On the shore were more than a hundred prisoners +whom Stewart had landed under parole. Regardless of the dictates of +honor, these men rushed to a Portuguese battery, and opened fire on +the ships as they passed out. Hearing the cannonade, the lookouts on +the enemy's vessels looked eagerly for its cause, and caught sight, +above the fog, of the rapidly receding topsails of the fugitives. At +this sight the British set out in pursuit; and the fog soon clearing +away revealed to the Americans two ships-of-the-line and a frigate +following fast in their wake. The "Constitution" and the "Cyane" +easily kept out of reach of their pursuers; but the "Levant" dropped +behind, and finally, at a signal from Stewart, tacked, and stood back +for Porto Praya. The enemy then abandoned the pursuit of the two +foremost vessels, and followed the "Levant," but failed to overhaul +her before she entered the harbor. This, however, checked the British +not a whit. For the laws of nations and the authority of the +Portuguese flag that floated over the little town, they cared nothing. +On they came, and opened fire on the "Levant," which had dropped +anchor under what was supposed to be a neutral battery. The Americans +soon discovered their error. Not only did the British disregard the +neutrality of the port, but the paroled prisoners on shore took +possession of the battery, and opened fire upon the beleaguered craft. +Thus caught between two fires, no hope remained to the Americans; and, +after a few minutes' gallant but useless defence, the flag of the +"Levant" was hauled down, and she passed again into the hands of the +British. + +It was late in May before the "Constitution" reached New York. Peace +had then been declared; but none the less were Stewart and his men +feasted and honored. The old frigate had won for herself a name ever +to be remembered by the people of the nation, in whose service she had +received and dealt so many hard knocks. "Old Ironsides," they called +her; and even to-day, when a later war has given to the navy vessels +whose sides are literally iron, the "Constitution" still holds her +place in the hearts of the American people, who think of her lovingly +by the well-won title of "Old Ironsides." + +While we have been following thus Stewart and his gallant frigate in +their final cruise, some smaller vessels were doing good work for the +credit of the American flag. It will be remembered, that, when the +"President" left New York Bay on her short and disastrous cruise of +January, 1815, she left behind her, at anchor, the "Peacock," the +"Hornet," and the "Tom Bowline." These vessels, knowing nothing of the +fate of their former consort, awaited only the coming of a gale +sufficient to drive away the blockading squadron. On the 22d of +January it came up to blow; and the three craft, under storm canvas, +scudded over the bar, and made for the rendezvous at Tristan d'Acunha. +On the way thither they separated, the "Hornet" cruising alone. On the +23d she sighted a strange sail on the horizon, and, clapping on all +sail, bore down upon her. At the same time the stranger sighted the +"Hornet," and made for her, evidently with hostile intent. The two +vessels approached each other until within musket-shot, when the +stranger hoisted English colors, and fired a gun. Capt. Biddle of the +American ship was ready for the fray, and opened fire with a +broadside. The response of the enemy was vigorous and effective. For +fifteen minutes the firing was constant; but the enemy, seeing that +the Americans were getting the better of the fight, then strove to +close and board. This Biddle determined to avoid, but called up the +boarders to beat back the enemy, should they succeed in closing. "At +the instant," he writes, in his official report, "every officer and +man repaired to the quarter-deck, when the two vessels were coming in +contact, and eagerly pressed me to permit them to board the enemy; but +this I would not permit, as it was evident, from the commencement of +the action, that our fire was greatly superior, both in quickness and +effect. The enemy's bowsprit came between our main and mizzen rigging, +on our starboard side, affording him an opportunity to board us, if +such was his design; but no attempt was made. There was a considerable +swell on; and, as the sea lifted us ahead, the enemy's bowsprit +carried away our mizzen-shrouds, stern davits, and spanker-boom, and +he hung upon our larboard quarter. At this moment an officer called +out that they had surrendered. I directed the marines and musketry men +to cease firing; and while on the taffrail, asking if they had +surrendered, I received a wound in the neck." + +This wound, to which the captain so casually alludes, merits more than +a passing reference. The fire of both ships had ceased when Biddle +stepped upon the taffrail; but he had stood there only a moment, when +two or three of the officers on the quarter-deck cried out that a man +on the Englishman was aiming at him. Biddle did not hear the caution; +but two American marines saw the enemy's movement, and, quickly +bringing up their muskets, sent two balls crashing into the brain of +the English marksman. He fell back dead, but had fired his piece +before falling. The bullet struck Biddle in the neck, inflicting a +painful, but not serious, wound. The blood flowed freely, however; and +two sailors, rushing up, were about to carry their commander to the +cock-pit, when he stopped them. Determined to do something to stanch +the flowing blood, a sailor tore his shirt into bandages, with which +he bound up his captain's wound. But let us return to Biddle's +narrative. + +"The enemy just then got clear of us; and his foremast and bowsprit +being both gone, and perceiving us wearing to give him a fresh +broadside, he again called out that he had surrendered. It was with +difficulty that I could restrain my crew from firing into him again, +as he had certainly fired into us after having surrendered. From the +firing of the first gun, to the last time the enemy cried out that he +had surrendered, was exactly twenty-two minutes by the watch. She +proved to be His Britannic Majesty's brig "Penguin," mounting sixteen +thirty-two-pound carronades, two long twelves, a twelve-pound +carronade on the top-gallant forecastle, with a swivel on the capstan +in the tops." + +On boarding the prize, Biddle found that she had suffered too severely +from the American fire to ever be of service again. He accordingly +removed the prisoners and wounded to his own ship, and scuttled the +"Penguin." Hardly was this operation accomplished, when two sail were +sighted, bearing rapidly down upon the scene of action. Nothing +daunted, the lads of the "Hornet" went to their guns, but were +heartily glad to find that the two vessels approaching were the +"Peacock" and "Tom Bowline." On their arrival, the latter vessel was +converted into a cartel, and sent into Rio de Janeiro with prisoners; +while the "Hornet" and "Peacock" cruised on toward the Indian Seas. On +April 28 a heavy line-of-battle ship was sighted, and gave chase. In +the flight the two sloops parted; the "Peacock" going off unmolested, +while the "Hornet" fled, hotly pursued by the enemy. For a time it +seemed as if the little craft must fall a prey to her huge pursuer, +which had come up within a mile, and was firing great shot at the +scudding sloop-of-war. Overboard went cables, guns, spars, shot, every +thing that would lighten the "Hornet." The sails were wet down, and +every thing that would draw was set. By consummate skill Biddle at +last succeeded in evading his pursuer; and on the 9th of June the +"Hornet" entered New York Bay, without a boat or anchor, and with but +one gun left. But she brought the report that the last naval battle of +the war had ended in victory for the Americans. + +[Illustration: Foundered at Sea.] + +Meanwhile the "Peacock" was returning from a cruise not altogether +void of interest. On parting with the "Hornet," she had struck off to +the southward, and in the Straits of Sundra, between Borneo and +Sumatra, had fallen in with the East India Company's cruiser +"Nautilus," of fourteen guns. Between these two vessels an unfortunate +and silly rencounter followed. The captain of the "Nautilus" knew of +the declaration of peace; and, as the "Peacock" bore down upon his +vessel, he shouted through a speaking-trumpet that peace had been +declared. To this Capt. Warrington of the "Peacock" paid no attention, +considering it a mere ruse on the part of the enemy, and responded by +simply ordering the British to haul down their flag. This the +Englishman very properly refused to do, and gallantly prepared for the +unequal combat. Two broadsides were then interchanged, by which the +"Nautilus" was severely cut up, and eight of her crew killed. She then +struck her colors. Capt. Warrington, on sending a boat aboard his +adversary, found that the declaration of peace was no ruse, but a +truthful statement of facts. His conduct had been almost criminally +headstrong; and, though he was profuse in formal apologies, the wrong +done could never be righted. The "Peacock" then continued her homeward +voyage. + +When this vessel reached port, the last of the cruisers had returned; +and the war was over in fact, as it had long been over technically. It +has become the fashion to say that it was a useless war, that served +no purpose, because the treaty by which it was ended contained no +reference to the hateful doctrine of the right of search, which, more +than any thing else, had brought on the conflict. Yet, though the +conduct of the war had not led the British to formally renounce their +claims in this respect, the exploits of the American navy had shown +that the Yankee blue-jackets were prepared to, and would, forcibly +resent any attempt on the part of the British to put those claims into +practice. The British had entered upon the war gaily, never dreaming +that the puny American navy would offer any serious resistance to +Great Britain's domination upon the ocean. Yet now, looking back over +the three years of the war, they saw an array of naval battles, in the +majority of which the Americans had been victorious; and in all of +which the brilliancy of American naval tactics, the skill of the +officers, and the courage and discipline of the crews, put the younger +combatants on a plane with the older and more famous naval service. +Fenimore Cooper, in his "History of the Navy of the United States," +thus sums up the results of this naval war: "The navy came out of this +struggle with a vast increase of reputation. The brilliant style in +which the ships had been carried into action, the steadiness and +accuracy with which they had been handled, and the fatal accuracy of +their fire on nearly every occasion had produced a new era in naval +warfare. Most of the frigate actions had been as soon decided as +circumstances would at all allow; and in no instance was it found +necessary to keep up the fire of a sloop-of-war an hour, when singly +engaged. Most of the combats of the latter, indeed, were decided in +about half that time. The execution done in these short conflicts was +often equal to that made by the largest vessels of Europe in general +actions; and, in some of them, the slain and wounded comprised a very +large proportion of their crews.... The ablest and bravest captains of +the English fleet were ready to admit that a new power was about to +appear upon the ocean, and that it was not improbable the battle for +the mastery of the seas would have to be fought over again." + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + + PRIVATEERS AND PRISONS OF THE WAR. -- THE "ROSSIE." -- SALEM + PRIVATEERS. -- THE "GEN. ARMSTRONG" GIVES BATTLE TO A BRITISH + SQUADRON, AND SAVES NEW ORLEANS. -- NARRATIVE OF A BRITISH + OFFICER. -- THE "PRINCE DE NEUFCHATEL." -- EXPERIENCES OF + AMERICAN PRISONERS OF WAR. -- THE END. + + +No narrative of the naval exploits of the Americans in the second war +with Great Britain can be complete without some account of the +achievements of the fleets of privateers which for three years swept +the seas, destroying a vast amount of the enemy's property; and, while +accomplishing their end by enriching their owners, did, nevertheless, +much incidental good to the American cause. Seldom has the business of +privateering been so extensively carried on as in the War of 1812. For +this the reason lay in the rich bait offered by the world-wide +commerce of Great Britain, whose fleets whitened every known sea. +Privateering must ever be a weapon wielded by the weaker nation +against the stronger. And Congress, in the very Act by which it +declared war, authorized the President to issue letters of marque and +reprisal to private armed vessels. + +The declaration of war had hardly been made public, when the hundreds +of shipyards from Maine to Savannah resounded with the blows of +hammers and the grating of saws, as the shipwrights worked, busily +refitting old vessels, or building new ones, destined to cruise +against the commerce of John Bull. All sorts of vessels were employed +in this service. The Atlantic and Gulf Coasts fairly swarmed with +small pilot-boats, mounting one long gun amidships, and carrying crews +of twenty to forty men. These little craft made rapid sallies into the +waters of the Gulf Stream, in search of British West Indiamen homeward +bound. Other privateers were huge three-masters, carrying heavy +batteries, and able to outsail any of the enemy's ships. On leaving +port for a long cruise, these vessels would carry enormous crews, so +that captured vessels might be manned and sent home. After a +successful cruise, such a privateer returned to port seldom bringing +more than one-fifth of the crew with which she had set out. But the +favorite rig for a privateer was that of the top-sail schooner,--such +a rig as the "Enterprise" carried during the war with France. The +famous shipyards of Baltimore turned out scores of clean-cut, +clipper-built schooners, with long, low hulls and raking masts, which +straightway took to the ocean on privateering cruises. The armament of +these vessels generally consisted of six to ten carronades and one +long pivot-gun, going by the pet name of "Long Tom," mounted +amidships. The crew was usually a choice assortment of cut-throats and +seafaring vagabonds of all classes,--ready enough to fight if plunder +was to be gained, but equally ready to surrender if only honor was to +be gained by fighting. Yet history records a few actions in which the +privateersmen showed a steadiness and courage worthy of seamen of the +regular service. + +The limitations of this work do not permit a complete account of the +work of the privateers during the war. Although an interesting +subject, and one of historical importance, but a few pages can be +devoted to it here. Properly treated, it would fill a volume; and, +indeed, one of the most noted privateersmen has left a narrative of +the exploits of the principal privateers, which forms a very +considerable tome. The fact that two hundred and fifty private armed +cruisers under the American flag captured or destroyed over sixteen +hundred British vessels will indicate the importance and extent of the +subject. For us a mere sketch of the exploits of some of the principal +privateers must suffice. + +One of the first things to attract the attention of the reader, in the +dingy files of some newspaper of 1812-15, is the grotesque names under +which many of the privateers sailed. The grandiloquent style of the +regular navy vanishes, and in its place we find homely names; such as +"Jack's Favorite," "Lovely Lass," "Row-boat," "Saucy Jack," or +"True-blooded Yankee." Some names are clearly political allusions,--as +the "Orders in Council" and the "Fair Trade." The "Black Joke," the +"Shark," and the "Anaconda" must have had a grim significance for the +luckless merchantmen who fell a prey to the vessels bearing these +names. "Bunker Hill" and "Divided we fall," though odd names to sail +under, seemed to bring luck to the two vessels, which were very +successful in their cruises. "United we stand" was a luckless craft, +however, taking only one prize; while the achievements of the +"Full-blooded Yankee" and the "Sine qua non" were equally limited. Of +the "Poor Sailor," certainly little was to be expected; and it is with +no surprise that we find she captured only one prize. + +Among the most successful privateers was the "Rossie" of Baltimore, +commanded by the Revolutionary veteran Capt. Barney, who left her, +finally, to assume command of the American naval forces on Chesapeake +Bay. She was a clipper-built schooner, carrying fourteen guns, and a +crew of one hundred and twenty men. The destruction wrought by this +one cruiser was enormous. In a ninety days' cruise she captured, sunk, +or otherwise destroyed British property to the amount of a million and +a half dollars, and took two hundred and seventeen prisoners. All this +was not done without some hard fighting. One prize--His Britannic +Majesty's packet-ship "Princess Amelia"--was armed with nine-pounders, +and made a gallant defence before surrendering. Several men were +killed, and the "Rossie" suffered the loss of her first lieutenant. +The prisoners taken by the "Rossie" were exchanged for Americans +captured by the British. With the first body of prisoners thus +exchanged, Barney sent a cool note to the British commander at New +Brunswick, assuring him that before long a second batch of his +captured countrymen should be sent in. + +Several Northern seaports shared with Baltimore the business of +fitting out and manning privateers. The hardy seamen of Maine and +Massachusetts were ever ready for a profitable venture of this kind; +and, as the continuation of the war caused the whale-fishery to +languish, the sailors gladly took up the adventurous life of +privateersmen. The profits of a successful cruise were enormous; and +for days after the home-coming of a lucky privateer the little seaport +into which she came rang with the boisterous shouts of the carousing +sailors. "We still, in imagination, see our streets filled with +privateersmen," writes a historian of Portsmouth, "in groups, with +blue ribbons tied around their hats, inscribed in large letters, +'SUCCESS TO THE "FOX,"' or whatever vessel they were to sail in. And +then another scene, of sailors paid off with so much money that they +knew not what to do with it. It was one of these men that, in Market +Square, put his arm around a cow, kissed her, and put a five-dollar +bill in her mouth, for a good cud. Sometimes they might be seen, +finely dressed, walking down the sunny streets, carrying parasols." +One Portsmouth privateer came to grief in the West Indies, and was +captured by a British vessel of heavier metal. In the hold of the +privateer was a considerable sum of money in gold coin, the existence +of which was known only to the captain and his body-servant, a bright +negro. The British, on capturing the vessel, put a prize-crew on +board, and, while taking the Yankee captain upon their own ship, left +his negro servant on the prize. Watching his opportunity, the negro +brought up the gold coin, and dropped it unobserved into a tub of +greasy black slush with which he had been slushing down the masts. +Some days later, the captured vessel reached the port to which she had +been sent, and was tied up at a wharf to await condemnation. The +faithful servant lingered about the ship for a time, saying that he +had no place to go. At last he was gruffly ordered to leave; but, +before going, he astonished the mate by begging for the tub of slush, +which he said might enable him to earn a few cents along the docks. +The mate carelessly told him to take the stuff, and be off; which he +promptly did, carrying away with him his tub of slush, with its +concealed treasure. It is worthy of note, that this negro, far from +home and from the owners of the money, paid it into a bank to the +credit of the captain whom he had served. + +Salem, Mass., was another great port for privateers to hail from. Not +less than twenty-five of these predatory gentry fitted out at the +quiet little seaside village; and, when the war was ended, few of the +inhabitants were unable to tell some tale of personal adventures, +cruising against the enemy. Indeed, Salem had the honor of receiving +the first prize captured on the ocean after the declaration of war; +for into the harbor came, on the 10th of June, 1812, the trim +privateer schooner "Fame," followed close by two ships, from the +halliards of which waved the British flag surmounted by the stars and +stripes. Then the whole town turned out as one man to greet and cheer +the captors; but, long before the war was ended, the appearance of a +prize in the harbor aroused little excitement. One of the most +successful of the rovers sailing from this port was the "Dolphin," +whose record during the war shows a list of twenty-two captured +vessels. Her faculty for making long cruises, and turning up in the +most unexpected places, made her the dread of all British +sea-captains. She was manned by a gallant set of lads, who had no fear +of hard fighting; and many of her prizes were won at the cannon's +mouth. In January, 1813, the "Dolphin" fell in with a British ship and +brig cruising together off Cape St. Vincent. Though the enemy +outnumbered the privateersmen, and carried heavier metal, yet the +"Dolphin" went gallantly into the fight, and after a severe battle +succeeded in taking both vessels. Great was the astonishment of the +British at being thus snapped up by a Yankee privateer almost under +the guns of the Rock of Gibraltar. The luckless Britons were carried +to America as prisoners; but so kind was the treatment they met with +at the hands of the privateers, that on leaving the "Dolphin," at +Boston, they published a card in which they said, "Should the fortune +of war ever throw Capt. Stafford or any of his crew into the hands of +the British, it is sincerely hoped he will meet with similar +treatment." + +Perhaps the foremost of all the fighting privateers was the "Gen. +Armstrong" of New York; a schooner mounting eight long nines and one +long twenty-four on a pivot. She had a crew of ninety men, and was +commanded on her first cruise by Capt. Guy R. Champlin. This vessel +was one of the first to get to sea, and had cruised for several months +with fair success, when in March, 1813, she gave chase to a sail off +the Surinam River on the coast of South America. The stranger seemed +to evince no great desire to escape; and the privateer soon gained +sufficiently to discover that the supposed merchantman was a British +sloop-of-war, whose long row of open ports showed that she carried +twenty-seven guns. Champlin and his men found this a more ugly +customer than they had expected; but it was too late to retreat, and +to surrender was out of the question: so, calling the people to the +guns, Champlin took his ship into action with a steadiness that no old +naval captain could have exceeded. "Close quarters and quick work," +was the word passed along the gun-deck; and the "Armstrong" was +brought alongside her antagonist at a distant of half pistol-shot. For +nearly an hour the two vessels exchanged rapid broadsides; but, though +the American gunners were the better marksmen, the heavy build of the +sloop-of-war enabled her to stand against broadsides which would have +cut the privateer to pieces. Capt. Champlin was hit in the shoulder +early in the action, but kept his station until the fever of his wound +forced him to retire to his cabin. However, he still continued to +direct the course of the action; and, seeing that the tide of battle +was surely going against him, he ordered the crew to get out the +sweeps and pull away from the enemy, whose rigging was too badly cut +up to enable her to give chase. This was quickly done; and the "Gen. +Armstrong," though badly injured, and with her decks covered with dead +and dying men, escaped, leaving her more powerful adversary to repair +damages and make the best of her way home. Capt. Champlin, on his +arrival at New York, was the hero of the hour. For a privateer to have +held out for an hour against a man-of-war, was thought a feat worthy +of praise from all classes of men. The merchants of the city tendered +the gallant captain a dinner, and the stockholders in his vessel +presented him with a costly sword. + +But the "Gen. Armstrong" was destined to fight yet another battle, +which should far eclipse the glory of her first. A new captain was to +win the laurels this time; for Capt. Champlin's wound had forced him +to retire, and his place was filled by Capt. Samuel C. Reid. On the +26th of September, 1814, the privateer was lying at anchor in the +roadstead of Fayal. Over the land that enclosed the snug harbor on +three sides, waved the flag of Portugal, a neutral power, but +unfortunately one of insufficient strength to enforce the rights of +neutrality. While the "Armstrong" was thus lying in the port, a +British squadron, composed of the "Plantagenet" seventy-four, the +"Rota" thirty-eight, and "Carnation" eighteen, hove in sight, and +soon swung into the harbor and dropped anchor. Reid watched the +movements of the enemy with eager vigilance. He knew well that the +protection of Portugal would not aid him in the least should the +captain of that seventy-four choose to open fire upon the "Armstrong." +The action of the British in coming into the harbor was in itself +suspicious, and the American had little doubt that the safety of his +vessel was in jeopardy. While he was pacing the deck, and weighing in +his mind the probability of an assault by the British, he caught sight +of some unusual stir aboard the hostile ships. It was night; but the +moon had risen, and by its pale light Reid saw four large barges let +fall from the enemy's ships, and, manned by about forty men each, make +toward his vessel. In an instant every man on the privateer was called +to his post. That there was to be an attack, was now certain; and the +Americans determined not to give up their vessel without at least a +vigorous attempt to defend her. Reid's first act was to warp his craft +under the guns of a rather dilapidated castle, which was supposed to +uphold the authority of Portugal over the island and adjacent waters. +Hardly had the position been gained, when the foremost of the British +boats came within hail, and Capt. Reid shouted, "Boat ahoy! What +boat's that?" No response followed the hail; and it was repeated, with +the warning, "Answer, or I shall fire into you." Still the British +advanced without responding; and Reid, firmly convinced that they +purposed to carry his ship with a sudden dash, ordered his gunners to +open on the boats with grape. This was done, and at the first volley +the British turned and made off. Capt. Reid then warped his vessel +still nearer shore; and bending springs on her cable, so that her +broadside might be kept always toward the enemy, he awaited a second +attack. At midnight the enemy were seen advancing again, this time +with fourteen barges and about five hundred men. While the flotilla +was still at long range, the Americans opened fire upon them with the +heavy "Long Tom;" and, as they came nearer, the full battery of long +nine-pounders took up the fight. The carnage in the advancing boats +was terrible; but the plucky Englishmen pushed on, meeting the +privateer's fire with volleys of musketry and carronades. Despite the +American fire, the British succeeded in getting under the bow and +quarter of the "Armstrong," and strove manfully to board; while the +Americans fought no less bravely to keep them back. The attack became +a furious hand-to-hand battle. From behind the boarding-nettings the +Americans thrust pikes, and fired pistols and muskets, at their +assailants, who, mounted on each other's shoulders, were hacking +fiercely at the nettings which kept them from gaining the schooner's +deck. The few that managed to clamber on the taffrail of the +"Armstrong" were thrust through and through with pikes, and hurled, +thus horribly impaled, into the sea. The fighting was fiercest and +deadliest on the quarter; for there were most of the enemy's boats, +and there Capt. Reid led the defence in person. So hot was the +reception met by the British at this point, that they drew off in +dismay, despairing of ever gaining the privateer's deck. Hardly did +Reid see the enemy thus foiled on the quarter, when a chorus of +British cheers from the forecastle, mingled with yells of rage, told +that the enemy had succeeded in effecting a lodgement there. Calling +his men about him, the gallant captain dashed forward and was soon in +the front rank of the defenders, dealing furious blows with his +cutlass, and crying out, "Come on, my lads, and we'll drive them into +the sea." The leadership of an officer was all that the sailors +needed. The three lieutenants on the forecastle had been killed or +disabled, else the enemy had never come aboard. With Reid to cheer +them on, the sailors rallied, and with a steady advance drove the +British back into their boats. The disheartened enemy did not return +to the attack, but returned to their ships, leaving behind two boats +captured and two sunk. Their loss in the attack was thirty-four killed +and eighty-six wounded. On the privateer were two killed and seven +wounded. + +[Illustration: Privateersmen at Home.] + +But the attack was not to end here. Reid was too old a sailor to +expect that the British, chagrined as they were by two repulses, were +likely to leave the privateer in peace. He well knew that the +withdrawal of the barges meant not an abandonment, but merely a short +discontinuance, of the attack. Accordingly he gave his crew scarcely +time to rest, before he set them to work getting the schooner in trim +for another battle. The wounded were carried below, and the decks +cleared of splinters and wreckage. The boarding-nettings were patched +up, and hung again in place. "Long Tom" had been knocked off his +carriage by a carronade shot, and had to be remounted; but all was +done quickly, and by morning the vessel was ready for whatever might +be in store for her. The third assault was made soon after daybreak. +Evidently the enemy despaired of his ability to conquer the +privateersmen in a hand-to-hand battle; for this time he moved the +brig "Carnation" up within range, and opened fire upon the schooner. +The man-of-war could fire nine guns at a broadside, while the schooner +could reply with but seven; but "Long Tom" proved the salvation of the +privateer. The heavy twenty-four-pound shots from this gun did so much +damage upon the hull of the brig, that she was forced to draw out of +the action; leaving the victory, for the third time, with the +Americans. + +But now Capt. Reid decided that it was folly to longer continue the +conflict. The overwhelming force of the enemy made any thought of +ultimate escape folly. It only remained for the British to move the +seventy-four "Plantagenet" into action to seal the doom of the Yankee +privateer. The gallant defence already made by the Americans had cost +the British nearly three hundred men in killed and wounded; and Reid +now determined to destroy his vessel, and escape to the shore. The +great pivot-gun was accordingly pointed down the main hatch, and two +heavy shots sent crashing through the bottom. Then applying the torch, +to make certain the work of destruction, the privateersmen left the +ship, giving three cheers for the gallant "Gen. Armstrong," as a burst +of flame and a roar told that the flames had reached her magazine. + +This gallant action won loud plaudits for Capt. Reid when the news +reached the United States. Certainly no vessel of the regular navy was +ever more bravely or skilfully defended than was the "Gen. Armstrong." +But, besides the credit won for the American arms, Reid had +unknowingly done his country a memorable service. The three vessels +that attacked him were bound to the Gulf of Mexico, to assist in the +attack upon New Orleans. The havoc Reid wrought among their crews, and +the damage he inflicted upon the "Carnation," so delayed the New +Orleans expedition, that Gen. Jackson was able to gather those motley +troops that fought so well on the plains of Chalmette. Had it not been +for the plucky fight of the lads of the "Gen. Armstrong," the British +forces would have reached New Orleans ten days earlier, and +Packenham's expedition might have ended very differently. + +The "Plantagenet" and her consorts were not the only British +men-of-war bound for New Orleans that fell in with warlike Yankee +privateers. Some of the vessels from the Chesapeake squadron met a +privateer, and a contest ensued, from which the American emerged with +less glory than did the lads of the "Gen. Armstrong." A young British +officer in his journal thus tells the story:-- + +"It was my practice to sit for hours, after nightfall, upon the +taffrail, and strain my eyes in the attempt to distinguish objects on +shore, or strange sails in the distance. It so happened that on the +30th I was tempted to indulge in this idle but bewitching employment +even beyond my usual hour for retiring, and did not quit the deck till +towards two o'clock in the morning of the 31st [of October]. I had +just entered my cabin, and was beginning to undress, when a cry from +above of an enemy in chase drew me instantly to the quarter-deck. On +looking astern I perceived a vessel making directly after us, and was +soon convinced of the justice of the alarm, by a shot which whistled +over our heads. All hands were now called to quarters, the small sails +taken in; and having spoken to our companion, and made an agreement as +to position, both ships cleared for action. But the stranger, seeing +his signal obeyed with so much alacrity, likewise slackened sail, and, +continuing to keep us in view, followed our wake without approaching +nearer. In this state things continued till daybreak,--we still +holding our course, and he hanging back; but, as soon as it was light, +he set more sail and ran to windward, moving just out of gun-shot in a +parallel direction with us. It was now necessary to fall upon some +plan of deceiving him; otherwise, there was little probability that he +would attack. In the bomb, indeed, the height of the bulwarks served +to conceal some of the men; but in the transport no such screen +existed. The troops were therefore ordered below; and only the +sailors, a few blacks, and the officers kept the deck. The same +expedient was likewise adopted in part by Capt. Price of the +'Volcano;' and, in order to give to his ship a still greater +resemblance than it already had to a merchantman, he displayed an old +faded scarlet ensign, and drew up his fore and main sail in what +sailors term a lubberly manner. + +"As yet the stranger had shown no colors, but from her build and +rigging there was little doubt as to her country. She was a beautiful +schooner, presenting seven ports of a side, and apparently crowded +with men,--circumstances which immediately led us to believe that she +was an American privateer. The 'Volcano,' on the other hand, was a +clumsy, strong-built ship, carrying twelve guns; and the 'Golden +Fleece' mounted eight: so that in point of artillery the advantage was +rather on our side; but the American's sailing was so much superior to +that of either of us, that this advantage was more than +counter-balanced. + +"Having dodged us till eight o'clock, and reconnoitred with great +exactness, the stranger began to steer gradually nearer and nearer, +till at length it was judged that she was within range. A gun was +accordingly fired from the 'Volcano,' and another from the transport; +the balls from both of which passed over her, and fell into the sea. +Finding herself thus assaulted, she now threw off all disguise, and +hung out an American ensign. When putting her helm up, she poured a +broadside with a volley of musketry into the transport, and ran +alongside of the bomb, which sailed to windward. + +"As soon as her flag was displayed, and her intention of attacking +discerned, all hands were ordered up; and she received two +well-directed broadsides from the 'Volcano,' as well as a warm salute +from the 'Golden Fleece.' But such was the celerity of her motion, +that she was alongside of the bomb in less time than can be imagined, +and actually dashing her bow against the other, attempted to carry her +by boarding. Capt. Price, however, was ready to receive them. The +boarders were at their posts in an instant; and Jonathan finding, to +use a vulgar phrase, that he had caught a Tartar, left about twenty +men upon the 'Volcano's' bowsprit, all of whom were thrown into the +sea, and filling his sails sheered off with the same speed with which +he had borne down. In attempting to escape, he unavoidably fell +somewhat to leeward, and exposed the whole of his deck to the fire of +the transport. A tremendous discharge of musketry saluted him as he +passed; and it was almost laughable to witness the haste with which +his crew hurried below, leaving none upon deck except such as were +absolutely wanted to work the vessel. + +"The 'Volcano' had by this time filled and gave chase, firing with +great precision at his yards and rigging, in the hope of disabling +him. But, as fortune would have it, none of his important ropes or +yards were cut; and we had the mortification to see him in a few +minutes beyond our reach." + +[Illustration: Prison Chaplain and Jailor.] + +An exploit of yet another privateer should be chronicled before the +subject of the private armed navy can be dismissed. On the 11th of +October, 1814, the brigantine privateer "Prince de Neufchatel," +seventeen guns, was encountered near Nantucket by the British frigate +"Endymion,"--the same ship which was so roughly handled by the +"President" in her last battle. About nine o'clock at night, a calm +having come on, the frigate despatched a boarding party of a hundred +and eleven men in five boats to capture the privateer. The latter +vessel was short-handed, having but forty men; but this handful of +Yankee tars gallantly prepared to meet the attack. The guns were +charged with grape and canister, the boarding-nettings triced up, and +cutlasses and pistols distributed to the crew. As the British came on, +the Americans opened fire, notwithstanding which the enemy dashed +alongside, and strove fiercely to gain the deck. But in this they were +foiled by the gallantry of the defenders, who fought desperately, and +cut down the few British who managed to gain a foothold. The conflict +was short, and the discomfiture of the enemy complete. After but a few +minutes' fighting, one boat was sunk, one captured, and the other +three drifted helplessly away, filled with dead and dying. The total +loss of the British in this affair was twenty-eight killed and +thirty-seven wounded. Of the crew of the privateer, seven were killed, +and nine only remained unhurt. + +A narrative of the exploits of, and service done by, the American +sailors in the War of 1812 would be incomplete if it said nothing of +the sufferings of that great body of tars who spent the greater part +of the war season confined in British prisons. Several thousand of +these were thrown into confinement before the war broke out, because +they refused to serve against their country in British ships. Others +were prisoners of war. No exact statistics as to the number of +Americans thus imprisoned have ever been made public; but the records +of one great prison--that at Dartmoor--show, that, when the war +closed, six thousand American seamen were imprisoned there, +twenty-five hundred of whom had been detained from long before the +opening of the war, on account of their refusal to join the ranks of +the enemy. As I write, there lies before me a quaint little book, put +out anonymously in 1815, and purporting to be the "Journal of a Young +Man captured by the British." Its author, a young surgeon of Salem, +named Waterhouse, shipped on a Salem privateer, and was captured early +in the war. His experience with British prisons and transport-ships +was long; and against his jailors he brings shocking charges of +brutality, cruelty, and negligence. + +The Yankee seamen who were captured during the war were first +consigned to receiving-prisons at the British naval stations in +America. Sometimes these places of temporary detention were mouldering +hulks, moored in bays or rivers; sometimes huge sheds hastily put +together, and in which the prisoners were kept only by the unceasing +vigilance of armed guards. "The prison at Halifax," writes Waterhouse, +"erected solely for the safe-keeping of prisoners of war, resembles an +horse-stable, with stalls, or stanchions, for keeping the cattle from +each other. It is to a contrivance of this sort that they attach the +cords that support those canvas bags or cradles, called hammocks. Four +tier of these hanging nests were made to hang, one above the other, +between these stalls, or stanchions.... The general hum and confused +noise from almost every hammock was at first very distressing. Some +would be lamenting their hard fate at being shut up like negro slaves +in a Guinea ship, or like fowls in a hen-coop, for no crime, but for +fighting the battles of their country; others, late at night, were +relating their adventures to a new prisoner; others, lamenting their +aberrations from rectitude, and disobedience to parents, and +headstrong wilfulness, that drove them to sea, contrary to their +parents' wish; while others, of the younger class, were sobbing out +their lamentations at the thoughts of what their mothers and sisters +suffered after knowing of their imprisonment. Not unfrequently the +whole night was spent in this way; and when, about daybreak, the weary +prisoner fell into a doze, he was waked from his slumber by the +grinding noise of the locks, and the unbarring of the doors, with the +cry of '_Turn out!_ _All out!_' when each man took down his hammock, +and lashed it up, and slung it on his back, and was ready to answer to +the roll-call of the turnkey." + +From prisons such as this, the prisoners were conveyed in droves to +England, in the holds of men-of-war and transports. Poorly fed, worse +housed, and suffering for lack of air and room, their agony on the +voyage was terrible. When they were allowed a few hours' time on deck, +they were sure to arouse the anger of the officers by turbulent +conduct or imprudent retorts. "One morning as the general and the +captain of the 'Regulus' (transport) were walking as usual on the +quarter-deck, one of our Yankee boys passed along the galley with his +kid of burgoo. He rested it on the hatchway while he adjusted the rope +ladder to descend with his swill. The thing attracted the attention of +the general, who asked the man how many of his comrades eat of that +quantity for their breakfast. 'Six, sir,' said the man, 'but it is fit +food only for hogs.' This answer affronted the captain, who asked the +man in an angry tone, 'What part of America he came from?' 'Near to +Bunker Hill, sir, if you ever heard of that place,' was the answer." +On another occasion, a Yankee and a slightly wounded British marine +got into a dispute, and came to blows. The British captain saw the +occurrence, and accused the American of cowardice in striking a +wounded man. "I am no coward, sir," said the Yankee. "I was captain of +a gun on board the 'Constitution' when she captured the 'Guerriere,' +and afterward when she took the 'Java.' Had I been a coward, I should +not have been there." + +[Illustration: King Dick and his Chaplain.] + +On one occasion the prisoners on the transport "Crown Prince," lying +in the River Medway, took an uncontrollable dislike to the commander +of a second transport lying close alongside. Their spite was gratified +quickly and with great effect. The rations served out to the luckless +captives at that time consisted of fish and cold potatoes. The latter +edible being of rather poor quality, the prisoners reserved for +missiles; and the obnoxious officer could not pace his quarter-deck +without being made a mark for a shower of potatoes. Vainly did he +threaten to call up his marines and respond with powder and lead: the +Americans were not to be kept down; and for some days the harassed +officer hardly dared to show himself upon deck. + +The place of final detention for most of the prisoners taken in the +war with America was Dartmoor Prison; a rambling collection of huge +frame buildings, surrounded by double walls of wood. The number of +prisoners confined there, and the length of time which many of them +had spent within its walls, gave this place many of the +characteristics of a small State, with rulers and officials of its +own. One of the strangest characters of the prison was King Dick, a +gigantic negro, who ruled over the five or six hundred negro +prisoners. "He is six feet five inches in height," says one of the +prisoners, "and proportionally large. This black Hercules commands +respect, and his subjects tremble in his presence. He goes the rounds +every day, and visits every berth, to see if they all are kept clean. +When he goes the rounds, he puts on a large bear-skin cap, and carries +in his hand a huge club. If any of his men are dirty, drunken, or +grossly negligent, he threatens them with a beating; and if they are +saucy they are sure to receive one. They have several times conspired +against him, and attempted to dethrone him; but he has always +conquered the rebels. One night several attacked him while asleep in +his hammock: he sprang up, and seized the smallest by his feet, and +thumped another with him. The poor negro, who had thus been made a +beetle of, was carried the next day to the hospital, sadly bruised, +and provokingly laughed at." King Dick, to further uphold his dignity +as a monarch, had his private chaplain, who followed his royal master +about, and on Sundays preached rude but vigorous sermons to His +Majesty's court. On weekdays the court was far from being a dignified +gathering. King Dick was a famous athlete, and in the cock-loft, over +which he reigned, was to be seen fine boxing and fencing. Gambling, +too, was not ruled out of the royal list of amusements; and the cries +of the players, mingled with the singing of the negroes, and the +sounds of the musical instruments upon which they played, made that +section of the prison a veritable pandemonium. + +[Illustration: The last Volley of the War.] + +But although some few incidents occurred to brighten momentarily the +dull monotony of the prisoners' lot, the life of these unfortunate +men, while thus imprisoned, was miserable and hateful to them. Months +passed, and even years, but there seemed to be no hope for release. At +last came the news of the declaration of peace. How great then was the +rejoicing! Thoughts of home, of friends and kindred, flooded the minds +of all; and even strong men, whom the hardships of prison-life had not +broken down, seemed to give way all at once to tears of joy. But the +delays of official action, "red-tape," and the sluggishness of travel +in that day, kept the poor fellows pent up for months after the treaty +of peace had been announced to them. Nor were they to escape without +suffering yet more severely at the hands of their jailors. Three +months had passed since peace had been declared; and the long delay so +irritated the prisoners, that they chafed under prison restraint, and +showed evidences of a mutinous spirit. The guards, to whom was +intrusted the difficult task of keeping in subjection six thousand +impatient and desperate men, grew nervous, fearing that at any moment +the horde of prisoners would rise and sweep away all before them. An +outbreak was imminent; and the prisoners were like a magazine of +gunpowder, needing but a spark of provocation to explode. On April 6, +1815, matters reached a crisis. The soldiers, losing all presence of +mind, fired on the defenceless Americans, killing five men and +wounding thirty-four. Thus the last blood shed in the War of 1812 was +the blood of unarmed prisoners. But the massacre, horrible and +inexcusable as it was, had the effect of hastening the release of the +survivors; and soon the last of the captives was on his way home to +the country over which peace at last reigned again. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + + THE LONG PEACE BROKEN BY THE WAR WITH MEXICO. -- ACTIVITY OF THE + NAVY. -- CAPTAIN STOCKTON'S STRATAGEM. -- THE BATTLE AT SAN JOSE. + -- THE BLOCKADE. -- INSTANCES OF PERSONAL BRAVERY. -- THE LOSS OF + THE "TRUXTON." -- YELLOW FEVER IN THE SQUADRON. -- THE NAVY AT + VERA CRUZ. -- CAPTURE OF ALVARADO. + + +The period of peace which followed the close of the War of 1812 was, +perhaps, the longest which any nation has ever enjoyed. For the navy +of the United States, it was a time of absolute peace, inactivity, +even stagnation. The young nation was living literally up to +Washington's rule of avoiding entanglements abroad, and its people +looked with suspicion on the naval branch of the service which had +rendered such a good account of itself in the war with Great Britain. +They feared to build and man ships lest possession of a navy might +prove an incentive to war. And so when war did come--war, not with +Europe, but with our nearest neighbor--the United States had little +floating force to join in it. Fortunately, little was needed. + +Though war was not declared by the United States against Mexico until +May, 1846, it had been a possibility ever since the establishment of +the Texan Republic by the defeat of the Mexicans at San Jacinto in +1834, and it had been a great probability since 1841, when it was +discovered that both England and France were holding out prospects of +assistance to the Mexicans in case of conflict with the United +States. Neither of these European powers was sincere in the diplomatic +game which deceived the proud but ignorant Mexicans, but neither did +either of them scruple to foment a quarrel out of which some selfish, +though indefinite, advantage might be gained. Indeed they played the +diplomatic game so skilfully that they deceived a considerable +minority in the United States and made these believe that the +admission of Texas to the United States would be unwise and +inexpedient, and the probable war with Mexico a wickedness dire and +dreadful. Even General Grant, when he wrote his book, said that such +were his views at the time, though he was then an army officer and +trusting to war for advancement. But when hostilities were begun, and +victory for American arms followed victory, the protests of the peace +party were unheard amid the enthusiastic shoutings of those who took a +saner view of the conditions which led to the conflict. + +Mexico claimed title not only to Texas, but to California, and if the +United States had not gone to war in regard to the former, she would +have had to do so in defence of her conquest of the latter. In +securing California the navy bore a conspicuous part, and as early as +1842, Captain Thomas Ap-Catesby Jones, commanding the Pacific +squadron, was as active as though war had already been declared. In +September of that year, with his squadron of four ships, he was at +anchor in the harbor of Callao, and noticing the suspicious conduct of +the British frigate "Dublin," which shoved off the port and then bore +away, he concluded to follow her and see just what game she sought, as +he had been informed by the Navy Department that England was plotting +in Mexico against the United States; he had also read in a Mexican +newspaper that war was likely to be declared, if indeed hostilities +had not already begun. Captain Jones reached Monterey on the 19th of +October, and though he saw nothing of the "Dublin," he at once +insisted on the surrender of the place. The next day he learned that +his action had been premature and made what amends he could. So the +navy really struck the first official blow that led to this war. + +When war had been declared, the Pacific squadron did not learn of it +until after the victories of Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma. Captain +Sloat, in command, at once took prompt action. Landing two hundred and +fifty seamen and marines under Captain Mervine, he captured Monterey +on the 2d of July. A week later he formally took possession of the +splendid bay of San Francisco and the neighboring country. He also +occupied Sutter's Fort, on Sacramento River, and the towns of Bodega +and Sonoma. In this war it will be noticed throughout this narrative +that the naval forces were constantly required to do shore duty, a +duty to which they were unaccustomed but which they performed with +entire efficiency. The Mexicans had no navy worthy of the name and the +American sailors were auxiliary to the soldiers. Though untrained to +this kind of service, and though it was always hard, and sometimes +quite ungrateful, they responded to orders with entire cheerfulness; +when the service was most perilous then the blue-jackets entered upon +it with a gayety that laughed at danger. + +On the 19th of July, Fremont and his corps of topographical engineers +met Captain Sloat and thereafter co-operated with him. In the "Cyane," +Commander Du Pont, Fremont was sent to San Diego with one hundred and +fifty riflemen and that place was occupied. On the 30th of July, the +"Congress" took possession of San Pedro, the port of Los Angeles, the +seat of the Mexican government in California. About this time the +command of the Pacific squadron devolved upon Captain Robert F. +Stockton, who was not a whit less vigilant than his predecessors had +been. Having all the California seaports, Captain Stockton planned an +expedition against Los Angeles before the well-armed Mexican soldiers +in the province could be brought together. He landed three hundred and +fifty sailors and marines and established a camp at San Pedro. Captain +Stockton's biographer says: "There were only about ninety muskets in +the whole corps. Some of the men were armed with carbines, others had +only pistols, swords, or boarding-pikes. They presented a motley and +peculiar appearance, with great variety of costume. Owing to their +protracted absence from home the supplies of shoes and clothing had +fallen short, and the ragged and diversified colors of their garments, +as well as the want of uniformity in their arms and accoutrements, +made them altogether a spectacle both singular and amusing." The +Mexican forces at Los Angeles outnumbered Captain Stockton's land +forces three to one, so he resorted to a stratagem to deceive the +enemy as to his force. A flag of truce having appeared on the hills, +"he ordered all his men under arms and directed them to march three or +four abreast, with intervals of considerable space between each squad, +directly in the line of vision of the approaching messengers, to the +rear of some buildings on the beach, and thence to turn in a circle +and continue their march until the strangers had arrived. Part of the +circle described in the march was concealed from view, so that to the +strangers it would appear that a force ten times greater than the +actual number was defiling before them. When the two bearers of the +flag of truce had arrived he ordered them to be led up to him +alongside of the artillery, which consisted of several six-pounders +and one thirty-two-pound carronade. The guns were all covered with +skins so as to conceal their dimensions except the huge mouth of the +thirty-two-pounder at which the captain was stationed to receive his +guests.... As his purpose was intimidation he received them with much +sternness." They asked for a truce, but Stockton demanded and secured +an immediate and absolute surrender, as the evident object of the +Mexicans was to gain time. Stockton at once began his tedious march to +Los Angeles, his men dragging the cannon through the sand. On the 12th +of August, he received a message from the Mexican general, saying "if +he marched on the town he would find it the grave of his men." He +replied: "Then tell your general to have the bells ready to toll at +eight o'clock in the morning. I shall be there at that time." He was +as good as his word. The next morning he was joined by Fremont and his +men, who had come up from San Diego and they entered Los Angeles +unopposed. He organized a civil government for the entire state, with +Major Fremont as the head of it, and returning to his ships sailed +northward on the 5th of September, 1846. The news of these operations +was sent to Washington overland by the famous scout, Kit Carson. + +Meantime the other ships of the Pacific squadron were cruising along +the coast and capturing everything with a semblance of Mexican +ownership. But Captain Stockton was much disconcerted in October to +learn that two Mexican generals, released on parole after the fall of +Los Angeles, had gathered a force and were besieging the small +garrison there. The "Savannah" at once went to the scene. At San Pedro +it was learned that the garrison had been compelled to capitulate and +was awaiting an American cruiser. Captain Mervine, of the "Savannah," +landed a detachment of sailors and marines and began the march to the +capital. He could not cope with the superior force and had to retire. +Indeed nearly all the places captured by the active sailors seemed +likely now to fall into the hands of the Mexicans again. The garrison +at Monterey was threatened by an uprising of the people; the garrison +at San Diego was besieged; Los Angeles was in the hands of the enemy, +and the force at the enemy's camp at San Bernardino was getting +stronger each day. But Captain Stockton was equal to all demands upon +him and made up for inadequate forces by celerity of movement. Just +when matters were most critical the naval forces learned of the +repulse of General Stephen Kearny by the Mexicans under Pico. It was +indeed with great difficulty that Kearny and his dragoons were rescued +by the sailors from their invested position near San Bernardino. + +Having got what men he could together, Captain Stockton determined to +recapture Los Angeles. On the 29th of December, 1846, he began his +march of 145 miles to the capital. There were no roads, but the route +was through deep ravines, sand-hills, and deserts. The men were poorly +armed and badly clothed, and there were few horses to assist in +drawing the artillery. Never did an American commander have before him +a more disagreeable prospect. The men, many of them without +foot-covering, became worn-out in the march and begged to rest, but +the captain insisted that they must go on, as the Mexicans were +getting stronger every day. The men responded as best they could. + +On the 7th of January, the intrepid Stockton found that the enemy was +intrenched between him and the San Gabriel River. The Mexican general +changed his mind and crossed the river with the object of interrupting +the crossing. But Stockton would not be denied, and repulsed the enemy +on every side, though outnumbered three to one. This was on the 8th of +January, the anniversary of the battle of New Orleans. The next day he +fought again, resisting three furious charges of the enemy. On the +10th he entered Los Angeles unopposed, and on the 15th he was joined +there by Fremont and his corps. These seaports in California were not +seriously harassed during the remainder of the war, but they needed to +be garrisoned, while the whole coast required watching. A part of the +squadron was sent south and also into the Bay of California. Before +the end of 1847 every Mexican gun on the western coast, save those at +Acapulco, had been silenced. Loreto, La Paz, Mazatlan, San Blas, +Manzanilla, San Antonio, Guaymas, and Mulye fell to the squadron. +Sometimes it only needed for a ship or two to appear before a town and +it would surrender, but generally an assault or the appearance of a +storming party on land was necessary. But the seamen and marines were +always invincible in this part of the war, where they were entirely +without aid from the army. + +The most serious predicament in which the Americans found themselves +in this Pacific Coast campaign was when Lieutenant Heywood, of the +"Dale," with four midshipmen and twenty marines, were shut up in the +Mission House at San Jose, a small village near San Lucas. He was +surrounded by a large force before he knew it, and two of his +midshipmen were taken unawares and captured by an enemy not known to +be near. Lieutenant Heywood maintained himself from the 19th of +November, 1847, till the 17th of February, 1848, when Commander Du +Pont, in the "Cyane," came to his rescue. A party of ninety-four +seamen and marines, under Lieutenant Rowan, went ashore and fought its +way against six hundred Mexicans until they were defeated and Heywood +and his men rescued. There was nothing after this on the western coast +more serious than guerrilla forays. + +The operations on the western coast were probably, in result, much +more important than those of the home squadron in the Mexican Gulf and +the Rio Grande River. But the latter squadron was the larger, and as +it was in constant co-operation with the conquering armies which +finally captured the capital of the country, much more has been heard +of the doings of the fleet in the east, which was at first commanded +by Commodore David Conner and then by Commodore Matthew C. Perry. The +operations on this coast also came in for much criticism, for the +various ships were filled with young men overflowing with valor and +mad with desire of glory. They were also comparatively close to home +and saw the newspapers from New York, Washington, and New Orleans. In +these papers the army was accorded all the glory while the navy was +almost ignored. This neglect rankled in the minds of the madcaps, and +they blamed Commodore Conner, an officer of much experience and +distinguished record, for not storming every fort and citadel near the +coast instead of carrying out his instructions to maintain an +efficient blockade of the ports and to co-operate with the army +whenever possible. These duties, tiresome and inglorious as they +seemed, were of the first importance to the scheme of the campaign, +and they were performed with a patience which rose superior to +weariness, sickness, and death. The duty required of the blockaders +did not require much fighting, but the men were in danger of the +coast fevers all the time, and hundreds died. And then at some seasons +the fleet was likely to be blown ashore by the fierce "northers" which +prevailed. Many accidents resulted during these storms, the most +serious being the capsizing of the brig "Somers," Lieutenant Raphael +Semmes (afterward commanding the Confederate ship "Alabama") +commanding, and the loss of more than half her crew. + +When the war began at Palo Alto, Commodore Conner was with his +squadron off Point Isabel, at the mouth of the Rio Grande River. Not +knowing the issue of the battle, five hundred seamen and marines were +sent to strengthen the garrison at Point Isabel, where the army +supplies were stored, while Captain Aulick, of the "Potomac," with two +hundred men, pulled up the Rio Grande in boats for fifteen miles and +until a junction with the army was established at Barita. At this time +the squadron consisted of the frigates "Cumberland" (flagship), +"Potomac," and "Raritan"; the steam frigate "Mississippi"; the +sloops-of-war "Falmouth," "John Adams," and "St. Mary's"; the +steam-sloop "Princeton"; and the brigs "Lawrence," "Porpoise," and +"Somers." Before the close of the war some of these ships were +recalled, at least one was wrecked, and the squadron was from time to +time largely reinforced. + +The squadron, now that war had begun, was ordered to blockade the +ports of Matamoras, on the Rio Grande; Tampico, on the Tampico River; +Alvarado, on the Alvarado; Coatzalcoalcos, on the river of the same +name; Tabasco, on the Tabasco River; and Vera Cruz, on the Gulf. The +rivers mentioned, except the Rio Grande, are mere creeks, not fit for +vessels of any size, and their mouths simply open roadsteads. Vera +Cruz was the only place with anything like a harbor. The ports in +Yucatan, such as Laguna and Campeachy, were only visited for supplies +of fresh meat. The State of Yucatan was not assisting in the war and +did not need to be blockaded. By the time General Taylor took +possession of Matamoras, Commodore Conner's fleet had been +considerably augmented by the addition of the sloops-of-war +"Germantown," "Albany," "Saratoga" and "Decatur"; the steamers +"Spitfire," "Vixen," "Alleghany," "Scorpion" and "Scourge"; the brig +"Truxton"; the gunboats "Reefer," "Bonita," and "Rebel." A little +later, and just before the bombardment of Vera Cruz, the "Ohio," with +seventy-four guns, joined, together with the bomb-vessels "Vesuvius," +"Hecla," and "Stromboli." There were also a number of small steamers +and gunboats to operate in shallow water. These constituted what was +called the "mosquito fleet." With so formidable a fleet the sailors +felt they were equal to anything, and whenever a larger part of it was +operating at one place, it was difficult to restrain the men. The +youngsters even thought Commodore Conner's prudence and conservatism +to be timidity, and the writer has before him now a book written +twenty-five years after these events, by one who was a midshipman on +the flagship, and he quotes the familiar lines about daring to put +things to the touch. All this was most unfair, but it indicated that +the blue jackets of the Mexican War were buttoned over hearts that +knew no fear. + +The blockade of the Mexican ports that was maintained was not by any +means a paper blockade. It was actual, and the very opposite of the +merely formal closing of ports which the United States had so long +protested against in other countries. The hardships of the men and +officers were fearful and the casualties very great. The tediousness +of the service was relieved now and again by daring expeditions into +the rivers and ports, where boats were cut out and taken away from +beneath batteries on shore. The record of such ventures shows that the +navy in 1846 and 1847 was no whit inferior in dash to the one which +made the flag glorious some years before in the war with England. One +instance of such a venture is quoted from the "Recollections of a +Naval Officer," by Captain William Harwar Parker. He was telling of +the blockade at Vera Cruz in 1846. He says: "One of the finest fellows +in the service I often met on Green Island. I allude to Passed +Midshipman Hynson, of Maryland. He was drowned in the brig 'Somers,' +when she capsized in the fall of this year. At the time of her +sinking, Hynson had both of his arms bandaged and in a sling, and was +almost helpless. It was said that when the brig sank he managed to get +hold of a spar with another man, and finding it would not support two +he deliberately let go his hold. It was like him. The way he happened +to have his arm in a sling was this: While the 'Somers' was +maintaining the blockade of Vera Cruz, a vessel managed to slip in--I +think she was a Spanish schooner. The Mexicans moored her to the walls +of the Castle of San Juan for safety; but the officers of the 'Somers' +resolved to cut her out or burn her. Hynson was the leading spirit in +the affair, though Lieutenant James Parker, of Pennsylvania, was the +senior officer. They took a boat one afternoon and pulled in to visit +the officers of an English man-of-war lying under Sacrificios Island. +It was quite usual to do this. After nightfall they left the British +ship and pulled directly for the schooner, which they boarded and +carried. This, be it observed, was directly under the guns of the +castle and the muskets of its garrison. The crew was secured, and +finding the wind would not serve to take the vessel out, it was +resolved to burn her. Her captain made some resistance, and the +sentinel on the walls called out to know what was the matter. Parker, +who spoke Spanish remarkably well, replied that his men were drunk and +he was putting them in irons. The party then set fire to the vessel +and got safely away with their prisoners. It was in setting fire to +the schooner that Hynson got so badly burned." + +In regard to the personal heroism shown by Hynson and others when the +"Somers" went down, Lieutenant Raphael Semmes, in his book, "Service +Afloat and Ashore During the Mexican War," said: "Those men who could +not swim were selected to go into the boat. A large man by the name of +Seymour, the ship's cook, having got into her, he was commanded by +Lieutenant Parker to come out, in order that he might make room for +two smaller men, and he _obeyed the order_. He was afterward permitted +to return to her, however, when it was discovered that he could not +swim. Passed Midshipman Hynson, a promising young officer, who had +been partially disabled by a bad burn received in firing the 'Creole' +a few days previously, was particularly implored to go into the boat. +A lad by the name of Nutter jumped out of the boat and offered his +place to Hynson, and a man by the name of Powers did the same thing. +Hynson refusing both offers, these men declared that then others might +take their places, as they were resolved to abide in the wreck with +him. Hynson and Powers were drowned. Nutter was saved. When the plunge +was made into the sea, Sailing-Master Clemson seized a studding-sail +boom, in company with five of the seamen. Being a swimmer, and +perceiving that the boom was not sufficiently buoyant to support them +all, he left it and struck out alone. He perished--the five men were +saved." + +Just about this time the first of the gunboats reached the squadron, +and the young men of the steerage were intensely amused at the +smallness of the vessel. A midshipman from the flagship visited the +"Reefer." He went alongside of her in the barge, and, not knowing any +better, stepped over her port-quarter. Lieutenant Sterrett, in +command, said in his least gentle voice: "Sir, there is a gangway to +this vessel!" Before long even the youngsters learned to respect these +little steamers. Commodore Conner now made an expedition to capture +Alvarado, but just as he was about ready to begin a bombardment his +pilots predicted a "norther," and he hoisted the signal, "Return to +the anchorage off Vera Cruz." This was popularly regarded as a +_fiasco_, but doubtless the Commodore was entirely right, as Alvarado +might be taken at any time, and subsequently was taken in a manner +which has been a joke in the navy ever since. Of this something will +presently be said. Tampico, a town of 7,000 inhabitants, 210 miles +north of Vera Cruz, was next proceeded against. The bar at the mouth +of the Tampico River is considered the most dangerous on the coast, +and the larger vessels did not try to cross it. But the smaller +steamers and gunboats of the "mosquito fleet" went in, and the town +was surrendered without firing a shot. It was then occupied by the +army. The next movement was against Frontera, at the mouth of the +Tabasco River, and Tabasco, some seventy miles up that little stream. +Frontera was taken by surprise, and Commodore Perry, now second in +command to Commodore Conner, moved up the stream with vessels of too +heavy draught. He came near losing the "Cumberland" in the mud, and, +as it was, she was so disabled that when she was pulled from her perch +on a bar she had to be sent home for repairs. Perry, however, defeated +the Mexican flotilla and captured all the boats. Two of the prizes had +to be blown up, but the "Champion," a fast river boat, which had run +between Richmond and Norfolk, was taken out and afterward usefully +employed as a despatch-boat. In this expedition there was considerable +fighting and also some losses both of officers and men. + +In blockading the port of Tuspan, some 120 miles northwest of Vera +Cruz, the brig "Truxton," Captain Carpenter, was stationed. The ship +was blown ashore and was under the Mexican guns. The Captain sent a +boat to tell the Commodore of the disaster, but before relief could +reach him he surrendered. In doing this he was opposed bitterly by all +his officers, and the quarter-master on duty positively refused to +obey the order to haul down the flag. Lieutenant Bushrod Hunter, who +first went for assistance, reached the squadron off Vera Cruz, as did +also Lieutenant Otway Berryman, with a boat's crew, which left before +the surrender had been effected. The remainder of the crew were taken +to Vera Cruz as prisoners of war. As soon as Commodore Conner heard of +the disaster he sent Captain Engle with the "Princeton" to Tuspan. He +made short work of it. He drove the Mexicans out of the brig, took +what armament was left, and then burned her. The guns taken out of the +"Truxton" were placed in forts erected to protect Tuspan. But these +were captured next year by Commodore Perry and Captain Breese. The +officers and men of the navy had a grudge against Tuspan, and the +landing detachment which carried the works fought as though each man +in it were a demon. It lost three killed, while five officers and six +seamen were wounded. + +During the summer of 1847, the men of the squadron operating in the +Gulf suffered severely from yellow fever and also from scurvy brought +on by a lack of fresh food. It was so bad on the "Mississippi" that +she had to been sent to Pensacola. Commodore Perry was himself +stricken, but he refused to leave, and changed his flag to the +"Germantown," which remained. This was after the fall of Vera Cruz, +and when the duty of the naval forces was once again only that of +blockaders. The investment of Vera Cruz was the most considerable +single piece of work performed by the navy during the war. Commodore +Conner had gathered at Vera Cruz all his available forces and +anxiously awaited the coming of General Scott and his army, who were +at Lobos Island, 150 miles north of Vera Cruz. General Taylor, with +5,000 men, had just defeated Santa Anna with 20,000 men at Buena +Vista, and two days later, that is, on the 24th of February, 1847, +General Scott gave his final orders to his fleet of transports which +was to take his army to Vera Cruz. Early in March the transports with +12,600 men arrived in front of Vera Cruz. Captain Parker, in his book +previously quoted, says: "No words can express our excitement as ship +after ship crowded with enthusiastic soldiers successively came in; +some anchoring near us and others continuing on for the anchorage at +Anton Lizardo. We had been so long on our ships, and for some months +so inactive, that we were longing for something to do. I cannot answer +for others, but the scene of that day--and I recollect that it was +Sunday--is so vivid, and the events so firmly fixed in my memory, that +I can almost see the ship "Diadem" as she grazed our spanker-boom in +her desire to pass near enough to speak us, and I can to this day +whistle the waltz played by an infantry band on board a transport +anchored near us that night, though I have never heard it since." + +Indeed, the naval contingent was most anxious to be in some of the +heavy fighting, and the chance seeming near, all was enthusiasm aboard +the ships of the squadron. A few days after General Scott's arrival he +and Commodore Conner and a large number of principal officers, +including Captain Joseph E. Johnston, of the "Engineers," made a +reconnaissance to decide on the best place to land the army. They +selected the mainland abreast of Sacrificios Island. + +On the 9th of March, the steamers "Spitfire" and "Vixen" and several +gunboats ran close inshore and shelled the sand-hills and chaparral in +which the enemy might be concealed. Only a few horsemen were made to +scamper away. The Government for this very landing had sent out a +number of surf-boats, flat on the bottom and sharp at both ends. Each +of these carried one hundred men with their arms and accoutrements. +They proved most admirable for the service, as the whole army was +landed with out a mishap, and, singularly enough, the Mexicans did not +molest the Americans in the least while this important movement was in +progress. By midnight of the 9th of March the whole of the army was +ashore. Landing the troops having been accomplished, the work of +taking the artillery pieces, the ammunition, and supplies was begun, +and this consumed a week, each day lasting from four in the morning +till ten at night. + +While this was in progress, General Scott was so arranging his troops +that he should entirely invest the city, and by the 20th of March the +bombardment began. General Scott summoned the authorities to +surrender, and gave them a chance to send the women and children out +of the city. Both invitation and opportunity were declined. And so it +came about that many non-combatants were killed in the siege that +followed. The sailors not only had to land the army and the materials +of war, but they were obliged to help get the siege guns in place. The +blue-jacket ashore is nearly always alive to the importance of having +a lark, and even in this arduous service they acted very much as +though they were on a spree. On one occasion a "norther" came up, and +for several days the seamen could not get back to their ships. Being +idle they had a good time to their hearts' content. It is said that +before the end of the first day every Jack of them had a horse and was +a mounted marine. One of these, a very tough old salt, had for his +charger a donkey, and on this animal he rode by General Scott's +quarters in great pride. "Some officers standing by observing that he +was, as they thought, seated too far back, called out to him to shift +his seat more amidships. 'Gentlemen,' said Jack, drawing rein, 'this +is the first craft I ever commanded, and it's d--d hard if I can't +ride on the quarter-deck.'" + +But there was more serious work immediately in store for the navy than +fetching and carrying for the army and rewarding themselves in boyish +pranks. The day before the serious bombardment began the squadron was +notified by signal from the flagship: "Commodore Perry commands the +squadron." There was rejoicing at this, for Perry was regarded as a +man who preferred a fight for its own sake rather than to have no +fight at all. In this command he proved that he was a good fighter, +but he proved also that he knew how to be conservative when necessity +made such a course wise. Commodore Conner went home because his health +demanded that he should. The Navy Department was not dissatisfied with +him. But the opportunity for heavy fighting came after Perry took the +command. From the beginning of the siege the fleet kept up a heavy +firing on the city and castle so as to divert the fire from the land +forces. + +General Scott soon saw that his guns were not strong enough to batter +down the walls of the city, so he requested Commodore Perry to send +him some heavy guns. The Commodore's gallant reply was: "Certainly, +General, but I must fight them." And fight them he did, as we shall +see. Six heavy pieces of ordnance were landed, and about 200 seamen +and volunteers were attached to each gun. Three of these were +sixty-eight-pounder shell guns and three thirty-two-pounder solid-shot +guns. Each of these guns weighed about three tons. Now each of these +had to be dragged through the loose sand, almost knee-deep, for +something like three miles before it could be put in the position the +engineers had assigned to it. This battery, by the way, was protected +by bags of sand piled on each other, and this was the first time that +this device had been used. When the battery was in position the +officers and men of the ships were so anxious to fight it that, to +prevent jealousy, the officers first to be assigned drew lots for the +honor. The first day Captain Aulick commanded, and the next day +Captain Mayo. The naval battery fired with such precision that they +did amazing damage to the enemy's works, and on the second day the +guns in Vera Cruz were silenced. Then began a parley as to terms, but +on the 28th there was an unconditional surrender. Now Scott had a +foothold in the part of Mexico which counted for something, and he was +able to begin that masterly march through the Valley of Mexico and on +to the capital of the country. But he never could have obtained this +foothold without the assistance of the navy. The country did not +recognize this at once, and the newspapers being printed by landsmen, +all of the immediate glory was bestowed on General Scott. + +Now that Vera Cruz had fallen and General Scott's plans called for a +movement toward the interior, it was most desirable for him to have +better cavalry. But he lacked horses. Singular as it may seem, he +called upon the navy to assist in supplying this deficiency. It was +known that there were Mexican horsemen in and about Alvarado, so it +was determined to proceed against this place by land and sea, so that +the town could be reduced, and the horses secured at the same time. +General Quitman, with a brigade, was sent by land, so as to keep the +horsemen from running away, while the "Potomac," Captain Aulick, and +the "Scourge," Lieutenant Charles G. Hunter, were sent to appear in +front of Alvarado. It was evidently intended that Captain Aulick and +General Quitman would move on the place on some appointed day. +Lieutenant Hunter did not know what the plans were, and as his boat +was much faster than the "Potomac" he arrived in front of Alvarado +long before Captain Aulick. When the "Potomac" did come in sight, a +great commotion was noticed in the harbor. The "Albany," which had +been doing blockading service, came out and informed Captain Aulick +that Alvarado had been taken. + +"By whom?" asked the Captain. + +"By Lieutenant Hunter, in the 'Scourge,'" was the reply. + +The "Scourge," it should be explained, was a very small steamer, +carrying one gun and forty men. Hunter went up pretty close and +observing indications of flinching, he fired three guns and dashed +boldly in and captured the place. The horsemen, the capture of whom +was the main object of the expedition, were frightened off before +General Quitman could intercept them. Having taken possession of +Alvarado, Lieutenant Hunter placed in the town a garrison consisting +of a midshipman and two men, and hurried his steamer up the river to a +place called Tlacotalpan, which he also captured. When General Quitman +arrived in Alvarado with his brigade and the place was gravely handed +over to him by Passed Midshipman William G. Temple (afterward a very +distinguished officer of high rank) he was greatly amused and laughed +heartily. But Commodore Perry was annoyed and angry. As soon as he +could get hold of Hunter--not an easy matter, as Hunter had gone on +his conquering way still further up the river with the intention of +taking all the rest of Mexico not subjugated by Taylor and Scott--he +placed him under arrest and preferred charges against him. When Hunter +was shortly tried by court-martial, he was sentenced to be reprimanded +by the Commodore, the reprimand to be read from the quarter-deck of +every vessel in the squadron. + +The reprimand, prepared by Commodore Perry, was thought by pretty +nearly all the officers of the squadron to be entirely too severe. A +military offence had been committed, but it amounted to a mere trifle, +and the time was ripe for the people to laugh over such an occurrence. +In effect the reprimand was something like this: "Who told you to take +Alvarado? You were sent to watch Alvarado, not to take it. You have +taken Alvarado with but a single gun and not a marine to back you!" +Then the announcement was made that the squadron would soon move +against Tabasco, and that Hunter should not accompany it, but that he +should be dismissed the squadron. And he was sent home. In New York +the people made a hero of him, giving him swords and dinners, and +securing for him the command of the schooner "Taney," in which he made +a roving cruise to the Mediterranean. As long as he lived he was +always spoken of as "Alvarado" Hunter. A sense of humor is sometimes a +dangerous cargo for a public man to carry; but the absence of it also +is often dangerous. In this instance Commodore Perry, because he did +not see the amusing aspect of Hunter's escapade, made himself so +ridiculous that he came near cutting short his own career, which, as +will afterward be seen in this history, was destined for greater +achievements than any in the past. + +[Illustration: Blue-Jackets before Vera Cruz.] + +The next objective point for the navy was Tuspan, where the "Truxton" +had been lost. The bar at Tuspan is dangerous, and even the small +steamers of the squadron had their masts hoisted out of them to +lighten them. Commodore Perry hoisted his flag on the "Spitfire" and +led the way up the river with the boats of the squadron in tow. The +first fort on the river below the town, called the Pana, was silenced +by the gun of the "Spitfire" and then stormed by the sailors; two +other forts were taken in the same way and the town was occupied. The +Mexicans made a spirited defence, but did little damage, only one man +being killed. Among the wounded were Captain Tatnall, Commander +Whittle, and Lieutenant James Parker. The guns taken from the +"Truxton" were found in one of the forts and restored to the fleet. + +The last naval operation of the war was against Tabasco. Commodore +Perry took all of the fleet which could possibly go up the river from +Frontera. This town was easily captured, but when the ascent of the +river began the boats were continually fired upon from the trees and +chaparral along the banks. At a place called Devil's Bend, the passage +of the river was interrupted by a sunken obstruction, technically +called a _chevaux de frise_. Commodore Perry did not mean to let this +stop him, so he organized a land force of seamen and marines and +concluded to march to Tabasco. He had numerous skirmishes, but was not +stopped. One day his own ships passed him, the _chevaux de frise_ +having been raised by attaching rubber bags to it and then inflating +them with air. When Perry arrived at Tabasco he found the American +flag flying, the town having fallen without resistance to his own +ships. So his own arduous march across country had been all for +nothing. This was the last work of the sailors, but the marines of the +navy still saw glorious service, as a detachment of them was with +General Scott, participating in the attack on Chapultepec. They were +also among the first to enter the City of Mexico when that capital +surrendered. + +The navy in the War with Mexico did itself credit as it always had +before, and reflected honor upon the country, whose flag was upheld +with brilliant courage and untiring zeal. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + + THE NAVY IN PEACE. -- SURVEYING THE DEAD SEA. -- SUPPRESSING THE + SLAVE TRADE. -- THE FRANKLIN RELIEF EXPEDITION. -- COMMODORE + PERRY IN JAPAN. -- SIGNING OF THE TREATY. -- TROUBLE IN CHINESE + WATERS. -- THE KOSZTA CASE. -- THE SECOND FRANKLIN RELIEF + EXPEDITION. -- FOOTE AT CANTON. -- "BLOOD IS THICKER THAN WATER." + + +After the Mexican War the navy engaged for twelve years in works of +peace varied by a little exciting police duty on the high seas. Much +was done for commerce and for civilization in the years immediately +succeeding 1848, but the story, though important, is not exciting, and +is therefore little known. The records of these years afford a fair +suggestion of what a navy may do when actual fighting is not +necessary, and when its vessels, with the trained sailors and +scientists who man them, may be utilized in utilitarian work. + +Shortly after the close of the Mexican War, the armed ship "Supply," +under command of Lieutenant Lynch, sailed on an expedition to the Dead +Sea. The start was made from New York, and the vessel arrived in the +Mediterranean only a few weeks after peace had been declared with +Mexico. At Smyrna, Lieutenant Lynch left the "Supply," and went to +Constantinople to obtain permission to enter the Turkish domains. This +having been granted, the party sailed for Haifa. Arriving at this port +on the 21st of March, they left their ship, and set out for the Sea of +Galilee by an overland route, carrying on trucks the boats which had +been specially built for navigation in the river Jordan. Upon +reaching Tiberias, on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee, the +party divided, one detachment embarking in the boats to navigate the +Sea of Galilee, and the other mounting camels and horses to make the +trip by land, with the intention of keeping those who had sailed in +view as much as possible, and protecting them from attacks by +wandering Arabs or aiding them if necessary in the passage of the +tortuous and turbulent Jordan. Eight days were consumed in making this +passage, and a distance covered of 200 miles, although if the trip had +been made in a straight line instead of along the winding course of +the river, it would have been necessary to have traversed only sixty +miles. An encampment was established on the desolate banks of the Dead +Sea, and several exploring and scientific expeditions in the +neighborhood were made. Among the interesting facts gathered was the +exact depression of the Dead Sea below the level of the ocean. This +was found to be 1,312 feet. + +The western coast of Africa was the scene of the next important +activity on the part of the American cruisers. The slave-trade, which +in the eighteenth century had assumed extensive proportions, still +flourished to a degree which made the condition upon the coast a +disgrace to civilization. It was a notorious fact, moreover, that a +large proportion of the vessels in the trade were of American build +and sailed under the Stars and Stripes. The United States Government +was anxious to wipe out this blot upon the nation's fair fame; and +consequently, in 1849, sent Lieutenant Foote, in command of the brig +"Perry," to African waters. The lieutenant, who, by the way, afterward +became the distinguished Admiral Foote, at once began active cruising +off Ambrig, a notorious slave mart. The "Perry" was constantly at sea, +chasing and boarding suspicious vessels, and very often her boats +passed through the surf and ran up the jungle-bordered rivers to the +slave barracoons. Many large slavers were captured, and when, in 1851, +the "Perry" was succeeded on the African coast by the squadron under +Commander Gregory, Lieutenant Foote had effectually checked the slave +trade. He was thanked for his services by the Secretary of the Navy. + +While Lieutenant Foote was sailing under the blazing sun of Africa, +another lieutenant, Edwin J. De Haven, in command of the brigs +"Rescue" and "Advance," was pushing his way northward through the ice +of the Arctic Ocean. The Navy Department had considered it proper and +fitting to aid England in her search for the British commander, Sir +John Franklin and his men, who had sailed into the Arctic regions on +an exploring expedition, and had been gone so long as to warrant the +belief that they were in grave peril, if not already dead. Volunteers +for the relief expedition had been called for by the department. +Lieutenant De Haven and others had responded, and on May 24th, 1850, +started on their errand of mercy. In July, the party was in Baffin's +Bay, and here the brigs remained embedded in the ice for twenty-one +days. On the 29th of July, by a sudden movement of the floe, an +opening at the north presented itself; a north-east breeze sprang up +at the same time, and with press of sail the brigs were able to force +their way into clear water. + +For a month afterward there was continual battling with the ice, and +slow progress northward. On August 27th, Lieutenant De Haven, having +in the mean time fallen in with several English relief expeditions, +decided to make a search on the shores adjacent to a Lancaster Sound. +Here were found three graves, and various signs that Franklin and his +companions had spent a winter somewhere thereabouts; but there were no +indications of the course his vessels, the "Erebus" and the "Terror," +had taken when they had sailed away. Throughout the winter the search +was continued, and the "Rescue" and the "Advance" were often in +imminent danger of destruction in the masses of ice which pressed +against the sides of the ships with enormous force. "Every moment," +said Lieutenant De Haven, in his report, "I expected the vessels would +be crushed or overwhelmed by the masses of ice forced up far above our +bulwarks." But at last, on June 6th, they forced their way again into +the open sea; and as the instructions had been not to spend a second +winter in the Arctic regions, sail was set for home, and late in the +summer of 1851 the brigs arrived at New York. + +The sending of the frigate "Mississippi," commanded by Captain Matthew +G. Perry, to the coast of Halifax, in 1852, averted what threatened to +be serious trouble. A dispute had arisen among the American and +Canadian fishing schooners in those waters, and seven American vessels +had been seized by the British cruisers. + +This caused intense indignation in New England; but Captain Perry +poured oil upon the troubled waters, and in 1854, as a result of his +visit, a reciprocity treaty between the United States and Canada was +signed, and this lasted for ten years. + +Captain Perry performed his most important services for the +government, however, in Japan. The early fifties were an era of +exploring expeditions for the navy. There were trips up the rivers +into unknown regions of South America and Africa. The Isthmus of +Darien was explored, and an ambitious scheme to cut a ship-channel +through was found to be impracticable. It was very natural, during +this activity in penetrating little-known parts of the world, that +attention should have been given to Japan, which was a land of mystery +to the world at large because of the exclusion of foreigners from that +country. In 1852, Captain Perry was assigned the command of the +squadron cruising in the East Indies, and was empowered, in addition +to his ordinary duties, to make a display of force in the waters of +Japan in order to obtain better treatment for American seamen cast +upon Japanese shores, and to gain entry into Japanese ports for +vessels seeking supplies. He bore a letter, moreover, from the +President of the United States to the Emperor of Japan, written with a +view to obtaining a treaty providing for friendly intercourse and +commerce with the haughty island kingdom. On the 8th of July, the +squadron, comprising the frigates "Mississippi," "Susquehanna," and +"Powhatan"; the corvette "Macedonian"; the sloops-of-war "Plymouth," +"Saratoga," and "Vandalia"; and the store-ships "Supply," +"Southampton," and "Lexington," anchored off the city of Uraga, in the +Bay of Jeddo, Japan. Captain Perry decided that the proper course to +pursue with the Japanese was to assume a very lofty and commanding +tone and bearing. He therefore ordered away from the sides of his +vessel the boats which swarmed around it, and allowed none but +government officials of high rank to come on board. He himself +remained in seclusion in his cabin, treating with the Japanese through +intermediaries. He moved his squadron nearer the capital than was +allowable, and then demanded that a special commission, composed of +men of the highest rank, be appointed to convey his letter from the +President to the Emperor. The close proximity of the ships-of-war to +the capital, and Captain Perry's peremptory demand, were not at all to +the liking of the Japanese; but they were greatly impressed with his +apparent dignity and power, and at last consented to receive and +consider the letter. Fearing treachery, Captain Perry moved his ships +up so that their guns would command the building prepared for his +reception, and on the 14th of July went ashore with an escort of 400 +officers and men, who found themselves, on landing, surrounded by +about 6,000 Japanese soldiers under arms. + +Three months were given to the Japanese officials to reply to the +letter, and Captain Perry sailed with his squadron for the coast of +China. He returned after an interval of three months, and anchored his +ships beyond Uraga, where the previous conference had been held, and +nearer the capital, despite the fact that a place twenty miles below +had been appointed for the second meeting. The Japanese demurred at +this, being so exclusive that they did not wish their capital nor +their country even to be seen by foreigners. Instead of respecting +these wishes, Captain Perry approached still nearer, until he was only +eight miles from Tokio. This high-handed policy had the desired +effect. Five special Japanese commissioners met Captain Perry, and in +a building within range of the ships' guns, negotiations were carried +on. They resulted, on March 31st, in the signing of a treaty by the +Japanese, in which they promised to open two of their ports to +American vessels seeking supplies; to give aid to seamen of the United +States wrecked upon their shores; to allow American citizens +temporarily residing in their ports to enter, within certain +prescribed limits, the surrounding country; to permit consuls of the +United States to reside in one of the open ports; and, in general, to +show a peaceful and friendly spirit toward our government and +citizens. This treaty is important, because it opened the door for the +peoples of the world to a country which has since proved to be +possessed of vast wealth and resources. Captain Perry received high +praise for his firmness and diplomacy in the conduct of the difficult +negotiations. + +One vessel of Captain Perry's fleet, the "Plymouth," had remained at +Shanghai when the squadron returned to Japanese waters, and she played +a very active though brief part in the troubles which then existed in +China. Imperial and revolutionary troops were fighting for supremacy, +and the former showed a hostile disposition to the American and +English residents of Shanghai. An American pilot was captured by an +Imperial man-of-war, but was retaken in a most spirited manner from +the Chinese by Lieutenant Guest, and a boat's crew from the +"Plymouth." The Chinese manifestations of hostility toward foreign +residents continued, and on the 4th of April, 1854, about ninety men +from the "Plymouth" and American merchant-ships, under the leadership +of Commander Kelly, went ashore, and in conjunction with one hundred +and fifty men from a British man-of-war, began an attack upon the +Imperial camp. The Americans had two field-pieces and a twelve-pound +boat-howitzer, which, together with the muskets, were used so +effectively that, after ten minutes of sharp fighting, the Chinese +fled in great disorder, leaving a number of dead and wounded upon the +field. The American loss was two killed and four wounded. + +Piracy was rampant in the China seas during this period, and so bold +and ferocious were the Chinese desperadoes that their junks were a +great terror to merchant vessels, and seriously interfered with +commerce. The "Powhatan," another of Captain Perry's squadron, and the +English sloop "Rattler," joined forces against a fleet of piratical +junks off Khulan, in 1855, and completely destroyed them, killing many +of the pirates in the attack and taking a large number of prisoners. +In Happy Valley, Hong-Kong, a monument was erected to commemorate the +eight English and American sailors who were killed in the conflict. + +While the East India squadron was performing these important and +gallant services off the coasts of Japan and China, the other vessels +of the navy were by no means idle. Among the conspicuous naval events +of the time was the spirited action of Commander Ingraham at Smyrna, +in 1854. A young Austrian, Martin Koszta, had lived in New York city +two years before, and had declared his intention of becoming an +American citizen. He had gone to Smyrna on business, and having +incurred the displeasure of the Austrian government, had been seized, +and was a prisoner on board the Austrian man-of-war "Hussar." +Commander Ingraham, commanding the sloop-of-war "St. Louis," demanded +that Koszta be surrendered, on the ground that he was an American +citizen. This being refused, Ingraham cleared for action, although the +"Hussar's" force was much superior to his own. His bold stand brought +the Austrians to satisfactory terms, and the threatened engagement was +averted by the surrender of Koszta. + +There were two Arctic expeditions in addition to that of the "Rescue" +and the "Advance" in the early fifties. Both of them grew out of the +ill-fated Arctic explorations of Sir John Franklin. Lady Franklin, his +wife, was anxious, upon the failure of the first relief expeditions, +to send another, and she asked that a surgeon of the United States +Navy, Dr. Kane, be permitted to command it. The Navy Department +granted the request, and in June, 1853, the expedition, composed of +eighteen men under orders from the department and the patronage of +Henry Grinnell, of New York, and George Peabody, the American +merchant, of London, began the northwest journey. This search for Sir +John Franklin's ships was also unsuccessful, and the relief party was +for a long time in imminent danger of a fate similar to Franklin's. +After living for two winters imprisoned in the ice in Smith's Sound, +they abandoned their vessel, which had been largely broken up to +provide fuel, and started on a journey over the ice in sledges. After +eighty-four days of extreme privation and thrilling adventure, they +reached Driscol Bay, where they were found by Commander Hartstone and +Lieutenant Simms, commanding respectively the "Release" and the +"Arctic," which vessels had been fitted out by order of Congress to +rescue them. In October, 1855, the united party reached New York. + +In November, 1855, the presence of the United States ship +"Germantown," commanded by Captain Lynch, in the harbor of Montevideo, +prevented an extensive massacre. There had been a rebellion in +Paraguay, and the insurrectionists had capitulated. The government +troops rushed upon them with the intention of despatching them, when a +detachment of United States marines interfered and put an end to the +sanguinary scene. Three years afterward the marines performed +efficient services in Montevideo in protecting foreign residents +against the insurgents in another rebellion. + +The rather curious episode of a battle-ship fighting Indians occurred +in 1856. The sloop-of-war "Decatur," Commander Gansevoort, anchored +off Seattle, Washington, to protect the settlers from attacks from a +large body of Indians. The savages appeared, and fought the marines, +who had landed, with much spirit for six hours. At nightfall they +disappeared in the woods, having suffered the loss of a large number +of braves. + +One of the most gallant and important of the minor operations of the +navy took place in November of the same year. Trouble having arisen +between the Chinese authorities of the City of Canton and the English +officials in the vicinity, it was thought that American interests +might be injured, and in consequence Commander Foote stationed his +vessel, the sloop-of-war "Portsmouth," of the squadron under +Flag-Officer Armstrong, near the island of Whampoa, and thence +proceeded, in several armed boats, to ascend the river to Canton to +establish an armed neutrality. Several Americans, however, joined the +British in an attack upon the governor's palace, and planted the flag +beside the English colors on the wall of the city. Commander Foote +disavowed this act, but as he was returning from an interview with the +flag-officer at Whampoa, several shots of grape and canister were +fired from the forts upon his boat, although it displayed the American +flag. The next day the "Portsmouth" and the "Levant," which had come +up the river to lend her aid, proceeded to the Canton barrier forts to +avenge the insult. The "Levant" grounded before coming in range of the +forts; but the "Portsmouth," under a sharp fire, sailed on until +within about 500 yards of the nearest fort; then she opened fire. +After she had thrown about 200 shells, the Chinese ceased firing. Then +followed four days of unsatisfactory parley with Yeh, the Governor of +Canton, after which Commander Foote renewed the attack. The "Levant" +now joined the "Portsmouth," and the vessels began a cannonade, which +was returned with spirit for an hour. Then 208 men, in ten boats, were +landed, and stormed the nearest fort, which was taken. Five thousand +pigtail-wearing soldiers afterward attempted to recapture it, but were +repulsed. In like manner, on the following morning, the next fort was +taken, with an American loss of but three men. During the afternoon +the defenders of the third fort fled. The next morning, in the face of +a heavy fire, the fourth and last fort was carried by a rapid assault. +The little company of Americans was now in possession of four modern +forts constructed by European engineers, which had been defended, +moreover, by thousands of men. The insult had been avenged, and the +affair resulted in a treaty of friendship and commerce with China. + +There was little love between Americans and Chinese, however, and +three years afterward Captain Josiah Tatnall rendered valuable aid to +the English and French gunboats when fired upon by the Chinese forts. +The boats, under the command of Sir James Hope, were attempting to +remove obstructions in the Peiho River when the forts suddenly opened +a destructive fire. A desperate conflict followed, in which several +hundred of the English were killed. Captain Tatnall commanded the +chartered steamer "Toey-Wan," which was in the harbor. He forgot his +neutrality as he watched the scene. With the exclamation, "Blood is +thicker than water!" he jumped into his launch and steamed for the +British flagship. The boat was struck with a ball, and before its trip +was ended sunk, the coxswain being killed and Lieutenant Trenchart +severely wounded. The others who had manned her were rescued, and they +helped the English at the guns. Captain Tatnall afterward used the +"Toey-Wan" to tow up and bring into action the British reserves. His +action was a clear violation of the treaty and the neutrality law. He +received but slight punishment, however, and gained great popularity +in Great Britain. + +At Eaya, in the Feejee Islands, in 1858, a sharp conflict took place +between the natives and forty men under Lieutenant Caldwell, who had +been sent to destroy the principal village as retribution for the +murder of two American citizens. The natives were sent fleeing inland. +The Secretary of the Navy said of the affair, "The gallantry, +coolness, and bravery displayed by officers and men was in the highest +degree commendable." A somewhat similar episode occurred in the +vicinity of Kisembo, on the west coast of Africa, in 1860. The natives +threatened the property and lives of American citizens, and would +undoubtedly have put their threats into effect had it not been for the +presence and prompt action of Commander Brent of the sloop-of-war +"Marion." When an insurrection occurred in the neighborhood of Panama, +in July, 1860, Commander Porter landed a body of marines and sailors +from his ship, the "St. Mary's," which was then stationed on the +western coast of Mexico. The governor gave up the city of Panama to +the joint occupancy of the forces of the "St. Mary's" and the British +ship-of-war "Clio," and tranquillity was quickly restored. + + + + +PART III + + + + +BLUE-JACKETS OF '61. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + + THE OPENING OF THE CONFLICT. -- THE NAVIES OF THE CONTESTANTS. -- + DIX'S FAMOUS DESPATCH. -- THE RIVER GUNBOATS. + + +The story of the naval operations of the civil war is a record of +wonderful energy and inventive skill in improvising and building +war-vessels, vigilance and courage in handling them, and desperate +bravery and dash displayed by officers and seamen in the great +engagements in which vessels of either side took part. Yet of the +immense body of literature dealing with the war, the greater part is +given to telling the story of the great armies of the North and South. +The details of the great land battles are familiar to many who have +but a vague idea of the service done by the "blue jackets" of the +North, and the daring deeds performed by the navies of both sides. + +When the first mutterings of the storm of war began to be heard, the +United States Government had at its disposal sixty-nine +vessels-of-war, of which twenty-seven were laid up for repairs, or, +sailors would say, "out of commission." Of the forty-two vessels in +commission, twenty-six were absent on missions to the East Indies, +the African coast, and other distant quarters of the globe. Long +months must elapse before the most hasty orders could reach them. Many +were sailing-vessels, and must consume many months of precious time +before they could reach the shores of the United States. Indeed, +though on the inauguration of President Lincoln on March 4, 1861, all +these vessels were immediately recalled, not one arrived before the +middle of June, and many were delayed until late in the following +winter. Of the vessels at home, many were old-fashioned +sailing-frigates; beautiful with their towering masts and clouds of +snowy canvas, but almost useless in that day when steam had become +known as the only means of propelling vessels-of-war. + +[Illustration: The "Hartford," Farragut's Flagship.] + +In officers and men the navy was almost as deficient as in vessels. A +long peace had filled the lists of officers with old men past that +age in which may be expected the alertness and energy that must be +possessed by Jack afloat. The lower grades were filled by boyish +officers from the Naval Academy, who had never seen a gun fired in +anger. The service was becoming rusty from long idleness. + +Such was the condition of the navy of the United States when Abraham +Lincoln was made President. Four years later the navy of the United +States consisted of six hundred and seventy-one vessels. No nation of +the world had such a naval power. The stern lessons of the great war +had taught shipbuilders that wooden ships were a thing of the past. +The little "Monitor" had by one afternoon's battle proved to all the +sovereigns of Europe that their massive ships were useless. And all +this had been done by a people grappling in deadly strife with an +enemy in their very dwellings. The world's history contains no more +wonderful story of energy and invention. + +[Illustration: Departure of a Naval Expedition from Port Royal.] + +When President Lincoln began his term of office, he appointed Gideon +Welles of Connecticut Secretary of the Navy. South Carolina had +seceded from the Union. Mississippi, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, and +Louisiana had followed South Carolina. Anderson, with a handful of +United States troops, was holding Fort Sumter, expecting every minute +to see the puff of smoke from the distant casement of Fort Moultrie, +and hear the shriek of the shell that should announce the opening of +the attack. At Washington, politicians were intriguing. The loyalty of +no man could be regarded as certain. Officers of the army and navy +were daily resigning, and hastening to put themselves under the +command of their various States. In the South all was activity. In the +North the popular desire for a compromise hampered the authorities so +that no decided stand against the spread of the rebellion could be +made. The new Secretary of the Navy found himself face to face with +the certainty of a long and bloody war, yet had under his command a +navy hardly adequate for times of peace. To add to his perplexity, +many of the oldest and most skilful officers in the navy resigned, +saying that their duty to their States was greater than to the United +States as a whole. A few revenue officers even went so far as to +deliver to the State authorities the vessels of which they were in +command. One commander, a Georgian, bringing his ship back from +foreign waters, hesitated long whether to take it to the navy-yard at +New York, or to deliver it to the Southern leaders. He finally +decided to obey orders, and the ship remained with the United States. +Some days afterward the commander told his lieutenant of his +hesitation. "We all saw it," said the younger officer; "and had you +turned the ship's prow towards Charleston, you would have been +instantly put in irons." + +The surrender of another naval vessel called forth that famous +despatch from John A. Dix that will ever be linked with his name. The +United States revenue cutter "McClelland" was lying at New Orleans, +under the command of Capt. Breshwood. The revenue service is distinct +from the regular navy, and is under the general command of the +Secretary of the Treasury. John A. Dix, then Secretary of the +Treasury, suspected that Capt. Breshwood was about to surrender his +vessel to the Confederates, and sent an agent to order him to take the +vessel to New York. Breshwood refused, and instantly Dix sent the +despatch: "Tell Lieut. Caldwell to arrest Capt. Breshwood, assume +command of the cutter, and obey the order through you. If Capt. +Breshwood, after arrest, undertakes to interfere with the command of +the cutter, tell Lieut. Caldwell to consider him as a mutineer, and +treat him accordingly. _If any man attempts to haul down the American +flag, shoot him on the spot._" This despatch was intercepted by the +Confederates, and the cutter was surrendered. But Dix's determined +words reverberated through the North, and thrilled all hearts with the +hope that the time for delay was past, and that the growing rebellion +would be put down with a firm hand. + +So at the opening of the war we find the North with a navy consisting +of but a few old-fashioned ships, few sailors, officers everywhere +resigning, and a general feeling of distrust of brother officers in +all grades. + +The condition of the South as regards the navy was even worse. The +Southern States had never done any great amount of ship-building. The +people were almost all engaged in farming. The crops of cotton and +sugar that they raised were shipped in vessels built in Maine, and +manned by sailors from the seafaring villages of New England. At the +time the war broke out, there was hardly a shipyard in the confines of +the Confederacy. A few vessels were gained by the treachery of United +States officers. The capture of the Norfolk navy-yard brought them +large quantities of naval stores, and by wonderful activity a few +vessels were built for service on inland sounds and rivers. But at no +time could the Confederacy have been said to have a navy; and, +keeping this fact in view, the record the Confederates made with two +or three vessels is most wonderful. In war-vessels for service on that +wonderful network of rivers that make up the waterways of the +Mississippi Valley, the South was not so deficient as in ships of the +seagoing class. The long, crescent-shaped levee at New Orleans is +lined throughout certain seasons of the year by towering +river-steamers which ply up and down the Mississippi and connecting +streams, taking from the plantations huge loads of cotton, sugar, and +rice, and carrying to the planters those supplies which can only be +furnished by the markets of a great city. The appearance of one of +these towering river transports as she comes sailing down the turbid +stream of the great Father of Waters, laden to the water's edge with +brown bales of cotton, and emitting from her lofty, red crowned +smoke-stacks dense clouds of pitchy black smoke, is most wonderful. +Unlike ocean-steamers, the river-steamer carries her load upon her +deck. Built to penetrate far towards the head-waters of rivers and +bayous that in summer become mere shallow ditches, these steamers have +a very light draught. Many of them, whose tiers of white cabins tower +sixty or seventy feet into the air, have but three feet of hull +beneath the river's surface. The first deck, when the vessel is but +lightly loaded, stands perhaps two feet out of water. Above this, +carried on rows of posts twenty feet high, comes the first cabin. All +between is open to the air on either side; so that, as one of the huge +river-monsters passes at night, the watcher on the bank can see the +stalwart, black, half-naked bodies of the negro stokers, bending +before the glowing furnace doors, and throwing in the soft coal, that +issues in clouds of smoke from the towering chimneys seventy feet +above. The lights in three rows of cabin windows glow; and the +unceasing beat of the paddle-wheels mingles with the monotonous puff +of the steam from the escape-pipes, and the occasional bursts of music +from the open cabin doors. One who for the first time looks on one of +these leviathans of the Mississippi, pursuing its stately course at +night, does not wonder at the frightened negro, who, seeing for the +first time a night-steamboat, rushed madly from the river's bank, +crying that the angel Gabriel had come to blow the last trump. + +When these boats have taken on their full load of cotton, they present +a very different appearance. Then all the open space beneath the +cabins is filled by a mass of cotton-bales. The hull is so sunken in +the water that the lowest tier of cotton-bales is lapped by the little +waves that ruffle the surface of the river. The stokers and furnaces +are hid from view, and the cabins appear to be floating on one huge +cotton bale. Generally a great wooden stern-wheel propels this strange +craft, adding to the grotesqueness of the sight. + +It may readily be understood, that vessels of this class, in which +strength was subordinated to lightness, and economy to gingerbread +decoration, seemed to be but poor materials for vessels-of-war. The +tremendous recoil of a rifled cannon fired from one of those airy +decks, meant to stand no ruder shock than the vibration caused by +dancing pleasure-parties, would shake the whole frail structure to +pieces. Yet the ingenuity born of necessity, and the energy awakened +by the immediate prospect of war, led the Confederate engineers to +convert some of these pleasure-palaces into the most terrible engines +of destruction chronicled in the annals of war. The first step was to +sweep off all the towering superstructure of decks, cabins, and +saloons; tear away all the fanciful mouldings, the decorated +staterooms, and carved and gilded stairways. This left a long, shallow +hull, with a powerful engine in the centre, and great paddle-wheels +towering on either side; the whole so light that the soldiers of +Grant's army, when they first saw one, stoutly averred that "those +boats could run on a heavy dew." The hull was then thinly plated with +iron, and the prow lengthened, and made massive, until it formed the +terrible "ram," fallen into disuse since the days of the Greek +galleys, to be taken up again by naval architects in the nineteenth +century. Then on the deck was built a pent-house of oak and iron, with +sloping sides just high enough to cover the engine. The two towering +smoke-stacks, the pride of the old river-steamers, were cut down to +squat pipes protruding a foot or two above the strange structure. In +the sides were embrasures, from which, when open, peered the iron +muzzles of the dogs of war, ready to show their teeth and spit fire +and iron at the enemy. This was the most powerful type of the river +gunboat, and with them the Confederacy was fairly well provided; +though it was not long before the war department of the United States +was well supplied with similar ships. It was these iron-clad gunboats +that used to rouse the anger of the doughty Admiral Farragut, who +persisted in declaring them cowardly engines of destruction, and +predicted that as they came into use, the race of brave fighting +jack-tars would disappear. On one occasion the admiral was ploughing +his way up the Mississippi above New Orleans, in one of Commodore +Bailey's river iron-clads. The batteries of the enemy on either hand +were pounding away at the ascending ships, hurling huge bolts of iron +against their mailed sides, with a thunder that was deafening, and a +shock that made the stricken ships reel. The admiral stood in the +gunroom of one of the iron-clads, watching the men working the guns, +in an atmosphere reeking with the smoke of the powder. A look of +manifest disapproval was on his face. Suddenly an unusually +well-directed shot struck a weak point in the armor, and, bursting +through, killed two men near the admiral's position. He looked for a +moment on the ghastly spectacle, then turning to an officer said, "You +may stay here in your iron-clad room if you wish: as for me, I feel +safer on deck." And on deck he went, and stayed there while the fleet +passed through the hail of shot and shell. + +The scarcity of iron in the Southern States prevented the naval +authorities of the newly organized Confederacy from equipping a very +large fleet of iron-clads. At the outbreak of the war, the Tredegar +Iron Works at Richmond was the only place in the South where iron +plates of a size suitable for plating vessels could be rolled. The +demand was of course far in excess of the facilities of the factory, +and many were the make-shifts that shipbuilders were forced to. Some +vessels were plated only about the centre, so as to protect the boiler +and engines. Others bore such a thin coat of iron that they were +derisively called "tin-clads" by the sailors, who insisted that a +Yankee can-opener was all that was necessary to rip the vessel up. +Sometimes, when even a little iron was unattainable, bales of cotton +were piled up around the sides, like breastworks, for the protection +of men and engines. The vessel which captured the United States ship +"Harriet Lane," at Galveston, was thus provided; and the defence +proved very valuable. One great objection to the cotton-bale bulwarks +was the very inflammable nature of the material, since a red-hot shot +from the enemy, or a bit of blazing wadding from a gun, would set it +smouldering with a dense black smoke that drove the men from their +guns until the bales could be thrown overboard; thus extinguishing the +fire, but exposing the men to the fire of the enemy. + +One of the most striking features of the war of secession was the +manner in which private citizens hastened to contribute towards the +public defence. This was so no less in naval than in military circles. +Perhaps the greatest gift ever made by a citizen to his Government was +the gift by "Commodore" Vanderbilt to the United States of a +magnificently equipped ship-of-war, which was named "The Vanderbilt" +in honor of her donor, and did efficient service in maintaining the +blockade on the Atlantic coast. Mr. James Gordon Bennett, the present +owner of the "New-York Herald," put his yacht at the service of the +Government, and was himself commissioned a lieutenant in the revenue +service. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + + FORT SUMTER BOMBARDED. -- ATTEMPT OF THE "STAR OF THE WEST" TO + RE-ENFORCE ANDERSON. -- THE NAVAL EXPEDITION TO FORT SUMTER. -- + THE RESCUE OF THE FRIGATE "CONSTITUTION." -- BURNING THE NORFOLK + NAVY-YARD. + + +[Illustration: Fort Moultrie.] + +The first purely warlike event of the civil war was the bombardment +and capture of Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor, by the troops of the +State of South Carolina. At the time when it first became evident that +civil war was inevitable, Fort Sumter was vacant. The only United +States troops stationed at Charleston were two companies of artillery +under Major Robert Anderson. The fortifications of Charleston Harbor +consisted of Fort Moultrie on the main land (in which Anderson's +command was stationed), Fort Pinckney, and Fort Sumter standing +massive and alone in the centre of the harbor. Anderson, with his +handful of troops in the most vulnerable of the three forts, saw day +by day the secession sentiment growing stronger. Almost daily some of +the privileges of the soldiery were cut off; such as the right of +passing through the city, and the right to buy supplies in the public +markets. Daily could be heard the drum and the tread of the newly +organized bodies of State soldiers. Anderson saw that his position was +a weak one, but could get no orders from headquarters. Finally he +decided to assume the responsibility of evacuating Fort Moultrie and +occupying Fort Sumter. To-day it hardly seems as though he could have +thought of doing otherwise, but at that time it was a grave +responsibility for a man to assume. The whole voice of the North was +for compromise, and it was his part to commit the first overt act of +war. But he was nobly upheld in his decision by his Northern brethren. +Having decided, he lost no time in carrying his plan into effect. His +little corps of troops was drawn up at midnight on the parade, and for +the first time informed of the contemplated movement. The guns of Fort +Moultrie were hurriedly knocked from their trunnions, and spiked; the +gun-carriages were piled in great heaps, and fired; and every thing +that might in any way be used against the United States Government was +destroyed. Then the work of evacuation was begun. A small fleet of +row-boats carried the troops to the entrance of the great, sullen +fort, standing alone in the middle of the harbor, and made frequent +trips bringing supplies and ammunition from the deserted fortress. All +was done silently: the oars were muffled, and the commands of the +officers were whispered, that no tidings should be told of the +movement under way. Before sunrise all was completed; and when the +rays of the rising sun fell upon the stars and stripes floating from +the flagstaff of Sumter, the people of Charleston turned their eyes +from the starry flag to the clouds of smoke arising from Fortress +Moultrie, and comprehended that the war had begun. Newspaper +correspondents and agents of the Federal Government, and the Southern +leaders, rushed for the telegraph-wires; and the news soon sped over +the country, that Sumter was occupied. The South Carolinians at once +began to build earthworks on all points bearing on the fort, and were +evidently preparing to drive Anderson and his troops out. Anderson +promptly telegraphed to Washington for supplies and re-enforcements, +and expressed his intention of staying as long as the walls stood. The +Government was dilatory, but finally concluded to re-enforce the fort, +and to that end secured the steamer "Star of the West," and began the +work of provisioning her for the voyage. It was decided that she +should carry no guns: that would look too much like war; and +accordingly, on the 8th of January, this helpless vessel set out to +the aid of the beleaguered garrison of Fort Sumter. The news was at +once telegraphed to Charleston; and the gunners in the Confederate +trenches shotted their guns, and awaited the appearance of the +steamer. She hove into sight on the morning of the 12th, and when +within range was notified, by a shot across her bows, that she was +expected to stop. This signal being disregarded, the firing began in +earnest; and the shot and shell fell thick about the ship, which kept +pluckily on her course. But it was useless to persist. One shot struck +the steamer near the bows, others whizzed through her rigging, and +finally her captain saw a tug putting out from the land, towing a +schooner crowded with armed men to cut off the "Star's" retreat. He +gave the command "Hard a port." The ship's head swung round, and she +steamed away, leaving the garrison to their fate. An old gunner who +stood in a casemate of Fort Sumter, with the lanyard of a shotted gun +in his hand, tells the story of how he begged Major Anderson to let +him fire on the rebel batteries. "Not yet; be patient," was the +response. When the shells began to fall thick about the steamer, he +again asked permission to retaliate, but met the same response. Then +when he saw the white splinters fly from the bow, where the enemies' +shell had struck, he cried, "Now, surely, we can return _that!_" but +still the answer was, "Be patient." When the "Star of the West," +confessing defeat, turned and fled from the harbor, Anderson turned +and walked away, curtly saying there was no need to fire then, but to +save the load for the necessity that was coming. + +[Illustration: Anderson's Command occupying Fort Sumter.] + +[Illustration: Major Robert Anderson.] + +The first naval operation of the war was the expedition fitted out to +relieve Fort Sumter. In itself, this expedition was but an +insignificant affair, ending in failure; but as the first warlike +action on the part of the United States Government, it attracted the +greatest attention throughout the nation. In preparing the vessels for +sea, great care was taken to keep their destination secret, so that no +warning should reach the Confederates, who were lying in their +batteries about Sumter, awaiting the first offensive action of the +United States authorities to begin shelling the fortress. While the +squadron was fitting out, it was generally supposed that it was +intended to carry troops and munitions of war to Fort Pickens in +Pensacola Harbor, which was invested by the Confederates. When the +fleet finally sailed, each commander carried sealed orders, upon +opening which he first found that the expedition was bound for +Charleston Harbor. Notwithstanding all this secrecy, the destination +of the fleet was telegraphed to the Confederates almost as soon as the +last vessel dropped past Sandy Hook; and the fire from the circle +of batteries about the doomed fort in Charleston Harbor began +immediately. When the fleet arrived at its destination, the +bombardment was well under way. To attempt to land troops or stores +under the withering fire concentrated upon the fort, would have been +madness. The only vessel of sufficient strength to engage the +batteries, the "Pawnee," had been separated from the fleet by a gale a +few nights before, and had not yet arrived. Sadly the sailors gave up +the attempt, and, beating up and down outside the harbor bar, awaited +the inevitable end of the unequal conflict. When, finally, after a +heroic resistance of several days, Major Anderson and his little band, +worn with constant vigilance and labor, destitute of provisions, and +exposed to a constant hail of iron missiles from without and a raging +fire within, agreed to capitulate, the United States steamship +"Baltic," of the Fort Sumter expedition, took him on board and bore +him safely to New York. The main purpose of the expedition had failed, +it is true; but the Government had made its first decisive move, and +public sympathy and confidence were excited. + +[Illustration: Fort Sumter under Fire.] + +The preparations for the coming struggle were now being pressed +forward on every hand. An incident which occurred soon after the fall +of Sumter awakened the greatest enthusiasm throughout the North. The +United States frigate "Constitution" was lying at Annapolis, where she +was being used by the authorities of the naval academy there for a +school-ship. Although the State of Maryland had not seceded from the +Union, yet secessionists were to be found in great numbers in all +parts of the State. A number of them determined to seize the ship. +Besides being a war-vessel of considerable strength, the +"Constitution"--or "Old Ironsides," as she was affectionately +called--was famous for her many exploits, and dear to the hearts of +Americans for her long service under the stars and stripes. "If we can +but capture the vessel, and turn her guns against the Union," thought +the conspirators, "we will strike a heavy blow at the Northern +sympathizers." And, indeed, it would have been a heavy blow to the +nation had they captured the old frigate that did such service under +Preble in the war with Tripoli; and that in the War of 1812 forced the +British to strike their colors, and gave to the United States navy an +equal place on the high seas with any nation of the world. The plans +of the conspirators were well laid. The ship was manned by but twenty +men, and lay above a bar, over which she could only be carried by the +aid of a steam-tug. Fortunately the officers and crew were all loyal. +For four days and four nights they watched the preparations being made +on shore for their capture. Mysterious signals flashed from the +surrounding hills. Armed bodies of men were seen drilling on the +shore. All seemed to tend toward certain capture. Yet with no chance +of escape the brave men kept vigilant guard, with guns shotted and +always primed. + +Near Annapolis was stationed the Eighth Massachusetts Infantry, with +Gen. Butler in command. News was carried to the general of the +perilous position of the "Constitution," and he at once determined to +hasten to her relief. Just as the crew of the old frigate had +abandoned all hope, the steamer "Maryland" entered the harbor, her +guards and decks crowded with the men of the Eighth Massachusetts. +Quickly the "Constitution" was prepared for sailing. Her anchors were +slipped, all useless weight cast overboard, and, with the "Maryland" +as tug, the stately frigate passed slowly over the bar, and out of the +grasp of the conspirators. + +The "Constitution" was not the only United States vessel that the +Confederates were planning to seize. Soon after she escaped from their +hands, an event occurred by which a vast quantity of naval stores, and +the mutilated but still valuable hulls of some of the most powerful +war-vessels in the United States navy, fell into their hands. The +United States navy-yard at Norfolk was one of the most valuable of all +the governmental possessions. In the great yard was government +property amounting to more than twenty millions of dollars. +Machine-shops, foundries, dwellings for officers, and a massive +granite dry-dock made it one of the most complete navy-yards in the +world. An enormous quantity of cannon, cannon-balls, powder, and +small-arms packed the huge storehouses. In the magnificent harbor were +lying some of the most formidable vessels of the United States navy, +including the steam frigate "Merrimac," of which we shall hear much +hereafter. Small wonder was it, that the people of Virginia, about to +secede from the Union, looked with covetous eyes upon this vast stock +of munitions of war lying apparently within their grasp. It did not +take long for them to persuade themselves that they were right in +seizing it; and, once decided, their movements were vigorous and open. +Of their ability to capture the yard, and gain possession of all the +property there, they felt no doubt. The first thing to be done was to +entrap the ships so that they should be unable to get out of the +harbor. Accordingly, on the 16th of April, three large stone-vessels +were sunk directly in the channel, apparently barring the exit of the +frigates most effectually. Indeed, so confident of success were the +plotters, that in a despatch to Richmond, announcing the successful +sinking of the stone-ships, they said, "Thus have we secured for +Virginia three of the best ships of the navy." But later events +showed, that, in boasting so proudly, the Virginians were committing +the old error of counting chickens before they were hatched. + +The condition of affairs within the navy-yard now seemed desperate. +There appeared to be no chance of getting the vessels beyond the +obstructions. The militia of Virginia was rapidly gathering in the +town. Among the naval officers on the ships great dissension existed, +as many were Southerners, about to resign their posts in the United +States service to enter the service of their States. These men would, +of course, give no active aid to any movement for the salvation of the +United States property in the yard. Any assistance must come from the +outside; the beleaguered could but passively await the course of +events. + +At seven o'clock on the night of April 21, the United States steamer +"Pawnee," which had been lying under the guns of Fortress Monroe, +hoisted anchor, and headed up the bay, on an errand of destruction. It +was too late to save the navy-yard with its precious stores. The only +thing to be done was to burn, break, and destroy every thing that +might be of service to an enemy. The decks of the "Pawnee" were black +with men,--soldiers to guard the gates, and complete the work of +destruction within the yard; blue-jacketed tars to do what might be +done to drag the entrapped vessels from the snare set them by the +Virginians. It was a bright moon-light night. The massive hull of the +ship-of-war, black in the cold, white rays of the moon, passed rapidly +up the Elizabeth River. The sunken wrecks were reached, and +successfully avoided; and about nine o'clock the "Pawnee" steamed into +the anchorage of the navy-yard, to be greeted with cheers from the +tars of the "Cumberland" and "Pennsylvania," who expected her arrival. +The townspeople seeing the war-vessel, with ports thrown open, and +black muzzles of the guns protruding, took to their houses, fearing +she would open fire on the town. Quickly the "Pawnee" steamed to her +moorings. The marines were hurriedly disembarked, and hastened to +guard the entrances to the navy-yard. Howitzers were planted so as to +rake every street leading to the yard. Thus secure against attack, the +work of the night began. Nearly two thousand willing hands were set +hard at work, cannon were dismounted and spiked, rifles and muskets +dashed to pieces; great quantities of combustibles were piled up in +the mammoth buildings, ready to be fired at a given signal. In the +mean time, the blue-jackets were not idle. It was quickly decided, +that, of all the magnificent vessels anchored in the harbor, the +"Cumberland" was the only one that could be towed past the +obstructions in the river. All hands were set to work removing every +thing of value from the doomed vessels to the "Cumberland." Gunpowder +and combustibles were then arranged so as to completely destroy the +vessels when ignited. When the moon went down at twelve o'clock, the +preparations were complete. All the men were then taken on board the +"Cumberland" and "Pawnee," save a few who were left to fire the +trains. As the two vessels started from the moorings, the barracks +were fired, the lurid light casting a fearful gleam upon the crowded +yards and shrouds of the towering frigate. A little way out in the +stream a rocket was sent up from the "Pawnee." This was the signal for +the firing of the trains. The scene that followed is thus described by +an eye-witness:-- + +"The rocket sped high in air, paused a second, and burst in showers of +many colored lights; and, as it did so, the well-set trains at the +ship-houses, and on the decks of the fated vessels left behind, went +off as if lit simultaneously by the rocket. One of the ship-houses +contained the old 'New York,' a ship thirty years on the stocks, and +yet unfinished; the other was vacant. But both houses, and the old +'New York,' burned like tinder. The vessels fired were the +'Pennsylvania,' the 'Merrimac,' the 'Germantown,' the 'Plymouth,' the +'Raritan,' the 'Columbia,' and the 'Dolphin.' The old 'Delaware' and +'Columbus," worn-out and disabled seventy-fours, were scuttled, and +sunk at the upper docks on Friday. + +"I need not try to picture the scene of the grand conflagration that +now burst like the day of judgment on the startled citizens of +Norfolk, Portsmouth, and all the surrounding country. Any one who has +seen a ship burn, and knows how like a fiery serpent the flame leaps +from pitchy deck to smoking shrouds, and writhes to their very top +around the masts that stand like martyrs doomed, can form some idea of +the wonderful display that followed. It was not thirty minutes from +the time the trains were fired, till the conflagration roared like a +hurricane, and the flames from land and water swayed and met and +mingled together, and darted high, and fell, and leaped up again, and +by their very motion showed their sympathy with the crackling, +crashing war of destruction beneath. + +[Illustration: Destruction of Norfolk Navy-yard.] + +"But in all this magnificent scene the old ship 'Pennsylvania' was the +centre-piece. She was a very giant in death, as she had been in life. +She was a sea of flame; and when the iron had entered her soul, and +her bowels were consuming, then did she spout forth from every +porthole of every deck torrents and cataracts of fire, that to the +mind of Milton would have represented her a frigate of hell pouring +out unending broadsides of infernal fire. Several of her guns were +left loaded, but not shotted; and as the fire reached them they sent +out on the startled morning air minute-guns of fearful peal, that +added greatly to the alarm that the light of the fire had spread +through the country round about. The 'Pennsylvania' burned like a +volcano for five hours and a half before her mainmast fell. I stood +watching the proud but perishing old leviathan as this emblem of her +majesty was about to come down. At precisely half-past nine o'clock +the tall tree that stood in her centre tottered and fell, and crushed +deep into her burning sides." + +During this fearful scene the people of the little town, and the +Virginia militia-men who had been summoned to take possession of the +navy-yard, were no idle spectators. Hardly had the "Pawnee" steamed +out into the stream, when the great gates were battered down, and +crowds of men rushed in, eager to save whatever arms were uninjured. +Throughout the fire they worked like beavers, and succeeded in saving +a large quantity of munitions of war to be used by the Confederacy. +The ships that had been fired all burned to the water's edge. One was +raised, and re-appeared as the formidable "Merrimac" that at one time +threatened the destruction of the whole Union navy. + +A great amount of valuable property was saved for the Virginians by +the coolness of a young boy, the son of one of the citizens of the +town. This lad was within the gates of the navy-yard when the troops +from the ships rushed in, and closed and barricaded them against the +townspeople. He was frightened, and hid himself behind a quantity of +boards and rubbish, and lay there a silent and immensely frightened +spectator of the work of destruction. An officer passed near him +directing the movements of two sailors, who were laying a train of +gunpowder to an immense pile of explosives and combustibles in the +huge granite dry-dock. The train passed over a broad board; and the +boy, hardly knowing what he did, drew away this board, leaving a gap +of eight inches in the train. When all the trains were fired, this was +of course stopped at the gap; and the dry-dock was saved, and still +remains in the Norfolk Navy Yard. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + + DIFFICULTIES OF THE CONFEDERATES IN GETTING A NAVY. -- EXPLOIT OF + THE "FRENCH LADY." -- NAVAL SKIRMISHING ON THE POTOMAC. -- THE + CRUISE OF THE "SUMTER." + + +The disparity of maritime importance between the North and the South, +and the consequent difficulties to be overcome by the latter in +getting a navy, have been already alluded to. As it has been stated, +in river-steamers and ponderous rams the South was fairly well +supplied; but what was really needed were ocean-going ships, to break +the rigid blockade that was slowly starving the Confederacy into +submission,--swift cruisers to prey on the commerce of the enemy, and +powerful line-of-battle ships, which, by successfully coping with the +vessels of the United States on the high seas, should secure for the +Confederacy recognition, and possibly assistance, from the great +powers of Europe. But how to get these without shipyards, +shipbuilders, or seamen, was a task that baffled the ingenuity of the +best minds in the South. Immediately upon the organization of the +Confederate cabinet, an agent was sent to England to negotiate for +vessels and guns. But, though this agent was a man of wonderful +resources and great diplomacy, he found an almost insuperable obstacle +in the universally recognized law of nations, to the effect that no +neutral nation shall sell vessels or munitions of war to belligerents. +It is true that this agent, Capt. Bulloch, did succeed in securing +three ships,--the "Florida," the "Shenandoah," and the celebrated +"Alabama;" but to do so cost an immense amount of diplomacy and the +sacrificing of the strength of the vessels to the necessity which +existed for making them appear to be merchantmen. To build an +iron-clad in a foreign port, was out of the question; and consequently +ships so obtained were forced to fly from any well-equipped +war-vessel, and only venture to attack unarmed merchantmen. + +[Illustration: The "French Lady."] + +The United States vessels which were delivered into the hands of the +Confederates by their officers were mainly small revenue cutters, of +little use in naval warfare and soon given up or destroyed. Not a +single ship of this class made any record of distinguished service for +the Confederacy. Several merchant-vessels were captured by the +Confederates, who concocted the most ingenious plans to secure +success. One bright July morning the steamer "St. Nicholas" was lying +at her dock in Baltimore, with steam up, and all prepared for her +regular trip down the Chesapeake. Quite a large number of passengers +had bought tickets, and lounged about the decks, waiting for the +voyage to begin. Among the passengers were a number of mechanics, with +tools in their hands, going down the bay in search of work. Shortly +before the signal to cast off was given, a carriage was driven down +the wharf, and a lady, heavily veiled, alighted, assisted by two +gentlemen. The gentlemen stated that she was a French lady, and in +ill-health. Accordingly she was at once assigned a stateroom, to which +she retired. Soon after, the vessel cast off and headed down the bay. +When fairly out of the harbor, the stateroom door opened, and instead +of the frail, heavily veiled widow who went in, out strode a +black-whiskered man, armed to the teeth. He had no trouble now in +speaking English, and at once demanded the surrender of the ship. The +honest mechanics dropped their tools, and, drawing concealed weapons, +rallied around their leader. They had found the work they started out +to seek. The ship was captured, and a new privateer was ready to prey +on Northern merchant-ships. Once in the hands of the conspirators, the +vessel was run into a little port where the passengers were landed, +and a hundred and fifty more Confederates taken aboard. Under the +command of Capt. Thomas (the "French lady"), the vessel proceeded to +Fredericksburg, where she, and three brigs captured on the way, were +delivered to the Confederate leaders. This adventure so favorably +terminated, Thomas, with his officers, started back to Baltimore, +to lay plans for the capture of some other unsuspecting craft. But +fortune, which had thus far favored him, deserted him at last. On the +vessel upon which the conspirators took passage were two +police-officers of Baltimore. One of these officers recognized Thomas, +and quietly laid plans for his capture. In the harbor at Baltimore +stands Fort McHenry. Under its frowning casemates the ships of the +United States could lie without fear of attack from the thousands of +discontented men who made of Baltimore a secession city. The captain +of the "Mary Washington" was ordered by Lieut. Carmichael, the officer +of police, to bring the ship into the anchorage, under the guns of the +fort. This soon came to the ears of Thomas, who with his men rallied +on the deck, and, with revolvers drawn, seemed prepared to make a +desperate resistance. They were soon convinced that the officers had +ample power behind them, and therefore submitted. On arriving at the +fort, a company of soldiers was sent aboard the boat, and the +prisoners were marched ashore. But Thomas was not to be found. Search +was made in all parts of the boat, without avail; and the officers had +decided that he had jumped overboard, with the desperate intention of +swimming ashore. Just as they were about to give up the search, a +noise was heard that seemed to come from a bureau in the ladies' +cabin. Search was made, and there, coiled up in a narrow +bureau-drawer, lay the leader of the band. He had been there two +hours, and was helpless from cramp and exhaustion. He was placed in a +cell at Fort Lafayette; but later, having been given the privilege of +walking about the fort, managed to escape by making floats of empty +tomato-cans, and with their aid swimming almost two miles. He was +afterwards recaptured, and remained a prisoner until released by +reason of an exchange of prisoners between the North and South. Soon +after his capture, the Federal authorities at Baltimore learned that +plans had been made to capture other passenger steamers in the same +way; but the ringleader being locked up, there was no difficulty in +defeating the plans of the band. + +During the first few weeks of the war, before active hostilities had +fairly commenced, events of this nature were of almost daily +occurrence. On the Potomac particularly, small cruisers were in +continual danger of being captured, and put into commission under the +Confederate flag. A trading schooner loaded with garden-produce, +dropping lazily down the river to the bay, would suddenly be boarded +by four or five armed men, her crew driven below, and the vessel run +into some convenient port on the Virginia shore, to re-appear in a day +or two with a small rifled cannon mounted on the forecastle, and a +crew thirsting to capture more vessels for the Confederacy. On one +occasion a party of congressmen from Washington started down the +Potomac for an excursion to Hampton Roads. Their vessel was a small +tug, which carried a bow-gun carefully screened from observation by +tarpaulin. A short distance down the river, a boat with a howitzer was +seen putting out into the stream, and shaping its course directly +across the bows of the tug. As the two boats drew nearer together, a +demand came from the smaller that the tug should be surrendered "to +the State of Virginia." Apparently yielding, the captain of the tug +slowed up his vessel, and waited for his assailants to come alongside, +which they did until suddenly confronted with the muzzle of a cannon, +trained directly on their boat, and a loud voice demanding that they +surrender at once, which they accordingly did, and were taken to +Washington by their triumphant captors. Many such trivial events are +chronicled by the newspapers of the time. The advantage gained by +either side was small, and the only effect was to keep the war +sentiment at fever-heat. + +[Illustration: Blockading the Mouth of the Mississippi.] + +The first regularly commissioned man-of-war of the Confederate States +was the "Sumter," an old passenger steamer remodelled so as to carry +five guns. This vessel, though only registering five hundred tons, and +smaller than many a steam-yacht of to-day, roamed over the high seas +at will for more than a year, burning and destroying the +merchant-vessels of the North, and avoiding easily any conflicts with +the Northern men-of-war. Her exploits made the owners of American +merchant-vessels tremble for their property; and the United States +authorities made the most desperate attempts to capture her, but in +vain. In his journal of Dec. 3, 1861, Capt. Semmes of the "Sumter" +writes with the greatest satisfaction: "The enemy has done us the +honor to send in pursuit of us the 'Powhattan,' the 'Niagara,' the +'Iroquois,' the 'Keystone State,' and the 'San Jacinto.'" Any one of +these vessels could have blown the 'Sumter' out of water with one +broadside, but the cunning and skill of her commander enabled her to +escape them all. + +It was on the 1st of June, 1861, that the "Sumter" cast loose from the +levee at New Orleans, and started down the Mississippi on her way to +the open sea. For two months workmen had been busy fitting her for the +new part she was to play. The long rows of cabins on the upper deck +were torn down; and a heavy eight-inch shell-gun, mounted on a pivot +between the fore and mainmasts, and the grinning muzzles of four +twenty-four-pounder howitzers peeping from the ports, told of her +warlike character. The great levee of the Crescent City was crowded +with people that day. Now and again the roll of the drum, or the +stirring notes of "Dixie," would be heard, as some volunteer company +marched down to the river to witness the departure of the entire +Confederate navy. Slowly the vessel dropped down the river, and, +rounding the English turn, boomed out with her great gun a parting +salute to the city she was never more to see. Ten miles from the mouth +of the river she stopped; for anchored off the bar below lay the +powerful United States steamer "Brooklyn," with three other +men-of-war, each more than a match for the infant navy of the +Confederacy. Eleven days the "Sumter" lay tugging at her anchors in +the muddy current of the great river, but at last the time of action +arrived. The news came that the "Brooklyn" had started in chase of a +vessel, and the mouth of the river was clear. Quickly the "Sumter" got +under way, and with all steam up made for the channel over the bar. +She was still six miles from the bar when the "Brooklyn" caught sight +of her, and abandoning her first chase strove desperately to head her +off. It was a time of intense excitement. Each vessel was about +equally distant from the bar for which each was steaming at the +highest possible speed. For the "Sumter," it was escape or die. It was +too late to fly up the river to the sheltering guns of Fort St. +Philip. Should the "Brooklyn" get within range, the "Sumter" was +doomed. The "Brooklyn" was the faster vessel of the two, but had the +wind in her teeth; while the "Sumter" had the advantage of wind and +current. At length the pass was reached, and the "Sumter" dashed over +the bar, and out on the smooth blue water of the Gulf of Mexico, well +ahead of her powerful foe. The "Brooklyn" quickly rounded to, and a +quick puff of smoke from amidships told the crew of the flying vessel +that the terrible pivot-gun of their enemy had sent a warning message +after them. But there was but a second of suspense, when a great jet +of water springing from the surface of the gulf told that the bolt had +fallen short. The "Brooklyn" then quickly crowded on all sail, and +started in hot pursuit, but after four hours abandoned the chase, put +up her helm, and started sullenly back for the river's mouth; while +the tars of the "Sumter" crowded shrouds and bulwarks, and cheered +heartily for the navy of the young Confederacy. + +The "Sumter" was now fairly embarked on her career. The open sea was +her territory, and all ships floating the stars and stripes at the +masthead were to be her prey. She was not a strong vessel; and her +orders were to avoid any battles with the powerful ships of the +"Yankee" navy, but to seize and destroy all merchantmen that should +come in her way. Her first purpose was to capture these vessels, and +by selling them in neutral ports profit by the prize. But the neutral +nations soon refused to admit all rebel prizes to their ports; and, as +all the ports of the Confederacy were closed by the blockade, nothing +was left but to burn the vessels when captured. Many a floating +bonfire marked the way of the little "Sumter," and great was the +consternation among the ship-owners of the North. + +When four days out, the "Sumter" captured her first prize. She was a +fine ship, the "Golden Rocket" of Maine, six hundred and ninety tons. +With the United States flag fluttering at the peak, she came sailing +proudly towards her unsuspected enemy, from whose peak the red flag of +England was displayed as a snare. When the two vessels came within a +mile of each other, the wondering crew of the merchantman saw the +English flag come tumbling down, while a ball of bunting rose quickly +to the peak of the mysterious stranger, and catching the breeze +floated out, showing a strange flag,--the stars and bars of the +Confederacy. At the same minute a puff of smoke from the "Long Tom" +amidships was followed by a solid shot ricochetting along the water +before the dismayed merchantman, and conveying a forcible, but not at +all polite, invitation to stop. The situation dawned on the astonished +skipper of the ship,--he was in the hands of "the Rebels;" and with a +sigh he brought his vessel up into the wind, and awaited the outcome +of the adventure. And bad enough the outcome was for him; for Capt. +Semmes, unwilling to spare a crew to man the prize, determined to set +her on fire. It was about sunset when the first boat put off from the +"Sumter" to visit the captured ship. The two vessels were lying a +hundred yards apart, rising and falling in unison on the slow rolling +swells of the tropic seas. The day was bright and warm, and in the +west the sun was slowly sinking to the meeting line of sky and ocean. +All was quiet and peaceful, as only a summer afternoon in Southern +seas can be. Yet in the midst of all that peace and quiet, a scene in +the great drama of war was being enacted. Nature was peaceful, man +violent. + +For a time nothing was heard save the measured thump of the oars in +the rowlocks, as the boats plied to and fro between the two ships, +transporting the captured crew to the "Sumter." Finally the last trip +was made, and the boat hoisted to the davits. Then all eyes were +turned toward the "Golden Rocket." She lay almost motionless, a dark +mass on the black ocean. The sun had long since sunk beneath the +horizon; and the darkness of the night was only relieved by the +brilliancy of the stars, which in those latitudes shine with wondrous +brightness. Soon the watches on the "Sumter" caught a hasty breath. A +faint gleam was seen about the companionway of the "Rocket." Another +instant, and with a roar and crackle, a great mass of flame shot up +from the hatch, as from the crater of a volcano. Instantly the +well-tarred rigging caught, and the flame ran up the shrouds as a +ladder of fire, and the whole ship was a towering mass of flame. The +little band of men on the "Sumter" looked on the terrific scene with +bated breath. Though they fully believed in the justice of their +cause, they could not look on the destruction they had wrought without +feelings of sadness. It was their first act of war. One of the +officers of the "Sumter" writes: "Few, few on board can forget the +spectacle,--a ship set fire to at sea. It would seem that man was +almost warring with his Maker. Her helpless condition, the red flames +licking the rigging as they climbed aloft, the sparks and pieces of +burning rope taken off by the wind, and flying miles to leeward, the +ghastly glare thrown upon the dark sea as far as the eye could reach, +and then the deathlike stillness of the scene,--all these combined to +place the "Golden Rocket" on the tablet of our memories forever." But +it was not long before the crew of the "Sumter" could fire a vessel, +and sail away indifferently, with hardly a glance at their terrible +handiwork. + +The "Sumter" continued on her cruise, with varying fortunes. Sometimes +weeks would pass with no prizes to relieve the tedium of the long +voyage. Occasionally she would run into a neutral port for coal or +water, but most of the time was spent on the open sea. The crew were +kept actively employed with drills and exercises; while the officers, +yawning over their books or games, longed for the welcome cry from the +masthead, "Sail ho!" In September the "Sumter" captured a brig, the +"Joseph Park;" and the boarding officer, on examining the log-book, +found an entry made by her captain on the day of leaving Pernambuco: +"We have a tight, fast vessel, and we don't care for Jeff Davis." The +unlucky captain had holloaed long before he was out of the wood. + +The "Joseph Park" was the last prize the tars of the "Sumter" had the +pleasure of "looting" for many days. Up and down the tropic seas the +cruiser travelled, loitering about the paths of ocean commerce to no +avail. Often enough the long-drawn hail of the lookout in the +cross-trees, "Sail ho-o-o-o!" would bring the jackies tumbling up from +the forecastle, and set the officers peering anxiously through their +telescopes. But the sails so sighted proved to be English, French, +Spanish, any thing but American; and life aboard the "Sumter" became +as dull as a fisher's where fish are not to be found. In September +Capt. Semmes ran his vessel into a Martinique harbor, to make some +needed repairs, and give the sailors a run ashore. Here they were +blockaded for some time by the United States frigate "Iroquois," but +finally escaped through the cunning of Semmes. Lying in the harbor +near the "Sumter" were two Yankee schooners, whose captains arranged +with the commander of the "Iroquois" to signal him if the "Sumter" +should leave the harbor. If on passing the bar she headed south, a +single red light should gleam at the masthead of the schooner; should +her course lie northward, two lights would be displayed. Semmes, lying +at anchor in the bay, and chafing over his captivity, determined to +break away. He had noticed the frequent communications between the +schooners and the man-of-war, and suspected that his course would be +spied out. Nevertheless, he determined to dare all, and one black +night slipped his cables, and with all lights out, and running-gear +muffled, glided swiftly out of the harbor. In the distance he could +see the lights of the "Iroquois," as she steamed slowly up and down in +the offing, like a sentry on guard. Up in the cross-trees of the +"Sumter" sat a sharp-eyed old quarter-master, with orders not to mind +the "Iroquois," but to keep a close watch on the suspected schooners. +Soon a light gleamed from the maintop of each. Semmes's suspicions +grew. "They have signalled our course," said he: "we'll double." The +ship's head was quickly brought about, and headed south; then all +turned to watch the movements of the "Iroquois." She had headed +northward, and was exerting every power to catch the flying vessel +supposed to be just ahead. Satisfied with having so successfully +humbugged the enemy, the "Sumter" proceeded leisurely on her course to +the southward, leaving the "Iroquois" steaming furiously in the +opposite direction. "I do think, however," writes Capt Semmes in his +log-book, "that a tough old quarter-master, and a grizzled boatswain's +mate, who had clean shaven their heads in preparation for a desperate +fight, were mightily disgusted." + +The subsequent career of the "Sumter" was uneventful. She captured but +few more vessels; and in January of the next year ran into the harbor +at Gibraltar, where she was blockaded by a powerful United States +frigate, and finally sold as being worn out. She had been in +commission a little over a year, and in that time had captured +eighteen vessels, burned seven, and released two on a heavy ransom to +be paid to the Confederate Government at the end of the war. It is +needless to say these ransoms were never paid. Capt. Semmes, with his +crew, proceeded to England, and took command of a mysterious ship, +"No. 290," just built at Liverpool, which soon appeared on the high +seas as the dreaded "Alabama." + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + + THE POTOMAC FLOTILLA. -- CAPTURE OF ALEXANDRIA. -- ACTIONS AT + MATTHIAS POINT. -- BOMBARDMENT OF THE HATTERAS FORTS. + + +In petty skirmishes and in general inactivity the forces of both +contestants idled away the five months following the fall of Fort +Sumter. The defeat of the Union armies at Bull Run had checked active +operations along the Potomac. On either side of the river the hostile +armies were drilling constantly to bring the raw recruits down to the +efficiency of trained soldiers. Four hundred thousand men lay in +hostile camps within sight of each other. From the national Capitol at +Washington the stars and bars of the Confederate flag could be seen +floating over the camp at Arlington. Occasionally the quiet would be +broken by the crack of a rifle, as some straggler, on one side or the +other, took a casual shot at the sentry pacing on the other side of +the broad stream. Sometimes a battery would come driving down to the +shore, select an advantageous spot, and begin an afternoon's target +practice at the hostile camp; but the damage done was immaterial, and +after wasting much powder and shot the recruits would limber up their +guns and return to their camp. It would have been easy, at almost any +time, for either army to have crossed the Potomac and invaded the +territory of the enemy; but each hung back in apparent dread of taking +the first decisive step. Abraham Lincoln at this time illustrated the +existing condition of affairs, by one of those stories which have made +him celebrated as a raconteur. A number of politicians, calling at the +White House, spoke of the apparent inactivity of the army authorities, +and demanded that some decisive move should be made; some powerful +preparations to beat back the enemy should he attempt to cross the +Potomac. "Gentlemen," said Lincoln, with the twinkle in his eye that +always foretold a story, "when I was a boy I saw an incident which I +have always recollected, and which seems to me to resemble very much +the attitude now assumed by the parties in this impending war. My +father owned a dog,--a particularly vicious, aggressive, and +pugnacious bull-terrier,--one of these fellows with heavy, short +necks, and red, squinting eyes, that seem ever to be on the lookout +for a fight. Next door to us lived a neighbor who likewise rejoiced in +the possession of a canine of appearance and habits of mind similar to +our pet. From the date of their first meeting these dogs had been +deadly enemies, and had growled and yelped at each other through the +picket-fence separating the two yards, until we were forced to keep at +least one dog chained continually. The strained relations between the +dogs became a matter of general interest, and speculations were rife +among the neighbors as to the probable outcome of a hostile meeting. +Those were the times when a lively dog-fight would draw the merchant +from his counter, and the blacksmith from his anvil; and it is even on +record that an honorable judge once hurriedly adjourned his court at +the premonitory sounds of snarling in the court-house square. Well, +the knowledge that two dogs, pining for a fight, were being forcibly +restrained, was too much to be borne by the people of the village; and +a plot was concocted for bringing about a fight. One night two pickets +were surreptitiously removed from the fence, leaving an opening of +ample size to permit a dog to pass. In the morning our dog was sunning +himself in the yard, when the neighbor's dog rushed to his side of +the fence, and made remarks not to be borne by any self-respecting +canine. Then began the usual performance of snarls and barks, and +baring of white teeth, as the dogs made frantic efforts to get at each +other. The neighbors assembled in a crowd, and the knowing ones +predicted a lively time when those two dogs found the hole in the +fence. Down the line of the fence the two curs walked, their eyes +glaring, their jaws snapping, their tongues out, and dropping foam. +The racket was tremendous. At each place where the pickets were a +little spread, they redoubled their efforts to clinch. They approached +the opening. The interest of the spectators redoubled. Now they +reached the spot; sprung at each other; their jaws touched,--and each, +dropping his tail, slunk away to his kennel. Gentlemen, the attitude +of these armies reminds me of that dog-fight." + +[Illustration: Flag of the Confederacy.] + +While the armies of the two contestants were thus idly resting upon +their arms, the navy was obliged to discharge duties, which, while +they brought some danger, did not gain glory for either officers or +men. The joys of Washington society were not for the naval officers. +The applicant for promotion, who, when asked by an examiner, "Where is +the post of a colonel when his regiment is drawn up for battle?" +responded promptly, "In Washington," had been serving in the army, and +not with the naval corps. Besides the duties of the officers detailed +upon the blockading service, there remained to the navy the arduous +task of patrolling the Potomac River, and preventing as far as +possible communication between the shores. + +This work, as may be readily understood, demanded the most untiring +vigilance and the most unflagging energy. The shores on each side of +the Potomac are indented with bays and tributary streams in which a +sloop or large row-boat can easily be concealed during the day. At +night it was impossible to prevent boats laden with contraband goods, +or conveying the bearers of secret despatches, slipping across the +river from the northern side, and running into the concealment +afforded by the irregularity of the Virginia shore-line. Even at this +early period of the war, the vigorous blockade of the Confederate +seaports had created a great lack of many necessaries in the Southern +States. Particularly did the lack of quinine afflict the people of +those malarial sections comprised within the limits of the South +Atlantic and Gulf States. So great was the demand for this drug, that +the enormous sums offered for it led many a speculative druggist north +of Mason and Dixon's line to invest his all in quinine, and try to run +it through the Potomac blockade. Of course, as the traffic was carried +on in small boats, it was impossible to break it up altogether; though +by the efforts of the navy it was almost destroyed. + +Briefly stated, the duties of the Potomac flotilla may be said to have +been to patrol the river from Washington to its mouth, to inspect both +sides _daily_ if possible, and to observe whether any preparations for +batteries were being made at any point, and watch for any transports +with troops or provisions, and convoy them to Washington. The flotilla +consisted of small vessels, lightly armed; the "Pawnee," the heaviest +of the fleet, being a sloop of less than thirteen hundred tons, with a +battery of fifteen guns, none of long range. Clearly such an armada as +this could be of but little avail against the earthworks which the +Virginians were busily erecting on every commanding bluff. + +Toward the later part of May, 1861, the Federal Government determined +to send troops across the river and occupy the city of Alexandria. The +"Pawnee" had for some days been lying off the town, completely +covering it with her batteries. She had held this position without +making any offensive movement; as her commander understood, that, even +should he compel the town to surrender, he had not the men necessary +for holding the position. On the morning of the 24th, Commander Rowan +saw two steamers coming down the river, laden with Federal troops. He +at once sent a boat ashore, and demanded the surrender of the city, +which was immediately evacuated by the Virginian troops. When the army +of occupation landed, it proved to be Ellsworth's famous Zouave +Regiment, made up largely of the firemen and "Bowery boys" of New York +City. Ellsworth, while marching through the streets at the head of his +command, saw a Confederate flag floating from a mast on top of a +dwelling. With two of his men he proceeded to enter the house, go on +the roof, and tear down the flag. As he came down the stairs, a man +carrying a gun stepped from a doorway, and demanded what he did there. +"This is my trophy," cried Ellsworth, flourishing the bit of striped +bunting. "And you are mine," responded the man, quickly bringing his +gun up, and discharging it full into Ellsworth's breast. The two +Zouaves, maddened at the death of their commander, shot the slayer +through the brain, and plunged their bayonets into his body before he +fell. Ellsworth's death created the greatest excitement in the North, +as it was almost the first blood shed in the war. While the capture of +Alexandria was in itself no great achievement, it was of importance as +the first move of the Northern armies into Virginia. + +Had the efforts of the navy towards keeping the Potomac clear of +hostile batteries been supplemented by a co-operating land force, an +immense advantage would have been gained at the very outset. As it +was, all that could be done was to temporarily check the exertions of +the enemy. A battery silenced by the guns from the ships in the +daytime could be, and usually was, repaired during the night, and +remained a constant menace to the transports going to or from +Washington. Under such circumstances, the work of the Potomac flotilla +could only be fatiguing and discouraging. Much of it had to be +performed in row-boats; and the crews of the various vessels were kept +rowing up and down the banks of the river, making midnight excursions +up creeks to examine suspected localities, and lying in wait for +smugglers, and the mail-carriers and spies of the enemy. They were in +continual danger of being opened upon by masked batteries and +concealed sharp-shooters. The "prize money," the hope of which cheers +up the man-o'-wars-man in his dreariest hours, amounted to nothing; +for their prizes were small row-boats and worthless river-craft. The +few engagements with the enemies' batteries brought little glory or +success. In one battle on the 29th of May, 1861, a flotilla, +consisting of the "Thomas Freeborn" (a paddle-wheel steamer, carrying +three guns), the "Anacostia," and the "Resolute" (a little craft of +ninety tons and two guns), engaged the batteries at Aquia Creek, and +pounded away with their pygmy guns for two hours, without doing any +visible damage. Two days later the bombardment was renewed, and two of +the vessels were slightly damaged. A more serious event occurred at +Matthias Point in the latter part of June. Matthias Point was one of +the chief lurking-places of the Confederate guerrillas, who, concealed +in the dense undergrowth along the banks of the Potomac, could pour a +destructive fire into any vessels that passed. Commander J. H. Ward of +the "Freeborn" planned to break up this ambush, sending a landing +party to cut away the trees and undergrowth. The landing party, +commanded by Lieut. Chaplin, was to be covered by the guns of the +"Freeborn" and "Reliance." It was late in the afternoon when they +pushed off for the shore. All seemed quiet; and the bursting of the +shells, which were occasionally dropped into the woods, seemed to have +driven the enemy away. Hardly, however, had the sailors begun the work +of hewing down the undergrowth, when from all quarters a hot fire was +begun, driving them to their boats in a rout. The decks of the two +vessels were swept by the storm of lead. Commander Ward, while +sighting the bow-gun of the "Freeborn," was struck in the abdomen by a +bullet, and died in a few minutes. On the shore the sailors were +hurrying into the boats and pushing off to avoid capture. Lieut. +Chaplin acted with great bravery, and succeeded in getting all his men +away, with their muskets. The last man left on the shore was unable to +swim; and Chaplin, taking him on his shoulders, bore him safely to the +boat. Though the fire of the enemy was concentrated on the two, +neither was hurt, although a minie-ball passed through the +lieutenant's cap. + +Two months later this same locality was the scene of another bloody +disaster to the Union arms. On the 16th of August the "Resolute" and +the "Reliance" were ordered to make a reconnoissance of the +neighborhood of Matthias Point. After steaming about the shore for +some time, and noticing nothing of a suspicious character, a boat was +seen on the Virginia shore, and an officer and five men despatched to +capture her. They had just reached her, and were in the act of making +fast, when a volley of musketry was fired from the bushes not more +than five yards away, and three of the crew were instantly killed, and +one wounded. The watchers on the war-vessels, lying in the river, +sprang to their guns, and threw several rounds of shell into the cover +that sheltered the enemy, soon driving them away. The two uninjured +men in the boat succeeded in getting her away with her load of dead +and dying. + +It is easy to understand how exasperating, how infuriating, such +service as this must have been to the officers and men of the navy. +For a man to risk his life in the heat and excitement of a battle, is +as nothing to the feeling that one may be at any time caught in a +death-trap, and slaughtered in cold blood. + +[Illustration: Naval Patrol on the Potomac.] + +A more successful expedition was organized in October, by Lieut. +Harrill of the steamer "Union." He had been informed that a large +schooner was lying in Quantico Creek, and that the Confederates were +massing a number of troops there for the purpose of crossing the +river. He at once determined to destroy the schooner. Accordingly he +manned three boats at half-past two in the morning, and in the +darkness proceeded, with muffled oars, toward the mouth of the creek. +Here some difficulty was experienced, as the entrance is narrow and +obstructed by sandbars; but working energetically, and in perfect +silence, the sailors overcame all obstacles. Once in the creek, they +pulled rapidly along within pistol-shot of the shore, until the tall +masts of the schooner could be descried in the darkness. One sentry +was on guard, who fled wildly as he saw the mysterious boat emerge +from the darkness of the night. The grappling-irons were thrown +aboard, and the jackies swarmed nimbly up the sides, and began the +work of destruction. A huge pile of combustibles was made in the +cabin, and hastily set on fire. The flames spread rapidly; and, though +they insured the destruction of the schooner, they also lighted up the +creek, showing the boats with the sailors bending to their oars to +escape the storm of bullets that they knew must follow. The glare of +the burning schooner, the reflection of the flames on the water, the +flash of the rifles from the shores made a wild picture. Occasionally +a flash from the river was followed by a deep boom, as a heavy shot +left the muzzle of a cannon on the steamers. But through it all, the +men escaped; and the projected invasion of the Confederates was +abandoned, owing to the loss of their schooner. + +All through the war this untiring patrol of the Potomac was continued. +Among miasmatic vapors and clouds of noxious insects on mud-flats, in +narrow channels whose densely wooded banks might conceal legions of +hostile sharp-shooters, the river navy kept up its work. Earning but +little glory, though in the midst of constant peril, the officers and +men kept up their work, and contributed not a little to the final +outcome of the great conflict. + +All this time the officers of the naval vessels, riding at anchor in +Hampton Roads, were chafing under the enforced idleness. Even the +occasional artillery duels with which their army brethren whiled away +the time were denied to the wistful blue-jackets. Beyond an occasional +chase, generally useless, after a fleet blockade-runner, the sailors +had absolutely no employment. At last, however, the opportunity came. +The first great naval expedition of the war was set under way. + +From Cape Henry, at the mouth of the James River, the coast of +Virginia and North Carolina sweeps grandly out to the eastward, like a +mammoth bow, with its lower end at Beaufort, two hundred miles south. +Along this coast-line the great surges of mighty ocean, rolling with +unbroken course from the far-off shore of Europe, trip and fall with +unceasing roar upon an almost uninterrupted beach of snowy sand, a +hundred and more miles long. Near the southern end of this expanse of +sand stands a lighthouse, towering solitary above the surrounding +plain of sea and sand. No inviting beacon giving notice to the weary +marines of safe haven is this steady light that pierces the darkness +night after night. It tells of treacherous shoals and roaring +breakers; of the loss of many a good ship, whose ribs, half buried in +the drifting sand, lie rotting in the salt air; of skies ever +treacherous, and waters ever turbulent. It is the light of Hatteras. + +Some twenty miles below Cape Hatteras light occurs the first great +opening in the stretch of sand that extends south from Cape Henry. +Once he has passed through this opening; the mariner finds himself in +the most peaceful waters. The great surges of the Atlantic spend +themselves on the sandy fringe outside, while within are the quiet +waters of Pamlico and Albemarle Sounds, dotted with fertile islands, +and bordering a coast rich in harbors. The wary blockade-runner, +eluding the watchfulness of the United States blockaders cruising +outside, had but to pass the portals of Hatteras Inlet, to unload at +his leisure his precious cargo, and load up with the cotton which grew +in great abundance on the islands and fertile shores of the sound. + +Recognizing the importance of this harbor, the Confederates had early +in the war fortified the point north of Hatteras Inlet. Shortly after +the fall of Fort Sumter, a Yankee skipper, Daniel Campbell, +incautiously running his schooner the "Lydia Francis" too near the +stormy cape, was wrecked, and sought shelter among the people at the +inlet. When, some days after, he proposed to leave, he was astounded +to find that he had been delivered from the sea only to fall a prey to +the fortunes of war. He was kept a prisoner for three months; and on +his release, going directly to Fortress Monroe, he proved that he had +kept his eyes open to some purpose. He reported to flag-officer +Stringham that the Confederates had two batteries,--one of ten, the +other of five guns,--known as Fort Hatteras and Fort Clark. With these +two forts the Confederates claimed that they could control the +entrance to Albemarle Sound. + +[Illustration: The Fleet off Hatteras.] + +As soon as this information was received, an expedition for the +destruction of these forts was organized. It was necessarily chiefly +naval, although a land force under Gen. Butler went with the fleet. On +Aug. 25, 1861, Hampton Roads presented a scene of the greatest +activity. The fleet seemed to have awakened from a long sleep. Every +vessel was being hastily prepared for sailing. Two transports, the +"George Peabody" and the "Adelaide," were crowded with the soldiers of +Gen. Butler's command. From the mainmast of the flagship "Minnesota" +waved the signal-flags, changing constantly as different orders were +sent to the commanders of the other warships. At two o'clock three +balls of bunting were run up to the truck, and catching the breeze +were blown out into flags, giving the order, "Get under way at once." +From the surrounding men-of-war came the shrill pipe of the +boatswains' whistle, and the steady tramp of the men at the capstan +bars as they dragged the anchors to the cat-heads. The nimble +blue-jackets, climbing about the shrouds and yards, soon had the snowy +clouds of canvas set. The wind was fresh; and with bands playing, and +cheers of blue-jackets and soldiers, the stately squadron sailed down +the bay. + +But none on board, save the superior officers, knew whither the fleet +was bound. Hardly were they fairly on the Atlantic, when the course +was shaped to the southward, and that much was settled. But whether +New Orleans, Charleston, or Beaufort was the point to be attacked, the +sailors did not know. + +The squadron which sailed from Hampton Roads consisted of the +war-vessels "Minnesota," "Wabash," "Pawnee," "Monticello," and +"Harriet Lane;" the transports "George Peabody" and "Adelaide;" and +the tug "Fanny." Soon after rounding Cape Henry, the vessels became +separated; and when the other vessels reached Hatteras, on the 27th, +the "Minnesota" and "Wabash" were nowhere to be seen. As these were +the most powerful frigates of the fleet, great fears were felt for the +success of the expedition; but at last they appeared on the horizon. A +place for landing was selected, and the vessels withdrew into the +offing to spend the night. It was determined to begin the attack early +the next day. + +The morning dawned clear, with a calm sea. At four o'clock the men +were summoned to breakfast. At seven the operation of landing the +troops was begun. All the surf-boats, barges, and lifeboats in the +fleet were put to the work. The great war-vessels moved into position, +and prepared to cover with a terrific fire the landing of the troops. +The first shot was fired by the "Wabash," and the cannonading was at +once taken up by the rest of the fleet. The vessels were placed so +that a whole broadside could be discharged at once. Thousands of +pounds of iron balls were thrown into the forts. Under cover of the +cannonading, the disembarkation of the troops began. + +But the opposition of the enemy was not the only difficulty to be met. +During the time consumed in getting ready to land, heavy banks of +clouds had been crawling up from the horizon, and the soft wind of +morning had grown into a steady blow. Cape Hatteras was true to its +reputation. On the shelving beach, where the troops must land, the +great rollers were breaking in torrents of foam. The first lifeboats +that attempted the landing were swamped, and the soldiers reached the +land wet and chilled through. The surf-boats were stove in. The +barges, which had been relied upon to land men in large numbers, +proved unmanageable, and were towed away by the "Harriet Lane." When +the attempt to land the troops was given up, it was found that but +three hundred and twenty men had been landed. This was too small a +party to storm the forts, and the issue of the battle depended upon +the great guns of the navy. + +[Illustration: Attack on the Hatteras Forts.] + +By this time the gunners on the ships had calculated the exact range, +and were firing with fearful effect. Broadside followed broadside, +with the regularity of machinery. It was war without its horrors for +the blue-jackets, since bad marksmanship or poor powder prevented the +Confederate gunners doing any damage. On the gun-deck of the superb +frigate "Minnesota," the jackies were working their guns as coolly as +though they were on drill. The operations of loading and firing were +gone through with like clock-work. The officers could watch the course +of the shells until they struck, and instruct the men, without +undergoing any danger. + +But in the forts the scene was one of terror. As soon as the gunners +of the fleet had secured the range, the shells began crashing into the +fort, bewildering the untried soldiers, and driving them from their +guns. A shell falling in the fort, and bursting, would sweep clean a +space thirty feet square. It was madness to try to work the guns. All +sought refuge in the bomb proofs, and an occasional shot was all that +showed the presence of any defenders in the forts. Soon the +Confederates decided to abandon Fort Clark, the smaller of the two, +and mass their forces in Fort Hatteras. As a ruse, to check the +bombardment of the ships, the flags on both forts were hauled down. +This was, of course, taken as a token of surrender; and as the +cannonading stopped, and the clouds of gray gunpowder-smoke lifted, +the shrouds of the bombarding squadron were filled with men, and cheer +upon cheer rang out in honor of the victory. Soon the troops occupied +the deserted battery, and the "Monticello" was ordered into the inlet +to take possession of Fort Hatteras. She had proceeded only a little +way, however, when suddenly a heavy fire was opened upon her from the +fort, and at the same time a large body of re-enforcements was seen +approaching from the south. The gunners came down from the shrouds, +stopped cheering, and began their work again. For a time the +"Monticello" was in a dangerous position. In a narrow and unknown +channel, she was forced to retreat slowly, under heavy fire from the +fort, being hit eight times. The heavy fire of the other vessels, +however, soon drove the Confederate gunners from their guns. The +sailors worked untiringly, and seemed enraged by the deceit practised +by the enemy. One man, while sponging out a gun, preparatory to +reloading it, dropped his sponge overboard. Quick as thought he +vaulted the gunwale, and re-appeared on the surface of the water +swimming for the sponge. Recovering it, he in a few moments crawled +dripping through a porthole, to report respectfully to the captain of +the gun: "Just come aboard, sir." + +The fort abandoned by the Confederates had been occupied by the troops +that had been landed; and, under cover of the furious bombardment, the +work of landing was vigorously prosecuted. Night came, and with it a +gale so heavy that the vessels had to desert their stations, and +withdraw into the offing. When the morning broke, however, the sea had +calmed sufficiently to allow the gunners to again set about their +terrible work. + +The second day's firing was even more accurate than that of the first; +and the gray-coats were soon compelled to retire to the bomb-proofs, +and abandon all attempt to return the fire of the ships. Soon three +shells in rapid succession burst close to the magazine of the fort, +telling plainly to the affrighted defenders that nothing was left for +them but surrender. A white flag was raised, and Commodore Barron went +off to the fleet to formally surrender the forts and the eight hundred +men of his command. When the terms were concluded, the defeated +soldier turned to flag-officer Stringham, and asked if the loss of +life on the ships had been very large. "Not a man has been injured," +was the response. "Wonderful!" exclaimed the questioner. "No one could +have imagined that this position could have been captured without +sacrificing thousands of men." But so it was. Without the loss of a +man, had fallen a most important post, together with cannon, +provisions, and nearly seven hundred men. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + + THE "TRENT" AFFAIR. -- OPERATIONS IN ALBEMARLE AND PAMLICO + SOUNDS. -- DESTRUCTION OF THE CONFEDERATE FLEET. + + +Early in the war an event occurred which for a time seemed likely to +bring England to the aid of the Confederates. The Confederate +Government had appointed as diplomatic commissioners to England two +gentlemen, Messrs. Mason and Slidell. They had escaped from Mobile on +a fleet blockade-runner, and reached Havana, where they remained a +week waiting for the regular English packet to convey them to +Liverpool. While in Havana they were lavishly entertained by the +colony of Confederate sympathizers there; and feeling perfectly safe, +now that they were outside the jurisdiction of the United States, they +made no attempt to conceal their official character, and boasted of +the errand upon which they were sent. + +The United States frigate "San Jacinto," which was one of the many +vessels kept rushing about the high seas in search of the privateer +"Sumter," happened to be in the harbor of Havana at this time. She was +commanded by Capt. Wilkes, an officer who had made an exhaustive study +of international law, particularly as bearing upon the right of a +war-vessel to search a vessel belonging to a neutral nation. Capt. +Wilkes, knowing that by capturing the Confederate commissioners, he +could win for himself the applause of the entire North, determined to +make the attempt. By a study of his books bearing on international +law, he managed to convince himself that he was justified in stopping +the British steamer, and taking from it by force the bodies of Messrs. +Mason and Slidell. Accordingly he set sail from the harbor of Havana, +and cruised up and down at a distance of more than a marine league +from the coast, awaiting the appearance of the vessel. Five days after +the "San Jacinto's" departure, the commissioners set sail in the +British mail-steamer "Trent." She was intercepted in the Bahama +Channel by the "San Jacinto." When the man-of-war fired a blank +cartridge as a signal to heave to, the commander of the "Trent" ran +the British flag to the peak, and continued, feeling secure under the +emblem of neutrality. Then came a more peremptory summons in the shape +of a solid shot across the bows; and, as the incredulous captain of +the "Trent" still continued his course, a six-inch shell was dropped +within about one hundred feet of his vessel. Then he stopped. A boat +put off from the "San Jacinto," and made for the "Trent." Up the side +of the merchant-vessel clambered a spruce lieutenant, and demanded the +immediate surrender of the two commissioners. The captain protested, +pointed to the flag with the cross of St. George waving above his +head, and invoked the power of her Britannic majesty,--all to no +avail. The two commissioners had retired to their cabins, and refused +to come out without being compelled by actual force. The boat was sent +back to the "San Jacinto," and soon returned with a file of marines, +who were drawn up with their muskets on the deck of the "Trent." Every +British ship which carries mails carries a regularly commissioned +officer of the navy, who is responsible for them. This officer on the +"Trent" was somewhat of a martinet, and his protests at this violation +of the rights of a neutral vessel were very vigorous. When the first +gun was fired, he rushed below, and soon re-appeared in all the +resplendent glory of gold lace and brass buttons which go to make up a +naval uniform. He danced about the deck in an ecstasy of rage, and +made the most fearful threats of the wrath of the British people. The +passengers too became excited, and protested loudly. Every thing +possible was done by the people of the "Trent" to put themselves on +record as formally protesting. Nevertheless, the commissioners were +taken away, carried to New York, and from there sent into confinement +at Fort Warren. + +When the news of this great achievement became known, Wilkes was made +the lion of the hour. Unthinking people met and passed resolutions of +commendation. He was tendered banquets by cities. He was elected a +member of learned societies in all parts of the country, and was +generally eulogized. Even the Secretary of the Navy, who should have +recognized the grave troubles likely to grow out of this violation of +the principles of neutrality, wrote a letter to Capt. Wilkes, warmly +indorsing his course, and only regretting that he had not captured the +steamer as well as the two commissioners. + +But fortunately we had wiser heads in the other executive departments +of the government. President Lincoln and Secretary Seward quickly +disavowed the responsibility for Wilkes's action. Letters were written +to the United States minister in England, Charles Francis Adams, +alluding to the proceeding as one for which Capt. Wilkes as an +individual was alone responsible. And well it was that this attitude +was taken: for hardly had the news reached England, when with one +voice the people cried for war. Sympathizing with the South as they +undoubtedly did, it needed but this insult to the British flag to +rouse the war spirit of the nation. Transports loaded with troops were +immediately ordered to Canada; the reserves were called out; the +ordnance factories were set running day and night; while the press of +the nation, and the British minister at Washington, demanded the +immediate release of the captives, and a full apology from the United +States. + +The matter was conducted on this side with the utmost diplomacy. We +were undoubtedly in the wrong, and the only thing was to come out with +as little sacrifice of national dignity as possible. The long time +necessary for letters to pass between this country and England was an +important factor in calming the people. Minister Adams said, that, had +the Atlantic cable then been in operation, nothing could have +prevented a war. In the end the demands of Great Britain were acceded +to, and the commissioners proceeded on their way. The last note of the +diplomatic correspondence was a courteous letter from President +Lincoln to the British minister, offering to allow the British troops +_en route_ for Canada to land at Portland, Me., and thus avoid the +long winter's march through New Brunswick. The peaceful settlement of +the affair chagrined the Confederates not a little, as they had hoped +to gain Great Britain as a powerful ally in their fight against the +United States. + +Soon after the capture of the forts at Hatteras Inlet, the authorities +of the Union again turned their attention in that direction, with the +result of sending the Burnside expedition to Albemarle Sound. + +The coast of North Carolina is honeycombed with rivers, inlets, and +lagoons, which open into the two broad sounds known as Pamlico and +Albemarle, and which are protected from the turbulence of the Atlantic +by the long ridge of sand which terminates at Cape Hatteras. While the +capture of the Hatteras forts had given the Union authorities control +of Hatteras Inlet, the chief entrance to the sounds, yet the long, +narrow island was broken by other lesser inlets of a size sufficient +to permit the passage of light-draught steamers. The Confederates had +quite a fleet of swift, light vessels of insignificant armament, often +only a single gun, with which they occasionally made a descent upon +some coaster or merchantman, running close inshore, and dragged her in +as a prize. With these swift steamers, too, they effectually +controlled all navigation of the sounds. But the greatest advantage +that they derived from their control of the sounds was the vast +facilities given them for constructing, at their leisure, powerful +iron-clads in some of the North Carolina shipyards; then sending them +to reduce the Hatteras forts, and so out into the Atlantic to fight +for the destruction of the blockade. All these conditions were clear +to the authorities of the Union; and therefore, in the early part of +January, 1862, a joint military and naval expedition was fitted out +for operation against the Confederate works and steamers in these +inland waters. It was in the early days of the war; and the flotilla +was one of those heterogeneous collections of remodelled +excursion-steamers, tugs, ferry-boats, and even canal-boats, which at +that time was dignified with the title of "the fleet." In fitting out +this expedition two very conflicting requirements were followed. In +the most favorable circumstances, the channel at Hatteras Inlet is +seldom over seven and a half feet: consequently the vessels must be of +light draught. But the Confederate steamers in the sounds carried +heavy rifled cannon, and the armament of the forts on Roanoke Island +was of the heaviest: therefore, the vessels must carry heavy guns to +be able to cope with the enemy. This attempt to put a heavy armament +on the gun-deck made the vessels roll so heavily as to be almost +unseaworthy. + +[Illustration: Shores of Albemarle Sound.] + +In addition to the armed vessels belonging to the navy, a number of +transports accompanied the expedition, bearing the army corps under +the command of Gen. Burnside; and the whole number of craft finally +assembled for the subjugation of the North Carolina sounds was one +hundred and twenty. This heterogeneous assemblage of vessels was sent +on a voyage in the dead of winter, down a dangerous coast, to one of +the stormiest points known to the mariner. Hatteras was true to its +reputation; and, when the squadron reached the inlet, a furious +north-easter was blowing, sending the gray clouds scudding across the +sky, and making the heavy rollers break on the beach and the bar in a +way that foretold certain destruction, should any hardy pilot attempt +to run his ship into the narrow and crooked inlet. Outside there was +no safe anchorage, and the situation of the entire squadron was most +precarious. Several serious mishaps occurred before the vessels got +into the small and altogether insufficient harbor between the seaward +bar and the "bulkhead" or inner bar. The first vessel to come to grief +was one of the canal-boats laden with hay, oats, and other stores. She +was without any motive power, being towed by a steam-tug, and, getting +into the trough of the sea, rolled and sheered so that she could not +be towed. The heavy rolling started her seams, and it was soon evident +that she was sinking. With the greatest caution a boat was lowered +from one of the steamers, and put off to rescue the crew of the +foundering craft. Laboriously the sailors worked their way through the +tossing sea to the lee side of the "Grape-shot," and after much +difficulty succeeded in taking off all on board, and the return trip +was commenced. All went well until the boat came under the lee of the +steamer, and the men were about to clamber up the sides. Suddenly an +immense sea lifted the vessel high in the air; and in an instant the +boat was swamped, and the men were struggling in the icy water. All +were ultimately saved, but it was with the greatest difficulty. The +"Grape-shot," left to her fate, went ashore some fourteen miles above +Hatteras. Her cargo served some practical use, after all; for some +horses from the wreck of the "Pocahontas" managed to reach the shore, +and kept themselves alive by munching the water-soaked hay and oats. + +The "Pocahontas" was one of the steamers chartered by the war +department as a horse transport. Her actions during this gale furnish +a fair illustration of the manner in which the Government was often +deluded into purchasing almost valueless ships. She started with the +Burnside expedition from Hampton Roads, freighted with one hundred +and thirteen horses. As soon as the gale off Hatteras came on, she +began to show signs of unseaworthiness. First the boilers gave way, +loosened from their places by the heavy rolling of the ship. All +progress had to be stopped until they were patched up. Then down fell +the grates, extinguishing the fires. Then the steering-gear was +broken; and, getting into the trough of the sea, she rolled until her +smokestack broke its moorings and fell over. Finally she sprung a leak +and was run ashore. The crew were all saved, but for a long time their +chances for life seemed small indeed. Ninety of the horses were lost, +some having been thrown overboard ten miles from the land. Others were +left tied in their stalls, to perish when the ship went to pieces in +the breakers. Those that were thrown overboard near the beach swam +ashore through breakers in which no boat nor man could live, and, +finding the waste and wreckage from the cargo of the "Grape-shot," +lived for days on the hay and oats, soaked with sea-water though they +were. + +For two days this gale continued. The outlook for the fleet seemed +hopeless. The inner bar of the harbor was absolutely impassable. +Between the outer bar and the inner were packed seventy vessels. This +space, though called a harbor, was almost unsheltered. Crowded with +vessels as it was, it made an anchorage only less dangerous than that +outside. Although the vessels were anchored, bow and stern, the +violence of the sea was such that they frequently crashed into each +other, breaking bulwarks, spars, and wheel-houses, and tearing away +standing-rigging. A schooner breaking from its anchorage went tossing +and twirling through the fleet, crashing into vessel after vessel, +until finally, getting foul of a small steamer, dragged it from its +moorings; and the two began a waltz in the crowded harbor, to the +great detriment of the surrounding craft. At last the two runaways +went aground on a shoal, and pounded away there until every seam was +open, and the holds filled with water. + +A strange mishap was that which befell the gunboat "Zouave." She was +riding safely at anchor, remote from other ships, taking the seas +nobly, and apparently in no possible danger. Her crew occupied +themselves in going to the assistance of those in the distressed +vessels, feeling that their own was perfectly safe. But during the +night, the tide being out, the vessel was driven against one of the +flukes of her own anchor; and as each wave lifted her up and dropped +her heavily on the sharp iron, a hole was stove in her bottom, +sinking her so quickly that the crew took to the boats, saving +nothing. + +But the most serious disaster was the total wreck of the "City of New +York," a large transport, with a cargo of ordnance stores valued at +two hundred thousand dollars. Unable to enter the inlet, she tried to +ride out the gale outside. The tremendous sea, and the wind blowing +furiously on shore, caused her to drag her anchors; and those on board +saw certain death staring them in the face, as hour by hour the ship +drifted nearer and nearer to the tumbling mass of mighty breakers, +that with an unceasing roar, and white foam gleaming like the teeth of +an enraged lion, broke heavily on the sand. She struck on Monday +afternoon, and soon swung around, broadside to the sea, so as to be +helpless and at the mercy of the breakers. Every wave broke over her +decks. The condition of her crew was frightful. In the dead of winter, +the wind keen as a razor, and the waves of icy coldness, the body soon +became benumbed; and it was with the greatest effort that the men +could cling to the rigging. So great was the fury of the wind and +waves, that no assistance could be given her. For a boat to venture +into that seething caldron of breakers would have been throwing away +lives. So the crew of the doomed ship were left to save themselves as +best they might. The night passed away, and Tuesday morning saw the +gale still blowing with unabated force. Hoping to lessen the strain on +the hull, they cut away the foremast. In falling, it tore away the +pipes, and the vessel became a perfect wreck. Numbed with cold, and +faint for lack of food, the crew lashed themselves to the bulwarks and +rigging; and so, drenched by the icy spray, and chilled through by the +wind, they spent another fearful night. The next day the fury of the +storm seemed to have somewhat abated. The sea was still running high, +and breaking over the almost unrecognizable hulk stranded on the +beach. With the aid of a glass, sailors on the other ships could see +the inanimate forms of the crew lashed to the rigging. It was +determined to make a vigorous attempt to save them. The first boat +sent out on the errand of mercy was watched eagerly from all the +vessels. Now it would be seen raised high on the top of some +tremendous wave, then, plunging into the trough, it would be lost from +the view of the anxious watchers. All went well until the boat reached +the outermost line of the breakers, when suddenly a towering wave, +rushing resistlessly along, broke directly over the stern, swamping +the boat, and drowning seven of the crew. Again the last hope seemed +lost to the exhausted men on the wreck. But later in the day, the sea +having gone down somewhat, a steam-tug succeeded in reaching the wreck +and rescuing the crew. The second engineer was the last man to leave +the ship. He remained lashed to the mast until all were taken on the +tug. Then, climbing to the top-mast, he cut down the flag that had +waved during those two wild days and nights, and bore it safely away. + +After this gale died away, the work of getting the squadron over the +inner bar was begun. It was a tremendous task. Many of the ships drew +too much water for the shallow channel, and it was necessary to remove +large parts of their cargoes. The bar, which is known as Buckhead +Shoal, was an expanse of quicksand a mile wide, with a tortuous +channel ever changing with the shifting sands. Many of the ships +stranded, and the tugs were constantly busy in towing them off. +Scarcely would one be safely afloat, than another would "bring up all +standing" on some new shoal. Two weeks elapsed before all the vessels +were safe within the landlocked sound. They were none too soon; for +hardly had the last vessel crossed the bar, than the black gathering +clouds, the murky, tossing sea, and the foaming billows breaking on +the bar, foretold another of the storms for which Cape Hatteras is +famed. Through the storm a queer-looking craft was seen approaching +the fleet. It was found to be a boat-load of escaping slaves, who had +put to sea at random, feeling sure of finding "de Yankees" somewhere. +From these men much valuable information was obtained. + +Up to this time no one in the fleet, excepting the superior officers, +was informed as to the exact destination of the expedition. Now as the +signal to get under way blew out from the foremast of the flagship, +and as the prow of the leading vessel was turned to the northward, all +knew, and all cried, "Roanoke Island." This island was heavily +fortified by the Confederates, and from its position was a point of +considerable strategic importance. It guards the entrance to Pamlico +Sound from Albemarle Sound, and into Pamlico Sound open great bays and +rivers that penetrate far into the interior of Virginia and North +Carolina. On this island the Confederates had erected three forts of +formidable strength. These forts commanded the channel through which +the vessels would have to pass; and to make the task doubly dangerous, +the channel was obstructed with sharpened piles and sunken hulks, so +as to be apparently impassable. Beyond the obstructions was the +Confederate fleet, which, though insignificant compared with the +attacking squadron, was formidable in connection with the forts. It +was the task of the invaders to capture these forts, and destroy the +fleet. + +It was on Feb. 5 that the squadron prepared to leave its moorings at +Hatteras Inlet. It was an imposing spectacle. The flagship +"Philadelphia" led the naval squadron, which advanced with the +precision of a body of troops. Behind, with less regularity, came the +army transports. About one hundred vessels were in the three columns +that moved over the placid waters of the sound toward the forts. It +was five in the afternoon of a short February day that the fleet came +in sight of the forts. Signals were made for the squadron to form in a +circle about the flagship. The early darkness of winter had fallen +upon the scene. The waters of the sound were smooth as a mill-pond. +From the white cottages on the shore gleamed lights, and brilliant +signal-lanterns hung in the rigging of the ships. Through the fleet +pulled swift gigs bearing the commanders of the different vessels. + +The morning dawned dark and rainy. At first it was thought that the +fog and mist would prevent the bombardment, but all doubt was put at +an end by the signal, "Prepare for action," from the flagship. The +drums beat to quarters, and soon the guns were manned by sailors +stripped to the waist. The magazines were opened; and the surgeons +cleared away the cock-pits, and spread out their glistening +instruments ready for their work. + +The fleet got under way, and stood up the channel almost to the point +where the obstructions were planted. Beyond these were the gunboats of +the enemy. The cannonade was begun without loss of time. A portion of +the fleet began a vigorous fire upon the Confederate gunboats, while +the others attacked the forts. The gunboats were soon driven away, and +then the forts received the entire fire. The water was calm, and the +aim of the gunners was admirable. The forts could hardly respond to +the fire, since the great shells, plunging by hundreds into the +trenches, drove the men from their guns into the bomb-proof casemates. +The officers of the ships could watch with their glasses the effect of +every shell, and by their directions the aim of the gunners was made +nearly perfect. + +While the bombarding was going on, Gen. Burnside set about landing his +troops near the southern end of the island. The first boat was fired +upon by soldiers concealed in the woods. The "Delaware" instantly +pitched a few shells into the woods from which the firing proceeded, +and in a few minutes the enemy could be seen running out like rats +from a burning granary. The landing then went on unimpeded. The boats +were unable to get up to the bank, owing to shoal water; and the +soldiers were obliged to wade ashore in the icy water, waist-deep, and +sinking a foot more in the soft mud of the bottom. + +The bombardment was continued for some hours after nightfall. A night +bombardment is a stirring scene. The passionate and spiteful glare of +the cannon-flashes; the unceasing roar of the explosions; the demoniac +shriek of the shells in the air, followed by their explosion with a +lightning flash, and crash like thunder; the volumes of gray smoke +rising upon the dark air,--make up a wonderful and memorable sight. + +In the morning the bombardment was recommenced, and the work of +landing troops went on. Eight gunboats were sent to tear away the +obstructions in the channel; and there beneath the guns of the enemy's +fleet, and the frowning cannon of the forts, the sailors worked with +axe and ketch until the barricade was broken, and the eight ships +passed to the sound above the forts. In the mean time, the troops on +the island began the march against the forts. There were few paths, +and they groped their way through woods and undergrowth, wading +through morasses, and tearing their way through tangled thickets to +get at the enemy's front. The advance was slow, but steady, until the +open field before the forts was reached; then a change was ordered, +led by the famous Hawkins Zouaves, who rushed madly upon the fort, +shouting their war cry of _Zou, zou, zou!_ Like a resistless flood the +attackers poured over the earthworks, and the frightened defenders +fled. Before five o'clock the entire island was in the hands of the +troops, and the fleet had passed the barricade. During the bombardment +the vessels sustained severe injuries. An act of heroism which made +the hero celebrated was that of John Davis, gunner's mate on board the +"Valley City." A shell entered the magazine of that ship, and +exploded, setting the woodwork on fire. An open barrel of gunpowder +stood in the midst of the flames, with sparks dropping about it. At +any moment an explosion might occur which would shatter the vessel to +fragments. Men shrank back, expecting every moment to be their +last. With wonderful presence of mind Davis threw himself across the +open end of the barrel, and with his body covered the dangerous +explosive until the fire was put out. + +[Illustration: Contrabands escaping to Fleet.] + +As soon as the stars and stripes were hoisted on the flagstaffs of the +forts, the Confederate fleet, which had been maintaining a desultory +fire, fled up the sound, after setting fire to one schooner which had +become hopelessly crippled in the battle. She blazed away far on into +the night, and finally, when the flames reached her magazine, blew up +with a tremendous report, seeming like a final involuntary salute paid +by the defeated enemy to the prowess of the Union arms. When quiet +finally settled down upon the scene, and Gen. Burnside and Commander +Goldsborough counted up their gains, they found that six forts, +twenty-five hundred prisoners, and forty-two great guns had fallen +into the hands of the victors. The Union loss was forty killed and two +hundred wounded. + +The next day was Sunday. It was considered highly important that the +success of the day before should be vigorously followed up; and an +expedition of fourteen vessels, under Capt. Rowan, was ordered to +follow the retreating Confederate fleet and destroy it. The flying +squadron was chased as far as Elizabeth City on the Pasquotauk River. +Here night overtook the pursuers; and they came to anchor at the mouth +of the stream, effectually cutting off all hope of retreat. The +Confederates in the vessels lying off the town passed an anxious +night. Outnumbered two to one by the pursuing vessels, they saw no +hope of a successful resistance. With a courage which in view of the +facts seems to be almost foolhardy, they determined to stick to their +ships, and fight to the death. The feelings of the inhabitants of the +town were hardly less gloomy. So thoroughly impregnable had they +considered the forts at Roanoke Island, that they had made absolutely +no preparations for defence; and now they found their homes upon the +eve of capture. The victorious army had not yet had an opportunity to +show the merciful way in which the inhabitants of captured cities were +treated throughout the war; and the good people of Elizabeth City may +be excused for fearing, that, with the destruction of their fleet, +they were to be delivered into the merciless hands of a lawless enemy. + +Morning dawned bright and clear. With the greatest deliberation the +preparations for action were made on the attacking vessels. It was +discovered, that, owing to the continuous firing during the Roanoke +Island engagement, but twenty rounds of ammunition per gun were left +to each vessel. It was accordingly ordered that no long-distance +firing should be done; but each vessel should dash at the enemy, run +him down if possible, and then board and fight it out, hand to hand. +Early in the morning the fleet started up the river. The enemy's fleet +was soon sighted, lying behind the guns of a small battery on Cobb's +Point. When within long range, battery and vessels opened a tremendous +fire with eighty-pound rifles. The approach of the squadron continued +until when within three-quarters of a mile the signal was flung out +from the mast of the flagship, "Dash at the enemy." Then full speed +was put on, and firing commenced from bow-guns. The Confederates +became totally demoralized. The battery was abandoned when the first +vessel poured her broadside into it as she passed. Before the enemy's +fleet was reached, many of his vessels were fired and abandoned. The +United States steamship "Perry" struck the "Sea-Bird" amidships, +sinking her so quickly that the crew had scarce time to escape. The +crew of the "Delaware" boarded the "Fanny," sabering and shooting her +defenders until they fled over the side into the water. The victory +was complete and overwhelming. Three or four of the victorious vessels +at once proceeded to the town, where they found the enemy in full +retreat and compelling the inhabitants to set fire to their houses. +This was quickly stopped, and the invaders became the protectors of +the conquered people. + +The power of the Confederates in this part of the country being so +effectually destroyed, the navy was divided into small detachments and +sent cruising up the lagoons and rivers opening into the North +Carolina sounds, merely to show the people the power of the United +States Government, and to urge them to cease their resistance to its +authority. Three vessels were sent to Edenton. As they came abreast of +the village, a company of mounted artillery precipitately fled. A +detachment of marines sent ashore found a number of cannon which they +destroyed, and a nearly completed schooner to which they set fire. +Other small places were visited, generally without any opposition +being encountered. + +A somewhat larger force was sent to a small town named Winton, as it +had been rumored that a force of Union men were there disputing the +authority of the Confederate Government, and the navy wished to go to +their assistance. The "Delaware" and "Hudson," in advance of the +squadron, came within sight of the landing and warehouses of Winton +about four in the afternoon. The town itself was hidden from the view +of the vessels by a high bluff. It was a clear, quiet afternoon, and +all seemed peaceful. The long wharf, running out into the stream, was +deserted by all save a negro woman, who, roused from her occupation of +fishing, gazed inquisitively at the strange vessels. The place looked +like a commercial port going to seed on account of the blockade. The +two vessels proceeded on their way unmolested, ranging past the wharf, +and apprehending no danger. Suddenly from the woods on the bluff a +terrific fire was poured upon the vessels. The negress, having served +her end as a decoy, fled hastily to shelter. The bluffs seemed to be +held by two batteries of light artillery and a considerable force of +armed men. Fortunately the aim of the artillery men was bad, and the +vessels sustained no severe damage. Still, they were in a precarious +position. The "Delaware" was too near to bring her battery to bear, +and was obliged to turn slowly in the narrow channel. The "Perry," +more fortunately situated, opened at once on the enemy with shrapnel. +But the contest was unequal, and the two vessels were forced to +retreat down the river about seven miles, there to await the remainder +of the squadron. + +Two days after, the flotilla began the advance up the river, shelling +the town as they ascended. Once opposite the town, the troops were +landed, and the Hawkins Zouaves soon had possession of the bluff and +town. Knapsacks, ammunition, and muskets in considerable quantity fell +into the hands of the victors; and, after burning the barracks of the +enemy, the squadron returned to the base of operations at Roanoke +Island. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + + REDUCTION OF NEWBERN. -- EXPLOITS OF LIEUT. CUSHING. -- + DESTRUCTION OF THE RAM "ALBEMARLE." + + +After the destruction of the Confederate flotilla at Elizabeth City, +and the affair at Winton, the Union fleet remained quietly at anchor +off Roanoke Island, or made short excursions up the little rivers +emptying into the sounds. Over a month passed in comparative inaction, +as the ships were awaiting supplies and particularly ammunition. When +finally the transports from New York arrived, and the magazines of the +war-vessels were filled with shot and shell and gunpowder, they again +turned their attention to the enemy. The victories already won had +almost driven the Confederates from that part of North Carolina which +borders on the sounds. Roanoke Island, Elizabeth City, Edenton, and +Plymouth had one after the other yielded to the persuasive eloquence +of the ship's cannon, and there was left to the Confederates only one +fort,--Newbern, on the River Neuse. As a city Newbern is +insignificant; but as a military post it was of a good deal of +importance, and the Confederates had made active preparations for its +defence. + +It was on the 12th of March, 1862, that Commander Rowan started from +Hatteras Inlet with a flotilla of thirteen vessels, and army +transports bearing three thousand men. The long column steamed down +the placid waters of Pamlico Sound, and, turning into the Neuse +River, anchored about fifteen miles below the city. Although the night +before the battle, and within sight of the white steeples of the +menaced city, all was quiet and peaceful. The banks of the broad +stream were densely wooded, and from them could be heard at times the +cry of the whip-poor-will, or the hoot of the night-owl. The vessels +were anchored far out in the middle of the stream, so as to avoid the +deadly bullets of any lurking sharp-shooters. The lookouts kept a +close watch for floating torpedoes; while the sailors off duty spun +their yarns in the forecastle, and bet pipes and tobacco on the result +of the coming battle. The jolly tars of the Burnside expedition had +hardly yet learned that war was a serious matter. They had met with +but little serious resistance, had captured powerful forts without +losing a man, had chased and destroyed the Confederate fleet without +any serious damage to their own, and felt, accordingly, that war was a +game in which it was their part always to win, and the part of the +enemy to run away. Certainly the fight at Newbern did nothing to +dispel this idea. + +When morning broke, the shrill piping of the boatswain's whistle +brought the crew to their places on deck. Breakfast was served, and +leisurely eaten; for it is one of the established theories of the +navy, that sailors can't fight on empty stomachs. Breakfast over, the +work of landing the troops was begun. The point chosen was a broad +beach fringed with woods near the anchorage of the vessels. Before +landing the troops, the ships threw a few shells into the woods, to +make certain that they concealed no ambuscade, as in the disastrous +affair at Matthias Point. After two dozen shells had burst, mowing +down trees, and driving out frightened animals in plenty, but no +sharp-shooters, the long-boats put off from the transports bearing the +soldiers for the land attack. As soon as six or seven hundred were +landed, they formed in column, and moved rapidly up the beach. The +others followed as rapidly as they could be put on shore. The gunboats +steamed slowly up the river, keeping abreast of the troops, and +throwing shells into the woods ahead of the attacking column. Had any +Confederates prepared to resist the march, they must have been driven +out of the forest before the Federals came within musket-range. Not an +atom of resistance was made. The plans of the invaders seemed +irresistible. About half-past four in the afternoon, a puff of smoke +rose from the river-bank far ahead of the leading vessel, and in a few +seconds a heavy shell plunged into the water a hundred yards ahead of +the flotilla. The enemy was getting awake to the situation. The +gunboats soon returned the fire, and the cannonading was continued at +long range, without damage to either side, until sundown, when the +troops went into camp, and the vessels chose an anchorage near by. + +At daylight the next morning, the advance was resumed. The day was so +foggy that the usual signals between the vessels could not be seen, +and orders from the flagship had to be carried by boat. The fleet +proceeded up the river; and, when the fog lifted, the ramparts of Fort +Dixie--the one that had fired on them the night before--were visible. +A vigorous bombardment was at once begun; but the fort failed to +reply, and a storming-party sent ashore found it empty. Hoisting the +stars and stripes above the deserted bastions, the ships went on. Soon +they reached Fort Ellis. Here the firing was sharp on both sides. The +fort was a powerful earthwork, well armed with rifles ranging from +thirty-two to eighty pounders. The Confederates did but little damage +with their guns; their aim being bad for want of practice, and their +powder of poor quality. Still, they fought on with great courage until +a shell from the "Delaware" burst in the magazine, firing the powder +there, and hurling the fort, with large numbers of its brave +defenders, high in the air. This ended the fight with Fort Ellis, and +the fleet continued its way up the river. + +[Illustration: Flag of South Carolina.] + +Shortly after passing Fort Ellis, two rows of obstructions were met in +the channel. The lower barrier was composed of a series of piles +driven into the river-bottom, and cut off below the water; back of +these came a row of pointed and iron tipped piles pointing down stream +at such an angle as to be likely to pierce the hull of any vessel that +should run upon them. Entwined about these piles was a cable +connecting with thirty powerful torpedoes. That any vessel could +pierce such a barrier seems almost incredible; yet all the vessels of +the flotilla passed, and but two were seriously injured. One of the +sharp iron piles drove through the bottom of the "Barney," sending the +crew to the pumps, and the carpenter down into the hold with his +felt-covered plugs. But her damages were quickly repaired, and she +went on with the rest of the fleet. Right under the guns of Fort +Thompson the second line of obstructions was encountered. It consisted +of a line of sunken vessels closely massed, and a _cheval-de-frise_ of +stakes and logs, that blocked the entire river, save a small passage +close in shore under the guns of the battery. Here was more hard work +for the sailors; but they managed to creep through, and ranging up in +line, broadside to Fort Thompson, they opened a vigorous cannonade +upon that work. The condition of the garrison of the fort was +desperate. The troops that had marched up the beach abreast of the +vessels began a vigorous attack on the landward face of the fort, +while the vessels in the river kept up a vigorous fire on the +water-front. Soon the gunners of the fort were called away from the +river-front to meet the hot assault of the soldiers on the land; and, +as the conflict grew close, the ships ceased firing, lest their shell +should mow down foe and friend alike. Leaving the enemy to the +attention of the soldiery, the ships proceeded up the river past two +deserted forts that gave no answer to vigorous shelling. Just as the +last vessel was passing Fort Thompson, the attacking troops, with a +cheer, rushed upon the ramparts; and in a minute the stars and stripes +were fluttering from the flagstaff. This was the last resistance +encountered, and at two P.M. the victors were in full possession of +the city. The war ships sped up the river after three Confederate +steamers that were endeavoring to escape, and soon captured them. One +was run ashore and burned, while the other two were added to the +conquering fleet. As a last resort, the flying enemy sent down a huge +fire-raft, in the hope of burning some of the Union vessels; but this +was stopped by the piers of a railroad bridge, and, burning that, +effectually cut off Newbern's communication with the world. During the +entire two days' engagement, the navy did not lose a man on the ships. +Two of a small landing-party were killed, and eleven, wounded; while +of the soldiers there were killed eighty-eight, and wounded three +hundred and fifty-two. This victory gave to the United States the +entire control of the North Carolina sounds and tributary navigable +waters. + +For years after this, the sounds were occupied by a small squadron of +the United States navy, mainly blockading cruisers. It was during +these three years of occupation that Lieut. W. B. Cushing performed +those wonderfully daring deeds that made him a name and fame apart +from all other war-records. These feats so particularly belong to +Cushing's record, rather than to the history of any years of the war, +that they may well be considered together here. The wonderful +exhibitions of daring by which this young officer earned his promotion +to the rank of a commander, while still hardly more than a boy, were +the ascent of New River Inlet in the steamer "Ellis," for the purpose +of destroying the enemy's salt-works, and a blockade-runner at New +Topsail Inlet; and finally, the great achievement of his life, the +destruction of the ram "Albemarle" in the Roanoke River. + +Lieut. Cushing entered the navy during the first year of the civil war, +being himself at that time but nineteen years old. A comrade who served +with him at the time of the destruction of the "Albemarle" describes him +as about six feet high, very slender, with a smooth face, and dark wavy +hair. Immediately upon his joining the navy, he was assigned to duty +with the blockading squadron on the Atlantic coast. He distinguished +himself during the first year of the war, at a time when the +opportunities of the service were not very brilliant, by unfailing +vigilance, and soon won for himself the honor of a command. In November, +1862, he was put in command of the steamer "Ellis," and ordered to +preserve the blockade of New River Inlet on the North Carolina coast, +not far from the favorite port of the blockade-runners, Wilmington. The +duties of a blockading man-of-war are monotonous, at best. Lying at +anchor off the mouth of the blockaded harbor, or steaming slowly up and +down for days together, the crew grow discontented; and the officers are +at their wits' end to devise constant occupation to dispel the +turbulence which idleness always arouses among sailors. Inaction is the +great enemy of discipline on board ship, and it is for this reason that +the metal and trimmings aboard a man-of-war are so continually being +polished. A big brass pivot-gun amidships will keep three or four +jackies polishing an hour or two every day; and petty officers have been +known to go around secretly, and deface some of the snowy woodwork or +gleaming brass, when it seemed that surfaces to be polished were +becoming exhausted. It is no unusual thing to set a gang of sailors to +work rubbing away with polish on the flukes of the great anchors, merely +to give them work. But while this sort of occupation may drive dull care +away from the heart of Jack, his officers are not so easily entertained; +and the dull routine of blockading duty at an unfrequented port is most +wearisome to adventurous spirits. Particularly was this the case with +Lieut. Cushing, and he was constantly upon the lookout for some perilous +adventure. One day late in November, information was brought to him that +the enemy had established large salt-works at Jacksonville, thirty-five +miles up the river. Even thus early in the war, the vigorous blockade +was beginning to tell upon the supplies of the Confederates; and one of +the articles of which the Southern armies were in the greatest need was +salt. The distress caused by the lack of it was great. Many of the +soldiers were in the habit of sprinkling gunpowder upon their food to +give it a flavor approaching that of salt. In olden days, particularly +in the British navy about the end of the eighteenth century, it was the +custom for the captains to issue to their crews, before going into +battle, large cups of grog with gunpowder stirred in. It was believed +that this mixture made the men fight more desperately. But this theory +of the doughty sea-dogs of past generations no longer finds any support, +and doubtless the soldiers of the Confederacy felt they could fight +better upon salt than on their enforced seasoning of gunpowder. At +Manassas Junction, when the Confederate army by a rapid movement +captured a large provision train, the rush of the soldiers for two or +three cars laden with salt was so great that a strong guard had to be +stationed to beat back pilferers, and secure a proper division of the +much-prized seasoning. + +The officers of the Union navy were well informed of this scarcity of +salt throughout the South, and accordingly made it a point to destroy +all salt-works along the coast. The officers of the Gulf squadron were +constantly employed in raiding establishments of this character, of +which there were numbers along the coast of Louisiana, Alabama, and +Mississippi. Cushing, on hearing of the existence of salt-works in the +district over which he stood guard, determined to destroy them. But to +do this was a matter of no small peril. Jacksonville was thirty-five +miles up a small stream, in the heart of a country teeming with +Confederate troops and their guerrilla sympathizers. The densely +wooded shores could conceal sharp-shooters, who could easily pick off +every man stationed on the steamer's deck. At any point of the entire +distance a masked battery might be stationed, that could blow the +invading craft out of water, and leave none of her crew uncaptured to +tell the tale. Nevertheless, the intrepid young commander determined +to make the attempt. His vessel was a small steamer, mounting one +heavy gun amidships and two smaller cannon on each side. Without any +mishap the "Ellis" and her crew reached the town about noon. On the +way up the river a dense column of black smoke appeared ahead, rising +above the forest. All thought that the Confederates, hearing of their +approach, had evacuated the town, firing it as they retreated. All +possible steam was put on, and the little gunboat dashed up the river +in the hope of saving some of the property of the inhabitants. But, on +rounding an abrupt curve in the river, the mystery was solved by the +appearance of a fine schooner, loaded with cotton and turpentine, and +drifting helplessly, a mass of crackling flames, down the stream. She +was clearly a blockade-runner, freighted with the chief products of +the country, and had been waiting a chance to slip out past the +blockader, and run for some friendly port. Cushing's bold move up the +river had entrapped her neatly, and her owners had fired her and fled. +The fire was a magnificent sight. The inflammable cargo, the tarry +ropes and cordage, fed the flames, which leaped from hull to +main-truck. The cotton burned sullenly, giving forth immense clouds of +dense, black smoke. To save her was hopeless, and the "Ellis" kept out +of the way of the flying fire-brands and continued on. The expected +salt-works were not found, however; and the only trophies to be +obtained at the town were about twenty-five stand of arms and two +schooners, evidently blockade-runners. The post-office was also +visited, and a large mail captured and removed, in the hope of finding +therein some valuable information regarding the movements of the +enemy. The town itself was one of the sleepy little Southern villages, +with wide streets, grass-grown and lined with live-oaks. Children, and +boys too young to have been drafted into the Southern army, followed +the sailors and marines curiously as they strolled up and down the +silent streets. The war had robbed the little city of its men; the +blockade had robbed it of its little coasting-trade. Such an air of +quiet and desolation hung about the place, that the inhabitants +probably welcomed the advent of even the hostile sailors as being +something to break the monotony. After a stoppage of an hour and a +half, the "Ellis" started down the river. The quiet of the upward +voyage had dispelled any thoughts of danger, but about five o'clock +suspicions were re-awakened by the sight of a small encampment on the +bank. A few shells thrown over the tents quickly sent the campers +scurrying into the woods; and, as the camps seemed to have no +artillery, the "Ellis" continued without further hostilities. A short +distance down the stream the Confederates opened upon them with two +guns mounted on a lofty bluff. Cushing, ever ready for a skirmish, +stopped his engine, and cleared away the big pivot-gun for action. The +battle-flag was hoisted at the fore, and the crew, with three cheers, +set about the work. About an hour of artillery practice followed, +when, the enemy being driven from his guns, the "Ellis" proceeded on +her way. It was now growing dark, and the tide was rapidly falling. +The two pilots on the steamer agreed that daylight and high tide were +necessary to get the vessel safely out of the river. With great +reluctance Cushing ordered the anchor to be let fall, and proceeded to +make preparations for the night. On both banks of the river could be +seen the flash of lanterns, proving that the Confederates were aware +of the steamer's presence, and were contemplating an attack. To resist +such an attack if made in force during the night, seemed almost +hopeless; yet the sailors went cheerfully about the work of +preparation, getting out cutlasses and revolvers, and putting up the +boarding-nettings over the sides. In watchful anxiety the hours wore +away. No sound escaped the vigilant ear of the men on duty. But the +enemy evidently had abandoned the attack, and when morning broke none +were to be seen. With light hearts, and feeling that the worst was +past, the little party continued their way, only to find that the +worst was yet to come. Soon after daylight, the pilot, mistaking the +channel, ran the ship so solidly aground that there was clearly no +hope of extricating her. All this time she had been towing one of the +captured schooners; and Cushing, with quick decisiveness, ordered that +every thing should be removed from the "Ellis" to the schooner. This +was quickly done, leaving nothing but the great pivot-gun aboard. + +But even when so greatly lightened, the ship would not float, and +Cushing saw that all was lost. As a final expedient he sent a boat's +crew back after the cannon that the enemy had abandoned the day +before, intending to construct a land-battery with them, and so keep +his ship. But the Confederates had already removed the guns, so this +forlorn hope failed. Orders were then given for the crew to take the +schooner, and drop down the river for a mile or two. The young captain +expressed his intention of remaining aboard his craft, and asked for +six volunteers to help him fight the pivot-gun. They were quickly +found; and, while the remainder of the crew dropped down the river in +the schooner, the devoted little band calmly awaited the beginning of +the attack. They did not have long to wait. Soon a cannon boomed from +the bank, and a heavy shell whizzed over their heads. Then another, +from another direction, and a third, and a fourth, each from a +distinct battery. They were hopeless odds, yet Cushing and his command +fought on until the gunners, getting the range, dropped shot after +shot into the doomed vessel. Then fire broke out in three or four +places. This was too much; and the seven daring men took to a small +boat, and rowed to the schooner. First, however, they loaded the long +gun, and turned it on the enemy, in order, as Cushing said, "that she +might fight for herself when we could do so no longer." Once in the +schooner, they sailed rapidly down the river; and just as they reached +the sound a deep boom announced that the fire had reached the +magazine, and the "Ellis" was blown into a million pieces. Daring as +this adventure was, Cushing was much distressed at its termination; +and in his official report he asks for a general court of inquiry, to +determine whether he had properly upheld the honor of the nation's +flag. + +Another daring expedition was undertaken by Cushing when in command of +the "Monticello." This was in February, 1864. He was cruising off Cape +Fear River. At Smithville, a small town some distance up the river, +was a Confederate army-post. Cushing's plan was to proceed up the +river in row-boats, burn any vessels that might be at the dock, +capture the commanding officers, and escape before the enemy could +recover from the surprise. It was a rash and rather useless +expedition, but Cushing successfully carried it out. With two boats +and twenty men, he went quietly past the guns of the fort, concealed +by the blackness of a cloudy night, ascended the river to the town, +and landed directly in front of the hotel. A high bank concealed the +party from view, and lying in ambush here they managed to capture some +negroes, from whom the desired information was obtained. Then with two +officers and a seaman, Cushing walked from the deck to Gen. Herbert's +headquarters in so open a manner as to disarm suspicion. Entering the +house they met an engineer officer, who tried to raise an alarm, but +was quickly captured and gagged. The adjutant-general, never dreaming +that any enemy could be so near him, supposed it was a mutiny, and +fled hastily, half dressed, to the woods, not even calling out the +garrison. Cushing then with his speechless prisoner walked calmly back +before the long barracks that sheltered a thousand hostile soldiers, +and within a few yards of the sentry on the wharf. Only when the +affrighted adjutant-general returned from his hasty trip to the woods +did the Confederates know that an enemy had been in their midst. Then +there was great excitement, arresting of sentries, calling out of +guards, and signalling to the fort that hostile boats were in the +harbor. But all too late. Cushing's coolness, courage, dash, and +invincible luck had carried him scot-free through another dare-devil +adventure. + +From the "Monticello" Cushing made yet another dangerous excursion +into the enemy's country. On this occasion he had a more adequate +purpose for his perilous errand. It was believed that the Confederate +ram "Raleigh" was in the Cape Fear River above the town of Smithville, +the scene of the last adventure. Cushing obtained permission from his +superior officer to ascend the river, and try to blow up the ram with +a torpedo. On the night of the 23d of June he started, taking with him +Jones and Howarth, the officers who had been with him in the previous +trip, and fifteen men. The night was pitchy dark, and all went well as +they passed the fort and the little town of Smithville. Fifteen miles +from the river's mouth, they saw the moon suddenly break through the +clouds; and the surface of the river suddenly became bright, revealing +to the sentries on shore the Yankee boat fifteen miles within +Confederate territory. Quickly the boats turned about, and headed down +the river; but this was a mere feint, as Cushing doubled as soon as he +reached the shadow of the opposite bank, and continued his course into +the hostile territory. Toward morning, when within about seven miles +of Wilmington, a very stronghold of the Confederates, he landed, and +hid his boat in a neighboring swamp. The men lay in hiding all day; +and, just as they were about to start out again, they captured two +boats with a Wilmington fishing-party. During the second night Cushing +crept cautiously up to within three miles of Wilmington, closely +examining the defences of the town and the obstructions in the river. +At daybreak he rowed up one of the creeks until he found the road +between Fort Fisher and Wilmington. Here he crouched by a hedge until +a mounted mail-carrier came by from the fort. The soldier was captured +and dismounted, vastly astonished at the sight of a blue-jacket in +that region. Presently, along came the carrier from the town, on the +way to the fort. He too was astonished at the sight, but flung back a +scornful answer to the demand that he surrender, and galloped hastily +away. In an instant Cushing was on the back of the captured horse, and +after him; but the fugitive was too well mounted, and escaped. Matters +were now becoming very serious. The runaway would doubtless give the +alarm everywhere. Immediate flight was imperative. The men had been +away from the boat for some hours, and were famished. Food must be +had. But how to get it? Cushing's solution of the problem was +characteristic. Having captured some other prisoners, he learned that +a store was to be found about two miles off. A prisoner about +Howarth's size was ordered to strip, and Howarth put on his clothing. +The change from the trim blue uniform of a Yankee naval officer to the +slouchy jeans jumper and overalls of a North Carolina "cracker" was +somewhat amusing, but the disguise was complete. Mounting the captured +horse, Howarth rode off in the character of a "poor-white" farmer come +in to do his marketing. He chatted freely with the people he met along +the road, and securing his provision, returned to the boat without +arousing the least suspicion. Snugly ensconced in the thick bushes, +the party then proceeded to sup, and after the meal amused themselves +in cutting telegraph-wires, and at dark returned to the boat. This was +the third night in the river, and Cushing prepared to return. +Embarking with his prisoners, he pulled up to the "Raleigh," and found +that she would not need his attentions, as she was already a total +wreck. Then he began the descent of the river. When a little way down +the prisoners were set adrift, with neither sails nor oars in order +that they might not report the occurrence too soon. The blue-jackets +continued their pull down the river. Just as they reached the mouth +the moon shone out, and a quick hail came from a guard-boat. Cushing +made no answer, but in a low voice urged his men on, intending to +attack the enemy. But in an instant more three boats came out of the +shadow, and at the same instant five appeared on the other side. One +opening seemed left for the beleaguered boat to dash through. At it +they went, but a schooner filled with troops suddenly appeared +blockading this last exit. It looked as though all was up, and those +in the boat saw before them the cheerful prospect of execution as +spies. But Cushing's pluck and self-possession, which had never yet +failed, still stood by him. He resorted to strategy, and, like the +hunted fox, threw his pursuers off the track by doubling. He made a +dash so rapid and determined towards the western bar, that all the +boats of the enemy rushed to block that point. For an instant his own +was in the shadow of a cloud. In that instant he had turned, and +headed at full speed for New Inlet. His men were as cool as he. With a +few vigorous pulls the boat shot out into the breakers where the enemy +dared not follow it, and soon after the cutter was hoisted to the +davits of the "Monticello," uninjured, after a stay of three nights in +the heart of the enemy's country. + +It was near the end of the great war that Cushing performed the +greatest feat of daring of his adventurous career; and, as on the +previous occasions, the scene of the exploit was in the waters +tributary to the North Carolina sounds. Early in the spring of 1863 it +became evident to the officers of the Union squadron in the sounds, +that the Confederates were making arrangements to drive the Yankee +ships from those waters, and to re-open the coasting-trade to the +people of North Carolina. The chief source of alarm to the fleet was a +heavy iron-clad which was reported to be building on the Roanoke River +above Plymouth. Full descriptions of this vessel were in the hands of +the Union officers; and they saw clearly that, should she be +completed, no vessel of the sound squadron, nor perhaps the entire +navy, would be able to do battle against her successfully. The river +was too shallow for the war-vessels to go up to the point where the +ram was being built, and the channel at Hatteras Inlet was not deep +enough for iron-clads to be brought in to compete with the enemy when +finished. The naval authorities repeatedly urged the army to send an +expedition to burn the boat; but Major-Gen. Foster, in command of the +department of North Carolina, declared it was of no importance, as the +Confederates would never put it to any use. Time showed a very +different state of affairs. In April, 1864, the ram was completed, and +named the "Albemarle." Her first work was to co-operate with ten +thousand Confederate troops in the recapture of Plymouth, which was +accomplished with very little difficulty. Lieut. Flusser was at +Plymouth with four small gunboats, and remained bravely at his post +as he saw the powerful ram bearing down upon him. It was half-past +three in the morning, and the chill, gray dawn was just breaking over +the earth. Above the river hung a mist, through which the great body +of the ram could be seen coming doggedly down to the conflict. The +"Miami" and "Southfield" were lashed together; and, at the order of +Commander Flusser, they started to meet the iron-clad, firing quickly +and with good aim. The "Albemarle" came on silently, disdaining to +fire a gun. With a crash she struck the "Miami" a glancing blow on the +port-bow, gouging off two great planks. Sliding past the wounded +craft, she plunged into the "Southfield," crushing completely through +her side, so that she began to settle at once. The lashings between +the gunboats parted, and the "Southfield" sank rapidly, carrying part +of her crew with her. As the "Albemarle" crashed into the two vessels, +she fired her bow-gun several times, killing and wounding many of the +Union sailors, and killing Lieut. Flusser. When she turned and made a +second dash for the "Miami," the latter fled down the stream, knowing +that to dare the power of the enemy was mere madness. The "Albemarle" +steamed back to Plymouth, and by her aid the town was easily +recaptured by the Confederates. + +The squadron in the sounds was now in a state of the greatest anxiety. +At any moment the impregnable monster might descend the river and +destroy the frail wooden gunboats at her leisure. Preparations were +made for a desperate battle when the time should come. Captains were +instructed to bring their ships to close quarters with the enemy and +to endeavor to throw powder or shells down her smokestack. Every +possible means by which a wooden steamer might cope with an iron-clad +was provided. + +[Illustration: Destruction of the "Albemarle."] + +On the 5th of May the ram put in an appearance, steaming down the +river. Deliberately she approached within easy range, then let fly a +shot at the "Mattabesett" which knocked her launch to pieces and +wounded several men. The "Mattabesett" ran up to within one hundred +and fifty yards of the "Albemarle," and gave her a broadside of solid +shot from nine-inch Dahlgrens and one hundred-pounder rifles. When +these shot struck a sloping place on the ram's armor, they glanced +off. Those that struck full on the plating simply crumbled to pieces, +leaving no dent to tell of the blow. One beautifully aimed shot struck +the muzzle of one of the cannon on the ram and broke it. The gun +was used throughout the fight, however, as the "Albemarle" carried but +two and could not spare one of them. The "Sassacus" followed in line +of battle. She delivered her broadside in passing. The ram rushed +madly at her, but was evaded by good steering. Then the "Sassacus" in +turn rushed at the ram at full speed, thinking to run her down. She +struck amidships at right angles, and with the crash of the collision +came a hundred-pound shot from the ram, that passed through the wooden +ship from end to end. Still the engines of the "Sassacus" were kept +going, in the hope of pushing the "Albemarle" beneath the water. The +iron-clad careened slowly, the water washed over her after-deck; the +crew of the "Sassacus," far out on the bow, tried vainly to drop +shells and packages of powder down the ram's smoking chimneys. It was +a moment of intense excitement. But the ram was too much for her +assailant. Recovering from the shock of the collision, she slowly +swung around until her bow-gun could be brought to bear on her +tormentor, when she let fly a ponderous bolt. It crashed through the +side of the steamer and plunged into her boiler. In an instant hot, +scalding steam filled the engine-room and spread over the whole ship. +Cries of agony arose on every side. Twenty-one of the crew were +terribly scalded. Nothing remained but retreat; and the "Sassacus" +steamed away from her enemy, after making one of the bravest fights in +naval history. In the mean time the other gunboats were pounding away +at the ram. The "Miami" was trying in vain to get an opportunity to +discharge a large torpedo. Two other vessels were spreading nets about +the great ship, trying to foul the propeller. The action continued +until dark, when the ram withdrew, uninjured and without losing a man. +She had fought alone for three hours against six ships, and had +seriously damaged every one of her adversaries. It must also be +remembered that she carried but two guns. + +The "Albemarle" lay for a long time idle at her moorings in Roanoke +River, feeling sure that at her own pleasure she could go into the +sounds, and complete the destruction of the fleet. Lieut. Cushing, +then twenty-one years old, begged permission to attempt to destroy +her. The authority was gladly granted by the navy department, and +Cushing began making his plans for the adventure. His first plan was +to take a squad of men, with two steam-launches, up the Roanoke, and +blow the ram up by means of a torpedo. The launches were sent from +New York, but one was swamped while crossing Delaware Bay. + +Cushing, however, was not the man to be balked by an accident: so, +cutting down his force one-half, he prepared for the start. Thirteen +officers and men made up the little party which seemed bound to +certain death. The spirit which animated the blue-jackets during the +war may be imagined from the fact that many sailors tried to purchase +the privilege of going on this perilous expedition, by offering their +month's pay to those who had been selected. To understand what a +forlorn hope the little boat-load of men were cherishing, we must +understand what were the defences of the "Albemarle." She lay at a +broad wharf, on which was encamped a large guard of soldiers as well +as her crew. Above and below her, great fires were kept burning on the +shores, to prevent any boat approaching unseen. She was surrounded by +a boom, or "water-fence," of floating logs, about thirty feet from her +hull, to keep off any torpedo-boats. From the mouth of the Roanoke to +her moorings was about eight miles; the shores being lined on either +side by pickets, and a large picket-station being established in +mid-stream about one mile below Plymouth. + +To attempt to penetrate this network of defences seemed to be +foolhardy. Yet Cushing's record for dash and courage, and his +enthusiasm, inspired his comrades with confidence; and they set out +feeling certain of success. On the night of the 27th of October, the +daring band, in their pygmy steamer, steamed rapidly up the river. No +word was spoken aboard. The machinery was oiled until it ran +noiselessly; and not a light shone from the little craft, save when +the furnace-door was hastily opened to fire up. The Confederate +sentries on the bank saw nothing of the party; and, even when they +passed the picket schooners near the wreck of the "Southfield," they +were unchallenged, although they could see the schooners, and hear the +voices of the men, not more than twenty yards away. Not until they +came into the fitful glare of the firelight were they seen, and then +quick hails came from the sentries on the wharf and the "Albemarle's" +decks. But the light on the shore aided the adventurers by showing +them the position of the ram. They dashed up alongside, amid a shower +of bullets that seemed to fill the air. On the decks of the ram all +was confusion, the alarm rattles were sprung, the bell rung violently. +The launch running alongside came into contact with the row of logs, +and sheered off to make a dash over it. Cushing, who on these +dangerous expeditions was like a schoolboy on a holiday, answered with +ridicule all hails. "Go ashore for your lives," "Surrender yourselves, +or I shall sink you," he cried, as the gunners on the ram trained a +heavy gun on the little launch. Now she was headed straight for the +ram, and had a run of thirty yards before striking the boom. She +reached, and dashed over. Cushing, standing in the stern, held in one +hand the tiller ropes, in the other the lanyard of the torpedo. He +looked up, saw the muzzle of a heavy gun trained directly on his boat: +one convulsive pull of the rope, and with a roar the torpedo exploded +under the hull of the "Albemarle," just as a hundred-pound shot +crashed through the bottom of his boat. In a second the launch had +disappeared; her crew were struggling in the waves, or lying dead +beneath them, and the "Albemarle" with a mortal wound was sinking to +the bottom. + +Cushing swam to the middle of the river, and headed down stream. Most +of his companions were killed, captured, or drowned. In the middle of +the stream he met Woodman, who had followed him on previous +expeditions. Woodman was almost exhausted. Cushing supported him as +long as he was able, but was forced to leave him, and the sailor sank +to the bottom. The young lieutenant floated down the river until at +last he reached the shore, exhausted and faint from a wound in his +wrist. He lay half covered with water in a swamp until daylight. While +there he heard two Confederate officers who passed say that the +"Albemarle" was a total wreck. That news gave him new energy, and he +set about getting safely away. Through the thick undergrowth of the +swamp he crawled for some hours, until he found a negro who gave him +shelter and food. Then he plunged again into the swamp, and walked on +until he captured a skiff from a Rebel picket; and with this he safely +reached the fleet,--the only one of the thirteen who set out two days +before. So ended the most wonderful adventure of the war. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + + THE BLOCKADE-RUNNERS. -- NASSAU AND WILMINGTON. -- WORK OF THE + CRUISERS. + + +While it is undeniably true that the naval battles of the civil war +were in many cases unimportant as compared with the gigantic +operations of the mighty armies in Virginia and Tennessee, yet there +was one service performed by the navy, alone and unaided, which +probably, more than any thing else, led to the final subjugation of +the South. This was the blockade. + +To fully appreciate what a terrible weapon the blockade is when +energetically pursued, one need only look at the condition of the +South during the latter years of the war. Medicines were almost +unattainable for love or money. Salt was more carefully hoarded than +silver. Woollen goods for clothing were not to be had. Nothing that +could not be produced by the people of the revolted States could be +obtained at their markets. Their whole territory was in a state of +siege, surrounded by a barrier only a little less unrelenting than the +iron circle the Germans drew around besieged Paris. + +Almost the first war measure of Abraham Lincoln was to declare the +ports of the Confederacy in a state of blockade. At first this seemed +a rash proclamation, and one which could not be sustained by the force +at the command of the Federals. It is a rule of warfare, that +"blockades, to be binding, must be effective;" that is, it is not +lawful for a nation with a small fleet to declare an enemy's coast in +a state of blockade, and then capture such trading-vessels as may +happen to run in the way of its cruisers. The nation must have a large +enough fleet to station vessels before each of the principal harbors +of the enemy, and to maintain a constant and vigilant patrol up and +down his coast. If this cannot be done, the blockade is called a +"paper blockade," and merchantmen are justified in attempting to evade +it. An instance of a "paper blockade" occurred during the early months +of the civil war, which will illustrate this point. Wilmington, N.C., +was throughout the war one of the favorite ports for blockade-runners. +From its situation, the many entrances to its harbor, and other +natural advantages, it was the most difficult of all the Southern +ports to keep guarded. With the rest of the Confederate ports, +Wilmington was declared blockaded; but it was long after, before a +suitable blockading-fleet was stationed there. In July, 1861, the +British brig "Herald" left Wilmington without molestation. When two +days out, she ran across a United States man-of-war, that promptly +captured her. The courts, however, decided that a port so little +guarded as Wilmington was at that time could not be legally called +blockaded, and the brig was therefore released. + +But it did not take many months for the energetic men of the Navy +Department to get together such a fleet of boats of all kinds as to +enable them to effectually seal all the ports of the Confederacy. A +blockading vessel need not be of great strength or powerful armament. +All that is necessary is that she should be swift, and carry a gun +heavy enough to overawe any merchantman that might attempt to run the +blockade. And as such vessels were easy to improvise out of tug-boats, +ferry-boats, yachts, and other small craft, it came about that by the +last of 1861, the people of the seaport towns of the South, looking +seaward from their deserted wharves, could see two or three Federal +cruisers lying anchored off the outer bar, just out of reach of the +guns of shore-batteries. It was a service of no little danger for the +blue-jackets. The enemy were ever on the alert to break the blockade +by destroying the ships with torpedoes. Iron-clad rams were built on +the banks of the rivers, and sent down to sink and destroy the vessels +whose watchfulness meant starvation to the Confederacy. The +"Albemarle" and the "Merrimac" were notable instances of this course +of attack. But the greatest danger which the sailors had to encounter +was the peril of being wrecked by the furious storms which continually +ravage the Atlantic coast. The sailor loves the open sea in a blow; +but until the civil war, no captain had ever dared to lie tugging at +his cables within a mile or two of a lee shore, with a stiff +north-easter lashing the sea into fury. In the blockading service of +our great naval war, the war of 1812, the method in vogue was to keep +a few vessels cruising up and down the coast; and, when it came on to +blow, these ships would put out into the open sea and scud for some +other point. But in '61 we had hundreds of vessels stationed along the +enemy's coast; and where a ship was stationed, there she stayed, to +meet the fury of the wind and waves by putting out more anchors, and +riding out at her cables storms that would have blown the blockader of +1812 hundreds of miles from her post. + +In the earlier years of the war the blockade-runners were nearly all +sailing-vessels, schooners, and brigs, that were easily captured. But +when the supplies of the South became exhausted, and the merchants of +England began building ships especially for this purpose, the duty of +the blockading squadron became exciting and often very profitable. The +business assumed such proportions that half the shipyards in England +were engaged in turning out fast steamers to engage in it. At first it +was the custom to send goods in regular ocean-steamers from England to +the blockaded port; but this was soon abandoned, as the risk of +capture on the long run across the Atlantic was too great. Not until +the plan was adopted of shipping the goods to some neutral port along +our coast, and there transferring the cargo to some small, swift +vessel, and making the run into the Confederate port in a few hours, +did the business of blockade-running become very extensive. Goods +shipped for a neutral point were in no danger of being captured by our +cruisers, and therefore the danger of the long trans-Atlantic passage +was done away with. + +[Illustration: Nassau: The Haunt of the Blockade-Runners.] + +Of these neutral points which served as way-stations for the +blockade-runners, there were four on or near our coast,--the Bermuda +Islands, which lie about seven hundred miles east of Charleston; Nassau, +which is off the coast of Florida, and a little more than five hundred +miles southeast of Charleston; Havana; and the little Mexican town of +Matamoras on the Rio Grande, opposite Brownsville, Texas. The Bermudas +were to some extent used, but their distance from the coast made them +inconvenient as compared with Nassau or Matamoras. Their chief trade was +with Wilmington, which became a favorite port during the latter years of +the war. Havana was popular for a time, and at first sight would appear +to be admirably placed for a blockade-runners' rendezvous. But, though +the coast of Florida was but one hundred miles distant, it was +surrounded by dangerous reefs, its harbors were bad and far apart, and +there were no railroads in the southern part of the State to transport +the contraband goods after they were landed. Besides, Key West, the +naval station of the Union forces in the South, was unpleasantly near, +and the gulf blockade was maintained with more rigor than that on the +Atlantic coast. Matamoras was peculiarly well situated for a +blockade-running point. It is on the Mexican side of the Rio Grande +River, about forty miles above its mouth. Goods once landed could be +shipped in barges and lighters across the river in absolute safety, +since heavy batteries prevented the cruisers of the gulf-squadron from +entering the river. As a result of this trade, Matamoras became a +thriving place. Hundreds of vessels lay in its harbor, where now it is +unusual to see five at a time. For four years its streets were crowded +with heavy freight vans, while stores and hotels reaped a rich harvest +from the sailors of the vessels engaged in the contraband traffic. Now +it is as quiet and sleepy a little town as can be found in all the +drowsy land of Mexico. + +But the true paradise of the blockade-runners was Nassau, the chief +port of the Bahama Islands, and a colony of Great Britain. Here all +the conditions necessary to successfully evade the blockade were to be +found. The flag that waved over the island was that of a nation +powerful enough to protect its citizens, and to enforce the laws +relative to neutrality. Furthermore, Great Britain was undoubtedly in +sympathy with the Confederates; and so far from prohibiting the +efforts of her citizens to keep up trade with the blockaded ports, she +encouraged and aided them in every way in her power. And aside from +her mere sympathy with the struggles of the young Confederacy, England +had a most powerful incentive to break down the blockade. In +Manchester the huge cotton-mills, employing thousands of hands, were +shut down for lack of cotton, and the mill-hands were starving for +lack of work; while shut up in the blockaded ports of the South were +tons upon tons of the fleecy staple, that, once in England, would be +worth its weight in gold. It was small wonder that the merchants of +England set to work deliberately to fit out blockade-runners, that +they might again get their mills running, and their people fed. + +[Illustration: Cotton Ships at Nassau.] + +The years of the war were lively times for the little town of Nassau. +Hardly had the proclamation of President Lincoln announcing the +blockade of all Confederate ports been issued, when at a bound Nassau +became prominent as the point of all most suitable for a +blockade-runners' rendezvous. Its harbor and the surrounding waters +were deep enough for merchant-vessels, but too shallow to allow much +cruising about by warships of heavy armament. It was within a few +hours' running of three Confederate ports, and it was protected by the +flag of Great Britain. Early in the war the Confederates established a +consulate in the little town, and the Stars and Stripes and the Stars +and Bars waved within a few rods of each other. Then great +shipping-houses of Liverpool sent over agents, and established branch +houses. Great warehouses and wharves were built Soon great ocean ships +and steamers began unloading their cargoes at these wharves. Then +swift, rakish schooners began to drop into the harbor, and after +discharging heavy loads of cotton would take on cargoes of English +goods, and slip out at nightfall to begin the stealthy dash past the +watching gunboats. As the war went on, and the profits of the trade +increased with its dangers, a new style of craft began to appear in +the little harbor. These were the Clyde built blockade-runners, on +which the workmen of the Clyde shipyards had been laboring day and +night to get them ready before the war should end. They were long, +low, piratical looking craft, with two smoke-stacks raking aft, and +with one or two masts for showing signals, for they never hoisted a +sail. Two huge paddle-boxes towered above the deck amidships, the +wheels being of enormous size. No structure of any kind encumbered the +deck. Even the steersman stood unsheltered at a wheel in the bow. They +were painted dark gray, and at night could slip unseen along the water +within a stone's-throw of the most watchful lookout on a man-of-war. +They burned great quantities of a kind of coal that gave out no smoke, +and when steaming at night not a light was allowed on board. Many of +these strange craft can be seen now along the levees at New Orleans, +or at the wharves in Mobile, where they are used as excursion-steamers +or for tug-boats. They were always the merest shells, fitted only for +carrying freight, as not many passengers were to be found who desired +to be taken into the Confederate territory. Occasionally, however, +some soldier of fortune from abroad would drift from Nassau, and +thence to the mainland, to join the armies of the Confederacy. The +Confederate agents on the island were always on the lookout for such +adventurers, and were ever ready to aid them. Sometimes, too, +returning agents of the Confederacy from Europe would make the run +through the blockading-fleet; so that the blockade-runners were seldom +without two or three passengers, poor though their accommodations +might be. For the voyage from Nassau to Wilmington, three hundred +dollars passage money was charged, or more than fifty cents a mile. To +guard against treachery, passage could only be obtained through the +Confederate consul, who carefully investigated the proofs of each +applicant's identity before issuing to him a ticket. + +When the blockade-runner had taken her cargo and passengers aboard, +and was prepared for her voyage, every one in the little town came +down to the docks to see her start. It was a populace strongly +Southern in feeling that filled the streets of Nassau, and nothing but +good wishes were to be heard on every side. Perhaps from a house on +the hillside, over which floated the Stars and Stripes, the United +States consul might be watching through a spyglass the movements of +the steamer, and wishing in his heart that she might fall in with +some Yankee cruiser; but nevertheless, under his very eyes, the +audacious racer slips out, and starts on her stealthy voyage. On +leaving the harbor, a quick run of fifteen or twenty miles would be +taken along the coast, to try the machinery. Great care would be taken +to keep within British waters, lest some watchful gunboat should seize +the prize thus early in her career. When every thing proved in good +working trim, the little vessel's prow would be turned northward, and +the perilous voyage begun. For the first day, little danger was to be +expected, and the voyage was generally so timed that the outer line of +blockaders would be reached just after nightfall. A soldier going to +enlist in one of the Confederate cavalry regiments thus tells the +story of his evasion of the blockade. + +"After a favorable voyage we reached the desired point off Wilmington +at the proper time. A brief stoppage was made, when soon the final +preparations were completed for running the gauntlet of the Federal +blockaders, who would become visible shortly, as we approached nearer +shore. All the lights in the steamer were extinguished, and all +passengers ordered below, only the officers and crew being permitted +to remain on deck. The furnaces were replenished with carefully +selected coal, which would give the greatest amount of heat and the +least smoke. The last orders were given, and every man was at his +appointed place. Presently the boilers hissed, and the paddle-wheels +began to revolve faster and faster, as the fleet little steamer rose +higher and higher in the water from the immense force of the rapid +strokes; she actually felt like a horse gathering himself up under you +for a great leap. After a little while, the few faint sounds from the +deck which we could hitherto faintly catch in the cabin ceased +altogether, and there was the stillness of death except for the sounds +necessarily made by the movements of the machinery. Then we realized +that we were running for our lives past the line of cruisers, and that +at any moment a big shell might come crashing through our cabin, +disagreeably lighting up the darkness in which we were sitting. Our +suspense was prolonged for some minutes longer, when the speed was +slackened, and finally we stopped altogether. Even then we did not +know whether we were safely through the lines, or whether we had been +brought to under the guns of a hostile ship, for we could distinguish +nothing whatever through the portholes. However, we were soon released +from the cabin, and walked on deck, to find ourselves safely through +the blockade. In the offing could be descried several of the now +harmless blockaders, and near at hand lay the coast of North Carolina. +Soon the gray dawn was succeeded by a brilliant, lovely sunrise, which +lighted up cheerfully the low-lying shores and earthworks bristling +with artillery, while from a fort near by floated the Southern Cross, +the symbol of the glorious cause for which we had come to fight." + +When the blockade-runner, after safely running the gauntlet of the +warships, steamed leisurely up to the wharves of the blockaded town, +every one rushed to the docks to greet her. Her captain and crew +became at once people of great importance. They were beset on every +side for news of the great world outside. The papers that they brought +in were bought eagerly by the people, hungering for tidings of +something else than the interminable war. The sailors of the steamer, +on being paid off, rambled about the streets of the city, spending +their money royally, and followed by a train of admiring hangers-on. +The earnings of the sailors in case of a successful voyage were +immense. A thousand dollars for the four or five days' trip was +nothing unusual for common seamen, while the captain often received +eight or nine thousand. But the risk of capture, with the confiscation +of all property, and some months' imprisonment in a Federal fortress, +rather marred the attractiveness of the nefarious trade. The profits +of a successful voyage to the owner of the ship and cargo were +enormous. One of the steamers, specially built for the trade, at large +cost, has been known to pay for herself fully in one voyage. Indeed, +the profits must have been huge to induce merchants to take the risk +of absolutely losing a ship and cargo worth half a million of dollars. +It is certain, too, that throughout the war the number of vessels +captured, while trying to run the blockade, was far in excess of those +that succeeded. Up to the end of 1863 the Federal Secretary of the +Navy reported 1,045 vessels captured, classified as follows: +schooners, 547; steamers, 179; sloops, 117; brigs, 30; barks, 26; +ships, 15; yachts and boats, 117. Of course, most of these were small, +coastwise vessels. Even among the steamers captured, there were but +few of the fleet-going, English-built craft. + +There was no small amount of smuggling carried on between the ports of +the North and the blockaded ports. The patriotism of the Northern +merchant was not always so great as to prevent his embarking in the +traffic which he saw enriching his English competitor. Many of the +schooners captured started from Northern ports and worked their way +along the coast until that chain of inlets, sounds, and bayous was +reached, which borders the coast south of Chesapeake Bay. Once inside +the bar, the smuggler could run at his leisure for any of the little +towns that stood on the banks of the rivers of Virginia and North +Carolina. The chase of one of these little vessels was a dreary duty +to the officers of the blockading-ships. The fugitives were fast +clippers of the models that made Maine shipbuilders famous, until the +inauguration of steam-navigation made a gracefully modelled hull +immaterial as compared with powerful machinery. Even when the great, +lumbering warship had overhauled the flying schooner so as to bring a +gun to bear on her, the little boat might suddenly dash into some +inlet or up a river, where the man-of-war, with her heavy draught, +could not hope to follow. And if captured, the prize was worth but +little, and the prize-money, that cheers the sailors' hearts, was but +small. But the chase and capture of one of the swift Clyde-built +steamers was a different matter. Perhaps a lookout in the maintop of a +cruiser, steaming idly about the Atlantic, between Nassau and +Wilmington, would spy, far off on the horizon, a black speck, moving +swiftly along the ocean. No curling smoke would tell of the +blockade-runner's presence, and nothing could be seen until the hull +of the steamer itself was perceptible. With the quick hail of the +lookout, the man-of-war would head for the prize, and start in hot +pursuit. Certain it is that the smuggler started to fly before the +watchful lookout on the cruiser caught sight of her. The towering +masts and capacious funnels of the man-of-war, with the cloud of black +smoke from her furnaces, made her a conspicuous object at distances +from which the smuggler would be invisible. With the blockade-runners +the rule was to avoid any sail, no matter how innocent it might seem; +and the appearance of a cloud of smoke on the horizon was the signal +for an immediate change of course, and a flight for safety. When the +chase began in this way, the cruiser had but little chance of making a +capture, for the superior speed of the merchant-vessel would quickly +carry her out of sight. Sometimes, however, a favorable wind would +enable the pursuer to use her sails, and then the chase would become +exciting. With a cloud of canvas set, the man-of-war would gradually +overhaul the flying vessel; and when within range, the great bow-gun +would be cleared, and with a roar a shell would be sent flying after +the prize. All hands would watch its course anxiously. Generally it +fell short. Then another and another messenger would be sent to the +enemy, which seldom struck the mark, for gunnery on a rough sea is a +difficult art. But the blockade-runner can't stand being used for +target-practice long. The cool head of her captain begins to +deliberate upon means of getting out of range. Mere running before the +wind won't do it: so he makes a long detour, and doubles on his +course, heading directly into the teeth of the breeze. Now the cruiser +is at a disadvantage. Her sail-power gone, she stands no chance of +capturing her game. Her shells begin to fall far short of the +smuggler, and soon she ceases firing altogether; and the +blockade-runner, driven hundreds of miles out of her course, but safe +for the time, goes on her way rejoicing. + +[Illustration: Blockade-Runner in North Carolina Sounds.] + +One of the most brilliant captures of the war was that of the +blockade-runner "Young Republic," by the United States gunboat "Grand +Gulf." The "Young Republic" succeeded in evading the watchfulness of +the blockading-squadron about the mouth of the Cape Fear River, and +under cover of the night ran in safely to the anchorage under the guns +of the Confederate forts. The baffled blockaders saw her moving slowly +up the river, while the cannon of the forts on either side thundered +out salutes to the daring vessel that brought precious supplies to the +Confederacy. But the blockading-squadron, though defeated for the +time, determined to wait and catch her when she came out. Accordingly +the "Grand Gulf," one of the fastest of the United States vessels, was +stationed at the mouth of the river, with orders to watch for the +"Young Republic." A week passed, and there was no sign of her. At +last, one bright day, the lookout in the tops saw the mast and funnel +of a steamer moving along above the forest which lined the river's +bank. Soon the hull of the vessel came into view; and with a rattle of +hawse-chains, her anchors were let fall, and she swung to beneath the +protecting guns of the fort. It was clear that she was going to wait +there until a dark or foggy night gave her a good chance to slip past +the gunboat that watched the river's mouth as a cat watches the mouth +of a mouse-hole. With their marine glasses the officers on the gunboat +could see the decks of the "Young Republic" piled high with brown +bales of cotton, worth immense sums of money. They thought of the huge +value of the prize, and the grand distribution of prize-money, and +determined to use every effort to make a capture. Strategy was +determined upon, and it was decided to give the blockade-runner the +chance to get out of the river that she was awaiting. Accordingly the +gunboat steamed away up the coast a few miles, leaving the mouth of +the river clear. When hidden by a projecting headland, she stopped and +waited for the blockade-runner to come out. The stokers were kept hard +at work making the great fires roar, until the steam-gauge showed the +highest pressure the boilers could bear. The sailors got out +additional sails, clewed up cordage and rigging, and put the ship in +order for a fast run. When enough time had elapsed, she steamed out to +see if the "Young Republic" had taken the bait. Officers and crew +crowded forward to catch the first sight around the headland. The +great man-of-war sped through the water. The headland was rounded, and +a cheer went up from the crowd of jackies; for there, in the offing, +was the blockade-runner, gliding through the water like a dolphin, and +steaming for dear life to Nassau. Then the chase began in earnest. The +"Young Republic" was one of those long, sharp steamers built on the +Clyde expressly for running the blockade. Her crew knew that a long +holiday in port, with plenty of money, would follow a successful +cruise; and they worked untiringly to keep up the fires, and set every +sail so that it would draw. On the cruiser the jackies saw visions of +a prize worth a million and a half of dollars; and the thought of so +much prize-money to spend, or to send home, spurred them on. For +several hours the chase seemed likely to be a long, stern one; but +then the freshening wind filled the sails of the gunboat, and she +began to overhaul the fugitive. When within a mile or two, she began +firing great shells with her pivot-gun. Then the flying +blockade-runner began to show signs of fear; and with a good glass the +crew could be seen throwing over bale after bale of the precious +cotton, to lighten the vessel. In the last thirty miles of the chase +the sea was fairly covered with cotton-bales. More than three hundred +were passed floating in the water; and the jackies gnashed their +teeth, and growled gruffly, at the sight of so much wealth slipping +through their fingers. On the high paddle-wheel box of the +blockade-runner, the captain could be seen coolly directing his crew, +and now and again turning to take a look through his glass at the +pursuer. As the chase continued, the certainty of capture became more +and more evident. Then the fugitives began throwing overboard or +destroying every thing of value: furniture, silver-ware, +chronometers, the fittings of the cabin, every thing that could +benefit their captors, the chagrined blockade-runners destroyed. The +officers of the gunboat saw that if they wished to gain any thing by +their capture, they must make haste. At the risk of an explosion, more +steam was crowded on; and the gunboat was soon alongside the "Young +Republic," and in a position to give her an enormous broadside. The +blockade-runner saw that he was caught and must submit. For lack of a +white flag, a pillow-case was run up to the masthead, and the beating +of the great wheels stopped. The davits amidships of the "Grand Gulf" +are swung out, and a boat's crew, with a lieutenant and dapper +midshipman, climb in. A quick order, "Let fall there," and the boat +drops into the water, and is headed for the prize. Another moment, and +the stars and stripes supplant the pillow-case waving from the +masthead of the "Young Republic." An officer who went into the +boiler-room found that the captured crew had planned to blow up the +vessel by tying down the safety-valve, so that an enormous pressure of +steam strained the boilers almost to bursting. A quick blow of a +hatchet, and that danger was done away with. Then, with a prize-crew +on board, the "Young Republic" started on her voyage to New York; +while the "Grand Gulf" returned to Wilmington to hunt for fresh game. + +[Illustration: Pursuing a Blockade-Runner.] + +A curious capture was that of the British schooner "Francis," which +was running between Nassau and the coast of Florida. On her last trip +she was nearing the coast, when she fell in with a fishing-smack, and +was warned that a Federal gunboat was not far away. Still she kept on +her course until sundown, when the breeze went down, and she lay +becalmed. The gunboat had been steaming into inlets and lagoons all +day, and had not sighted the schooner. When night came on, she steamed +out into the open sea, within a quarter of a mile of the +blockade-runner, and, putting out all lights, lay to for the night. +Those on the schooner could see the gunboat, but the lookout on the +cruiser did not see the blockade-runner. Soon a heavy fog came up, and +entirely hid the vessels from each other. The blockade-runners could +only hope that a breeze might spring up, and enable them to escape. +But now a curious thing occurred. It almost seems as if two vessels on +the ocean exercise a magnetic attraction for each other so often do +collisions occur where there seems room for all the navies of the +world to pass in review. So it was this night. The anxious men on +the schooner soon found that the two vessels were drifting together, +and they were absolutely powerless to prevent it. At midnight, though +they could see nothing, they could hear the men on the gunboat +talking. Two hours after, the schooner nestled gently up by the side +of the gunboat; and a slight jar gave its crew their first intimation +that a prize was there, simply waiting to be taken. All they had to do +was to climb over the railing. This was promptly done, and the +disgusted blockade-runners were sent below as prisoners. Half an hour +later came a breeze that would have carried them safely to port. + +The gray sea-fogs played many scurvy tricks with the +blockading-fleets, often letting the runners in right under the +muzzles of the great guns. It was far easier to spy out a vessel in +the darkest night than in the thick gray fog that enveloped all +objects like a blanket. One of the strangest of all the pranks played +by the fog occurred in December, 1863, in Charleston Harbor. A wary +blockade-runner was creeping out of the harbor, within easy range of +the great guns of the fleet, and all hands were trembling, lest at any +minute should come the flash of a gun, and shriek of a shell, bearing +a peremptory command to heave to. Suddenly the flash came, and was +followed by the bang! bang! of great guns from all quarters of the +fleet. But the fire seemed pointed in another direction; and the +runner made the best of her way out to sea, thinking that some less +fortunate vessel, trying to come in on the other side of the fleet, +had been captured or blown out of the water. It turned out that a +small fog-bank had taken the form of a gray steamer moving swiftly +over the water, and had been fiercely cannonaded by the whole Federal +fleet. This occurrence gave the Confederates an idea; and they began +sending out dummies to engage the fleet, while the true +blockade-runners would slip out unobserved in the excitement. One +night as the tide was running out with great force, an old hulk was +cut adrift from a wharf, and drifted down rapidly upon the Federal +fleet. It was just after the exploits of the "Merrimac" had made +Confederate rams famous, and the naval officers were a little nervous. +The hulk drifted quite into the midst of the fleet before being +observed; and when she was hailed she bore down on the largest of the +men-of-war as though she were a powerful ram, steered by a commander +of desperate bravery. The great gunboat's deck rang with the bo's'n's +whistle, as the crew were piped to repel boarders, and to their +quarters at the guns. A fierce fire was poured on the hostile craft, +that came on sullenly, as if scorning to make reply. One by one the +other vessels of the fleet drew near, and concentrated their fire on +the wretched lumber schooner. It was too much for her; and she gave up +the unequal combat, and sank to the bottom. For days after, the +gallant tars of the squadron blockading Charleston rejoiced in the +destruction of a "Rebel ram;" but none of them knew, that, while they +were engaged in the desperate contest, two great blockade-runners, +heavily laden with cotton, had slipped out of the harbor, and were +well under way for Nassau. + +Stories of adventure and of desperate pluck and dash abound in the +records of the blockade. Both among the officers of the +blockading-fleets, and the commanders of the runners, were found great +courage and fine seamanship. One fact is particularly noticeable to +the student of the blockade: an English captain running the blockade +would never dare the dangers that a Confederate would brave without a +tremor. A Confederate captain would rush his ship through the hostile +fleet, and stick to her until she sunk; while an Englishman would run +his ship ashore, and take to the woods. The cases of the "Hattie," +commanded by H. S. Lebby, a Confederate, and the "Princess Royal," a +fine, staunch, iron steamer, with an English commander and crew, are +typical. The "Hattie" was the last runner to enter or leave Charleston +Harbor. She was a small, swift steamer; but she made more successful +trips than any other runner. Men living in Charleston to-day, who were +interested in the work of this little vessel during the war, say that +her cargoes were worth at least fifty millions of dollars. She had +numerous narrow escapes, but was never captured. Her reputation was +such that the Confederate authorities selected her as the vessel to +bring in army supplies and ammunition, and at least three battles were +fought with ammunition brought in her hold. Her last entrance to +Charleston was one night in February, 1865. Eighteen Federal vessels +lay anchored off the harbor, and for a runner to venture in seemed +madness. But the captain of the "Hattie" was used to taking desperate +chances, and he proposed to enter that harbor. The ship had been +freshly painted a blue-white, and as she drifted along the water, with +all lights out, looked like a bank of mist. She was within two hundred +yards of the outer row of blockaders before her presence was detected. +Suddenly fire was opened on her from the nearest gunboat, and in an +instant the air was full of rockets announcing her presence. The +little vessel had no means of retaliation: all there was for her to do +was to dash through the fire and make for the city. Steam was crowded +on; and she flew up the channel, running the gauntlet of the fleet, +and escaping almost untouched. Then came the real peril. Just below +Fort Sumter were two barges anchored in the channel, and filled with +armed men. Past these she dashed, her great speed saving her from +boarding; but she received the fire of both boats, which wounded +several of her crew, and cut off the fingers of the pilot's hand +resting on the wheel. This danger past, there was one more to be met. +A large monitor lay anchored up the harbor, and the "Hattie" was +running so close to her that the commands of the officers in the +turret could be clearly heard. One after the other the two great guns +were fired, both shots missing; and the "Hattie," safely past the +gauntlet, sailed up to the dock in triumph. But by that time it was +clear that the last days of the war were near at hand, and accordingly +the work of unloading and reloading the vessel for her outward trip +was pressed with the greatest vigor. All the time she lay at her dock, +Charleston was being vigorously bombarded by the Federal men-of-war +lying outside the harbor. The bay fairly swarmed with blockading +cruisers; yet a week later the little steamer slipped out through a +fleet of twenty-six cruisers without being hailed, and carried her +cotton safely to market. When the news of Lee's surrender was +received, she was lying safe at her dock in Nassau. + +The "Princess Royal," to which we have alluded, was a large iron screw +steamer, freighted with drugs, army supplies, guns, and two engines +and boilers for two iron-clads in Charleston Harbor,--a most valuable +and important cargo for the Confederates. She made the run from Nassau +to a point near the coast without adventure, and in the early gray of +the morning was stealing up the coast towards the harbor, when a +blockader caught sight of her, and started in pursuit. The later began +firing when a mile and a half away; and, though there was hardly a +chance of the shots taking effect, the cannonade gave the captain of +the runner the cold shakes. His boat was one of the fastest on the +ocean, and he needed only to put on steam to escape all the blockaders +on the coast. But he was a thorough paced coward; and, thinking only +of his own safety, he headed the craft for the beach, and with his +crew fled into the woods. The valuable ship and her cargo fell into +the hands of the Federals. + +Sometimes runners were captured through apparently the most trivial +accidents. One ship, heavily laden with army supplies, and carrying a +large number of passengers, was running through the blockading-fleet, +and seemed sure of escape. All lights were out, the passengers were in +the cabin, not a word was to be heard on deck, even the commands of +the officers being delivered in whispers. Suddenly a prolonged +cock-crow rent the air, and, with the silence of every thing +surrounding, sounded like a clarion peal from a trumpet. The +deck-hands rushed for a box of poultry on the deck, and dragged out +bird after bird, wringing their necks. The true offender was almost +the last to be caught, and avenged the deaths of his brothers by +crowing vigorously all the time. The noise was enough to alarm the +blockaders; and in a moment the hail, "Surrender, or we'll blow you +out of water!" brought the unlucky runner to a standstill,--a +prisoner. The "Southern Cross" narrowly escaped capture on account of +the stupidity of an Irish deck-hand, whose craving for tobacco proved +too strong for his discretion. The ship was steaming slyly by two +cruisers, and in the darkness would have escaped unseen, when the +deck-hand, who had been without a smoke as long as he could stand it, +lit a match and puffed away at his pipe. The tiny flame was enough for +the cruisers, and they began a spirited cannonade. The "Southern +Cross" ran for her life. The shooting was guess-work, but the gunners +on the cruisers showed all the proverbial Yankee skill at guessing. +The first ball carried away the roof of the pilot-house, and the +second ripped away the railing along the deck for thirty feet. But the +captain was plucky, and made a run for it. He was forced to pass +within a hundred feet of one of the cruisers; and as he saw the +muzzles of the great guns bearing on his ship, he heard the command, +"Heave to, or I'll sink you." But he took his chances, and escaped +with only the damage caused by a solid shot crashing through the hull. + +One of the strangest experiences of all was that of the captain of a +blockade-runner putting in to Wilmington one bitter cold night, when +the snow was blowing in clouds, and the fingers of the men at the +wheel and the sailors on watch were frostbitten. The runner had +reached the harbor safely; but there in channel lay a blockader in +such a position that any ship coming in must pass within a hundred +feet of her. The Confederate had a light-draught vessel, and tried to +squeeze through. When he passed the gunboat, only twelve feet of +space separated the two vessels; and he saw a lookout, with his arms +on the rail, looking right at the passing vessel. The Confederate +expected an immediate alarm, but it did not come. Wondering at the +cause, but happy in his luck, he sped on, and gained the harbor +safely. Some days after, he learned that the lookout was a dead man, +frozen at his post of duty. + +It will readily be understood that the inducements offered to +blockade-runners must have been immense to persuade men to run such +risks. The officers and sailors made money easily, and spent it +royally when they reached Nassau. "I never expect to see such flush +times again in my life," said a blockade-running captain, speaking of +Nassau. "Money was as plentiful as dirt. I have seen a man toss up a +twenty-dollar gold piece on "heads or tails," and it would be followed +by a score of the yellow boys in five seconds. There were times when +the bank-vaults could not hold all the gold, and the coins were dumped +down by the bushel, and guarded by soldiers. Men wagered, gambled, +drank, and seemed crazy to get rid of their money. I once saw two +captains bet five hundred dollars each on the length of a certain +porch. Again I saw a wager of eight hundred dollars a side as to how +many would be at the dinner-table of a certain hotel. The Confederates +were paying the English big prices for goods, but multiplying the +figures by five, seven, and ten as soon as the goods were landed in +Charleston. Ten dollars invested in quinine in Nassau would bring from +four hundred to six hundred dollars in Charleston. A pair of +four-dollar boots would bring from fourteen to sixteen dollars; a +two-dollar hat would bring eight dollars, and so on through all the +list of goods brought in. Every successful captain might have made a +fortune in a year; but it is not believed that five out of the whole +number had a thousand dollars on hand when the war closed. It was come +easy, go easy." + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + + DUPONT'S EXPEDITION TO HILTON HEAD AND PORT ROYAL. -- THE FIERY + CIRCLE. + + +The great joint naval and military expedition, which in August, 1861, +had reduced the forts at Hatteras Inlet, and, continuing its progress, +had, by successive victories, brought Roanoke Island, Newbern, +Elizabeth City, and the Sounds of Pamlico and Albemarle under the sway +of the Federal Government, was but the first of a series of +expeditions intended to drive the Confederates from the Atlantic +seaboard, and secure for the United States vessels safe harbors and +coaling stations in the bays and inlets along the South Atlantic +coast. The proper maintenance of the blockade made it necessary that +the seaboard should be in the hands of the Federals. For a blockader +off Charleston or Wilmington to be forced to return to Hampton Roads +to coal or to make repairs, would entail the loss of weeks, perhaps +months, of valuable time. Besides, the sounds and inlets with which +that irregular coast is honeycombed were of great use to the +Confederates, who could construct at their leisure great rams like the +"Merrimac" or "Albemarle," and hurl them against the fleet with the +hope of breaking the blockade. Such opportunities were eagerly seized +by the Confederates whenever offered; and in many cases the defeating +of their purposes seems almost providential, so great was the seeming +disparity between the attacking ram and the forces which finally +repulsed it. + +In reviewing the part of the navy in the civil war, we find that it +acted like a great iron band, ever drawing closer and closer about the +Confederacy, forcing the Southern armies from one point after another, +until at last the whole coast was in the hands of the Unionists, and +the Confederates were driven into the interior, there to be dealt with +by the Northern armies. One is reminded of that iron chamber in Poe's +story, which day by day grows smaller and smaller, until the wretched +prisoner within is forced into the pit yawning in the centre. So, +during the war, the Confederates lost Hatteras Inlet, Roanoke Island, +Hilton Head, Fernandina, Mobile, New Orleans, and Galveston +comparatively early in the struggle. Wilmington, behind the almost +impregnable bastions of Fort Fisher, and Charleston, surrounded by a +cordon of defensive forts, remained the last strongholds of the +Confederacy on the Atlantic coast, until the final downfall of the +great uprising. + +Shortly after the capture of the Hatteras Forts, the navy department +saw the need of a harbor and base of naval operations farther south. +Charleston, with its powerful defences, was deemed impregnable at that +time; and elaborate descriptions of the Southern coast were prepared, +setting forth the advantages and disadvantages of available Southern +ports. Fernandina, Brunswick, Port Royal, and Bull's Bay, were duly +considered; and, while the Navy Department was debating which point to +seize, Admiral Dupont was diligently fitting out an expedition to be +in readiness to attack any that should be determined upon. Up to the +last moment it was thought that Fernandina would be selected. But +finally, with the advice of Gen. Sherman, it was determined to make +the attempt to wrest Port Royal from the Confederates. + +Port Royal is the general name given to a broad body of water formed +by the confluence of the Broad and Beaufort Rivers, and opening into +the Atlantic Ocean on the South Carolina coast, about midway between +Charleston and Savannah. No more beautiful region is to be found in +the world. Far enough south to escape the rigors of the northern +winters, and far enough north to be free from the enervating heat of +the tropics; honeycombed by broad, salt-water lagoons, giving moisture +and mildness to the air,--the country about Port Royal is like a great +garden; and even to-day, ravaged though it was by the storms of war, +it shows many traces of its former beauty. It is in this region that +are found the famous Sea Islands, on which grows cotton so much more +fleecy and fine of fibre than the product of the interior, that it is +known the world over as Sea Island cotton, and sells at the highest +price in the markets of England. In '61 the islands bore the great +hospitable manor-houses of the Southern planters; broad of rooms and +wide of piazzas, and always open for the entertainment of travellers, +were they friends or strangers. The planters living there were among +the wealthiest in the South, at a time when all planters were wealthy. +They numbered their slaves by thousands. Standing on the broad piazza +of one of these Southern homes, one could see the rows of rough huts +that made up the negro quarters, and hear faintly the sound of the +banjo and rude negro melodies, mingling with the music of piano or +harp within the parlor of the mansion-house. Refined by education and +travel, the planters of the region about Port Royal made up a courtly +society, until war burst upon them, and reduced their estates to +wildernesses, and themselves to beggary. + +At the head of the Beaufort River stood the little town of Beaufort. +Before the war this was a thriving place; its magnificent harbor made +it easily accessible for the largest merchant-ships, and the richly +productive country round about furnished heavy cargoes of the fleecy +staple that gave to the South the name of the "cotton kingdom." On +Saturdays and holidays the broad streets of Beaufort would be crowded +with carriages and horsemen from the neighboring plantations. The +planters, in broad-brimmed hats and suits of snowy linen, thronged the +broad piazzas of the hotel, or grouped together in the shade of the +spreading trees that lined the streets, discussing the cotton crops +and prices. Now all is changed. Beaufort is a sleepy little village, +with no sign of trade, domestic or foreign; and the country round +about, once dotted with handsome plantation homes, now seems a very +wilderness, save where Northerners have erected for themselves winter +homes on the Sea Islands. + +[Illustration: Fortress Monroe.] + +It was late in October, 1861, when the final determination to attack +the forts at Port Royal was reached. For weeks before, the squadron +lying at Hampton Roads had been making preparations for a great naval +movement, and all the newspapers of the North were filled with wise +speculations as to its objective point. Reporters, correspondents, and +editors were alike baffled in their efforts to secure accurate +information; and even the commanders of the men-of-war were ignorant +of their destination. But it seems that the Confederates were warned +by some of their sympathizers in Washington, and the destination of +the fleet was better known south of Mason and Dixon's line than in the +North. On Tuesday, Oct. 29, the squadron was all ready for the voyage. +It was by far the most powerful fleet ever gathered under the flag of +the United States. Twenty-five vessels laden with coal had sailed the +day before. On the placid waters of the bay, under the frowning walls +of Fortress Monroe, floated fifty men-of-war and transports. The day +was clear, and the breeze brisk, and the hearts of the jolly jack-tars +bounded within them as they thought of escaping from the long +inactivity of a season in port. Long-boats bearing despatches rowed +from ship to ship; hucksters from the shore came off in dories, +dingies, and all variety of queer craft, to drive a farewell bargain +with the sailors. The transport vessels were crowded with soldiers in +the gay uniforms of militia commands. (It was early in the war then, +and they had not learned that a man could fight as well in dingy +rags.) The "Wabash" was flagship, and aboard her was Admiral DuPont. +When she made the signal for getting under way, all was bustle and +animation on all the other vessels of the fleet, and on all sides +could be heard the noise of preparation for the start. The boatswains +piped away cheerily; and a steady tramp, tramp, from the deck of each +ship, and the clicking of the capstan catches, told that the anchors +were coming up. Soon from the black funnels of the steamers clouds of +smoke began to pour, and in the rigging of the sail frigates were +crowds of nimble sailors. The commands "All ready! Let fall!" rang +sharply over the water from the ships. Broad sheets of snowy canvas +appeared where before were but ropes and spars, and in a moment the +whole squadron was under way. The steamers led off briskly, with much +churning of the water by their paddle-wheels and "brazen-fins;" after +them followed the magnificent sailing frigates, with sail set,--lofty +masses of canvas towering toward the skies, and moving with stately +grace. At the very head of all went the flagship, the grand old +"Wabash," with the flag of Admiral DuPont floating from the fore. None +of the commanders knew whither they were bound. All were to follow the +flagship, and in event of separation to refer to sealed orders with +which each was provided. For the first day all went well. The promise +of fair weather given by the beautiful day of starting seemed about to +be fulfilled. But on the second night, as they came near the terrible +region of Cape Hatteras, the wind began to freshen, and continued +increasing in fierceness until it fairly blew a gale. The night was +pitchy dark, and the crews on the vessels could hardly see the craft +by which they were surrounded. Great as was the danger of being cast +on the treacherous shoals of Hatteras, the peril of instant +destruction by collision was even more imminent. Fifty vessels, +heavily freighted with human lives, were pitching and tossing within a +few rods of each other, and within a few miles of a lee shore. It +seemed that the destruction of a large number of the vessels was +unavoidable; and the sailors may be pardoned, if, remembering the +mishaps of the Burnside expedition, they conceived Hatteras to be +tenanted by an evil spirit, determined to prevent the invasion of +Confederate territory. To add to the danger, the Confederates had +extinguished the warning light at the Cape, and the navigators of the +fleet had nothing to guide them in their course. When morning came, +the fleet was pretty well scattered, although still many vessels were +near enough together to be in no small danger. The transport "Winfield +Scott," which carried four hundred and fifty soldiers, besides a large +crew, was observed to be rolling heavily, and flying signals of +distress. From the decks of the "Bienville," the nearest steamer, the +officers with their glasses could see the crew of the distressed +vessel working like beavers, throwing overboard every thing of weight +to lighten the ship. Notwithstanding all their efforts, she was +clearly water-logged, and sunk so low in the water that wave after +wave broke over her decks, every now and then sweeping a man away to +sure death in the raging sea. It seemed folly to attempt to launch +lifeboats in such a furious sea, but the captain of the "Bienville" +determined to make the attempt to save the men on the doomed "Winfield +Scott." The crew was piped to quarters, and the captain asked for +volunteers to go to the rescue. Man after man stepped forward, until +enough had been secured to man three boats with ten men each. +Carefully the boats were dropped into the sea, and man after man swung +into them; then they put off and started for the sinking ship. But +while these preparations were being made, the two ships had been +drifting closer and closer together. Soon it was seen that a collision +was inevitable. Fortunately the boats were broadside on, so that the +cutting effect of a blow from the bow was avoided. They were presently +so near each other that the men began jumping from the deck of the +"Winfield Scot" upon that of the "Bienville." The leap, though a +perilous one, was made in safety by over thirty men. Suddenly a great +wave lifted the ships up and dashed them together. Three poor +wretches, just about to jump, were caught between the vessels and +crushed to death. A few sharp cries of agony, and all was over; and +the vessels, drifting apart, let their bodies, crushed beyond +recognition, fall into the water. By this time the small boats, with +their determined crews on board, had succeeded in getting around to +the lee side of the sinking ship, and the work of getting the soldiers +and sailors over the side was begun. By the most strenuous efforts all +were saved, and the "Bienville" steamed away, leaving the "Winfield +Scott" to her fate. + +[Illustration: Du Pont's Expedition off Cape Hatteras.] + +Night came on, with the gale blowing with still greater fury. The wind +shrieked through the cordage, and now and again a great wave would +sweep across the decks of the crowded vessels, making the men hang on +to the rigging for dear life. Soon another ship began to go to pieces. +The "Governor," which had been steaming along near the "Wabash" +since the time of leaving Hampton Roads, had become separated from +her consort during the gale of the first day. On the second night, +those aboard her perceived that she was showing signs of weakness, and +was likely to go down with all on board unless aid could be obtained. +Not a sail, however, was in sight; and every wave seemed about to +overwhelm or dash to pieces the frail craft. She labored heavily in +the furious sea. By and by the strain on her timbers was such that the +port hog-brace broke in two places, weakening the vessel so that her +fate was apparent to all. Soldiers and sailors worked away with a +frantic energy born by the fear of death, and succeeded in bracing up +the timbers, so as to avoid, for a time, the breaking-up. Soon after, +a heavy roll of the vessel broke the smokestack, and it was pitched +overboard. Luckily it broke some three feet above the deck, so that +the fires could still be kept up. Then the steam-pipe burst; and with +this accident the fate of all on board seemed sealed, for they no +longer could keep the vessel's head to the waves, and the great seas +came rolling over her, sweeping her decks of every thing movable. They +began sending up rockets, and, after some time of anxious waiting, saw +an answering signal; so that, through the remainder of that fearful +night, the men on the doomed ship felt that, whatever might occur, +they had friends at hand. The night was spent in toil at the pumps; +and in the morning a faint cheer went up as two vessels were seen, +ready to lend assistance. A signal of distress, quickly hoisted, was +answered from the nearer, which proved to be the "Isaac P. Smith." The +"Smith" sent off a boat and made fast a hawser to the wreck, and took +her in tow; but in a few minutes the hawser parted. It became clear +that the men must be taken off the sinking ship; but how to do it, was +the question. By this time a second ship, the "Young Rover," had +arrived to assist in the rescue. A second cable was put aboard; but +this, too, parted. Hope seemed lost, when the lookout reported a third +ship, the frigate "Sabine," coming to the rescue. The "Sabine" came to +anchor, and sent a hawser aboard the sinking "Governor." Then the +hawser was gradually taken in until the two ships lay close together, +stern to stern. Spars were rigged over the stern of the frigate, and +some thirty men swung over the seething waters to safety. Then the two +vessels came together with a crash, and about forty men sprang from +the sinking ship to the deck of the frigate. But the damage done by +the collision was so great that it was deemed prudent to slack up the +hawser and let the "Governor" drop astern again. Those on board +busied themselves throwing overboard all things movable, with the +intention of lightening the vessel. After some hours of suspense, the +work of getting the men off the sinking craft was recommenced, and +boats were sent to their assistance. The sea was running too high for +them to approach close to the steamer's guards, so they lay off some +feet, and the soldiers jumped into them. It was a perilous leap, with +the boats pitching one way, and the ship another, and a raging sea of +tossing waters between; but it was made bravely by every man, and but +seven or eight were lost. Soon after the last man left the "Governor," +she lurched to one side and sank, carrying with her the arms and +ammunition of the troops she was transporting. + +It was on Monday morning, Nov. 4, that the flagship "Wabash" cast +anchor off Port Royal. In the offing were a few more sail headed for +the same point, and during the day some twenty-five vessels of the +scattered squadron came up. For the next day ships were constantly +arriving, and by Tuesday night the whole squadron lay safely anchored +in the broad harbor. + +The defences which the Confederates had erected upon Hilton Head, a +lofty bluff overlooking the harbor, were powerfully designed +earthworks, poorly armed and manned. The forts were two in number, +placed on a commanding elevation, and might have been made impregnable +had the Confederates taken advantage of the warning sent them by their +spies in Washington. Fort Walker had fourteen guns which could bear on +an attacking fleet, and Fort Beauregard had twenty. When the fight +began, the gunners found that most of their ammunition was either too +large or too small for the guns. To support the forts in their fight, +was a wretched little fleet of tugs and schooners, mounting a gun or +two each, but absolutely powerless before the smallest of Du Pont's +ships-of-war. Indeed, when the battle began, the Union navy gave its +undivided attention to the forts, and did not even give battle to +Tatnall's mosquito fleet. + +Thursday morning dawned bright and mild as a morning in June. The +shores of the beautiful bay were covered with woods, out of which rung +the clear notes of Southern song-birds. The scene from the ships was +one of the most charming imaginable. The placid bay, the luxuriant +shores, the ocean showing across the low-lying ridge of white sand, +the forts frowning from the steep headland, the fleet of majestic +frigates mustered for the attack, and in the distance the flotilla of +defenceless transports, safely out of range, their decks and rigging +crowded with fifteen thousand men--all this presented a panorama of +life and beauty which few eyes have ever beheld. + +[Illustration: The opening Gun.] + +Du Pont, in the majestic "Wabash," moved down the bay, and, as he came +in range of Fort Walker, sent a shell shrieking from a bow-gun, as +signal that the action was begun. The old frigate moved on slowly, +making play with the bow-guns until abreast of the fort, when with a +crash she let fly her whole broadside. On she went for a few yards, +then turning in a grand circle came back, giving the other broadside +to the forts as she passed. The other ships fell in behind; and round +and round before the forts the fiery circle revolved, spitting out +fire and ponderous iron bolts, and making the peaceful shores of the +bay tremble with the deep reverberations of the cannon. + +The Confederates, for their part, went into the action with the utmost +coolness. They had been assured that their position was impregnable, +and had been cautioned to be deliberate and determined in their +defence. For a time their artillery service was admirable. But soon +they found certain discouraging features about the affair. Their guns +were too light to have any effect on the fleet, and their powder was +of such bad quality that many of their shots fell short. Two great +guns dismounted themselves, seriously injuring the men who were +handling them, and the very first broadside from the fleet dismounted +several more. Then it was found that the shells for the great Parrott +guns were too large, and that the shells from other cannon failed to +explode, owing to defective fuses. Soon the fleet found a point of +fire from which it could enfilade the forts, and thereafter a perfect +hail of shell and grape-shot fell in the trenches. One shell disabled +eleven men. A solid shot struck a gun thought to be perfectly +protected, and hurled it, with the men serving it, over the parapet. +Every twenty minutes a gun was dismounted in Fort Walker, and at the +end of the conflict Fort Beauregard had but nine serviceable guns. + +For about four hours there was no cessation of fire on the part of the +fleet. Round and round the circle the vessels steamed, giving one fort +a broadside on the way up, and the other a broadside on the way down. +The bombs rose from them in a majestic sweep through the air, and +plunged into the fort, exploding with a roar equal to that of a +cannon. One ship was commanded by Capt. Drayton, who rained shot and +shell mercilessly against the forts, although one of them was in +command of his own brother. + +At half-past one Fort Walker was found untenable, and the work of +abandoning it was begun. The evacuation was completed in great haste, +many valuables were left behind, and not even the guns were spiked. +Still the entire garrison escaped to mainland, although the Federals +had three thousand troops who might have made them all prisoners. Not +long thereafter, Fort Beauregard also yielded to fate, and the day was +won by the Federals. + +[Illustration: The Fight at Hilton Head.] + +The landing of the troops was at once begun. Thirty large boats bore a +Connecticut regiment of one thousand men to the beach. Their bright, +fresh uniforms, their muskets glittering in the sun, and their +regular, swaying stride as they marched up the sandy beach to the +martial strains of the regimental band, made a striking picture. +They clambered over the ramparts, and in a few moments the stars and +stripes floated from the staff which had but lately upheld the flag of +the young Confederacy. Within the forts, all was carnage and +confusion: dismounted cannon, surrounded by the dead bodies of the +gunners, heaps of shells, and fragments of woodwork, were piled about +the parade-ground and in the trenches. The story of the terrific +bombardment was graphically told by those horrible evidences of death +and destruction. And well might the scene be a horrible one. For over +five hours, fifty shot a minute had been discharged at the forts, and +most of them did execution. When one recollects that each shot of the +great guns cost eight dollars, we get a vivid idea of the money spent +in war. + +Immediately upon the capture of Hilton Head, the victors began making +it a great naval and military station. Great storehouses were built, +wharves constructed, and vast intrenchments thrown up for the defence +of the spot. The slaves, escaping from the neighboring plantations, +came in droves, begging to be allowed to work; but they received but a +cold welcome, for they were still looked upon as property, and the +officers did not wish to be charged with enticing them away from their +masters. + +The news of the occupation of Hilton Head by the Northern armies +caused the greatest consternation in the cities of Charleston and +Savannah, From both places people fled into the interior, expecting an +immediate advance of the Union troops. But the armies were set to +digging, not to marching, and soon the affrighted citizens returned to +their homes. Port Royal was held by the Northern forces until the end +of the war, and proved of great value for the proper maintenance of +the blockade. Its greatest disadvantage was its unhealthiness. Of +fifteen thousand men landed there in November, five thousand were on +the sick-list within a month. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + + THE FIRST IRON-CLAD VESSELS IN HISTORY. -- THE "MERRIMAC" SINKS + THE "CUMBERLAND," AND DESTROYS THE "CONGRESS." -- DUEL BETWEEN + THE "MONITOR" AND "MERRIMAC." + + +It will be remembered that when the Union forces, alarmed by the +threatening attitude of the inhabitants of Norfolk and the vicinity, +fled from the Norfolk navy-yard, leaving every thing there in flames, +they left behind them a fine United States frigate, "Merrimac," a ship +of thirty-five hundred tons, carrying forty guns. The departing +Federals did their work of destruction fairly well; for the great ship +was burnt to the upper edge of her copper sheathing, and sank to the +bottom of the river. Three or four months after the occupation of the +Norfolk navy-yard by the Confederates, Lieut. George M. Brooke, an +ex-officer of the United States navy, who had resigned that he might +follow the fortunes of his State, while looking at the hulk lying in +the river-channel, was suddenly inspired with the thought that she +might be raised and converted into a formidable vessel-of-war. He +carefully matured his plans, and after due consideration proposed to +the Confederate secretary of the navy, that the "Merrimac" be raised +and converted into an iron-clad. His plans were approved, and orders +were given that they should be carried out. The "Merrimac," as +originally built, was one of the grand old types of war-vessels. Her +solid oak sides rose high above the water, and were pierced by a long +row of gaping portholes. Her masts towered high in the air; and when +her great sails were set, her hull seemed crushed beneath so vast an +expanse of canvas. When she had been remodelled, her entire appearance +was changed. She had no longer the appearance of a ship, but seemed +like a house afloat; and tradition says that the old salt on the +"Cumberland," who first sighted her, reported gravely to the officer +of the deck, "Quaker meetin'-house floating down the bay, sir." + +When the hulk had been raised and placed in the dry-dock, the first +thing done was to cut it down to the level of the berth-deck; that is, +to the level of the deck below the gun-deck in the old rig. Then both +ends of the ship were decked over for a distance of seventy feet; +while the midship section was covered by a sort of roof, or +pent-house, one hundred and seventy feet long, and extending about +seven feet above the gun-deck. This roof was of pitch pine and oak, +twenty-four inches thick, and covered with iron plates two inches +thick. The upper part of the roof, being flat, was railed in, making a +kind of promenade deck. In the great chamber formed by this roof were +mounted ten guns, two of which, the bow and stern guns, were +seven-inch rifles, and fairly powerful guns for those days. A strange +feature of this ship, and one that was not discovered until she was +launched, was that the weight of the iron-plating and the heavy guns +she carried sunk her so deep in the water that the low deck forward +and aft of the gunroom was always under water; so much so that the +commander of another ship in the Confederate navy writes that he was +obliged always to give the "Merrimac" a wide berth, lest he should run +his ship on some part of the ram which lay unseen beneath the surface +of the water. Powerful as this ship was, she had some serious defects. +The greatest of these were her engines. They were the same that had +been in her as a United States vessel, and had been condemned by a +naval board as very defective. Naturally several weeks under water had +not improved them; but the Confederates could not be particular about +machinery just then, and the old engines were left in the new ram. It +was quickly found that they could not be depended upon more than six +hours at a time; and one of the ship's officers, in writing years +afterwards, remarks, "A more ill-contrived or unreliable pair of +engines could only have been found in some vessels of the United +States navy." The second faulty feature about the "Merrimac" was that +her rudder and propeller were entirely unprotected. The ram which was +so much dreaded, and which made the "Merrimac" a forerunner of a new +class of war-vessels, was of cast-iron, projecting four feet, and so +badly secured that it was loosened in ramming the "Cumberland," and +started a bad leak in the Confederate ship. + +When this formidable vessel was completed, she was christened by her +new owners the "Virginia;" but the name of the old United States +frigate of which she was built stuck to her, and she has ever since +been known as the "Merrimac," and so we shall speak of her in this +narrative. She received as commander Commodore Franklin Buchanan, an +ex-Union officer of ability and daring, to whom the cadets of the +naval academy at Annapolis owe the beautiful situation of the academy, +and many of its admirable features; for he it was, who, in 1845, under +a commission from Mr. Bancroft, Secretary of the Navy, organized and +located the naval academy, and launched that institution upon its +successful career. Of officers the "Merrimac" had no lack, and good +ones they were; but in her crew she was lamentably deficient. Most of +the crew was made up of men from the army, who knew nothing of +seamanship, but who could at any rate fire a gun. A few good sailors +were obtained from those who escaped to Norfolk after the destruction +of the Confederate flotilla at Elizabeth City by Capt. Rowan's +squadron. They had but little chance for drills and exercise on the +new ship, for up to the very hour of sailing she was crowded with +workmen getting her ready for the task of breaking down the Yankee +blockade. When she finally set out to do battle for the South, she was +a new and untried ship: not a gun had been fired, and hardly a +revolution of her engines had been made. And so she started down the +river on her trial trip, but intending, nevertheless, to do battle +with the strongest ships of the United States navy. Accompanying her +were four small Confederate gunboats,--the "Beaufort," the "Yorktown," +the "Jamestown," and the "Teaser." Soon rounding out into Hampton +Roads, the little squadron caught sight of the Northern fleet at +anchor, and made for them. An officer on the "Congress" thus tells the +story of the events that followed:-- + +"The 8th of March was a fine mild day, such as is common in Southern +Virginia during the early spring; and every one on board our ship was +enjoying the weather, and pleasing himself with the prospect of going +North in a day or two at farthest, and being relieved from the +monotony of a blockade at anchor. Some of us were pacing the poop, +basking in the sun, and watching the gulls, which here, as all over +the world, wherever a man-of-war is anchored, manage to find out when +it is dinnertime, appearing regularly when the mess-tins are being +washed, and the cooks are taking the buckets of broken victuals to the +head to throw overboard. Then they chatter and scream, and fight for +the remnants as they drift astern, until all is consumed, when they +betake themselves to fresh fields out of sight until we pipe to dinner +again. + +"One bell had struck some time, when the attention of the +quarter-master on watch was drawn to an unusual appearance against the +fringe of woods away over in the Norfolk Channel. After gazing +intently some time, he approached the officer of the deck, and +presenting him the glass said,'I believe _that thing_ is a-comin' down +at last, sir.' + +"Sure enough! There was a huge black roof, with a smokestack emerging +from it, creeping down towards Sewall's Point. Three or four +satellites, in the shape of small steamers and tugs, surrounded and +preceded her. Owing to the intervening land, they could not be seen +from Hampton Roads until some time after we had made them out; but, +when they did show themselves clear of the point, there was a great +stir among the shipping. But they turned up into the James River +channel instead of down toward the fort, approaching our anchorage +with ominous silence and deliberation. + +"The officers were by this time all gathered on the poop, looking at +the strange craft, and hazarding all sorts of conjectures about her; +and when it was plain that she was coming to attack us, or to force +the passage, we beat to quarters, the "Cumberland's" drum answering +ours. + +"By a little after four bells, or two o'clock, the strange monster was +close enough for us to make out her plating and ports; and we tried +her with a solid shot from one of our stern-guns, the projectile +glancing off her forward casemate like a drop of water from a duck's +back. This opened our eyes. Instantly she threw aside the screen from +one of her forward ports, and answered us with grape, killing and +wounding quite a number. She then passed us, receiving our broadside +and giving one in return, at a distance of less than two hundred +yards. Our shot had apparently no effect upon her, but the result of +her broadside on our ship was simply terrible. One of her shells +dismounted an eight-inch gun, and either killed or wounded every one +of the gun's crew, while the slaughter at the other guns was fearful. +There were comparatively few wounded, the fragments of the huge shells +she threw killing outright as a general thing. Our clean and handsome +gun-deck was in an instant changed into a slaughter-pen, with +lopped-off legs and arms, and bleeding, blackened bodies, scattered +about by the shells; while blood and brains actually dripped from the +beams. One poor fellow had his chest transfixed by a splinter of oak +as thick as the wrist; but the shell-wounds were even worse. The +quarter-master, who had first discovered the approach of the +iron-clad,--an old man-of-war's man, named John Leroy,--was taken +below with both legs off. The gallant fellow died in a few minutes, +but cheered and exhorted the men to stand by the ship, almost with his +last breath. The 'Merrimac' had, in the mean time, passed up stream; +and our poor fellows, thinking she had had enough of it, and was for +getting away, actually began to cheer. For many of them it was the +last cheer they were ever to give. We soon saw what her object was; +for standing up abreast of the bow of the 'Cumberland,' and putting +her helm aport, she ran her ram right into that vessel. The gallant +frigate kept up her splendid and deliberate, but ineffectual, fire, +until she filled and sank, which she did in a very few minutes. A +small freight-steamer of the quarter-master's department, and some +tugs and boats from the camp-wharf, put off to rescue the survivors, +who were forced to jump overboard. In spite of shot from the +Confederate gunboats, one of which pierced the boiler of the +freight-boat, they succeeded in saving the greater number of those who +were in the water. Seeing the fate of the 'Cumberland,' which sank in +very deep water, we set our topsails and jib, and slipped the chains, +under a sharp fire from the gunboats, which killed and wounded many. +With the help of the sails, and the tug 'Zouave,' the ship was now run +on the flats which make off from Newport News Point. Here the vessel +keeled over as the tide continued to fall, leaving us only two guns +which could be fought,--those in the stern ports. Two large +steam-frigates and a sailing-frigate, towed by tugs, had started up +from Hampton Roads to our assistance. They all got aground before they +had achieved half the distance; and it was fortunate that they did so, +for they would probably have met the fate of the 'Cumberland,' in +which case the lives of the twelve or thirteen hundred men comprising +their crews would have been uselessly jeopardized. + +"After the 'Merrimac' had sunk the 'Cumberland,' she came down the +channel and attacked us again. Taking up a position about one hundred +and fifty yards astern of us, she deliberately raked us with +eighty-pounder shell; while the steamers we had so long kept up the +river, and those which had come out with the iron-clad from Norfolk, +all concentrated the fire of their small rifled guns upon us. At this +time we lost two officers, both elderly men. One was an acting master, +who was killed on the quarter-deck by a small rifle-bolt which struck +him between the shoulders, and went right through him. The other was +our old coast pilot, who was mortally wounded by a fragment of shell. +We kept up as strong a fire as we could from our two stern-guns; but +the men were repeatedly swept away from them, and at last both pieces +were disabled, one having the muzzle knocked off, and the other being +dismounted. Rifles and carbines were also used by some of our people +to try to pick off the 'Merrimac's' crew when her ports were opened to +fire, but of course the effect of the small-arms was not apparent to +us. + +"It is useless to attempt to describe the condition of our decks by +this time. No one who has not seen it can appreciate the effect of +such a fire in a confined space. Men were being killed and maimed +every minute, those faring best whose duty kept them on the spar deck. +Just before our stern-guns were disabled, there were repeated calls +for powder from them; and, none appearing, I took a look on the +berth-deck to learn the cause. After my eyes had become a little +accustomed to the darkness, and the sharp smoke from burning oak, I +saw that the line of cooks and wardroom servants stationed to pass +full boxes had been raked by a shell, and the whole of them either +killed or wounded,--a sufficient reason why there was a delay with the +powder. (I may mention here that the officer who commanded our powder +division was a brother of the captain of the 'Merrimac.') The shells +searched the vessel everywhere. A man previously wounded was killed in +the cock-pit where he had been taken for surgical aid. The deck of the +cock-pit had to be kept sluiced with water from the pumps, to +extinguish the fire from the shells, although dreadfully wounded men +were lying on this deck, and the water was icy cold; but the +shell-room hatch opened out of the cock-pit, and fire must be kept out +of there at all hazards, or the whole of us would go into the air +together. In the wardroom and steerage, the bulkheads were all knocked +down by the shells, and by the axemen making way for the hose, +forming a scene of perfect ruin and desolation. Clothing, books, +glass, china, photographs, chairs, bedding, and tables were all mixed +in one confused heap. Some time before this, our commanding officer, a +fine young man, had been instantly killed by a fragment of shell which +struck him in the chest. His watch, and one of his shoulder-straps +(the other being gone), were afterwards sent safely to his father, a +veteran naval officer. + +"We had now borne this fire for nearly an hour, and there was no +prospect of assistance from any quarter, while we were being +slaughtered without being able to return a shot. Seeing this, the +officer who had succeeded to the command of the ship, upon +consultation with our former captain (who was on board as a guest), +ordered our flag to be struck. It is not a pleasant thing to have to +strike your flag; but I did not see then, and do not see now, what +else we were to do. + +"A boat now boarded us with an officer from the 'Merrimac,' who said +he would take charge of the ship. He did nothing, however, but gaze +about a little, and pick up a carbine and cutlass,--I presume as +trophies. One of the small gunboats then came alongside, and the +officer from the 'Merrimac' left. The commander of the gunboat said +that we must get out of the ship at once, as he had orders to burn +her. Some of our people went on board of his craft as prisoners, but +not many. As her upper deck was about even with our main-deck ports, +our surgeon stepped out of one, and told the commanding officer that +we had some dreadfully wounded men, and that we must have time to +collect them, and place them on board his vessel, and, moreover, that +our ship was on fire with no possibility of saving her. The reply was, +'You must make haste: those scoundrels on shore are firing at me now.' +In fact, the rifle-balls were 'pinging' about very briskly, scarring +the rusty black sides of the poor old frigate; for the Twentieth +Indiana Regiment had come down from the camp to the point, and opened +fire on the gunboat as she lay alongside of us. Our doctor having no +desire to be killed, especially by our own people, jumped back into +the port, just as the steamer, finding it too hot, shoved off and left +us. As soon as she did so, they all opened upon us again; although we +had a white flag flying to show we were out of action, and we +certainly could not be held responsible for the action of the regiment +on shore. After ten or fifteen minutes, however, they all withdrew, +and went down the channel, to bestow their attentions upon the +frigate 'Minnesota' which was hard aground. Fortunately the 'Merrimac' +drew too much water to come near the 'Minnesota' at that stage of +tide, and the small-fry were soon driven off by the latter ship's +battery. Night now approaching, the whole Rebel flotilla withdrew, and +proceeded up the Norfolk Channel. + +"Although relieved from the pressure of actual battle, we still had +the unpleasant consciousness that the fire was making progress in the +vicinity of our after-magazine; and we felt as I suppose men would +feel who are walking in the crater of a volcano on the verge of +eruption. Fortunately for us, the 'Merrimac' and her consorts had not +fired much at our upper works and spars, the principal damage being +inflicted upon our lower decks. We had, therefore, the launch and +first cutter,--large boats,--which, with a little stuffing of +shot-holes, were fit to carry us the short distance between our ship +and the shore. The yard and stay-tackles were got up, and the boats +put into the water, as soon as possible; the fire gaining, and the sun +going down, in the mean time. + +"By successive boatloads the survivors were all landed; the launch +being brought up under the bill port, and the wounded, in cots, +lowered into her by a whip from the fore yard, which was braced up for +the purpose. This boat was nearly filled with water on her last trip, +being a good deal damaged; obliging some of the officers, who had +stayed until the last, to jump overboard into the icy cold water, and +lean their hands on the gunwale, so as to relieve the boat of a part +of their weight. She grounded in water about waist-deep; and the +soldiers from the camp waded out and assisted our men in bearing on +shore, and to the log hospital of the Twentieth Indiana, those who +were in cots. We had managed to get the body of our gallant young +commander on shore in one of the cots, as a wounded man. The mass of +the men were so 'gallied,' to use a sailor phrase, by the time the +action was over, what with enduring so severe a fire without being +able to respond, and also with the knowledge that an explosion of the +magazine might occur at any time, that I doubt whether they could have +been induced to bring off a man whom they knew to be dead. The +officers repeatedly went about the decks looking for wounded men; and +I firmly believe that all who were alive were brought off. Our poor +old ship, deserted by all but the dead, burned till about midnight, +when she blew up." + +The final destruction of the "Congress" must have been a most imposing +spectacle. A member of the Confederate army, who was stationed in one +of the batteries near the scene of action, thus describes it: "Night +had come, mild and calm, refulgent with all the beauty of Southern +skies in early spring. The moon, in her second quarter, was just +rising over the rippling waters; but her silvery light was soon paled +by the conflagration of the 'Congress,' whose lurid glare was +reflected in the river. The burning frigate four miles away seemed +very much nearer. As the flames crept up the rigging, every mast, +spar, and rope glittered against the dark sky in dazzling lines of +fire. The hull, aground upon the shoal, was plainly visible; and upon +its black surface each porthole seemed the mouth of a fiery furnace. +For hours the flames raged, with hardly a perceptible change in the +wondrous picture. At irregular intervals, loaded guns and shells, +exploding as the flames reached them, sent forth their deep +reverberations, re-echoed over and over from every headland of the +bay. The masts and rigging were still standing, apparently intact, +when about two o'clock in the morning a monstrous sheet of flame rose +from the vessel to an immense height. The ship was rent in twain by +the tremendous flash. Blazing fragments seemed to fill the air; and, +after a long interval, a deep, deafening report announced the +explosion of the ship's powder-magazine. When the blinding glare had +subsided, I supposed that every vestige of the vessel would have +disappeared; but apparently all the force of the explosion had been +upward. The rigging had vanished entirely, but the hull seemed hardly +shattered; the only apparent change in it was that in two or three +places, two or three of the portholes had been blown into one great +gap. It continued to burn until the brightness of its blaze was +effaced by the morning sun." + +In the great drama of the first day's fight at Hampton Roads, the +heroic part was played by the frigate "Cumberland." On the morning of +that fateful 8th of March, she was swinging idly at her moorings, her +boats floating at the boom, and her men lounging about the deck, never +dreaming of the impending disaster. It was wash-day, and from the +lower rigging of the ship hung garments drying in the sun. About noon +the lookout saw a cloud of smoke, apparently coming down the river +from Norfolk, and at once notified the officer of the deck. It was +surmised that it might be the new and mysterious iron-clad "Merrimac," +about which many rumors were current, but few facts known. Quickly the +ship was set in trim for action, and the men sent to quarters. All +the stern preparations for battle were made--the guns all shotted, the +men in position, the magazines opened; shot, shell, cartridges, all in +place; the powder-boys at their stations; swords, pistols, +boarding-pikes, in the racks. Down in the cock-pit the surgeons spread +out upon their tables the gleaming instruments, which made brave men +shudder with the thought of what a few minutes would bring. + +The sailors prepared for the fight gayly, never doubting for a moment +that victory would be on their side. So paltry had been the resistance +that the Confederates had heretofore been able to oppose to the +Northern arms, by sea, that the blue-jackets felt that they had only +to open a fight in order to win it. The officers were more serious. +Rumors had reached them that the "Merrimac" was a most powerful +vessel, destined to annihilate the navy of the North; and they looked +on this first battle with the monster with many misgivings. Their +fears were somewhat lessened by an article printed in the Norfolk +papers, a few days previous, denouncing the "Merrimac" as a bungling +bit of work, absolutely unseaworthy, and unable to stand against the +powerful vessels of the North. As it turned out, however, this article +was published as a _ruse_ to deceive the Northern authorities. + +The iron ship came steaming sullenly down the bay. The "Congress" was +the first ship in range, and a puff of smoke from the "Merrimac's" +bow-gun warned the crew of the frigate that danger was coming. All +held their breath an instant, until, with a clatter and whiz, a storm +of grape-shot rattled against her sides, and whistled through the +rigging. Then came a sigh of relief that it was no worse. When the +enemy was within a quarter of a mile, the "Congress" let fly her whole +broadside, and the crew crowded the ports to see the result. The great +iron shot rattled off the mailed sides of the monster, like hailstones +from a roof. Then came the return fire; and the "Congress" was riddled +with shells, and her decks ran with blood. The "Merrimac" passed +sullenly on. + +Now it was the turn of the "Cumberland." Her officers and crew had +seen the results of the fire of the "Congress," and, with sinking +hearts, felt how hopeless was their own position. There was no chance +for escape, for no wind filled the sails of the frigate. She lay +helpless, awaiting the attack of the iron battery that bore down upon +her, without firing a shot or opening a port. At a little past two the +mailed frigate had approached the "Cumberland" within grape-shot +distance. Fire was opened upon her with the heaviest guns; and +officers and men watched breathlessly the course of their shot, and +cried aloud with rage, or groaned in despair, as they saw them fall +harmlessly from the iron ship. Still they had no thought of surrender. +The fire of the "Cumberland" was received silently by the "Merrimac;" +and she came straight on, her sharp prow cutting viciously through the +water, and pointed straight for her victim. A second broadside, at +point-blank range, had no effect on her. One solid shot was seen to +strike her armored sides, and, glancing upward, fly high into the air, +as a baseball glances from the bat of the batsman; then, falling, it +struck the roof of the pilot-house, and fell harmlessly into the sea. +In another instant the iron ram crashed into the side of the +"Cumberland," cutting through oaken timbers, decks, and cabins. At the +same time all the guns that could be brought to bear on the Northern +frigate were discharged; and shells crashed through her timbers, and +exploded upon her decks, piling splinters, guns, gun-carriages, and +men in one confused wreck. Had not the engines of the ram been +reversed just before striking the frigate, her headway would have +carried her clear to the opposite side of the doomed ship, and the +"Cumberland," in sinking, would have carried her destroyer to the +bottom with her. As it was, the "Merrimac," with a powerful wrench, +drew out of the wreck she had made, loosening her iron prow, and +springing a serious leak in the operation. She drew off a short +distance, paused to examine the work she had done, and then, as if +satisfied, started to complete the destruction of the "Congress." + +And well might the men of the "Merrimac" be satisfied with their +hour's work. The "Cumberland" was a hopeless wreck, rapidly sinking. +Her decks were bloodstained, and covered with dead men, and scattered +arms and legs, torn off by the exploding shells. And yet her brave +crew stuck to their guns, and fought with cool valor, and without a +vestige of confusion. They had had but a few moments to prepare for +action; and the long rows of clothes, drying in the rigging, told how +peaceful had been their occupation before the "Merrimac" appeared upon +the scene. Yet now that the storm of battle had burst, and its issue +was clearly against them, these men stood to their guns, although they +could feel the deck sinking beneath them. Every man was at his post; +and even when the waters were pouring in on the gun-deck, the guns +were loaded and fired. Indeed, the last shot was fired from a gun half +buried in the waves. Then the grand old frigate settled down to the +bottom, carrying half her crew with her, but keeping the stars and +stripes still floating at the fore. + +The destruction of the "Cumberland" being completed, the "Merrimac" +steamed over to the "Congress." This frigate fought well and +valorously, but was soon pounded into a helpless condition by the +shells of the "Merrimac," as shown by the story of her officer, +already quoted. When a white flag, floating at her peak, told of +surrender, the "Merrimac" left her to the attention of the smaller +vessels in the Confederate flotilla, and set out to find further +victims. But by this time the remainder of the Federal fleet had taken +alarm, and fled into a safe position under the shelter of the Federal +batteries on shore. The "Minnesota" only had been unfortunate in her +attempted flight, and was aground on a bar near the scene of the +fight. But now only two hours of daylight remained, and the tide was +low, and still on the ebb. The heavy iron frigate could not get within +effective distance of the "Minnesota," her crew were weary with a +day's fighting, and so she turned away and headed up the river for +Norfolk. + +In taking account of injuries on the ram that night, it was found that +the injured numbered twenty-one; many of whom had been shot while +alongside the surrendered "Congress." Not an atom of damage was done +to the interior of the vessel, and her armor showed hardly a trace of +the terrible test through which it had passed. But nothing outside had +escaped: the muzzles of two guns had been shot off; the ram was +wrenched away in withdrawing from the "Cumberland;" one anchor, the +smokestack, steam-pipe, railings, flagstaff, boat-davitts--all were +swept away as though a huge mowing-machine had passed over the deck. +But, so far as her fighting qualities were concerned, the "Merrimac" +was as powerful as when she started out from Norfolk on that bright +spring morning. + +It can easily be understood that the news of the engagement caused the +most intense excitement throughout this country, and indeed throughout +the whole world. In the South, all was rejoicing over this signal +success of the Confederate ship. Bells were rung, and jubilees held, +in all the Southern cities. An officer of the "Merrimac," who was +despatched post-haste to Richmond with reports of the engagement, was +met at every station by excited crowds, who demanded that he tell the +story of the fight over and over again. At last the starving people of +the Confederacy saw the way clear for the sweeping away of the +remorseless blockade. + +In the North, the excitement was that of fear. The people of seaboard +cities imagined every moment the irresistible iron ship steaming into +their harbors, and mowing down their buildings with her terrible +shells. The Secretary of War said, at a hastily called cabinet meeting +in Washington: "The 'Merrimac' will change the whole character of the +war: she will destroy every naval vessel; she will lay all the +seaboard cities under contribution. Not unlikely we may have a shell +or cannon-ball from one of her guns, in the White House, before we +leave this room." + +In this excited state, wild with joy, or harassed with fear, the whole +country went to sleep that March night, little dreaming that the +morrow would change the whole face of the naval situation, and that +even then a little untried vessel was steaming, unheralded, toward +Hampton Roads, there to meet the dreaded "Merrimac," and save the +remnants of the Federal fleet. Then no one knew of the "Monitor;" but +twenty-four hours later her name, and that of her inventor Ericsson, +were household words in all the States of the Union and the +Confederacy. + +[Illustration: "Merrimac" and "Cumberland."] + +Capt. John Ericsson was a Swedish engineer, residing in this country, +who had won a name for himself by inventing the screw-propeller as a +means of propulsion for steamships. He and a Connecticut capitalist, +C. S. Bushnell by name, had ever since the opening of the war been +trying to induce the Government to build some iron-clads after a +pattern designed by Ericsson, and which afterwards became known as the +"monitor" pattern. Their labors at Washington met with little success. +After a long explanation of the plan before the wise authorities of +the Naval Board, Capt. Ericsson was calmly dismissed with the remark, +"It resembles nothing in the heavens above, or the earth beneath, or +the waters under the earth. You can take it home, and worship it +without violating any Commandment." Finally, however, leave was +obtained to build a monitor for the Government, provided the builders +would take all financial risks in case it proved a failure. So, with +this grudging permission, the work of building the warship that was +destined to save the Federal navy was begun. Work was prosecuted night +and day, and in one hundred days the vessel was ready for launching. +Great was the discussion over her. Distinguished engineers predicted +that she would never float; and many attended the launch expecting to +see the vessel plunge from the ways to the bottom of the river, like a +turtle from a log. So general was this opinion, that boats were in +readiness to rescue her passengers if she went down. But Capt. +Ericsson's plans were well laid. The great vessel glided with a +graceful dip into the river, and floated at her cables buoyantly. She +was a strange-looking craft. All that was to be seen of her above +water was a low deck about a foot above the water, bearing in the +centre a large round iron turret pierced with two great portholes. +Besides the turret, the smooth surface of the deck was broken by two +other elevations,--a small iron pilot-house forward, made of iron +plates about ten inches thick, and with iron gratings in front; aft of +the turret was a low smokestack. Beneath the water-line this vessel +had some strange features. The upper part of her hull, forming the +deck, projected beyond her hull proper about four feet on every side. +This projection was known as the "overhang," and was designed as a +protection against rams. It was made of white oak and iron, and was +impenetrable by any cannon of that day; although now, when steel +rifled cannon are built that will send a ball through twenty inches of +wrought iron, the original "Monitor" would be a very weak vessel. + +The turret in this little vessel, which held the two guns that she +mounted, was so arranged as to revolve on a central pivot, thus +enabling the gunners to keep their guns continually pointed at the +enemy, whatever might be the position of the vessel. When the time for +the first battle actually arrived, it was found that the turret would +not revolve properly; but in later ships of the same class this +trouble was avoided. + +It was at two o'clock on the morning after the day on which the +"Merrimac" had wrought such havoc among the ships of the North, that +this queer-looking little vessel steamed into Hampton Roads. As the +gray dawn began to break, she passed under the quarter of the +"Minnesota," and cast anchor. The tars on the great frigate looked +curiously at the strange craft, and wondered if that insignificant +"cheese-box on a raft" was going to do battle with the dreaded +"Merrimac." Small hopes had they that their noble frigate would be +saved by any such pygmy warship. + +In the mean time, the men of the "Merrimac" up at Norfolk were working +energetically to prepare her for the destruction of the rest of the +Union ships. Her ram was tightened in its place, her steering +apparatus overhauled, and some changes made, and her rickety engine +was patched up. At daybreak all was bustle as the ram prepared to move +down on the Union fleet. But just as she was about to start, her +officers saw the queer craft lying by the "Minnesota," which they at +once knew to be the Ericsson "Monitor." Her appearance was not very +terrible; but, nevertheless, the Confederates felt that she had +appeared at a most inopportune moment for them. Still they raised +anchor, and started down the bay to meet their mysterious enemy. + +It was Sunday morning, and the sun rose in a cloudless blue sky. A +light breeze stirred the surface of the water, and played lazily with +the long streaming pennants of the men-of-war. The batteries on both +sides of the bay were crowded with men waiting for the great naval +battle of the day. Up at Norfolk a gay holiday party was embarking on +steam-tugs, to accompany the Confederate ship and witness the total +destruction of the Union fleet. No thought of defeat ever entered the +minds of the proud believers in the new iron-clad of the Confederacy. + +At the first sign of life on board the "Merrimac," the "Monitor" began +her preparations for the battle. In fifteen minutes she was in battle +trim. The iron hatches were closed, the dead-light covers put on, and +obstructions removed from the main deck, so as to present a smooth +surface only twenty-four inches above the water, unbroken, save by the +turret and pilot-house. In the pilot-house was Lieut. Worden, who was +to command the "Monitor" in this her first battle. + +[Illustration: Battle of the "Monitor" and "Merrimac."] + +Leisurely the "Merrimac" came down the bay, followed by her attendant +tugs; and, as she came within range, she opened fire on the +"Minnesota," which was still aground. The frigate responded with a +mighty broadside, which, however, rattled off the mailed sides of the +ram like so many peas. Clearly, every thing depended upon the +"Monitor;" and that little craft steamed boldly out from behind the +"Minnesota," and sent two huge iron balls, weighing one hundred and +seventy pounds each, against the side of the "Merrimac." The shot +produced no effect beyond showing the men of the "Merrimac" that they +had met a foeman worthy of their steel. The "Merrimac" slowed up her +engines, as though to survey the strange antagonist thus braving her +power. The "Monitor" soon came up, and a cautious fight began; each +vessel sailing round the other, advancing, backing, making quick +dashes here and there, like two pugilists sparring for an opening. The +two shots of the "Monitor" would come banging one after the other +against the "Merrimac's" armor, like the "one, two" of a skilled +boxer. In this dancing battle the "Monitor" had an enormous +advantage, on account of her size, greater speed, and the way in which +she answered her helm. The "Merrimac" was like a huge hawk being +chased and baited by a little sparrow. Her heavy broadsides found +nothing to hit in the almost submerged hull of the "Monitor." When a +ball struck the turret, it glanced off, unless striking fair in the +centre, when it fell in fragments, doing no greater damage than to +dent the iron plates, and sometimes knocking down the men at the guns +inside. The first manoeuvre tried by the "Merrimac" was to run down +her little antagonist; and she did strike her with a force that dented +the iron overhang of the "Monitor," and clashed the men in the +"Merrimac" to the deck, with blood streaming from their nostrils. For +a moment it seemed as though the "Monitor" must go under; but +gradually the terrible ram glanced off, and the little vessel, +righting, sent again her terrible two shots at her enemy. In the +action of the day before, shot and shell had beaten against the sides +of the ram so rapidly that one could not count the concussions. Now it +was a series of tremendous blows about a minute apart; and, if the men +had not been working away at their guns, they could have heard the oak +timbers splintering behind the iron plating. At a critical moment in +the fight the "Merrimac" ran aground; and the "Monitor" steamed around +her several times, seeking for weak places in which to plant a shot +Once Worden dashed at his adversary's screw, hoping to disable it, but +missed by perhaps two feet. Two shots from the "Monitor" struck the +muzzles of two cannon protruding from the portholes of the "Merrimac," +and broke them off, throwing huge splinters of iron among the gunners +inside. And so the battle continued until about noon: gun answered gun +with thunderous reports, that echoed back from the batteries on shore +in rolling reverberations. The pleasure-seeking tugs from Norfolk had +scuttled back again out of the way of the great cannon-balls that were +skipping along the water in every direction. Neither of the combatants +had received any serious injury. On board the "Monitor" the only hurt +was received by a gunner, who was leaning against the iron wall of the +turret just as a shot struck outside; he was carried below, disabled. +But at last one lucky shot fired from one of the disabled guns of the +"Merrimac" ended this gigantic contest; sending each contestant to her +moorings, without an actual victory for either side. This shot struck +full and fair against the gratings of the pilot-house, through which +Lieut. Worden was looking as he directed the course of his ship. The +concussion knocked him senseless. Flakes of iron and powder were +driven into his eyes and face, blinding him completely for the time. +He fell back from the wheel, and the "Monitor" was left for a moment +without her guiding spirit. All was confusion; but in a few moments +Worden recovered, and gave the order to sheer off. The "Monitor" then +drew away, while Worden was moved to the cabin, and the second officer +sent to his station in the turret. Lying on a sofa in the cabin, his +eyes bandaged, and the horror of life-long blindness upon him, Worden +asked faintly, "Have I saved the 'Minnesota'?"--"Yes," answered the +surgeon. "Then," said he, "I die happy." + +While these scenes were transpiring on the "Monitor," the "Merrimac" +lay quietly awaiting her return. The Confederate officers say that she +waited an hour, and then, concluding that the "Monitor" had abandoned +the fight, withdrew to Norfolk. The Northern officers and historians +say that the "Merrimac" was in full retreat when the decisive shot was +fired. It is hard to decide, from such conflicting statements, to +which side the victory belonged. Certain it is, that not a man on the +"Merrimac" was injured, and that all damages she sustained in the +fight were remedied before sunrise the next day. Later, as we shall +see, she challenged the Union fleet to a new battle, without response. +But with all these facts in view, it must be borne in mind that the +purpose of the "Merrimac," that bright March Sunday, was to destroy +the frigate "Minnesota:" in that purpose she was foiled by the +"Monitor," and to that extent at least the "Monitor" was the victor. + +Lieut. Worden, after the fight, went directly to Washington. President +Lincoln was at a cabinet meeting when he heard of Worden's arrival in +the city, and hastily rising said, "Gentlemen, I must go to _that +fellow_." Worden was lying on a sofa, his head swathed in bandages, +when the President entered. "Mr. President," said he, "you do me great +honor by this visit."--"Sir," replied Mr. Lincoln, while the tears ran +down his cheeks, "I am the one who is honored in this interview." + +Among his crew Worden was very much beloved. The following letter, +sent him while on a bed of pain, is all the more touching for the rude +form in which their affection for their commander is expressed:-- + +[Illustration: Handling a Gun.] + + +TO CAPTAIN WORDEN. + + HAMPTON ROADS, April 24, 1862. + UNITED STATES MONITOR. + + TO OUR DEAR AND HONORED CAPTAIN. + + _Dear Sir,_--These few lines is from your own crew of the + Monitor, with their kindest Love to you their Honored Captain, + hoping to God that they will have the pleasure of welcoming you + back to us again soon, for we are all ready able and willing to + meet Death or any thing else, only give us back our Captain + again. Dear Captain, we have got your Pilot-house fixed and all + ready for you when you get well again; and we all sincerely hope + that soon we will have the pleasure of welcoming you back to + it.... We are waiting very patiently to engage our Antagonist if + we could only get a chance to do so. The last time she came out + we all thought we would have the Pleasure of sinking her. But we + all got disappointed, for we did not fire one shot, and the + Norfolk papers says we are cowards in the Monitor--and all we + want is a chance to show them where it lies with you for our + Captain. We can teach them who is cowards. But there is a great + deal that we would like to write to you but we think you will + soon be with us again yourself. But we all join in with our + kindest love to you, hoping that God will restore you to us again + and hoping that your sufferings is at an end now, and we are all + so glad to hear that your eyesight will be spaired to you again. + We would wish to write more to you if we have your kind + Permission to do so but at present we all conclude by tendering + to you our kindest Love and affection, to our Dear and Honored + Captain. + + We remain untill Death your Affectionate Crew + + THE MONITOR BOYS. + +The "Merrimac," after being repaired and altered to some extent, +sailed down the bay on the 11th of April, for the purpose, as her +officers said, of meeting the "Monitor" again. She steamed into the +Roads, and exchanged a few shots with the Union batteries at the +rip-raps; but the "Monitor," and other Union vessels, remained below +Fortress Monroe, in Chesapeake Bay, out of the reach of the +Confederate vessel. Again, a few days later, the "Merrimac" went to +Hampton Roads, and tried to lure the "Monitor" to battle; but again +the challenge passed unanswered. It is probable that the Federal naval +authorities did not care to imperil the only vessel that stood between +them and destruction, out of mere bravado. Had the "Monitor" come out, +an attempt would have been made to carry her by boarding. The crew of +the "Merrimac" were prepared for the attack; and four gunboats +accompanying her were crowded with men, divided into squads, each with +its specified duty. Some were to try and wedge the turret, some were +to cover the pilot-house and all the openings with tarpaulin, others +were to try to throw shells and gunpowder down the smokestack. But all +these preparations proved useless, as the "Monitor" still remained +quietly at her anchorage. On May 8 a third trip was made by the +"Merrimac." When she came down the bay, she found the Union fleet, +including the "Monitor," hard at work shelling the Confederate +batteries at Sewall's Point. As she came towards them, they ceased +their cannonade, and retired again to the shelter of Fortress Monroe. +The "Merrimac" steamed up and down the Roads for some hours; and +finally Commodore Tatnall, in deep disgust, gave the order, "Mr. +Jones, fire a gun to windward, and take the ship back to her buoy." + +Back to Norfolk she went, never again to leave that harbor. On the 9th +of May the officers of the "Merrimac" noticed that the Confederate +flag was no longer floating over the shore-batteries. A reconnoissance +proved that the land forces had abandoned Norfolk, and it was +necessary to get the ship away before the Union troops arrived and +hemmed her in. Her pilots declared that if the ship was lightened they +could take her up the James River; and accordingly all hands threw +overboard ballast and trappings, until she was lightened three feet. +Then the pilots claimed that with the prevalent wind they could not +handle her. It was now useless to try to run her through the Union +fleet, for the lightening process had exposed three feet of her +unarmed hull to the fire of the enemy. It was accordingly determined +that she should be destroyed. She was run ashore on Craney Island, and +trains of powder laid all over her, and fired. Every gun was loaded, +and the doors of the magazine were left open. Her crew then started on +the march for the interior. It was just in the gray of the morning +that a rumbling of the earth was felt, followed by a shock that made +all stagger. A column of smoke and flame shot into the air; huge +cannon were hurled high above the tree-tops, discharging in mid-air. +One shot fell in the woods some distance ahead of the marching crew, +and all knew that it marked the end of the mighty "Merrimac." + + + + +CHAPTER X. + + THE NAVY IN THE INLAND WATERS. -- THE MISSISSIPPI SQUADRON. -- + SWEEPING THE TENNESSEE RIVER. + + +We will now leave for a time the blue-water sailors, whose battles, +triumphs, and defeats we have been considering, and look at the work +done by the tars of both North and South on the great waterways which +cut up the central portion of the United States, known as the Valley +of the Mississippi. It was in this section that the navy of the North +did some of its most effective work against the Confederacy, and it +was there that the sailor boys of the South did many deeds of the most +desperate valor. There is much of romance about service on the blue +ocean which is not to be found in routine duty along the yellow muddy +streams that flowed through the territory claimed by King Cotton. The +high, tapering masts, the yards squared and gracefully proportioned, +the rigging taut, and with each rope in its place, of an +ocean-frigate, are not seen in the squat, box-like gunboats that +dashed by the batteries at Vicksburg, or hurled shot and shell at each +other in the affair at Memphis. But Farragut, stanch old sea-dog as he +was, did much of his grandest fighting on the turbid waters of the +Mississippi; and the work of the great fleet at Port Royal was fully +equalled by Porter's mortar-boats below New Orleans. + +Let us follow the fortunes of the Union fleet on their cruises about +the great rivers of the interior, and first discover what the work was +that they set out to perform. + +The rivers making up the Mississippi system flow for the greater part +of their length through the States that had joined the new +Confederacy. The northern Confederate battle-line was along the south +bank of the Ohio River, and there they had erected batteries that +controlled the passage of that river. South of the mouth of the Ohio, +every river was lined with Confederate batteries, and bore on its +placid bosom fleets of Confederate gunboats. At Columbus on the +Mississippi, not far south of the mouth of the Ohio, were strong +batteries over which floated the stars and bars of the Confederacy. +Farther down was Island Number 10, bearing one of the most powerful +fortifications the world has ever seen. Then came Fort Pillow, +guarding the city of Memphis; then at Vicksburg frowned earthworks, +bastions, and escarpments that rivalled Gibraltar for impregnability. +Lower down were fortifications at Grand Gulf, Port Hudson, and Baton +Rouge. Fort Henry guarded the Tennessee River, and Fort Donelson the +Cumberland, and both of these rivers were very important as waterways +for the transportation of supplies to the Union armies marching into +Tennessee. It was absolutely necessary that all these fortifications +should be swept away, and the rivers opened for navigation down to the +Gulf of Mexico. It was necessary that the work should be done from +above; for the forts below New Orleans were thought to be impassible, +and Farragut's passage of them late in the war made all the world ring +with his name. + +It became evident, very early in the war, that no great progress could +be made in the task of crushing the powerful insurrection until +telling blows had been struck at the Confederate control of the inland +waterways. When the attention of the war department was turned in that +direction, they found but little to encourage them in the prospect. +Along the thousands of miles of the banks of the Mississippi and its +tributaries, there was not one gun mounted belonging to the United +States, not one earthwork over which floated the starry flag of the +Union. The Confederate positions on this great chain of waterways +were, as we have seen, of great strength. To attack them, the armies +of the North must first fight their way through whole States populated +by enemies. Obviously, the war department alone could not complete so +gigantic a task, and the services of the navy were called into +requisition. So energetically did the navy department prosecute its +task, that, by the end of the war, over one hundred Federal +war-vessels floated on those streams, on which, three years before, no +craft dared sail under the American flag. It was a strange navy in +looks, but in actions it showed itself worthy of the service in which +it was enlisted. + +Many of the steamers built for the river marine were wooden gunboats, +hastily remodelled from the hulks of old craft. They were seldom +plated with iron, and their machinery was feebly protected by coal +bunkers, while their oaken sides were barely thick enough to stop a +musket-ball. But the true iron-clad war-vessel made its appearance on +the rivers even before it was to be seen in the ocean squadrons. + +It was as early in the war as July, 1861, that the +quarter-master-general advertised for bids for the construction of +iron-clad gunboats for service on the Mississippi and tributary +rivers. The contract was given to James B. Eads, an engineer, who +during the war performed much valuable service for the United States +Government, and who in later years has made himself a world-wide fame +by the construction of the jetties at the mouth of the Mississippi +River, by which the bar at the mouth of the great stream is swept away +by the mighty rush of the pent-up waters. Mr. Eads was instructed to +build seven iron-clad gunboats with all possible expedition. They were +to be plated two and a half inches thick, and, though of six hundred +tons burden, were not to draw more than six feet of water. They were +to carry thirteen heavy guns each. + +[Illustration: A River-Gunboat.] + +These river-gunboats, like the little "Monitor," had none of the grace +and grandeur of the old style of sailing-frigate, in which Paul Jones +fought so well for his country. The tapering masts of the mighty +frigate, the spidery cordage by which the blue-jackets climbed to +loosen the snowy sheets of canvas--these gave way in the gunboat to a +single slender flagstaff for signalling, and two towering smoke-stacks +anchored to the deck by heavy iron cables, and belching forth the +black smoke from roaring fires of pitch-pine or soft coal. Instead of +the gracefully curved black sides, with two rows of ports, from which +peeped the muzzles of great cannon, the gunboat's sides above water +sloped like the roof of a house, and huge iron shutters hid the cannon +from view. Inside, all was dark and stuffy, making battle-lanterns +necessary even in daylight fights. The broad white gun-deck, scrubbed +to a gleaming white by hollystone and limejuice, on which the +salt-water sailors gathered for their mess or drill, was replaced by a +cramped room, with the roof hardly high enough to let the jolly tars +skylark beneath without banging their skulls against some projecting +beam. Truly it may be said, that, if the great civil war made naval +architecture more powerful, it also robbed the war-vessels of all +their beauty. + +It is hard to appreciate now the immense difficulty experienced in +getting those first seven river-gunboats built by the appointed time. +The war had just begun, and a people accustomed to peace had not yet +found out that those not actually at the seat of war could continue +their usual course of life unmolested. Rolling-mills, machine-shops, +founderies, saw-mills, and shipyards were all idle. Working-men were +enlisting, or going to the Far West, away from the storm of war that +was expected to sweep up the Mississippi Valley. The timber for the +ships was still standing in the forests. The engines that were to +drive the vessels against the enemy were yet to be built. Capt. Eads's +contract called for the completion of the seven vessels in sixty-five +days, and he went at his work with a will. His success showed that not +all the great services done for a nation in time of war come from the +army or navy. Within two weeks four thousand men were at work getting +the gunboats ready. Some were in Michigan felling timber, some in the +founderies and machine-shops of Pittsburg, and others in the shipyards +at St. Louis, where the hulls of the vessels were on the stocks. Day +and night, weekdays and Sundays, the work went on; and in forty-five +days the first vessel was completed, and christened the "St. Louis." +The others followed within the appointed time. Before the autumn of +1861, the river navy of the United States numbered nearly a score of +vessels, while nearly forty mortar-boats were in process of +construction. Of this flotilla, Capt. A. H. Foote, an able naval +officer, was put in command, and directed to co-operate with the land +forces in all movements. + +The first service to which the gunboats were assigned was mainly +reconnoitring expeditions before the front of the advancing Union +armies. They were stationed at the junction of the Ohio and +Mississippi Rivers; and the country about Cairo was occupied by a +large body of Union troops under the command of Gen. Grant, then a +young officer little known. The opening fight of the river campaign +was little more than a skirmish; but it proved the superiority of the +gunboats over a land-force for the purpose of opening the river. One +bright day in September, the "Lexington" and "Conestoga" were ordered +to proceed down the river eight or ten miles, and dislodge a +Confederate battery that had taken a position on Lucas Point. The two +vessels steamed cautiously down the stream, without encountering any +resistance until within easy range of the battery, when the +Confederates opened with sixteen cannon. The shot and shells fell all +about the vessels; but neither was hit, showing that the Confederate +gunners were not yet used to firing at a moving mark. But the fire of +the gunboats was admirably directed; the shells falling among the +Confederates, dismounting the guns, and driving the gunners from their +pieces. It was too hot a spot for any man to hold; and a cavalry corps +quickly attached their horses to the guns, and drew them down the +river to the shelter of the Confederate works at Columbus. Then the +defeated party sent up the gunboat "Yankee" to attack the two victors, +but this vessel was quickly disposed of. She opened fire at long +range, but without success. The first shot from the "Conestoga" struck +the water a few feet from the "Yankee," and, ricochetting, plunged +into her hull. The discomfited vessel immediately put about, and +started down stream, followed by a heavy fire from the two Northern +ships. Just as she was passing out of range, an eight-inch shell from +the "Lexington" struck her starboard wheel-house, and shattered the +paddle-wheel, totally disabling the vessel, so that she drifted +sidelong to her anchorage like a wounded duck. + +On the return of the Northern vessels up the river, they first +encountered the form of warfare that proved the most perilous for the +sailors of the river navy. Confederate sharp-shooters lined the banks, +perched in the trees, or hidden in the long, marshy grass; and any +unwary tar who showed his head above the bulwarks was made a target +for several long rifles in the hands of practised shots. + +The next active service performed by the gunboats was at the battle of +Belmont, directly opposite the Confederate batteries at Columbus. The +Union troops, landing in force, had driven the Confederates from their +camp, and were engaged in securing the spoils, when the gunners at +Columbus, seeing that the camp was in the hands of the enemy, turned +their heavy guns on it, and soon drove out the Yankees. The +Confederates had rallied in the woods, and now came pouring out, in +the hope of cutting off the Union retreat to the boats. On all sides +the dark gray columns could be seen marching out of the woods, and +pouring down upon the retreating army of the North. Batteries were +wheeling into position, and staff-officers in travelling carriages +were dashing to and fro carrying orders. It seemed a black day for +the three or four thousand Unionists who were making for their +transports with all possible speed. But now was the time for the +gunboats to take a hand in the fight. Three of them dropped into +position, and began a deadly fire upon the Confederate line. The huge +shells ploughed their way through whole platoons of men. Bursting, +they would mow down soldiers like saplings before a cyclone. One shell +exploded directly beneath an officer's carriage, and threw horses, +carriage, and men high in the air. The Confederates hastened to get +their field-batteries into position, and replied to the deadly fire +from the ships, but to no avail. Their light artillery was of no +effect upon the plated sides of the gunboats, and they saw their +cannon dismounted or shattered by the solid shot from the big guns of +the iron-clads. They fought bravely, but the conflict was unequal. It +was sheer madness for any body of men, with muskets and light +artillery, to stand against the fire of the gunboats. The gunboats +saved the day. The retreat of the Union army was unchecked; and, +covered by the war-vessels, the transports returned safely to Cairo. + +On the Tennessee River, near the northern boundary of Tennessee, the +Confederates had thrown up certain earthworks to which they gave the +name of Fort Henry. This, with Fort Donelson, situated near by, formed +the principal Confederate strongholds in Tennessee. Gen. Grant +determined to strike a heavy blow by capturing these two forts; and +Commodore Foote, with his seven gunboats, was ordered to co-operate +with the land-forces in the expedition. They started from Cairo on +Feb. 2, 1862. When a few miles below the fort, the troops were landed +and ordered to proceed up the back country, and attack the fort in the +rear, while Foote should engage it from the river with his gunboats. +While the troops were being landed, Gen. Grant boarded the "Essex," +and went up the river to get a view of the fort they were about to +attack. Had it been completed in accordance with the plans of the +engineers, it would have been most formidable. Time, however, had been +short, and the earthworks were far from being completed. There were +many points on the river or on the opposite bank, from which a +well-directed artillery fire would make them untenable. The +Confederate commander, Gen. Tilghman, fully appreciated this fact, +and, at the approach of the gunboats, had sent four-fifths of his +garrison across the country to Fort Donelson, being determined to +sacrifice as few men as possible in the defence of so untenable a +position. While Grant and Foote were examining the works through their +field-glasses, the sullen boom of a great gun came over the waters, +and a heavy rifled shot crashed through the stateroom of Capt. Porter +on the "Essex." The two commanders concluded that the Confederate +gunners, though new to war, understood something of artillery +practice; and the "Essex" was accordingly taken down the river, out of +range. + +The following night was chill and rainy; and the Union forces, +bivouacking on shore, grumbled loudly over their discomforts. The +morning dawned dark; but soon the sun came out, and the preparations +for battle were begun. The troops were first despatched on their +cross-country march; and, as they departed, Commodore Foote remarked +coolly, that his gunboats would have reduced the fort before the land +forces came within five miles of it. This proved to be the fact. + +The gunboats formed in line of battle, and advanced up the river. The +four iron-clads led, steaming abreast. About a mile in the rear, came +the three wooden vessels. The fort was soon in range; but both parties +seemed anxious for a determined conflict, and no shot was fired on +either side as the gunboats came sullenly on. How different must have +been the feelings of the two combatants! Tilghman, with his handful of +men, hardly able to work eight of the eleven guns mounted in his fort, +and knowing that his defeat was a mere question of time; Foote, with +his iron-clads and supporting gunboats, his seventy-two guns, and his +knowledge that six thousand men were marching upon the rear of the +Confederate works. On the one side, all was absolute certainty of +defeat; on the other, calm confidence of victory. + +When the flotilla was within a third of a mile of the fort, the fire +began. The gunners on the ships could see the muzzles of the +Confederate guns, the piles of shells and cannon-balls, and the men at +their work. The firing on both sides was deliberate and deadly. The +Confederates were new to the work, but they proved themselves good +marksmen. The first shot was fired from the shore, and, missing the +"Essex" by but a few feet, plumped into the water, so near the next +ship in line as to throw water over her decks. Within five minutes, +the "Essex" and the "Cincinnati" were both hit. The armor of the +gunboats proved no match for the shots of the Confederates, and in +many cases it was penetrated. In some instances, shells, entering +through the portholes, did deadly damage. + +On the shore, the shells from the gunboats were doing terrible work. +Banks of solid earth, eight feet thick, were blown away by the +terrible explosions. One, bursting in front of a ten-inch columbiad, +filled that powerful gun with mud almost to the muzzle, disabling it +for the remainder of the fight. A shot from the "Essex" struck the +muzzle of a great gun, ripped off a splinter of iron three feet long, +and crushed a gunner to pulp. The gun was just about to be fired, and +burst, killing or wounding every man of the crew. At the same moment a +shell crashed through the side of the "Essex," killing men right and +left: took off the head of a sailor standing by Capt. Porter, wounded +the captain, and plunged into the boiler. In an instant the ship was +filled with scalding steam. The men in the pilot-house were +suffocated. Twenty men and officers were killed or scalded. The ship +was disabled, and drifted out of the fight. While withdrawing, she +received two more shots, making twenty in all that had fallen to her +share in this hot engagement. But by this time the fort was very +thoroughly knocked to pieces. The big twenty-four pounder was +dismounted, and five of its crew killed. Gun after gun was keeled +over, and man after man carried bleeding to the bomb-proofs, until +Gen. Tilghman himself dropped coat and sword, and pulled away at a gun +by the side of his soldiers. Receiving ten shots while they could only +fire one, this little band held out for two long hours; and only when +the crew of the last remaining piece threw themselves exhausted on the +ground, did the flag come fluttering down. Gen. Tilghman went to the +fleet and surrendered the fort to Commodore Foote, and Grant's army +came up more than an hour after the battle was over. To the navy +belongs the honor of taking Fort Henry, while to Gen. Tilghman and his +plucky soldiers belongs the honor of making one of the most desperate +fights under the most unfavorable circumstances recorded in the +history of the civil war. + +The fall of Fort Henry opened the way for the Union advance to Fort +Donelson, and marked the first step of the United States Government +toward regaining control of the Mississippi. It broke the northern +battle-line of the Confederacy, and never again was that line +re-established. + +With Fort Henry fallen, and Gen. Tilghman and his little garrison +prisoners on the Union gunboats, Grant's soldier-boys and Foote's +blue-jackets began active preparations for continuing the conquest of +Tennessee by the capture of Fort Donelson. No time was lost. The very +night that the stars and stripes were first hoisted over the bastion +of Fort Henry saw three of Foote's gunboats steaming up the river on a +reconnoitring expedition. Before them the Confederates fled in every +direction. After several hours' advance, they came to a heavy +railroad-bridge spanning the river, and effectually preventing further +progress. Beyond the bridge were several Confederate steamers, black +with men, and heavily laden with valuable military stores. With all +steam on, they were dashing up stream, and rapidly leaving the +gunboats behind. Enraged at seeing such valuable prizes slipping +through their hands, the Union gunners sent shell after shell +shrieking after the flying boats, but to no avail. A party was hastily +landed for the purpose of swinging the draw of the bridge, but found +the machinery broken, and the ways on which the bridge swung twisted +and bent out of shape. An hour's hard work with axes and crowbars, and +the draw was swung far enough to let pass the "Conestoga" and the +"Lexington." They dashed forward like greyhounds slipped from the +leash; and, after several hours' hard steaming, a smoke over the +tree-tops told that the Confederate fugitives were not far ahead. Soon +a bend in the river was passed; and there, within easy range, were two +of the flying steamers. A commotion was visible on board, and boat +after boat was seen to put off, and make for the shore; on reaching +which the crews immediately plunged into the woods, and were out of +sight before the gunboats could get within range. Soon light blue +smoke curling from the windows of the steamers told that they had been +fired; and as the last boats left each vessel, she ceased her onward +course, and drifted, abandoned and helpless, down the stream. When +within about a thousand yards of the two gunboats, the deserted +steamers blew up with such force, that, even at that great distance, +the glass was shattered in the "Conestoga," and her woodwork seriously +damaged. + +The two gunboats leisurely continued their excursion into the heart of +the enemy's country. Little or no danger was to be feared. At that +time, the Confederates had not learned to plant torpedoes in their +rivers, to blow the enemy's vessels into fragments. There was no +artillery stationed in that section to check their progress, and the +only resistance found was an occasional rifle-shot from some concealed +sharp-shooter in the bushes on the shore. On the 7th of February the +gunboats reached Cerro Gordo, Tenn.; and here they made a valuable +capture. The Confederates had been at work for weeks converting the +steamer "Eastport" into an iron-clad ram; and, as the Union vessels +came up, they found her almost completed, and absolutely without +defence. Besides the new vessel, there was in the shipyard a large +quantity of lumber and ship-timber, which was of the greatest value to +the builders of the river navy. The two gunboats promptly captured all +this property; and waiting until the "Tyler," which had been detained +at the drawbridge, came up, they left her in charge, and continued +their raid into the enemy's country. Little incident occurred until +they reached the head of navigation of the river, where they found all +the Confederate vessels which had been flying before them for two +days. These were burned, and the two gunboats started back down the +river, stopping for the "Eastport" on the way. The captured vessel was +afterwards completed, and served the cause of the Union for two years, +when she was blown up on the Red River. + +When the raiding expedition reached Cairo, the officers found Foote +getting his squadron together for the attack on Fort Donelson. This +fortification was one strongly relied upon by the Confederates for the +maintenance of their northern line of battle. It was on the bank of +the Cumberland River, nearly opposite the site of Fort Henry on the +Tennessee. A garrison of at least fifteen thousand men manned the +works, and were commanded by no less than three generals; and the fact +that there were _three_ generals in command had much to do with the +fall of the fort. Its strength was rather on its river-front. Here the +river winds about between abrupt hillsides, and on the front of one of +these hills stood Fort Donelson. The water-batteries were made up of +heavy guns, so mounted as to command the river for miles. On the +landward side were heavy earthworks, abatis, and sharp pointed +_chevaux-de-frise_. + +Against this fortification marched Grant with an army of eighteen +thousand men, and Foote with his flotilla of gunboats. The Sunday +before the start, Foote, who was a descendant of the old Puritans, and +ever as ready to pray as to fight, attended church in a little +meeting-house at Cairo. The clergyman did not appear on time; and the +congregation waited, until many, growing weary, were leaving the +church. Then the bluff old sailor rose in his pew, and, marching to +the pulpit, delivered a stirring sermon, offering thanks for the +victories of the Union arms, and imploring divine aid in the coming +struggles. The next day he was on his way to hurl shot and shell at +the men in the trenches of Fort Donelson. + +While the capture of Fort Henry was a feather in the caps of the +sailor-boys of the North, Fort Donelson must be credited to the valor +of the soldiers. Against the heavy wall of the water-batteries, the +guns of Foote's little flotilla pounded away in vain, while the heavy +shells from the Confederate cannon did dreadful work on the thinly +armored gunboats. It was on the 13th of April that the assault was +opened by the "Carondelet." This vessel had reached the scene of +action before the rest of the flotilla, and by order of the army +commander tested the strength of the fort by a day's cannonade. She +stationed herself about a mile from the batteries, at a spot where she +would be somewhat protected by a jutting point, and began a deliberate +cannonade with her bow-guns. One hundred and thirty shots went +whizzing from her batteries against the front of the Confederate +batteries, without doing any serious damage. Then came an iron ball +weighing one hundred and twenty pounds, fired from a heavy gun, which +burst through one of her portholes, and scattered men bleeding and +mangled in every direction over the gun-deck. She withdrew a short +distance for repairs, but soon returned, and continued the fire the +remainder of the day. When evening fell, she had sent one hundred and +eighty shells at the fort, with the result of killing one man. This +was not promising. + +The next day the attack was taken up by all the gunboats. The distance +chosen this time was four hundred yards, and the fight was kept up +most stubbornly. It was St. Valentine's Day; and as the swarthy +sailors, stripped to the waist, begrimed with powder, and stained with +blood, rammed huge iron balls down the muzzles of the guns, they said +with grim pleasantry, "There's a valentine for the gray-coats." And +right speedily did the gray-coats return the gift. Shot and shell from +the batteries came in volleys against the sides of the gunboats. In +the fort the condition of affairs was not serious. The shells chiefly +fell in the soft earth of the hilltop above, and embedded themselves +harmlessly in the mud. One of the gunners after the fight said: "We +were more bothered by flying mud than any thing else. A shell bursting +up there would throw out great clots of clay, that blocked up the +touch-holes of our guns, spoiled the priming of our shells, and +plastered up the faces of our men. Of course, now and then a bit of +shell would knock some poor fellow over; but, though we were all green +hands at war, we expected to see lots more blood and carnage than the +Yankee gunboats dealt out to us." + +The gunboats, however, had put themselves in a hot place. Twenty heavy +guns on the hillside high above were hurling solid shot down on the +little fleet. The sailors stuck to their work well; and though the +vessels were in a fair way of being riddled, they succeeded in driving +the enemy from his lower battery. But the upper battery was +impregnable; and the gunners there, having got the correct range, were +shooting with unpleasant precision. Two of the vessels were disabled +by being struck in the steering-chains. On the "Carondelet" a piece +burst, hurling its crew bleeding on the deck. No vessel escaped with +less than twenty wounds, while the flagship was hit fifty-nine times. +Commodore Foote was wounded in the foot by a heavy splinter; a wound +from which he never fully recovered, and which for some years debarred +him from service afloat. + +That afternoon's bombardment showed clearly that Fort Donelson could +never be taken by the navy. When Foote ordered his gunboats to cease +firing and drop back out of position, the Confederates swarmed back +into the lower battery that they had abandoned; and, after a few +hours' work, the fort was as strong as before the fight. It was the +first case in the history of the war in which the navy had failed to +reduce the fortifications against which it had been ordered. The +Hatteras forts, the works at Roanoke Island and at Hilton Head, Fort +Henry--all had fallen before the cannon of the Union sailors; and +Foote may well be pardoned if he yielded to Gen. Grant with great +reluctance the honor of reducing Fort Donelson. For two days Grant's +army invested the fort, and kept up a constant cannonade; then the +defenders, despairing of escape, and seeing no use of further +prolonging the defence, surrendered. + +The capture of Fort Donelson was an important success for the Union +arms. In addition to the large number of prisoners, and the great +quantity of munitions of war captured, the destruction of the fort +left the Cumberland River open to the passage of the Union gunboats, +and the Confederate battle-line was moved back yet another point. But +now was to come a most heroic test of the power of the river-navy and +the army of the North. + +Some sixty miles below Cairo, the rushing, tawny current of the mighty +Mississippi turns suddenly northward, sweeping back, apparently, +toward its source, in a great bend eight or ten miles long. At the +point where the swift current sweeps around the bend, is a low-lying +island, about a mile long and half a mile wide. This is known as +Island No. 10; and at the opening of the war, it was supposed to hold +the key to the navigation of the Mississippi River. Here the +Confederates had thrown up powerful earthworks, the heavy guns in +which effectually commanded the river, both up and down stream. The +works were protected against a land bombardment by the fact that the +only tenable bit of land, New Madrid, was held by Confederate troops. +The shores of the Mississippi about Island No. 10 present the +dreariest appearance imaginable. The Missouri shore is low and swampy. +In 1811 an earthquake-shock rent the land asunder. Great tracts were +sunk beneath the water-level of the river. Trees were thrown down, and +lie rotting in the black and miasmatic water. Other portions of the +land were thrown up, rugged, and covered with rank vegetation, making +hills that serve only as places of refuge for water-moccasons and +other noxious reptiles. Around this dreary waste of mud and water, the +river rushes in an abrupt bend, making a peninsula ten miles long and +three wide. Below this peninsula is New Madrid, a little village in +the least settled part of Missouri; here the Confederates had +established an army-post, and thrown up strong intrenchments. It was +not, however, upon the intrenchments that they relied, but rather upon +the impassable morasses by which they were surrounded on every side. +In New Madrid were posted five or six thousand men; a small fleet of +Confederate gunboats lay in the stream off the village; and higher up +the river was Island No. 10, with its frowning bastions and rows of +heavy siege-guns, prepared to beat back all advances of the Union +troops. + +[Illustration: Mortar Boats at Island No. 10.] + +In planning for the attack of this stronghold, the first difficulty +found by Commodore Foote lay in the fact that his gunboats were above +the batteries. In fighting down stream in that manner, the ships must +be kept at long range: for, should a shot from the enemy injure the +engine or boiler of a gunboat, the vessel is doomed; for the rapid +current will rush her down under the enemy's guns, and her capture is +certain. But the peril of running the batteries so as to carry on the +fight from below seemed too great to be ventured upon; and besides, +even with Island No. 10 passed, there would still be the batteries of +New Madrid to cope with, and the gunboats of the Confederates to +take the ships in the rear. So it was determined that the navy should +begin a bombardment of the Confederate works, while the army under +Gen. Pope should attend to New Madrid. Accordingly, on March 15, the +whiz of a rifled shell from the flagship "Benton" announced to the +Confederates that the North wanted the Mississippi opened for travel. + +In this engagement use was made for the first time of a new style of +vessel known as mortar-boats, which in later conflicts on the rivers +did great service. These boats were simple floats, heavily built, and +calculated to stand the most terrible shocks. On the float was raised +a sort of sheet-iron fort or wall, about five feet high; and in the +centre stood one thirteen-inch mortar. The mortar is the earliest of +all forms of cannon, and was in use in Europe in 1435. Its name is +derived from its resemblance to an ordinary druggist's mortar. The +great thirteen-inch mortars used in the civil war weighed seventeen +thousand pounds, and threw a shell thirteen inches in diameter. These +shells were so heavy that it took two men to bring them up to the +cannon's mouth. In the river-service, the mortar-boats were moored to +the bank, and a derrick was set up in such a position that the shells +could be hoisted up, and let fall into the yawning iron pot below. +Foote had fourteen of these monsters pounding away at the +Confederates, and the roar was deafening. + +A correspondent of the "Chicago Times," who was with the fleet at the +time of the bombardment, thus describes the manner of using these +immense cannon: "The operation of firing the mortars, which was +conducted when we were near by, is rather stunning. The charge is from +fifteen to twenty-two pounds. The shell weighs two hundred and thirty +pounds. For a familiar illustration, it is about the size of a large +soup-plate. So your readers may imagine, when they sit down to dinner, +the emotions they would experience if they happened to see a ball of +iron of those dimensions coming toward them at the rate of a thousand +miles a minute. The boat is moored alongside the shore, so as to +withstand the shock firmly, and the men go ashore when the mortar is +fired. A pull of the string does the work, and the whole vicinity is +shaken with the concussion. The report is deafening, and the most +enthusiastic person gets enough of it with two or three discharges. +There is no sound from the shell at this point of observation, and no +indication to mark the course it is taking; but in a few seconds the +attentive observer with a good glass will see the cloud of smoke that +follows its explosion, and then the report comes back with a dull +boom. If it has done execution, the enemy may be seen carrying off +their killed and wounded." + +And so from mortar-boats and gunboats, the iron hail was poured upon +the little island, but without effect. When Foote with his flotilla +first opened fire, he thought that the Confederate works would be +swept away in a day or two. His ordnance was the heaviest ever seen on +the Mississippi, and in number his guns were enough to have battered +down a mountain. But his days grew to weeks, and still the flag of the +Confederacy floated above Island No. 10. The men on the mortar-boats +were giving way under the tremendous shocks of the explosions. Many +were rendered deaf for days at a time. The jar of the explosions +brought to the surface of the river hundreds of old logs and roots +that had lain rotting in the soft ooze of the bottom. When all the +mortars were engaged, the surface of the river was covered with foam +and bubbles; and men by the thousand went about with their ears +stuffed with tow, to protect them against the sound. Yet, after weeks +of such firing, Gen. Beauregard telegraphed to Richmond, that the +Yankees had "thrown three thousand shells, and burned fifty tons of +gunpowder," without injuring his batteries in the least. + +The Confederates remained passive in their trenches. They had no guns +that would carry far enough to reply to Foote's mortars, and they did +not wish to waste powder. It was galling to stand fire without +replying; but, fortunately for them, the fire was not very deadly, and +but few were injured. When, however, a shell did fall within the +works, it made work enough to repair damages, as by its explosion a +hole as large as a small house would be torn in the ground. But for +every one that fell within the batteries, twenty fell outside. Some +strange freaks are recorded of the shells. One fell on a cannon, +around which eight or ten men were lying. The gun-carriage was blown +to pieces, but not a man was hurt. Another fell full on the head of a +man who was walking about distributing rations, and not so much as a +button from his uniform was ever found. + +But while the navy was thus playing at bowls with great guns, the army +had marched through the interior, captured New Madrid, and obtained a +foothold below Island No. 10. Thus the Confederates were surrounded; +and the very impassability of the land, that had been an advantage to +them, now told against them, for it cut off all hope of +re-enforcements. Gen. Pope's position was such that he could not get +at the island, nor secure a commanding position, without aid from the +navy. He begged Foote to try to run the batteries; but the commodore +replied, that the risk was greater than the prospective gain, and +continued his cannonade. Then a new idea was broached. By cutting a +canal through the bayous, swamps, and woods of the peninsula, the +lighter vessels could be taken by the fort without risk, and Foote +would then dare the dangers of a dash by in the gunboats. Every one +said that such a canal was impossible; but the men of the North were +given to doing impossible things in those days, and while Foote's +mortar-boats continued their thunder, fifteen hundred men were set to +work cutting a way through the noisome swamps. A channel forty feet +wide must be made. First gangs of men with axes and saws, working in +three feet of water, went ahead, cutting down the rank vegetation. As +fast as a little space was cleared, a small steamer went in, and with +dredge and steam-capstan hauled out the obstructions. In some places +the surveyed channel was so filled with drift-wood, fallen trees, and +tangled roots, that the labor of a thousand men for a day seemed to +make no impression. When the canal was pretty well blocked out, the +levee was cut; and the rush of the waters from the great river +undermined trees, and piled up new obstacles for the steamers to tow +away. Amid the foulest vapors the men worked, and more than a thousand +were sent to the hospital with chills and fever, and rheumatism. The +most venomous snakes lurked in the dark recesses of the swamp; on +cypress-stumps or floating logs the deadly water-moccason lay +stretched out, ready to bite without warning. Wherever there was a bit +of dry ground, the workers were sure to hear the rattle of the +rattlesnake. Sometimes whole nests of these reptiles would be +uncovered. + +The work was continued day and night. When the failing daylight ceased +to make its way through the thickly intwined branches of trees and +climbing vines, great torches would be lighted, and by their fitful +glare the soldiers and sailors worked on in the water and mud. The +light glared from the furnaces of the steamers, lighting up the +half-naked forms of the stokers. Now and then some dry vine or tree +would catch a spark from a torch, and in an instant would be +transformed into a pillar of fire. After eight days of work the canal +was finished, and was found to be of sufficient depth for the passage +of the transports. And now Commodore Foote saw that the time had come +when he must attempt to run his gunboats past the forts, be the danger +what it might. + +On April 1, Foote ordered a reconnoissance of the batteries, and this +order evoked one of the most daring deeds in the history of the war. +The night was pitchy dark, and heavy clouds were driven across the sky +by a strong, damp wind, that told of a coming storm. In five boats a +party of fifty sailors and fifty soldiers put off from the fleet, +prepared to go down and beard the Confederate lion in his den. Hardly +had they started on their perilous expedition, when the rain began +falling in sheets, and now and again flashes of lightning made the +dark shores visible for an instant, then the black night hid every +thing again from view. It was midnight, and the fierceness of the wind +added to the terror of the moment. On the banks, the great +forest-trees were bending and groaning before the blast, while the +broad surface of the river was lashed into foaming billows. Under +cover of the darkness the little band passed rapidly down the river; +past the shore-batteries and past the Confederate picket-boats, they +sped unseen. When they were within a few feet of the shore, a flash of +lightning revealed them for just an instant to the sentries. Then all +was black, save for the quick flashes of the sentries' guns as they +gave the alarm and fell back. The Federals landed rapidly, and drove +the confused Confederates from the battery. Then began the work of +spiking the guns. Every fifth man carried a number of rat-tail files, +which were to be driven into the vents of the cannon, and then broken +off. While the raiders were engaged in this work, the Confederates +rallied, and soon drove back the blue-jackets to their boats, with a +slight loss in killed and captured. How many guns they had disabled, +it is hard to say. In the excitement and glory of successful +adventure, the reports were much exaggerated. Histories of that date +depict the men as calmly spiking _every_ gun, and then retiring +deliberately. One writer claims that only one gun was spiked. However, +testimony from Confederates on duty in the batteries goes to show that +four guns were totally disabled. But the true value of the adventure +to the Union forces was the dash and valor it disclosed, and the +encouragement the people received from its success. + +The next day after this successful exploit, a gunboat, the +"Carondelet," was made ready to try the dash past the batteries of +Island No. 10. Again the weather was favorable to the plans of the +Federals, for the night was as dark and wild as the one before. The +day had been clear, and the night opened with so bright a moon that +for a time it was thought that the project would have to be abandoned; +but toward ten o'clock a heavy thunder-storm came up, and soon the +black sky, the wildly waving tree-tops, and the sheets of rain +scudding across the river, gave promise of a suitable night. + +All day the sailors on the "Carondelet" had been working busily, +getting their vessel in trim for the trip. Heavy planks were laid +along the deck, to ward off plunging shot. Chain cables were coiled +about all weak points, cord-wood was piled around the boilers, and the +pilot-house was wrapped round and about with heavy hawsers. On the +side toward the battery was tied a large barge, piled high with +cotton-bales. When the time for starting drew nigh, all lights were +extinguished. The guns were run in, and the ports closed. The sailors, +heavily armed, were sent to their stations. Muskets, revolvers, and +sabres were in the racks. Down in the boiler-room the stokers were +throwing coal upon the roaring fires; and in the engine-room the +engineer stood with his hand on the throttle, waiting for the signal +to get under way. + +Towards eleven o'clock the time seemed propitious for starting. The +storm was at its height, and the roll of the thunder would drown the +beat of the steamer's paddles. The word was given; and the +"Carondelet," with her two protecting barges, passed out of sight of +the flotilla, and down towards the cannon of the enemy. For the first +half-mile all went well. The vessel sped along silently and unseen. +The men on the gun-deck, unable to see about, sat breathlessly, +expecting that at any moment a cannon-ball might come crashing through +the side into their midst. Suddenly from the towering smoke-stacks, +burst out sheets of flame five feet high, caused by the burning soot +inside, and lighting up the river all about. Quickly extinguished, +they quickly broke out again; and now from the camp of the alarmed +enemy came the roll of the drum, and the ringing notes of the bugle +sounding the alarm. A gunboat was bearing down on the works, and the +Confederates sprang to their guns with a will. The men on the +"Carondelet" knew what to expect, and soon it came. Five signal +rockets rushed up into the sky, and in an instant thereafter came the +roar of a great gun from one of the batteries. Then all joined in, and +the din became terrible. With volley after volley the Confederates +hurled cannon-balls, shells, musket, and even pistol-bullets at the +flying ship, that could only be seen an instant at a time by the +fitful flashes of the lightning. On the "Carondelet" all was still as +death. The men knew the deadly peril they were in, and realized how +impossible it was for them to make any fight. In the black night, +threading the crooked and ever-changing channel of the Mississippi +River, it was impossible to go more than half-speed. In the bow men +were stationed casting the lead, and calling out the soundings to the +brave old Capt. Hoel, who stood on the upper deck unprotected from the +storm of bullets, and repeated the soundings to Capt. Walker. So +through the darkness, through the storm of shot and shell, the +"Carondelet" kept on her way. Past the land-batteries, past the rows +of cannon on the island, and past the formidable floating battery, she +swept uninjured. Heavy and continuous as was the fire of the +Confederates, it was mainly without aim. The hay-barge was hit three +times, but not a scar was on the gunboat when she stopped before the +water-front of New Madrid after twenty minutes' run through that +dreadful fire. + +And now the roar of the great guns had died away, and the men on the +vessels of the flotilla up the river were all anxiety to know what had +been the fate of their gallant comrades on the "Carondelet." All the +time the battle raged, the decks of the ships at anchor were crowded +with sailors looking eagerly down the river, and trying to make out by +the blinding flashes of the cannon the dark form of a gunboat speeding +by the hostile camp. Now all is silent; the roar of battle is over, +the flash of gunpowder no more lights up the night. But what has +become of the gallant men who braved that tempest of steel and iron? +Are they floating down the troubled waters beneath the wreck of their +vessel? It was a moment of suspense. After a few minutes' silence, +there comes through the strangely quiet air the deep boom of a heavy +gun. It had been agreed, that, if the "Carondelet" made the passage of +the batteries safely, she should fire six heavy guns. The old tars on +the decks say softly to themselves, "One." Then comes another, and a +third, and still more, until suddenly a ringing cheer goes up from the +flotilla, louder than the thunder itself. Men dance for joy; grizzled +tars fall into each other's arms, sing, shout, cry. An answering +salute goes booming back, rockets scud up into the clouds; and +Commodore Foote, with a heart too full for talking, goes down into his +cabin to be alone. + +That night's work by the "Carondelet" terminated Confederate domain on +Island No. 10. The next night another gunboat came down, and the two +set to work carrying the troops across the river, protecting +artillerymen engaged in erecting batteries, and generally completing +the investment of the island. In two days every loop-hole of escape +for the Confederates is closed,--gunboats above and below them, +batteries peering down from every bluff, and regiments of infantry, +all prepared to move upon the works. They made one or two ineffectual +but plucky attempts to ward off capture. One private soldier swam +ashore, skulked past the Union pickets, and made his way to one of the +Union mortar-boats. He succeeded in getting to the mortar, and +successfully spiked it, thus terminating its usefulness. A second +Confederate succeeded in reaching the deck of the mortar-boat, but +while making his way across the deck tripped and fell. The rat-tail +file he was carrying was driven into his side, making a wound from +which he died in two hours. A third man, reckless of life, set out in +a canoe to blow up a gunboat. He carried with him a fifty-pound keg of +gunpowder, which he proposed to strap on the rudder-post of the +vessel. He succeeded in getting under the stern of the vessel; but the +gleam of his lighted match alarmed the sentry, who fired, hitting him +in the shoulder. The Confederate went overboard, and managed to get +ashore; while his keg of powder, with the fuse lighted, went drifting +down stream. Soon it exploded, throwing up an immense column of water, +and showing that it would have sent the stoutest vessel to the bottom +had it been properly placed. + +But such struggles as these could not long avert the impending +disaster. The Confederates were hemmed in on every side. It was true +that they had a strong position, and could make a desperate +resistance; but they were separated from their friends, and their +final downfall was but a question of time. Appreciating this fact, +they surrendered two days after the "Carondelet" had passed the +batteries; and Foote made his second step (this time one of sixty +miles) toward the conquest of the Mississippi. + +To-day nothing remains of the once extensive island, save a small +sand-bank in the middle of the great river. The rushing current of the +Father of Waters has done its work, and Island No. 10 is now a mere +tradition. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + + FAMOUS CONFEDERATE PRIVATEERS. -- THE "ALABAMA," THE + "SHENANDOAH," THE "NASHVILLE." + + +Let us now desert, for a time, the progress of the Union forces down +the Mississippi River, and turn our attention toward the true home of +the sailors,--the blue waters of the ocean. We have heard much, from +many sources, of the exploits of the Confederate commerce-destroyers, +privateers, or, as the Union authorities and the historians of the war +period loved to call them, the "Rebel pirates." In the course of this +narrative we have already dealt with the career of the "Sumter," one +of the earliest of these vessels. A glance at the career of the most +famous of all the Confederate cruisers, the "Alabama," will be +interesting. + +This vessel was built in England, ostensibly as a merchant-vessel, +although her heavy decks and sides, and her small hatchways, might +have warned the English officials that she was intended for purposes +of war. Before she was finished, however, the customs-house people +began to suspect her character; and goaded on by the frequent +complaints of the United States minister, that a war-vessel was being +built for the Confederates, they determined to seize her. But +customs-house officials do things slowly; and, while they were getting +ready for the seizure, Capt. Semmes, who had taken command of the new +ship, duped them, and got his vessel safely out of English waters. +Private detectives and long-shore customs officers had been visiting +the ship daily on visits of examination; but, by the aid of champagne +and jolly good-fellowship, their inexperienced eyes were easily +blinded to the manifest preparations for a warlike cruise. But finally +came a retired naval officer who was not to be humbugged. A sailor on +board thus tells the story of his visit: "He was evidently a naval +officer, alert and resolute, and soon silenced the officer's +explanations. He looked at the hatchways, shot-racks, and magazines; +and, surveying the hammock-hooks on the berth-deck, said, 'You'll have +a large crew for a merchant-steamer.' We had taken on board some heavy +oak plank, that lay on the main deck; the officer remarked that they +were for anchor-stocks, and was shortly answered, 'Wouldn't make bad +gun-platforms, sir,' which, indeed, was just what they were intended +for. With a 'Good-morning, sir,' our visitor mounted the side and was +gone." This visit alarmed the Confederates; and immediate preparations +were made to run the ship, which still went by the name of the "No. +290," out of the British waters the next day. To disarm suspicion, a +large party of ladies and gentlemen were invited aboard; and the ship +started down the Mersey, ostensibly on her trial trip, with the sounds +of music and popping corks ringing from her decks. But peaceful and +merry as the start seemed, it was the beginning of a voyage that was +destined to bring ruin to hundreds of American merchants, and leave +many a good United States vessel a smoking ruin on the breast of the +ocean. When she was a short distance down the river, two tugs were +seen putting off from the shore; and in a moment the astonished guests +were requested to leave the ship, and betake themselves homeward in +the tugs. It is unnecessary to follow the voyage of the "No. 290" to +Nassau, and detail the way in which cannon, ammunition, and naval +stores were sent out from Portsmouth in a second vessel, and +transferred to her just outside of Nassau. It is enough to say that on +a bright, clear Sunday morning, in the latter part of August, 1862, +Capt. Rafael Semmes, late of the Confederate cruiser "Sumter," a +gentleman of middle height, wearing a uniform of gray and gold, his +dark mustache waxed to such sharp points that one would think him a +Frenchman rather than a Southerner, stood on the quarter-deck of the +"No. 290," with his crew mustered before him, reading out his +commission from Jefferson Davis, as commander of the Confederate +States' steam-sloop "Alabama." As he read, an old master's-mate, +standing at the peak-halyards, begins pulling at the ropes. The +British ensign, carried through the ship's anonymous days, comes +fluttering down, and in its place runs up the white naval ensign of +the Confederacy, with the starry Southern cross in the red field of +the corner. Then the reading is ended. Boom! goes the starboard +forecastle-gun. The band bursts forth with the stirring notes of +Dixie; and the sailors, after three ringing cheers, crowd forward to +wait for further developments. Soon the sailors are summoned aft +again, and Capt. Semmes addresses them. He tells them that, as the +"Alabama" is to be a ship-of-war, they are released from their +shipping contracts, but are invited to ship under the new plan. He +briefly details the purpose of the cruise. The "Alabama" is to be a +bird of passage, flitting from port to port, and hovering about the +highways of travel, to lie in wait for the merchant-vessels of the +North. Armed vessels she will avoid as much as possible, confining her +warfare to the helpless merchantmen. It is hardly a glorious +programme, but it seems to bear the promise of prize-money; and before +the day is over Capt. Semmes has shipped a crew of eighty men, and +with these the "Alabama" begins her cruise. The remainder of the +sailors are sent ashore, and the "Alabama" starts off under sail, in +search of her first capture. + +Let us look for a moment at this vessel, perhaps the most famous of +all cruisers. She was a fast screw-steamer, of a little more than a +thousand tons' burden. Her screw was so arranged that it could be +hoisted out of the water; and, as the saving of coal was a matter of +necessity, the "Alabama" did most of her cruising under sail. Her hull +was of wood, with no iron plating, and her battery consisted of but +eight light guns: two facts which made it necessary that she should +avoid any conflicts with the powerful ships of the United States navy. +Her lines were beautifully fine; and, as she sped swiftly through the +water, Capt. Semmes felt that his vessel could escape the Northern +cruisers as easily as she could overhaul the lumbering merchantmen. +The crew was a turbulent one, picked up in the streets of Liverpool, +and made up of men of all nationalities. Terrific rows would arise in +the forecastle, and differences between the sailors were often settled +by square stand-up fights. The petty officers seldom interfered; one +old boatswain remarking, when he heard the noise of blows in the +forecastle, "Blast them, let 'em slug one another's heads off; it will +keep 'em out of mischief." And it generally did, for the combatants +were usually fast friends the next day. + +As soon as the new ship was cleaned up, and put in order, drill began. +The men were all green; and hard, steady work at the guns, and with +the cutlasses, was necessary to fit them for service. The decks +resounded with "right," "left," "head protect," "right overcut." The +men were slow in learning; but the officers were Southerners, devoted +to their cause, and were tireless in getting the crew into shape. + +After several days of cruising and drill, a vessel was sighted which +was unmistakably American. One of the sailors tells the story of her +capture graphically. "On the morning of the 5th of September the cry +of 'ship ahoy!' from the masthead brought all hands on deck. Sure +enough, about two miles to the leeward of us was a fine barque, at +once pronounced a 'spouter' (whaler), and an American. In order to +save coal,--of which very essential article we had about three hundred +tons aboard,--we never used our screw unless absolutely necessary. We +were on the starboard tack, and with the fresh breeze soon came +alongside. We had the American flag set, and the chase showed the +stars and stripes. A gun was fired; and, as we came within hail, we +gave the order, 'Back your mainsail; I'll send a boat on board of +you.' + +"'Cutter away,' and the boat came down from the davits, and we pulled +for our first prize. It soon became a vain thing, and tiresome; but +this our first essay was a novelty, and we made the stretches buckle +with our impatience to get aboard. The bowman hooked on to the chains, +and we went up the side like cats. When we got aft, the captain asked +in a dazed sort of manner, 'Why--why--what does this mean?' The +master, Fullam, replied, 'You are prize to the Confederate steamer +"Alabama," Capt. Semmes commanding. I'll trouble you for your papers.' +Now, this man had been four years out, and had no doubt heard of the +trouble at home; but he couldn't realize this, and he stared, and +said, 'Confederate government--Alabama--why, that's a State,' and then +was sternly told to get his papers. We were ordered to put the crew in +irons, and they, too, seemed utterly dumbfounded; and one poor fellow +said to me, 'Must I lose all my clothes?' I answered, 'Yes,' but +advised him to put on all he could, and if he had any money to slip it +in his boot. 'Money! I h'aint seen a dollar for three years; but I'm +obliged to ye all the same.'" + +Then, after searching the vessel for valuables, the captives were +taken back to the "Alabama," while one boat's-crew remained behind to +fire the vessel. + +"She was loaded with oil," writes sailor Haywood; "and, when it +caught, a high column of dense black smoke poured out of the +hatchways, and spread in vast involutions to the leeward. Soon the red +forked flames began to climb her masts, and her spars glowed with +light; with a crash her mainmast fell, carrying the foremast with it, +and sending a shower of sparks high in the air; her stout sides seemed +to burst open; and what was a stately ship was now a blackened hulk, +the rising sea breaking in white-caps over it, and at last, with a +surge and wallow, sinking out of sight." Alone, by one of the +lee-ports, the ruined American captain stood, looking sadly upon the +end of all his long four years' labor. For this he had borne the icy +hardships of the Arctic seas. The long, dreary four years of +separation from wife and home had been lightened by the thought, that +by a prosperous voyage he might bring home enough money to stay always +in the little shingled cottage in the narrow street of some New +England fishing-village; but now all that was over. When he should +arrive home he would be penniless, with nothing but the clothes on his +back, and all because of a war of the very existence of which he knew +nothing. It was hard to bear, but war brings nothing but affliction. + +After this capture, the "Alabama" had a lively season for several +weeks, capturing often two or three vessels a day. Generally they met +with no resistance; but occasionally the blood of some old sea-dog +would boil, and he would do the best in his power to injure his +captors. A story of one such incident was thus told by one of the +"Alabama's" crew:-- + +[Illustration: Looting a Prize.] + +"When we ran around in search of whalers, we came upon a Yankee +skipper who didn't know what surrender meant. We were just well to the +west of the stormy cape, when one morning after breakfast we raised a +whaler. He was headed up the coast, and about noon we overhauled him. +He paid no attention to the first shot, and it was only when the +second one hulled him that he came into the wind. It was then seen +that he had fifteen or sixteen men aboard, and that all were armed +with muskets, and meant to defend the ship. The lieutenant was sent +off with his boat; but no sooner was he within fair musket-range, than +the whaler opened on him, killing one man, and wounding two, at the +first volley. The officer pushed ahead, and demanded a surrender; +but he got another volley, and the reply that the whaler 'would go to +the bottom before he would surrender to a Rebel!' + +"The boat was recalled, and our gunners were instructed to hull the +whaler with solid shot. We approached him within rifle-range, and +opened fire. Every one of the balls plumped through his side at and +above the water-line, and he answered with his muskets, severely +wounding two men. He was repeatedly hailed to surrender, but in reply +he encouraged his men to maintain their fire. We soon had the sea +pouring into his starboard side through a dozen holes; and when it was +seen that he would soon go down, we ceased firing, and again demanded +his surrender. I can remember just how he looked as he sprang upon the +rail,--tall, gaunt, hair flying, and eyes blazing,--and shouted in +reply,-- + +"'The 'Ben Scott' don't surrender! Come and take us--if you can.' + +"Five minutes later his craft settled down, bow first. We lowered the +boats to save his crew, and, strangely enough, not a man was lost. +When we brought them aboard, the Yankee skipper walked up to Semmes, +bareheaded, barefooted, and coatless, and said,-- + +"'If I'd only have had one old cannon aboard, we'd have licked ye out +of yer butes! Here we are, and what are ye going to do with us?' + +"He was voted a jolly good fellow, and the crew were better treated +than any other ever forced aboard. In order to give them their +liberty, the very next capture we made was bonded, and they were put +aboard to sail for home." + +But now the decks of the "Alabama" were getting rather uncomfortably +crowded with prisoners, and it became necessary to put into some port +where they could be landed. Accordingly the ship was headed for +Martinique, and soon lay anchored in the harbor of that place, where +she began coaling. While she lay there, a Yankee schooner put into the +port, and was about to drop anchor near the dangerous cruiser, when +some one gave the skipper a hint; and, with a startled "b'gosh," he +got his sails up, and scudded out to sea. The "Alabama" lay in port +some days. The first set of the sailors who received permission to go +ashore proceeded to get drunk, and raised so great a disturbance, that +thereafter they were obliged to look on the tropical prospect from the +deck of the vessel. The next day a United States war-vessel was seen +standing into the harbor, and Capt. Semmes immediately began to make +preparations to fight her. But as she came nearer she proved to be +the "San Jacinto," a vessel mounting fourteen heavy guns, and +altogether too powerful for the "Alabama." So thinking discretion the +better part of valor, the Confederate ship remained safe in the +neutral harbor. The "San Jacinto" quietly remained outside, thinking +that at last the fox was caught. But that same night, with all lights +extinguished, and running under full steam, the "Alabama" slipped +right under the broadside of her enemy, getting clean away, so quietly +that the "San Jacinto" remained for four days guarding the empty trap, +while the "Alabama" was off again on another voyage of destruction, +and the tuneful souls in the forecastle were roaring out the chorus,-- + + "Oh, our jolly privateer + Has left old England's shore! + Lord, send us lots of prizes, + But no Yankee man-of-war." + +Soon after leaving Martinique, the "Alabama" made a capture which +embarrassed the captain not a little by its size. It was Sunday (which +Capt. Semmes calls in his journal "the 'Alabama's' lucky day"), when a +bit of smoke was seen far off on the horizon, foretelling the approach +of a steamer. Now was the time for a big haul; and the "Alabama's" +canvas was furled, and her steam-gear put in running order. The two +vessels approached each other rapidly; and soon the stranger came near +enough for those on the "Alabama" to make out her huge walking-beam, +see-sawing up and down amidships. The bright colors of ladies' dresses +were visible; and some stacks of muskets, and groups of blue-uniformed +men, forward, told of the presence of troops. The "Alabama" came up +swiftly, her men at the guns, and the United States flag flying from +the peak,--a rather dishonorable ruse habitually practised by Capt. +Semmes. In a moment the stranger showed the stars and stripes, and +then the "Alabama" ran up the white ensign of the Confederacy, and +fired a blank cartridge. But the stranger had no thought of +surrendering, and crowded on all steam and fled. The "Alabama" was no +match for her in speed, so a more peremptory summons was sent in the +shape of a shell that cut the steamer's foremast in two. This hint was +sufficient. The huge paddles ceased revolving, and a boat's-crew from +the "Alabama" went aboard to take possession. The prize proved to be +the mail steamer "Ariel," with five hundred passengers, besides a +hundred and forty marines and a number of army and navy officers. Now +Capt. Semmes had an elephant on his hands, and what to do with that +immense number of people he could not imagine. Clearly the steamer +could not be burned like other captures. For two days Capt. Semmes +kept the prize near him, debating what was to be done, and then +released her; exacting from all the military and naval officers their +paroles that they would not take up arms against the Confederacy. + +After this exploit the "Alabama" went into port for a few days, and +then headed into the Gulf of Mexico. Here she steamed about, capturing +and burning a few United States merchantmen, until on the 11th of +January she found herself off the port of Galveston, where a strong +blockading fleet was stationed. And here she fought her first battle. + +About four o'clock of a clear afternoon, the lookout in the cross +trees of the United States sloop-of-war "Hatteras," stationed off the +port of Galveston, hailed the officer of the deck, and reported a +steamer standing up and down outside. The stranger was watched closely +through marine glasses, and finally decided to be a blockade-runner +trying to make the port; and the "Hatteras" immediately set out in +pursuit. This was just what Capt. Semmes desired. He knew that the +ships stationed off Galveston were not heavily armed, and he felt sure +that if he could entice one away from the rest of the fleet he would +be able to send her to the bottom. Accordingly he steamed away slowly, +letting the "Hatteras" gain on him, but at the same time drawing her +out of the reach of any aid from her consorts. When about twenty miles +away from the fleet, the "Alabama" slowed down and finally stopped +altogether, waiting for the "Hatteras" to come up. The latter vessel +came within two hundred yards, and hailed, "What ship's that?"--"Her +Majesty's ship 'Petrel,'" answered Semmes, pursuing the course of +deception that brings so much discredit on his otherwise dashing +career. The captain of the "Hatteras" answered that he would send a +boat aboard; but, before the boat touched the water, a second hail +announced, "We are the Confederate ship 'Alabama,'" and in an instant +a heavy broadside crashed into the "Hatteras." Every one of the shots +took effect; and one big fellow from the one hundred and five pounder +rifle peeled off six feet of iron plating from the side of the +"Hatteras," and lodged in the hold. Dazed by this unexpected fire, but +plucky as ever, the blue-jackets sprang to their guns and returned +the fire. The two ships were so close together that a good shot with a +revolver could have picked off his man every time, and the sailors +hurled taunts at each other between the volleys. Not a shot missed the +"Hatteras:" in five minutes she was riddled with holes, and on fire, +and a minute or two later the engineer came up coolly and reported, +"Engine's disabled, sir;" followed quickly by the carpenter, who +remarked, "Ship's making water fast; can't float more than ten +minutes, sir." There was nothing for it but surrender, and the flag +came down amid frantic yells from the "Alabama" sailors. Semmes got +out his boats with wonderful rapidity, and picked up all the men on +the "Hatteras;" and the defeated vessel sank in ten minutes. One of +the strange things about this battle was the small number of men +injured. Nothing but shells were fired, and they searched every part +of the vessels; yet when the fight was over the "Alabama" had but one +man wounded, while the "Hatteras" had two men killed and three +wounded. The shells played some strange pranks in their course. One +ripped up a long furrow in the deck of the "Alabama," and knocked two +men high in the air without disabling them. Another struck a gun full +in the mouth, tore off one side of it, and shoved it back ten feet, +without injuring any of the crew. One man who was knocked overboard by +the concussion was back again and serving his gun in two minutes. A +shell exploded in the coal of the "Hatteras," and sent the stuff +flying all about the vessel, without injuring a man. + +With her prisoners stowed away in all available places about her +decks, the "Alabama" headed for Jamaica, and cast anchor in the harbor +of Port Royal. There were several English men-of-war there, and the +officers of the victorious ship were lionized and feasted to their +hearts' content. The prisoners were landed, the "Alabama's" wounds +were bound up, and she was made ready for another cruise. + +[Illustration: Sinking of the "Alabama."] + +After five days in port, she set out again on her wanderings about the +world. Week after week she patrolled the waters in all parts of the +globe where ships were likely to be met. Sometimes she would go a +fortnight without a capture, and then the men in the forecastle would +grow turbulent and restive under the long idleness. Every bit of +brass-work was polished hour after hour, and the officers were at +their wits' end to devise means for "teasing-time." The men made +sword-knots and chafing-gear enough to last the whole navy, and +then looked longingly at the captain's mustache, as the only thing +left in which a "Turk's head" could be tied. Music enlivened the hours +for a time; but the fiddler was soon voted a bore, and silenced by +some one pouring a pint of molasses into the _f_-holes of his +instrument. The enraged musician completed the job by breaking it over +the head of the joker. After several weeks, they put into Cape Town. +Here the practical joker of the crew made himself famous by utterly +routing an inquisitive old lady, who asked, "What do you do with your +prisoners?" The grizzled old tar dropped his voice to a confidential +whisper, and, with a look of the utmost frankness, replied, "We biles +'em, mum. We tried a roast, but there ain't a hounce of meat on one o' +them Yankee carkages. Yes, mum, we biles 'em." The startled old lady +gasped out, "Good lordy," and fled from the ship. + +Putting out from Cape Town, the "Alabama" continued her weary round of +cruising. Many vessels were captured, and most of them were burned. +One Yankee captain proved too much for Semmes, as his story will show. +His ship was chased by the "Alabama" in heavy weather all day, and +occasionally fired upon. When the steamer was abeam, "she closed up +with us," the captain says, "as near as safety would permit, and, +hailing us, asked where we were bound, and demanded the surrender of +the ship to the Confederate Government. I answered through my trumpet, +'Come and take me.' Conversation being too straining for the lungs +amid the howling of the wind and rolling of the huge billows, and the +proximity of the vessels too dangerous, we separated a little, and had +recourse to blackboards to carry on our conversation. Semmes asked +where we were bound. I answered, without a blush, 'Melbourne,' +thinking that possibly he might try to intercept me if he knew that I +was to pass through the Straits of Sunda. Then he had the cheek to +order me to 'haul down your flag and surrender, escape or no +escape,'--on a kind of parole, I suppose he meant. I wrote on the +board: 'First capture, then parole,' This answer vexed him, I am sure, +for he immediately wrote: 'Surrender, or I will sink you.' I wrote: +'That would be murder, not battle.'--'Call it what you will, I will do +it,' he wrote. 'Attempt it, and by the living God, I will run you +down, and we will sink together,' I wrote in reply. I knew his threat +was vain; for in that heavy sea, rolling his rails under, he did not +dare to free his guns, which were already double lashed. They would +have carried away their tackles, and gone through the bulwarks +overboard. Conscious that he had made empty threats, we said no more, +but doggedly kept on our course. Sail was still further reduced on +both vessels, as the wind kept increasing and was now blowing a gale. +We were now gradually and surely drawing ahead of the steamer. It was +growing dark. Rejoicing at my fortunate escape, I gave the valiant +Semmes a parting shot by hoisting the signal 'Good-by.' Dipping the +star-spangled banner as a salute, I hauled it down, and the steamer +was soon lost to sight in the darkness.... I never saw her after our +escape; but, indirectly, she forced me to sell my ship in China soon +after." + +But we cannot follow the "Alabama" in her career about the world. A +full account of her captures would fill volumes; and in this narrative +we must pass hastily by the time that she spent scouring the ocean, +dodging United States men-of-war, and burning Northern merchantmen, +until, on the 11th of June, she entered the harbor of Cherbourg, +France, and had hardly dropped anchor when the United States +man-of-war "Kearsarge" appeared outside, and calmly settled down to +wait for the Confederate to come out and fight. Capt. Semmes seemed +perfectly ready for the conflict, and began getting his ship in shape +for the battle. The men, too, said that they had had a "plum-pudding +voyage" of it so far, and they were perfectly ready for a fight. The +forecastle poet was set to work, and soon ground out a song, of which +the refrain was,-- + + "We're homeward bound, we're homeward bound! + And soon shall stand on English ground; + But, ere our native land we see, + We first must fight the 'Kearsargee.'" + +This was the last song made on board the "Alabama," and the poet was +never more seen after the fight with the "Kearsargee." + +[Illustration: Rescue of Capt. Semmes.] + +The "Kearsarge" had hardly hove in sight when Capt. Semmes began +taking in coal, and ordered the yards sent down from aloft, and the +ship put in trim for action. Outside the breakwater, the "Kearsarge" +was doing the same thing. In armament, the two vessels were nearly +equal; the "Alabama" having eight guns to the "Kearsarge's" seven, but +the guns of the latter vessel were heavier and of greater range. In +the matter of speed, the "Kearsarge" had a slight advantage. The great +advantage which the "Kearsarge" had was gained by the forethought of +her commander, who had chains hung down her sides, protecting the +boilers and machinery. Semmes might easily have done the same thing +had the idea occurred to him. + +It was on Sunday, June 19, that the "Alabama" started out to the duel +that was to end in her destruction. Though Sunday was Capt. Semmes's +lucky day, his luck this time seemed to have deserted him. The +"Alabama" was accompanied in her outward voyage by a large French +iron-clad frigate. The broad breakwater was black with people waiting +to see the fight. The news had spread as far as Paris, and throngs had +come down by special trains to view the great naval duel. A purple +haze hung over the placid water, through which could be seen the +"Kearsarge," with her colors flying defiantly, steaming slowly ahead, +and ready for the "Alabama" to come up. Small steamers on every side +followed the "Alabama," as near the scene of conflict as they dared. +One English yacht, the "Deerhound," with her owner's family aboard, +hung close to the combatants during the fight. No duel of the age of +chivalry had a more eager throng of spectators. + +Now the "Alabama" has passed the three-mile line, and is on the open +sea. The big French iron-clad stops; the pilot-boats, with no liking +for cannon-balls, stop too. The "Deerhound" goes out a mile or so +farther, and the "Alabama" advances alone to meet the antagonist that +is waiting quietly for her coming. The moment of conflict is at hand; +and Capt. Semmes, mustering his men on the deck, addresses them +briefly, and sends them to their quarters; and now, with guns shotted, +and lanyards taut, and ready for the pull, the "Alabama" rushes toward +her enemy. When within a distance of a mile, the first broadside was +let fly, without avail. The "Kearsarge," more cool and prudent, waits +yet awhile; and, when the first shot does go whizzing from her big +Dahlgren guns, it strikes the "Alabama," and makes her quiver all +over. Clearly it won't do to fight at long range; and Capt. Semmes +determines to close in on his more powerful antagonist, and even try +to carry her by boarding, as in the glorious days of Paul Jones. But +the wary Winslow of the "Kearsarge" will have none of that; and he +keeps his ship at a good distance, all the time pouring great shot +into the sides of the "Alabama." Now the two vessels begin circling +around each other in mighty circles, each trying to get in a raking +position. The men on the "Alabama" began to find that their gunpowder +was bad and caky; while at the same moment one of the officers saw two +big solid shot strike the "Kearsarge" amidships, and fall back into +the water, revealing the heretofore unsuspected armor. This was +discouraging. Then came a big shot that knocked over the pivot-gun, +and killed half its crew. One sailor saw a shot come in a port, glide +along the gun, and strike the man at the breach full in the breast, +killing him instantly. + +The "Kearsarge," too, was receiving some pretty heavy blows, but her +iron armor protected her vulnerable parts. One shell lodged in her +sternpost, but failed to explode. Had it burst, the "Kearsarge's" +fighting would have been over. + +After an hour the officers of the "Alabama" began coming to Capt. +Semmes with grave faces, and reporting serious accidents. At last the +first lieutenant reported the ship sinking, and the order was given to +strike the flag. She was sinking rapidly, and the time had come for +every man to save himself. The "Kearsarge" was shamefully slow in +getting out her boats; and finally when the "Alabama," throwing her +bow high in the air, went down with a rush, she carried most of her +wounded with her, and left the living struggling in the water. Capt. +Semmes was picked up by a boat from the yacht "Deerhound," and was +carried in that craft to England away from capture. For so escaping, +he has been harshly criticised by many people; but there seems to be +no valid reason why he should refuse the opportunity so offered him. +Certain it is, that, had he not reached the "Deerhound," he would have +been drowned; for none of the boats of the "Kearsarge" were near him +when he was struggling in the water. + +So ended the career of the "Alabama." Her life had been a short one, +and her career not the most glorious imaginable; but she had fulfilled +the purpose for which she was intended. She had captured sixty-four +merchant-vessels, kept a large number of men-of-war busy in chasing +her from one end of the world to the other, and inflicted on American +commerce an almost irreparable injury. + +Although the "Alabama" was by all means the most noted and the most +successful of all the Confederate cruisers, there were others that +entered upon the career of privateering, and followed it for a while +with varying degrees of success. Some were captured revenue-cutters, +which the Confederates armed with a single heavy gun, and turned loose +on the ocean in search of Yankee schooners. Others were merely tugs +or pilot-boats. Generally their careers were short. In one instance a +fine privateer, from which the Confederates expected great things, +attempted to capture a United States man-of-war, under the delusion +that it was a merchant-vessel. The captain of the man-of-war saw the +mistake under which the Confederate labored, and allowed the privateer +to come up within short range, when, with a sudden broadside, he sent +her to the bottom, abruptly terminating her career as a commerce +destroyer. Some quite formidable iron-clad cruisers were built abroad; +but in most cases all the diplomacy of the Confederate agents proved +unavailing to prevent the confiscation of the ships by the neutral +governments in whose territory they were built. Two iron-clad rams +built at Liverpool, ostensibly for private parties, but really for the +Confederate Government, were seized by the British authorities. Six +splendid vessels were built in France, but only one succeeded in +getting away to join the Confederate service. This one was a ram with +armored sides, and was named the "Stonewall." The war was nearly over +when she was put in commission, and her services for the Confederacy +amounted to nothing. She made one short cruise, during which she fell +in with two United States men-of-war, that avoided a fight with her on +account of her superior strength. At the end of her cruise the war was +over, and she was sold to the Mikado of Japan, whose flag she now +carries. + +[Illustration: The End of a Privateer.] + +The "Nashville" was an old side-wheel passenger-steamer, of which the +Confederates had made a privateer. Her career was a short one. She +made one trip to England as a blockade-runner, and on her return +voyage she burned three or four United States merchantmen. She then +put into the Great Ogeechee River, where she was blockaded by three +Union men-of-war. The Confederates protected her by filling the river +with torpedoes, and anchoring the ship at a point where the guns of a +strong fort could beat back all assailants. Here she lay for several +weeks, while the men on the blockaders were fuming at the thought that +they were to be kept idle, like cats watching a rat-hole. At last +Capt. Worden, who was there with his redoubtable monitor "Montauk," +determined to destroy the privateer, despite the torpedoes and the big +guns of the fort. He accordingly began a movement up the river, +picking his way slowly through the obstructions. The fort began a +lively cannonade; but Worden soon found that he had nothing to fear +from that quarter, as the guns were not heavy enough to injure the +iron sides of the little monitor. But, as he went up the river, the +"Nashville" took the alarm and fled before him; and it seemed that the +most the Union fleet could do would be to keep her from coming down +again, for with her light draught she could keep well out of range of +the monitor's guns. But one morning Worden perceived a strange +commotion on the "Nashville;" and, looking carefully through his +glass, he saw that she was aground. Now was his time; and at once he +pushed forward to a point twelve hundred yards from her, and directly +under the guns of Fort MacAllister. From this point he began a +deliberate fire upon the doomed privateer. The great guns of the fort +were roaring away, and their shells came crashing against the sides of +the "Montauk;" but to this Worden paid no heed. It was splendid long +distance practice for his gunners; and, when they got the range, not a +shot missed the stranded Confederate vessel. From his pilot-house +Worden could see the crew of the "Nashville" escaping in boats, +leaping into the water over the sides,--doing anything to escape from +that terribly destructive fire. All the time the great fifteen-inch +shells were dropping into the vessel with fearful precision. By and by +a heavy fog fell upon the scene; but the gunners on the "Montauk" knew +where their enemy was, and kept up their steady fire, though they +could see nothing. When the fog lifted, they saw the "Nashville" a +mass of flames; and in a moment she blew up, covering the placid +surface of the river with blackened fragments. Then the "Montauk" +returned to her consorts, well satisfied with her day's work. + +[Illustration: The "Nashville" burning a Prize.] + +The last of the Confederate privateers to ravage the ocean was the +"Shenandoah," originally an English merchant-vessel engaged in the +East India trade. She was large, fast, and strongly built; and the +astute agent of the Confederacy knew, when he saw her lying in a +Liverpool dock, that she was just calculated for a privateer. She was +purchased by private parties, and set sail, carrying a large stock of +coal and provisions, but no arms. By a strange coincidence, a second +vessel left Liverpool the same day, carrying several mysterious +gentlemen, who afterwards proved to be Confederate naval officers. The +cargo of this second vessel consisted almost entirely of remarkably +heavy cases marked "machinery." The two vessels, once out of English +waters, showed great fondness for each other, and proceeded together +to a deserted, barren island near Madeira. Here they anchored side by +side; and the mysterious gentlemen, now resplendent in the gray and +gold uniform of the Confederacy, stepped aboard the "Shenandoah." Then +the cases were hoisted out of the hold of the smaller vessel; and, +when the "machinery" was mounted on the gun-deck of the "Shenandoah," +it proved to be a number of very fine steel-rifled cannon. Then the +crew was mustered on the gun-deck, and informed that they were manning +the new Confederate ship "Shenandoah;" and with a cheer the flag was +hoisted at the peak, and the newly created ship-of-war started off in +search of merchantmen to make bonfires of. From Madeira the cruiser +made for the Southern Ocean,--a fresh field not yet ravaged by any +Confederate vessel. This made the hunting all the better for the +"Shenandoah," and she burned vessels right and left merrily. In the +spring of 1865, she put into the harbor of Melbourne, Australia, where +her officers were lavishly entertained by the citizens. Thence she +proceeded to the northward, spending some time in the Indian Ocean, +and skirting the Asiatic coast, until she reached Behrings Straits. +Here she lay in wait for returning whalers, who in that season were +apt to congregate in Behrings Sea in great numbers, ready for the long +voyage around Cape Horn to their home ports on the New England coast. +Capt. Waddell was not disappointed in his expectations, for he reached +the straits just as the returning whalers were coming out in a body. +One day he captured eleven in a bunch. With one-third his crew +standing at the guns ready to fire upon any vessel that should attempt +to get up sail, Waddell kept the rest of his men rowing from ship to +ship, taking off the crews. Finally all the prisoners were put aboard +three of the whalers, and the eight empty ships were set afire. It was +a grand spectacle. On every side were the towering icebergs, whose +glassy sides reflected the lurid glare from the burning ships. Great +black volumes of smoke arose from the blazing oil into the clear blue +northern sky. The ruined men crowded upon the three whalers saw the +fruits of their years of labor thus destroyed in an afternoon, and +heaped curses upon the heads of the men who had thus robbed them. What +wonder if, in the face of such apparently wanton destruction as this, +they overlooked the niceties of the law of war, and called their +captors pirates! Yet for the men of the "Shenandoah" it was no +pleasant duty to thus cruise about the world, burning and destroying +private property, and doing warfare only against unarmed people. More +than one has left on record his complaint of the utter unpleasantness +of the duty; but all felt that they were aiding the cause for which +their brothers at home were fighting, and so they went on in their +work of destruction. + +For two months more Waddell continued his depredations in the northern +seas. Many a stout bark from New London or New Bedford fell a prey to +his zeal for a cause that was even then lost. For the Confederacy had +fallen. The last volley of the war had been discharged three months +before. Of this Capt. Waddell was ignorant, and his warlike operations +did not end until the captain of a British bark told him of the +surrender of Lee and Johnston, and the end of the war. To continue his +depredations longer would be piracy: so Capt. Waddell hauled down his +Confederate flag, and heading for Liverpool surrendered his ship to +the British authorities, by whom it was promptly transferred to the +United States. So ended the last of the Confederate privateers. + +[Illustration: "Shenandoah" burning Whalers.] + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + + WORK OF THE GULF SQUADRON. -- THE FIGHT AT THE PASSES OF THE + MISSISSIPPI. -- DESTRUCTION OF THE SCHOONER "JUDAH." -- THE + BLOCKADE OF GALVESTON, AND CAPTURE OF THE "HARRIET LANE." + + +The naval forces of the United States during the war may be roughly +classified as the Atlantic fleets, the river navy, and the Gulf +squadron. The vessels comprising the latter detachment enjoyed some +light service during the opening months of the war; but, as the time +went on, the blue-jackets of the Gulf squadron found that they had no +reason to congratulate themselves on securing an easy berth. Their +blockading duty was not so arduous as that of their brothers along the +rugged Atlantic coast; but they were harassed continually by +Confederate rams, which would make a dash into the fleet, strike heavy +blows, and then fly up some convenient river far into the territory of +the Confederacy. One such attack was made upon the squadron blockading +the Mississippi in October, 1861. + +Some eighty miles below New Orleans, the Mississippi divides into +three great channels, which flow at wide angles from each other into +the Gulf of Mexico. These streams flow between low marshy banks hardly +higher than the muddy surface of the river, covered with thick growths +of willows, and infested with reptiles and poisonous insects. The +point from which these three streams diverge is known as the "Head of +the Passes," and it was here that the blockading squadron of four +vessels was stationed. The ships swung idly at their moorings for +weeks. The pestilential vapors from the surrounding marshes were +rapidly putting all the crews in the sick bay, while the clouds of +gnats and mosquitoes that hung about made Jack's life a wretched one. +They did not even have the pleasurable excitement of occasionally +chasing a blockade-runner, for the wary merchants of New Orleans knew +that there was absolutely no hope of running a vessel out through a +river so effectually blockaded. And so the sailors idled away their +time, smoking, singing, dancing to the music of a doleful fiddle, +boxing with home-made canvas gloves that left big spots of black and +blue where they struck, and generally wishing that "Johnny Reb" would +show himself so that they might have some excitement, even if it did +cost a few lives. + +But while the blue-jackets at the mouth of the river were spending +their time thus idly, the people in the beleaguered city higher up +were vastly enraged at being thus cooped up, and were laying plans to +drive their jailers away. Occasionally they would take a small fleet +of flat boats, bind them together, and heap them high with tar, pitch, +and light wood. Then the whole would be towed down the river, set on +fire, and drifted down upon the fleet. The light of the great fire +could be seen far off, and the warships would get up steam and dodge +the roaring mass of flames as it came surging down on the swift +current. So many trials of this sort failed, that finally the people +of the Crescent City gave up this plan in disgust. + +Their next plan seemed for a time successful. It was at four o'clock +one October morning that the watch on the sloop-of-war "Richmond" +suddenly saw a huge dark mass so close to the ship that it seemed +fairly to have sprung from the water, and sweeping down rapidly. The +alarm was quickly given, and the crew beat to quarters. Over the water +from the other ships, now fully alarmed, came the roll of the drums +beating the men to their guns. The dark object came on swiftly, and +the word was passed from man to man, "It's a Confederate ram." And +indeed it was the ram "Manassas," which the Confederates had been hard +at work building in the New Orleans shipyards, and on which they +relied to drive the blockading squadron from the river. As she came +rushing towards the "Richmond," two great lights higher up the river +told of fire-rafts bearing down upon the fleet, and by the fitful +glare three smaller gunboats were seen coming to the assistance of the +"Manassas." Clearly the Confederates were attacking in force. + +The first volley from the fleet rattled harmlessly from the iron-clad +sides of the "Manassas;" and, not heeding it, she swept on and plunged +into the side of the "Richmond." The great iron prow cut deep into the +wooden sides of the Union vessel. Heavy oaken timbers were splintered +like laths, and the men were violently hurled to the deck. As the ram +drew away, the blue-jackets sprang to their guns and gave her a +volley. Some of the shots must have penetrated her armor, for she +became unmanageable. But the darkness prevented the officers of the +"Richmond" from seeing how much damage they had done, and they did not +follow up their advantage. The strange panic that the sight of a ram +so often brought upon sailors of the old school fell on the officers +of this squadron, and they began hastily getting their ships out of +the river. By this time four more Confederate steamers had come to the +aid of the ram, and were cannonading the Northern fleet at long range. +In their hurried attempt to escape, the "Richmond" and the "Vincennes" +had run aground. The captain of the latter vessel, fearing capture, +determined to fire his vessel and escape with his crew to the +"Richmond." Accordingly he laid a slow-match to the magazine, lighted +it, and then, wrapping his ship's colors about his waist in the most +theatrical manner, abandoned his ship. But the plan was not altogether +a success. As he left the ship, he was followed by a grizzled old +sailor, who had seen too much fighting to believe in blowing up his +own ship; and, when he saw the smoking slow-match, he hastily broke +off the lighted end, and without saying a word threw it into the +water. No one observed the action, and the crew of the "Vincennes" +watched mournfully for their good ship to go up in a cloud of smoke +and flame. After they had watched nearly an hour, they concluded +something was wrong, and returned to their old quarters. By this time +the enemy had given up the conflict, and the United States navy was +one ship ahead for the old sailor's act of insubordination. The +Confederate flotilla returned to New Orleans, and reported that they +had driven the blockaders away. There was great rejoicing in the city: +windows were illuminated, and receptions were tendered to the officers +of the Confederate fleet. But, while the rejoicing was still going on, +the Union ships came quietly back to their old position, and the great +river was as securely closed as ever. + +[Illustration: Fort Pensacola.] + +About a month before the fight with the "Manassas," the blue-jackets +of the North scored for themselves a brilliant success in the harbor +of Pensacola. The frigate "Colorado" was lying outside the harbor of +that city, within clear view of the city front. For some weeks the +sailors had been greatly interested in watching the activity of people +on shore around a small schooner that was lying in a basin near the +navy-yard. With a harbor so thoroughly blockaded as was that of +Pensacola, there seemed really no need of new vessels; and the haste +of the Confederates seemed inexplicable, until they saw through their +glasses men at work mounting a heavy pivot-gun amidships. That made it +clear that another privateer was being fitted out to ravage the seas +and burn all vessels flying the United States flag. The gallant tars +of the "Colorado" determined to go in and burn the privateer before +she should have a chance to escape. It was an undertaking of great +peril. The schooner was near the navy-yard, where one thousand men +were ready to spring to her assistance at the first alarm. On the dock +fronting the navy-yard were mounted a ten-inch columbiad and a +twelve-pounder field-piece, so placed as to command the deck of the +schooner and the wharf to which she was moored. Fort Pensacola, not +far distant, was full of Confederate troops. But the Union sailors +thought that the destruction of the privateer was of enough importance +to warrant the risk, and they determined to try the adventure. + +[Illustration: Destruction of the Schooner "Judah."] + +Accordingly, on the first dark night, four boats, containing one +hundred officers, sailors, and marines, put off from the side of the +"Colorado," and headed for the town. All was done with the most +perfect silence. The tholes of the oars were wrapped in cloth to +deaden their rattle in the rowlocks. No lights were carried. Not a +word was spoken after the officers in muffled tones had given the +order, "Give way." Through the darkness of the night the heavy boats +glide on. Every man aboard has his work laid out for him, and each +knows what he is to do. While the main body are to be engaged in +beating back the guards, some are to spike the guns, and others to +fire the schooner in several places. When within a hundred yards of +the schooner, they are discovered by the sentry. As his ringing hail +comes over the water, the sailors make no reply, but bend to the oars, +and the boats fairly leap toward the wharf. Bang! goes the sentry's +rifle; and the men in the hold of the schooner come rushing up just as +the two boats dash against her side, and the sailors spring like cats +over the bulwarks. One man was found guarding the guns on the wharf, +and was shot down. Little time is needed to spike the guns, and then +those on the wharf turn in to help their comrades on the schooner. +Here the fighting is sharp and hand to hand. Nearly a hundred men are +crowded on the deck, and deal pistol-shots and cutlass-blows right and +left. Several of the crew of the schooner have climbed into the tops, +and from that point of vantage pour down on the attacking party a +murderous fire. Horrid yells go up from the enraged combatants, and +the roar of the musketry is deafening. The crew of the schooner are +forced backward, step by step, until at last they are driven off the +vessel altogether, and stand on the wharf delivering a rapid fire. The +men from the navy-yard are beginning to pour down to the wharf to take +a hand in the fight. But now a column of smoke begins to arise from +the open companionway; and the blue-jackets see that their work is +done, and tumble over the side into their boats. It is high time for +them to leave, for the Confederates are on the wharf in overwhelming +force. As they stand there, crowded together, the retiring sailors +open on them with canister from two howitzers in the boats. Six +rounds of this sort of firing sends the Confederates looking for +shelter; and the sailors pull off through the darkness to their ship, +there to watch the burning vessel, until, with a sudden burst of +flame, she is blown to pieces. + +Considering the dashing nature of this exploit, the loss of life was +wonderfully small. Lieut. Blake, who commanded one of the boats, was +saved by one of those strange accidents so common in war. As he was +going over the side of the "Colorado," some one handed him a metal +flask filled with brandy, to be used for the wounded. He dropped it +into the lower pocket of his overcoat, but, finding it uncomfortable +there, changed it to the side pocket of his coat, immediately over his +heart. When the boats touched the side of the schooner, Blake was one +of the first to spring into the chains and clamber aboard. Just as he +was springing over the gunwale, a Confederate sailor pointed a pistol +at his heart, and fired it just as Blake cut him down with a savage +cutlass-stroke. The bullet sped true to its mark, but struck the +flask, and had just enough force to perforate it, without doing any +injury to the lieutenant. + +The first death in the fight was a sad one. A marine, the first man to +board the schooner, lost his distinguishing white cap in his leap. His +comrades followed fast behind him, and, seeing that he wore no cap, +took him for one of the enemy, and plunged their bayonets deep in his +breast, killing him instantly. He was known to his comrades as John +Smith, but on searching his bag letters were found proving that this +was not his own name. One from his mother begged him to return home, +and give up his roving life. He proved to be a well-educated young +man, who through fear of some disgrace had enlisted in the marines to +hide himself from the world. + +[Illustration: Capture of the "Harriet Lane."] + +Another dashing event occurred on the Gulf Coast some months later, +although in this instance the Confederates were the assailants and the +victors. Galveston had for some time been in the hands of the Union +forces, and was occupied by three regiments of United States troops. +In the harbor lay three men-of-war, whose cannon kept the town in +subjection. It had been rumored for some time that the Confederates +were planning to recapture the city, and accordingly the most vigilant +lookout was kept from all the ships. On the 1st of January, 1863, at +half-past one A.M., as the lookout on the "Harriet Lane" was thinking +of the new year just ushered in, and wondering whether before the +end of that year he could see again his cosey Northern home and wife +and friends, he saw far up the river a cloud of black smoke, that rose +high in the air, and blotted from sight the shining winter stars. He +rubbed his eyes, and looked again. There was no mistake: the smoke was +there, and rapidly moving toward him. Clearly it was a steamer coming +down the river; but whether an armed enemy or a blockade-runner, he +could not say. He gave the alarm; and in a moment the roll of the +drums made the sailors below spring from their hammocks, and, hastily +throwing on their clothes, rush on deck. The drums beat to quarters, +and the crew were soon at their guns. Over the water came the roll of +the drums from the other ships, and from the troops on shore, now all +aroused and in arms. For thirty hours the Federals had been expecting +this attack, and now they were fully prepared for it. + +The attacking vessels came nearer, and the men on the Union ships +strained their eyes to see by the faint starlight what manner of craft +they had to meet. They proved to be two large river-steamships, piled +high with cotton-bales, crowded with armed men, and provided with a +few field pieces. Clearly they were only dangerous at close quarters, +and the "Lane" at once began a rapid fire to beat them back. But the +bad light spoiled her gunners' aim, and she determined to rush upon +the enemy, and run him down. The Confederate captain managed his helm +skilfully, and the "Lane" struck only a glancing blow. Then, in her +turn, the "Lane" was rammed by the Confederate steamer, which plunged +into her with a crash and a shock which seemed almost to lift the +ships out of water. The two vessels drifted apart, the "Lane" hardly +injured, but the Confederate with a gaping wound in his bow which sent +him to the bottom in fifteen minutes. But now the other Confederate +came bearing down under a full head of steam, and crashed into the +"Lane." Evidently the Confederates wanted to fight in the old style; +for they threw out grappling-irons, lashed the two ships side to side, +and began pouring on to the deck of the Federal ship for a +hand-to-hand conflict. Cries of anger and pain, pistol-shots, cutlass +blows, and occasional roars from the howitzers rose on the night air, +and were answered by the sounds of battle from the shore, where the +Confederates had attacked the slender Union garrison. The sinking +steamer took up a position near the "Lane," and poured broadside after +broadside upon the struggling Union ship. But where were the other +three Union vessels all this time? It seemed as though their +commanders had lost all their coolness; for they ran their vessels +here and there, now trying to do something to help their friends on +shore, now making an ineffectual attempt to aid the "Harriet Lane." +But on board that vessel matters were going badly for the Federals. +The Confederates in great numbers kept pouring over the bulwarks, and +were rapidly driving the crew from the deck. Capt. Wainwright lay dead +at the door of the cabin. Across his body stood his young son, his +eyes blazing, his hair waving in the wind. He held in his right hand a +huge revolver, which he was firing without aim into the tossing mass +of struggling men before him, while he called on his dead father to +rise and help him. A stray bullet cut off two of his fingers, and the +pain was too much for the little hero only ten years old; and, +dropping the pistol, he burst into tears, crying, "Do you want to kill +me?" The blue-jackets began to look anxiously for help toward the +other vessels. But, even while they looked, they saw all hope of help +cut off; for with a crash and a burst of flame the "Westfield" blew +up. It turned out later, that, finding his ship aground, the captain +of the "Westfield" had determined to abandon her, and fire the +magazine; but in fixing his train he made a fatal error, and the ship +blew up, hurling captain and crew into the air. The men on the +"Harriet Lane" saw that all hope was gone, and surrendered their ship. +When the captains of the two remaining gunboats saw the stars and +stripes fall from the peak, they turned their vessels' prows toward +the sea, and scudded out of danger of capture. At the same moment, +cheers from the gray-coats on shore told that the Confederates had +been successful both by land and sea, and the stars and bars once more +floated over Galveston. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + + THE CAPTURE OF NEW ORLEANS. -- FARRAGUT'S FLEET PASSES FORT ST. + PHILIP AND FORT JACKSON. + + +While Commodore Foote, with his flotilla of gunboats and mortar-boats, +was working his way down the Mississippi River, making occasional +dashes into the broad streams that flow from either side into the +father of waters, Admiral Farragut, with his fleet of tall-sparred, +ocean-going men-of-war, was laying his plans for an expedition +up-stream. But Farragut's first obstacle lay very near the mouth of +the broad, tawny river that flows for a thousand miles through the +centre of the United States. New Orleans, the greatest city of the +Confederacy, stands on the river's bank, only ninety miles from the +blue waters of the Gulf of Mexico. The Confederate authorities knew +the value of this great city to their cause, and were careful not to +let it go unprotected. Long before any thought of civil war disturbed +the minds of the people of the United States, the Federal Government +had built below the Crescent City two forts, that peered at each other +across the swift, turbid tide of the Mississippi River. Fort St. +Philip and Fort Jackson they were called, the latter being named in +honor of the stubborn old military hero who beat back the British +soldiers at the close of the war of 1812 on the glorious field of +Chalmette near New Orleans. Fort Jackson was a huge star of stone and +mortar. In its massive walls were great cavernous bomb-proofs in which +the soldiers were secure from bursting shells. It stood back about a +hundred yards from the levee, and its casemates just rose above the +huge dike that keeps the Mississippi in its proper channel. When the +river was high from the spring floods of the north, a steamer floating +on its swift tide towered high above the bastions of the fort. In the +casemates and on the parapets were mounted seventy-five guns of all +calibres. By its peculiar shape and situation on a jutting point of +land, the fort was able to bring its guns to bear upon the river in +three directions. + +When the storm of civil war burst upon the country, the Confederates +of New Orleans were prompt to seize this and Fort St. Philip, that +stood on the other side of the river. They found Fort Jackson in the +state of general decay into which most army posts fall in times of +peace, and they set at work at once to strengthen it. All over the +parapet, bomb-proofs, and weak points, bags of sand were piled five or +six feet deep, making the strongest defence known in war. Steamers +plied up and down the river, bringing provision, ammunition, and new +cannon, and soon the fort was ready to stand the most determined +siege. Fort St. Philip, across the river, though not so imposing a +military work, was more powerful. It was built of masonry, and heavily +sodded over all points exposed to fire. It was more irregular in shape +than Fort Jackson, and with its guns seemed to command every point on +the river. Both were amply protected from storming by wide, deep moats +always filled with water. + +In these two forts were stationed troops made up of the finest young +men of New Orleans. For them it was a gay station. Far removed from +the fighting on the frontier, and within an easy journey of their +homes, they frolicked away the first year of the war. Every week gay +parties of pleasure-seekers from New Orleans would come down; and the +proud defenders would take their friends to the frowning bastions, and +point out how easily they could blow the enemy's fleet out of water if +the ships ever came within range of those heavy guns. But the ships +did not come within range of the guns for many months. They contented +themselves with lying at the Head of the Passes, and stopping all +intercourse with the outer world, until New Orleans began to get +shabby and ragged and hungry, and the pleasure-parties came less often +to the forts, and the gay young soldiers saw their uniforms getting +old and tattered, but knew not where to get the cloth to replace them. + +[Illustration: Levee at New Orleans before the War.] + +In the city no rumble of commerce was heard on the streets. Grass grew +on the deserted levee, where in times of peace the brown and white +cotton-bales were piled by the thousand, waiting for strong black +hands to seize and swing them upon the decks of the trim Liverpool +packets, that lay three or four deep along the river front. The huge +gray custom-house that stood at the foot of Canal Street no longer +resounded with the rapid tread of sea-captains or busy merchants. From +the pipes of the cotton-presses, the rush of the escaping steam, as +the ruthless press squeezed the great bale into one-third its original +size, was no longer heard. Most of the great towering steamboats that +came rushing down the river with stores of cotton or sugar had long +since been cut down into squat, powerful gunboats, or were tied up +idly to the bank. Across the river, in the shipyards of Algiers, there +seemed a little more life; for there workmen were busy changing +peaceful merchant vessels into gunboats and rams, that were, the +people fondly hoped, to drive away the men-of-war at the river's mouth +and save the city from starvation. From time to time the streets of +the city resounded with the notes of drum and fife, as one after the +other the militia companies went off to the front and the fighting. +Then the time came when none were left save the "Confederate Guards," +old gray-haired men, judges, bankers, merchants, gentlemen of every +degree, too old for active service at the front, but too young not to +burn for the grasp of a gun or sword while they knew that their sons +and grandsons were fighting on the bloodstained soil of Virginia and +Tennessee. + +But, while the city was gradually falling into desolation and decay, +preparations were being made by the Federal navy for its capture. On +the 2d of February, 1862, Admiral Farragut sailed from Hampton Roads +in his stanch frigate the "Hartford," to take command of a naval +expedition intended to capture New Orleans. The place of rendezvous +was Ship Island, a sandy island in the Gulf of Mexico. Here he +organized his squadron, and started for his post in the Mississippi, +below the forts. The first obstacle was found at the mouth of the +river, where the heavy war-vessels were unable to make their way over +the bar. Nearly two weeks were occupied in the work of lightening +these ships until they were able to pass. The frigate "Colorado" was +unable to get over at all. The "Pensacola" was dragged through the mud +by the sheer strength of other vessels of the expedition. While they +were tugging at her, a huge hawser snapped with a report like a +cannon, and the flying ends killed two men and seriously wounded five +others. But at last the fleet was safely past all obstacles, and +Admiral Farragut found himself well established in the lower +Mississippi, with a force of twenty-five men-of-war, and twenty +mortar-schooners; one of the most powerful armadas ever despatched +against an enemy. Farragut lost no time in getting his ships prepared +for the baptism of fire which was sure to come. While he was +diligently at work on his preparations, he was visited by some French +and English naval officers, who had carefully examined the defences of +the Confederates, and came to warn him that to attack the forts with +wooden vessels, such as made up his fleet, was sheer madness, and +would only result in defeat. "You may be right," answered the brave +old sailor, "but I was sent here to make the attempt. I came here to +reduce or pass the forts, and to take New Orleans, _and I shall try it +on_." The foreigners remarked that he was going to certain +destruction, and politely withdrew. + +In the mean time, the tars on the mortar-fleet were working +industriously to get their ships in fighting-trim. The topmasts were +stripped of their sails, and lowered; the loose and standing rigging +strapped to the masts; the spars, forebooms, and gaffs unshipped, and +secured to the outside of the vessels to avert the danger from +splinters, which, in naval actions, is often greater than from the +shots themselves. From the main-deck every thing was removed that +could obstruct the easy handling of the tremendous mortars; and the +men were drilled to skill and alertness in firing the huge engines of +death. The work was hastened on the mortar-schooners, because the plan +was to rush them into position, and let them harass the Confederates +with a steady bombardment, while the ships-of-war were preparing for +their part in the coming fight. + +The mortar-fleet was under command of Admiral Porter, an able and +energetic officer. He soon had his ships ready, and began moving them +into position along the banks of the river, out of sight of the forts. +To further conceal them from the gunners in the forts, he had the +masts and rigging wrapped with green foliage; so that, lying against +the dense thickets of willows that skirt that part of the river, they +were invisible. Other boats that were in more exposed positions had +their hulls covered with grass and reeds, so that they seemed a part +of the swamp that bordered the river. After the line of fire had been +obtained by a careful mathematical survey, Porter got all his +mortar-boats into position, and began his bombardment. The gunners on +the mortar-boats could not see the forts; but the range had been +calculated for them, and they merely fired mechanically. A lookout, +perched on the masthead, could see over the low willow-forest, and +watch the course of the shells as they rushed high into the air, and +then, falling with a graceful curve, plunged into the forts. The +firing was begun on the 16th of April, and was kept up with a will. +The twenty huge mortars keeping up a constant fire, made a deafening +roar that shook the earth, and could be heard far up the river at New +Orleans, where the people poured out into the streets, and gayly +predicted defeat for any enemy who should attack "the boys in the +forts." The forts were not slow in returning the fire; but as the +mortar-vessels were hidden, and did not offer very large marks, their +fire was rather ineffective. Parties of Confederates, old +swamp-hunters, and skilled riflemen, stole down through the dense +thickets, to pick off the crews of the mortar-schooners. They managed +to kill a few gunners in this way, but were soon driven away by the +point-blank fire of the supporting gunboats. But all this time the +shells were falling thick and fast, driving the soldiers to the +bomb-proofs, and tearing to pieces every thing unprotected. One shell +set fire to some wooden structures that stood on the parade-ground in +Fort Jackson; and, as the smoke and flames rose in the air, the +gunners down the river thought that the fort was burning, and cheered +and fired with renewed vigor. The shells that burst upon the levee +soon cut great trenches in it, so that the mighty Mississippi broke +through with a rush, and flooded the country all about. But the forts +seemed as strong and unconquered as ever. + +While the soldiers were crowded together in the bomb-proofs to escape +the flying bits of shell, the sailors on the little fleet of +Confederate vessels anchored above them were busily engaged in getting +ready a fire-raft which was to float down the river, and make havoc +among the vessels of the Union fleet. Two such rafts were prepared; +one of which, an immense affair, carrying cords of blazing pine-wood, +was sent down in the early morning at a time when the vessels were +utterly unprepared to defend themselves. Luckily it grounded on a +sandbar, and burned and crackled away harmlessly until it was +consumed. This warned Commander Porter of the danger in which his +mortar-vessels were of a second attack of the same nature; and +accordingly he put in readiness one hundred and fifty small boats +with picked crews, and well supplied with axes and grapnels, whose +duty it was to grapple any future rafts, and tow them into a harmless +position. They did not have long to wait. At sundown that night, +Commander Porter reviewed his little squadron of row-boats as they lay +drawn up in line along the low marshy shores of the mighty river. The +sun sank a glowing red ball beneath the line at which the blue waters +of the gulf and the blue arch of heaven seemed to meet. The long +southern twilight gradually deepened into a black, moonless night. The +cries of frogs and seabirds, and the little flashes of the fireflies, +were silenced and blotted out by the incessant roar and flash of the +tremendous mortars that kept up their deadly work. Suddenly in the +distance the sky grows red and lurid. "The fort is burning!" cry the +men at the guns; but from the masthead comes the response, "No, the +fire is on the river. It is another fire-raft." The alarm was +instantly given to all the vessels of the fleet. Bright colored +signal-lights blazed on the decks, and the dark, slender cordage stood +out against the brilliant red and green fires that flickered strangely +upon the dark wooded banks of the river. Rockets rushed high into the +air, and, bursting, let fall a shower of party-colored lights that +told the watchers far down the river that danger was to be expected. +Then the signal-lights went out, and all was dark and silent save +where the lurid glare of the great mass of fire could be seen floating +in the great curves of the tortuous river toward the crowded ships. It +was a time of intense suspense. The little flotilla of fire-boats, +organized by Commander Porter that day, was on the alert; and the +blue-jackets bent to their oars with a will, and soon had their boats +ranged along a bend far above the fleet. Here they waited to catch the +fiery monster, and save the ships. The danger came nearer fast. +Rapidly the flames increased in volume, until the whole surrounding +region was lighted up by the glare; while from the floating fire, a +huge black column of smoke arose, and blended with the clouds that +glowed as though they themselves were on fire. When the raft came into +view around a point, it was seen to be too big for the boats to handle +unaided, and two gunboats slipped their cables, and started for the +thing of terror. From every side the row-boats dashed at the raft. +Some grappled it, and the sailors tugged lustily at their oars, +seeking to drag the mass of flames toward the shore. Then the +"Westfield," under full head of steam, dashed furiously against the +raft, crashing in the timbers and sending great clouds of sparks +flying high in the air. From her hose-pipes she poured floods of water +on the crackling, roaring, blazing mass; while all the time, with her +powerful engines, she was pushing it toward the shore. + +In the mean time, the sailors from the fleet of small boats were +swarming upon the raft wherever they could find a foothold free from +flame. Some carrying buckets dashed water upon the flames, some with +axes cut loose flaming timbers, and let them float harmlessly down the +river. It was a fight in which all the men were on one side; but it +was a grand sight, and was eagerly watched by those on the imperilled +vessels. The immediate arena of the conflict was bright as day, but +all around was gloom. At last the pluck and determination of the men +triumph over the flames. The raft, flaming, smouldering, broken, is +towed out of the channel, and left to end its life in fitful flashes +on a sandy point. The returning boats are greeted with cheers, and +soon darkness and silence fall upon the scene. The mortars cease their +thunderous work for the night; and ere long the only sounds heard are +the rush of the mighty waters, or the faint cry of the night birds in +the forest. The sentinel pacing the deck peers in vain through the +gloom. War gives way for a time to rest. + +[Illustration: Fire-raft at Forts of the Mississippi.] + +Hardly had the gray dawn begun to appear, when the roll of the drums +on the decks of the ships was heard; and, soon after, the roar of the +opening gun was heard from one of the mortar-schooners. Again the +bombardment was opened. The twenty boats in the mortar-fleet were +divided into three divisions, each of which fired for two hours in +succession, and then stopped for a time to allow the great cannon to +cool. Thus a continuous bombardment was kept up, and the soldiers in +the forts were given no time to repair the damages caused by the +bursting shells. Every mortar was fired once in five minutes; so that +one shell was hurled towards the fort about every minute, while +sometimes three shells would be seen sweeping with majestic curves +through the air at the same time. The shells weighed two hundred and +fifteen pounds; and when they were hurled into the air by the +explosion of twenty pounds of powder, the boat bearing the mortar was +driven down into the water six or eight inches, and the light railings +and woodwork of buildings at the Balize, thirty miles away, were +shattered by the concussion. The shells rose high in the air, with an +unearthly shriek, and after a curve of a mile and a half fell into +or near the forts, and, bursting, threw their deadly fragments in all +directions. Day after day, and night after night, this went on. If the +men on the mortar-schooners showed bravery and endurance in keeping up +so exhausting a fire so steadily, what shall we say for the men in the +forts who bore up against it so nobly? Before noon of the first day of +the bombardment, the soldiers of Fort Jackson saw their barracks +burned, with their clothing, bedding, and several days' rations. +Shells were pouring in upon them from vessels that they could not see. +The smooth-bore guns mounted in the embrasures would hardly send a +shot to the nearest of the hostile gunboats. Then the river broke +through its banks, and half the fort was transformed into a morass. An +officer in Fort Jackson said, after the surrender, that in two hours +over one hundred shells had fallen upon the parade-ground of that +work, tearing it up terribly. For six days this terrible fire was +endured; and during the latter half of the bombardment the water stood +knee deep on the gun-platforms, and the gunners worked at their guns +until their shoes, soaked for days and days, fairly fell from their +feet. For bed and bedding they had the wet earth, for rations raw meat +and mouldy bread. If there were glory and victory for the Union +sailors, let there at least be honor and credit granted the soldiers +of the gray for the dogged courage with which they bore the terrible +bombardment from Porter's flotilla. + +While the mortars were pounding away through those six long days and +nights, Farragut was getting ready to take his ships past the forts. +Union scouts and spies had travelled over every foot of land and water +about the forts; and the exact strength of the Confederates, and the +difficulties to be overcome, were clearly known to the Federal +admiral. One of the chief obstructions was a chain of rafts and old +hulks that stretched across the channel by which the fleet would be +obliged to ascend the river. Under cover of a tremendous fire from all +the mortars, two gunboats were sent up to remove this obstruction. The +night was dark and favorable to the enterprise, and the vessels +reached the chain before they were discovered. Then, under a fierce +cannonade from the forts, Lieut. Caldwell put off in a row-boat from +his vessel, boarded one of the hulks, and managed to break the chain. +The string of hulks was quickly swept ashore by the swift current, and +the channel was open for the ascent of the Union fleet. + +[Illustration: Breaking the Chain.] + +On the 23d of April, Farragut determined that his fleet should make +the attempt to get past the forts the following day. He knew that +the enemy must be exhausted with the terrible strain of Porter's +bombardment, and he felt that the opportunity had arrived for him to +make a successful dash for the upper river. The fleet was all prepared +for a desperate struggle. Many of the captains had daubed the sides of +their vessels with the river mud, that they might be less prominent +marks for the Confederate gunners. The chain cables of all the vessels +were coiled about vulnerable parts, or draped over the sides amidships +to protect the boilers. Knowing that it was to be a night action, the +gun-decks had been whitewashed; so that even by the dim, uncertain +light of the battle lanterns, the gunners could see plainly all +objects about them. Hammocks and nettings were stretched above the +decks to catch flying splinters from the spars overhead. Late at night +the admiral in his longboat was pulled from ship to ship to view the +preparations made, and see that each captain fully understood his +orders. + +It was two o'clock on the morning of the 24th of April, when the +Confederates on the parapets of their forts might have heard the +shrill notes of fifes, the steady tramp of men, the sharp clicking of +capstans, and the grating of chain cables passing through the +hawse-holes on the ships below. Indeed, it is probable that these +sounds were heard at the forts, and were understood, for the +Confederates were on the alert when the ships came steaming up the +river. + +They formed in a stately line of battle, headed by the "Cayuga." As +they came up the stream, the gunners in the forts could see the +mastheads over the low willow thickets that bordered the banks of the +stream. The line of obstructions was reached and passed, and then the +whole furious fire of both forts fell upon the advancing ships. +Gallantly they kept on their way, firing thunderous broadsides from +each side. And, while the ships were under the direct fire of the +forts, the enemy's fleet came dashing down the river to dispute the +way. This was more to the taste of Farragut and his boys in blue. They +were tired of fighting stone walls. In the van of the Confederate +squadron was the ram "Manassas," that had created such a panic among +the blockading squadron a month before. She plunged desperately into +the fight. The great frigate "Brooklyn" was a prominent vessel in the +Union line, and at her the ram dashed. The bold hearts on the grand +old frigate did not seek to avoid the conflict, and the two vessels +rushed together. The ram struck the "Brooklyn" a glancing blow; and +the shot from her one gun was returned by a hail of cannon-balls from +the frigate's tremendous broadside, many of which broke through the +iron plating. Nothing daunted, the ram backed off and rushed at the +frigate again. This time she struck full on the frigate's side. The +shock was terrible. Men on the gun-deck of the ram were hurled to the +deck, with the blood streaming from their nostrils. The frigate keeled +over farther and farther, until all thought that she would be borne +beneath the water by the pressure of the ram. All the time the +spiteful bow-gun of the iron monster was hurling its bolts into her +hull. But the blow of the ram had done no damage, for she had struck +one of the coils of chain that had been hung down the "Brooklyn's" +side. The two vessels slowly swung apart; and, after a final broadside +from the "Brooklyn," the "Manassas" drifted away in the pitchy +darkness to seek for new adversaries. She was not long in finding one; +for as the gray dawn was breaking she suddenly found herself under the +very bows of the "Mississippi," which was bearing down upon her and +seemed sure to run her down. The captain of the "Manassas" was an able +steersman, and neatly dodged the blow; but in this quick movement he +ran his vessel ashore, and she lay there under the guns of the +"Mississippi," and unable to bring any of her own guns to bear. The +captain of the frigate was not slow in taking advantage of this chance +to be revenged for all the trouble she had given the Union fleet; and +he took up a good position, and pounded away with his heavy guns at +the iron monster. The heavy shots crashed through the iron plating and +came plunging in the portholes, seeking every nook and cranny about +the vessel. It was too much for men to stand, and the crew of the +"Manassas" fled to the woods; while their vessel was soon set on fire +with red-hot shots, and blew up with a tremendous report soon after. + +[Illustration: Ram "Tennessee" at Mobile Bay.] + +In the mean time, the ships of the Union fleet were doing daring work, +and meeting a determined resistance. The flagship "Hartford" was met +by a tug which pushed a huge burning fire-raft against her sides. +There the flaming thing lay right up against the portholes, the flames +catching the tarred rigging, and running up the masts. Farragut walked +his quarter-deck as coolly as though the ship was on parade. "Don't +flinch from that fire, boys," he sang out, as the flames rushed in the +portholes, and drove the men from their guns. "There's a hotter fire +than that for those who don't do their duty. Give that rascally +little tug a shot, and don't let her go off with a whole coat." But +the tug did get away, after all; and no one can feel sorry that men +plucky enough to take an unarmed tug into a terrible fight of frigates +and iron-clads should escape with their lives. The men on the +"Hartford" fought the flames with hose and buckets, and at last got +rid of their dangerous neighbor. Then they saw a steamer crowded with +men rushing toward the flagship without firing a shot, and evidently +intending to board. Capt. Broome, with a crew of marines, was working +a bow-gun on the "Hartford." Carefully he trained the huge piece upon +the approaching steamer. He stepped back, stooped for a last glance +along the sights, then with a quick pull of the lanyard the great gun +went off with a roar, followed instantly by a louder explosion from +the attacking steamer. When the smoke cleared away, all looked eagerly +for the enemy; but she had vanished as if by magic. That single shot, +striking her magazine, had blown her up with all on board. + +Much of the hardest fighting was done by the smaller vessels on either +side. The little Confederate "cotton-clad" "Governor Moore" made a +desperate fight, dashing through the Union fleet, taking and giving +broadsides in every direction. The Union vessel "Varuna" also did +daring work, and naturally these two ships met in desperate conflict. +After exchanging broadsides, the "Governor Moore" rammed her +adversary, and, while bearing down on her, received a severe raking +fire from the "Varuna." The "Governor Moore" was in such a position +that none of her guns could be brought to bear; but her captain +suddenly depressed the muzzle of his bow-gun, and sent a shot crashing +through _his own_ deck and side, and deep into the hull of the +"Varuna." The vessels soon parted, but the "Varuna" had received her +death-wound, and sank in shallow water. The "Governor Moore" kept on +her way, but was knocked to pieces by the fire from the heavy guns of +the frigates shortly after. + +And so the battle raged for five hours. To recount in full the deeds +of valor done, would be to tell the story of each ship engaged, and +would require volumes. Witnesses who saw the fight from the start were +deeply impressed by the majesty of the scene. It was like a grand +panorama. "From almost perfect silence,--the steamers moving through +the water like phantom ships,--one incessant roar of heavy cannon +commenced, the Confederate forts and gunboats opening together on the +head of our line as it came within range. The Union vessels returned +the fire as they came up, and soon the hundred and seventy guns of our +fleet joined in the thunder which seemed to shake the very earth. A +lurid glare was thrown over the scene by the burning rafts; and, as +the bombshells crossed each other and exploded in the air, it seemed +as if a battle were taking place in the heavens as well as on the +earth. It all ended as suddenly as it commenced." + +While this gigantic contest was going on in the river abreast of the +forts, the people of New Orleans were thronging the streets, listening +to the unceasing roar of the great guns, and discussing, with pale +faces and anxious hearts, the outcome of the fight. "Farragut can +never pass our forts. His wooden ships will be blown to pieces by +their fire, or dashed into atoms by the 'Manassas,'" people said. But +many listened in silence: they had husbands, sons, or brothers in that +fearful fight, and who could tell that they would return alive? By and +by the firing ceased. Only an occasional shot broke the stillness of +the morning. Then came the suspense. Had the fleet been beaten back, +or was it above the forts, and even now sullenly steaming up to the +city? Everybody rushed for the housetops to look to the southward, +over the low land through which the Mississippi winds. An hour's +waiting, and they see curls of smoke rising above the trees, then +slender dark lines moving along above the tree-tops. "Are they our +ships?" every one cries; and no one answers until the dark lines are +seen to be crossed by others at right angles. They are masts with +yard-arms, masts of seagoing vessels, the masts of the invader's +fleet. A cry of grief, of fear, of rage, goes up from the housetops. +"To the levee!" cry the men, and soon the streets resound with the +rush of many feet toward the river. "The river is crooked, and its +current swift. It will be hours before the Yankees can arrive: let us +burn, destroy, that they may find no booty." Let one who was in the +sorrowful city that terrible April day tell the story. "I went to the +river-side. There, until far into the night, I saw hundreds of drays +carrying cotton out of the presses and yards to the wharves, where it +was fired. The glare of those sinuous miles of flame set men and women +weeping and wailing thirty miles away, on the farther shore of Lake +Pontchartrain. But the next day was the day of terrors. During the +night, fear, wrath, and sense of betrayal, had run through the people +as the fire had run through the cotton. You have seen, perhaps, a +family fleeing, with lamentations and wringing of hands, out of a +burning house; multiply it by thousands upon thousands: that was New +Orleans, though the houses were not burning. The firemen were out; but +they cast fire on the waters, putting the torch to the empty ships and +cutting them loose to float down the river. + +[Illustration: New Orleans on Approach of Fleet.] + +"Whoever could go was going. The great mass that had no place to go +to, or means to go with, was beside itself. 'Betrayed! betrayed!' it +cried, and ran in throngs from street to street, seeking some vent, +some victim for its wrath. I saw a crowd catch a poor fellow at the +corner of Magazine and Common Streets, whose crime was that he looked +like a stranger and might be a spy. He was the palest living man I +ever saw. They swung him to a neighboring lamp-post; but the Foreign +Legion was patrolling the town in strong squads, and one of its +lieutenants, all green and gold, leaped with drawn sword, cut the +rope, and saved the man. This was one occurrence; there were many like +it. I stood in the rear door of our store, Canal Street, soon after +re-opening it. The junior of the firm was within. I called him to look +toward the river. The masts of the cutter 'Washington' were slowly +tipping, declining, sinking--down she went. The gunboat moored next +her began to smoke all over and then to blaze. My employers lifted up +their heels and left the city, left their goods and their affairs in +the hands of one mere lad--no stranger would have thought I had +reached fourteen--and one big German porter. I closed the doors, sent +the porter to his place in the Foreign Legion, and ran to the levee to +see the sights. + +"What a gathering!--the riff-raff of the wharves, the town, the +gutters. Such women! such wrecks of women! and all the juvenile +rag-tag. The lower steamboat-landing, well covered with sugar, rice, +and molasses, was being rifled. The men smashed; the women scooped up +the smashings. The river was overflowing the top of the levee. A +rain-storm began to threaten. 'Are the Yankee ships in sight?' I asked +of an idler. He pointed out the tops of their naked masts as they +showed up across the huge bend of the river. They were engaging the +batteries at Camp Chalmette, the old field of Jackson's renown. +Presently that was over. Ah, me! I see them now as they come slowly +round Slaughterhouse Point, into full view: silent, so grim and +terrible, black with men, heavy with deadly portent, the long banished +stars and stripes flying against the frowning sky. Oh for the +'Mississippi,' the 'Mississippi!' Just then she came down upon them. +But how? Drifting helplessly, a mass of flames. + +"The crowds on the levee howled and screamed with rage. The swarming +decks answered never a word; but one old tar on the 'Hartford,' +standing with lanyard in hand, beside a great pivot-gun, so plain to +view that you could see him smile, silently patted its big black +breech and blandly grinned." + +As the masts of the fleet came up the river, a young man stepped out +upon the roof of the City Hall, and swiftly hoisted the flag of the +State of Louisiana. When the ships came up, two officers were sent +ashore to demand the surrender of the city; and shoulder to shoulder +the two old sailors marched through a howling, cursing mob to the City +Hall. The mayor refused to surrender the city, saying that Farragut +already had captured it. The officers went back to their ships, and +the flag still floated. Two days later the officers, with a hundred +sailors and marines, returned and demanded that the flag be hauled +down. No one in the city would tear it down, and the Federals went up +to the roof to lower it themselves. The street and surrounding +housetops were crowded with a hostile people, all armed. No one could +tell that the fall of the flag would not be followed by a volley from +the undisciplined populace. The marines in front of the building stood +grouped about two loaded howitzers that bore upon the darkly muttering +crowd. Violence was in the air. As the two officers rose to go to the +roof, the mayor, a young Creole, left the room and descended the +stairs. Quietly he stepped out into the street, and without a word +stood before one of the howitzers, his arms folded, eying the gunner, +who stood with lanyard in hand, ready to fire at the word of command. +The flag fell slowly from the staff. Not a sound arose from the crowd. +All were watching the mayor, who stood coldly looking on death. The +Federal officers came down carrying the flag. A few sharp commands, +and the marines tramped away down the street, with the howitzers +clanking behind them. The crowd cheered for Mayor Monroe and +dispersed, and New Orleans became again a city of the United States. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + + ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI. -- FORTS JACKSON AND ST. PHILIP SURRENDER. + -- THE BATTLE AT ST. CHARLES. -- THE RAM "ARKANSAS." -- + BOMBARDMENT AND CAPTURE OF PORT HUDSON. + + +While New Orleans was thus excited over the capture of the city, the +soldiers in the forts below were debating as to the course they should +adopt. They had not surrendered; and although the great bastions were +pounded out of shape by the heavy guns of the fleet, yet they were +still formidable defences, giving perfect security to the men in the +bomb-proofs. But their case was hopeless: for Farragut was at New +Orleans, and could cut off their supplies; while Porter, with his +mortar-boats, was below them, putting escape out of the question. +Every now and then a big shell would drop on the parade, and its +flying pieces would remind the garrison that their enemies were +getting impatient. After waiting a day or two, Porter sent a +lieutenant with a flag of truce to the fort, calling upon the +Confederate commander to surrender the two forts and the shattered +remnant of the Confederate navy. He complimented the Confederates upon +their gallant defence, but warned them, that, should they refuse to +surrender, he would recommence his bombardment with new vigor. The +Confederates refused to surrender until they heard from New Orleans; +and the next day the monotonous thunder of the heavy mortars began +again, and again the heavy shells began falling thick and fast upon +the forts. Wearily the gray-coated soldiers settled down to continue +what they felt must be a useless defence. The officers did their best +to inspirit the men; but all knew that a surrender must come before +long, and at last the men mutinously left their guns, and said they +would fight no longer. They had borne without flinching a terrible +bombardment, and now they felt that to fight longer would be a foolish +sacrifice of life. Many left the forts, and plunged into the woods to +escape the terrible shells. Gen. Duncan saw that all was lost, and on +the night of the 28th of April sent an officer to the fleet announcing +the surrender. On the following day Porter proceeded up-stream with +his squadron, and anchored off the fort. A boat, manned by six trim +sailors in dress uniforms, put off, and soon returned, bringing the +commander of the defeated forces and two or three officers. They were +received on the "Harriet Lane," and Commodore Porter had made great +preparations for the meeting. The crews of all the vessels were +dressed in snow-white mustering-suits, and the officers in +brass-buttoned blue coats and white trousers. The decks were scrubbed, +and all traces of the fight cleared away. As the Confederate officers +came up to the fleet, one of them, a former lieutenant in the Union +navy, said, "Look at the old navy. I feel proud when I see them. There +are no half-breeds there: they are the simon-pure." As the +Confederates came over the side, Porter stood, with his officers, +ready to receive them. The greatest politeness was observed on either +side; and Porter writes, "Their bearing was that of men who had gained +a victory, instead of undergoing defeat." While the papers of +capitulation were being signed, a message came from the deck that the +huge Confederate iron-clad "Louisiana" was drifting down upon them, a +mass of flames, and there was great danger that she would blow up in +the midst of the Union fleet. "This is sharp practice, gentlemen," +said Porter, "and some of us will perhaps be blown up; but I know what +to do. If you can stand what is coming, we can; but I will make it +lively for those people if anybody in the flotilla is injured." + +"I told Lieut. Wainwright to hail the steamer next him," writes Capt. +Porter, "and tell her captain to pass the word for the others to veer +out all their riding-chains to the bitter end, and stand by to sheer +clear of the burning iron-clad as she drifted down. I then sat down to +the table, and said, 'Gentlemen, we will proceed to sign the +capitulation.' I handed the paper to Gen. Duncan, and looked at the +Confederate officers to see how they would behave under the +circumstances of a great iron-clad dropping down on them, all in +flames, with twenty thousand pounds of powder in her magazines. For +myself, I hoped the fire would not reach the powder until the ship had +drifted some distance below us. My greatest fear was that she would +run foul of some of the steamers. + +"While I was thinking this over, the officers were sitting as coolly +as if at tea-table among their friends. + +"Just then there was a stir on deck, a kind of swaying of the vessel +to and fro, a rumbling in the air, then an explosion which seemed to +shake the heavens. The 'Harriet Lane' was thrown two streaks over, and +every thing in the cabin was jostled from side to side; but not a man +left his seat, or showed any intention of doing so. + +"I was glad that I had signed before the explosion took place, as I +would not have liked to have my autograph look shaky." + +The destruction of the "Louisiana" was a bit of trickery on the part +of the Confederate naval officers, which Farragut punished by sending +them North as close prisoners, while the army officers were granted +freedom under parole. So ended the Confederate control over the mouth +of the Mississippi; and Porter, after waiting long enough to see a +blue-coat garrison in Forts St. Philip and Jackson, started up the +river to rejoin his chief in New Orleans. + +But, on reaching the city, he found that the energetic admiral had +already started out to clear the river of the Confederate batteries +that lined it on either side as far up as Vicksburg. This was a +service of no little danger, and one bringing but little satisfaction; +for no sooner had the gunboats left one point, from which by hard +firing they had driven the Confederates, than the latter would return +in force, build up again their shattered earthworks, mount new guns, +and be once more ready for battle. But more powerful than these little +one or two gun-batteries were the Confederate works at Port Hudson, +the destruction of which was absolutely necessary for further Union +successes on the great river. Between Port Hudson and Vicksburg, the +river was completely under the control of the Confederates; and it was +a powerful gunboat that could hope to navigate that stretch of water +unharmed. Farragut determined to attack Port Hudson, and set the 14th +of March, 1863, as the date for the action. + +Port Hudson batteries were perched on a high bluff that overlooks one +of those abrupt curves around which the current of the Mississippi +River sweeps with such terrific force. The heavy guns bore down upon a +point at which the ships would almost inevitably be swept out of their +course by the swift stream, and where the river was filled with +treacherous shifting shoals. Naval officers all agreed that to pass +those batteries was a more difficult task than had been the passage of +the forts below New Orleans; yet Farragut, eager to get at the +stronghold of the foe in Vicksburg, determined to make the attempt. +The mortar-vessels were stationed below to drive the enemy from his +guns with well-directed bombs; while the fleet, led by the stanch old +"Hartford," should make a bold dash up the river. + +Night fell upon the scene; and the ships weighed anchor, and started +upon their perilous voyage. To the side of each man-of-war was bound a +gunboat to tow the great vessel out of danger in case of disaster. +Silently the long string of vessels swept upward towards the +batteries; but, as the "Hartford" came into range, the watchful +Confederates gave the alarm, and the nearest battery at once opened +fire. Then from Porter's mortar-schooners far down the river came an +answering roar; and, as ship after ship came up into range, she opened +with shot and shell upon the works. On the dark river-banks great +alarm fires were kindled, lighting up the water with a lurid glare, +and making the ships clearly visible to the Confederate gunners. But +soon the smoke of battle settled down over all; and gunners, whether +on shore or on the ships, fired at random. The "Hartford" led the way, +and picked out the course; and the other vessels followed carefully in +her wake. In the mizzen-top of the flagship was stationed a cool old +river pilot, who had guided many a huge river steamer, freighted with +precious lives, through the mazy channels of the Mississippi. There, +high above the battle-smoke, heedless of the grape-shot and bits of +flying shell whistling around him, he stood at his post, calmly giving +his orders through a speaking-tube that led to the wheel-room. Now and +then the admiral on the deck below would call up, asking about the +pilot's safety, and was always answered with a cheery hail. But though +the "Hartford" went by the batteries, heedless of the storm and lead +poured upon her, she found herself alone, when, after firing a last +gun, she swept into the clear air and tranquil water out of range of +the enemy's guns. She waited some time for the other ships to come up, +while all on board watched eagerly, save those who lay moaning on the +surgeon's tables in the cock-pit below. The night wore on, and all on +board were consumed with anxiety for the fate of the vessels that had +dropped behind. The lookout in the tops reported that he could see far +down the river a bright red light that could only be caused by a +burning vessel. It proved to be the steamer "Mississippi," that had +grounded under the guns of the batteries, and had been fired and +abandoned by her crew. But of this the admiral knew nothing; and when, +after an hour or two he heard the dull, heavy boom of an explosion, he +went sadly to his cabin, fearing that the lives of many valiant +sailors had been sacrificed. There was no way to communicate with the +fleet below, and it was not until days afterward that the admiral +learned how his fleet had been beaten back by the heavy guns of the +Confederates and the swift current of the river. The "Richmond" +grounded at a point within easy range of the batteries, and her crew +fought desperately while shell after shell went crashing through her +hull. They saw the other vessels of the fleet go drifting by helpless +in the mighty current of the river, but they faltered not in their +brave defence until they saw their ship a wreck and in flames. Then +leaving their dead comrades with the "Richmond" for a funeral pyre, +they escaped to the shore, and threaded their way through miles of +morasses and dense thickets until they came to the mortar-boats, where +they found refuge and rest. And so that first attack on Port Hudson +ended with Farragut above the batteries, and his ships, below. It had +only served to prove, that, safe in their heavy earthworks, the +Confederates could defy any attack by ships alone. This fact was clear +to the Union authorities, and they began massing troops about the +hostile works. Two months later, Porter's mortar-boats, the frigates +and gunboats, and the batteries and muskets of an immense body of +troops, opened on the works. While the heavy fire was being kept up, +the Union armies were closing in, digging trenches, and surrounding +the Confederates on all sides. The firing came to be short-range work +and very deadly. "To show you what cool and desperate fighting it +was," says a Confederate, "I had at least twenty-five shots at +Federals not two hundred feet away. In one instance I fired upon a +lieutenant who was urging on his men. I wounded him in his left arm. +He fired at me with his revolver, and sent a bullet through my cap. +Next time I hit him in the hip, and he fell;, but, while I was +reloading, he raised himself up, and shot the man next to me through +the head. The officer was so close to me that I could tell the color +of his eyes, and detect a small scar on his face." + +This sort of work continued for weeks, with occasional charges by the +Federals. Farragut's fleet kept up its bombardment, but did little +damage. One of the Confederate soldiers said, some time after the war, +"One can get used to almost any thing. After the first two or three +days, we took the bombardment as part of the regular routine. Pieces +of shell were continually flying about, and it was the regular thing +for a bomb to drop down among us at intervals. I have seen them come +down within fifty feet of a sentinel, and throw up a wagon-load of +dirt, without his even turning his head. We had but few men hurt by +the artillery-fire. I do not believe we averaged one man hit for every +thousand pounds of metal thrown. I remember that one day I counted +thirteen shells and bombs hurled at the spot where I was posted before +we had a man hurt, and he was only slightly wounded." Naturally, such +work as this could not drive the Confederates from their trenches; and +the fleet soon concluded to leave the army to capture Port Hudson, +while the ships steamed on up the river toward Vicksburg. The army +kept up the siege for weeks, until the Confederates, hearing of the +fall of Vicksburg, surrendered. + +While the Union fleet was thus fighting its way up to Vicksburg, the +Confederates were working away at a great ram that they were building +in a secluded spot far up the Yazoo River. Work on the ram was being +pushed with the greatest energy; and the Union sailors, in their ships +on the Mississippi, listened daily to the stories of escaping negroes, +and wondered when the big ship would come down and give them a tussle. +The crew of the ram were no less impatient for the fray; for they were +tired of being hidden away up a little river, plagued by mosquitoes +and gnats. The dark shades of the heavy forests were seldom brightened +by a ray of sun. The stream was full of alligators, that lay lazily on +the banks all day, and bellowed dismally all night. The chirp of a +bird was rarely heard. In its place were the discordant screams of +cranes, or hisses of the moccasins or cotton-mouths. When at last the +carpenters' clatter had ceased, and the ram, ready for action, lay in +the little river, the crew were mustered on the deck, and told that +the new boat had been built to clear the Union vessels from the +Mississippi, and that purpose should be carried out. No white flag was +to flutter from that flagstaff; and she should sink with all her crew +before she would surrender. Any sailor who feared to enter upon such a +service might leave the ship at once. No one left; and the "Arkansas" +started down the river to look for an enemy. She was not long in +finding one. At the mouth of the Yazoo floated three Union +gunboats,--the "Carondelet," the "Tyler," and the "Queen of the West." +As the ram came down into sight, her men heard the roll of the drums +on the decks of the hostile vessels. The gunboats quickly opened fire, +which was as promptly returned by the "Arkansas;" and, as she came +swiftly rushing down the stream, the three vessels fled before her. +The men on the ram were all new recruits, and made awkward work of the +firing; but as she came to close quarters she sent her shells crashing +into the Union ships, while the shot she received in return rattled +harmlessly off her steel-mailed sides. The "Carondelet" was the first +vessel to come to grief. She had hardly fired four shots when a heavy +solid shot crashed through her side, and rattled against the most +delicate part of the engine. She was helpless at once; and hardly had +this damage been reported when a second shot came with a burst into an +open port, killed five men, and broke its way out the other side. In +ten minutes her decks were slippery with blood, and thick strewn with +wounded and dead men. The current of the river drifted her upon a +sandbar; and she lay there helplessly, now and again answering the +galling fire of her foe with a feeble shot. Pouring in a last +broadside, the "Arkansas" steamed past her, and, disregarding the +other two vessels, headed for Vicksburg, where she knew her aid was +sorely needed. + +The news of her coming preceded her; and, when she came within sight +of the steeples of the city, at least ten thousand people were +watching her progress, and wondering whether she could pass by the +Federal batteries and through the Federal fleet. The Federal fleet was +all ready for her, and prepared such a gauntlet for the "Arkansas" as +had never been run by any vessel. As she came within range, every +Union gun that could be brought to bear opened; and shot and shell +rained from shore-batteries and marine guns upon the tough hide of the +ram. As she sped by the vessels, they gave her their broadsides, and +the effect was tremendous. As the huge iron balls struck the ship, she +keeled far over; and to her crew inside, it seemed as though she was +being lifted bodily out of the water. Not a shot broke through the +armor; but the terrible concussions knocked men down, and made blood +come pouring from their nostrils. For new men, her crew fought well +and bravely; though two fell flat on their faces, afraid to lift their +heads, lest they be taken off by a shell. + +[Illustration: The "Arkansas" under Fire.] + +When it was seen that the "Arkansas" was likely to pass through the +lines unscathed, the Federals tried to blockade her way; but she +deviated not an inch from her path. The vessel that stood before her +had to move aside, or take the chances of a blow from her terrible +iron beak. She came straight to the centre of the fleet before opening +fire; and when her portholes were opened, and the big guns peered out, +they found plenty of targets. Her first volley knocked a gunboat to +pieces; and in another minute she had crashed into the side of a Union +ram, sending that unlucky craft ashore for repairs. But the storm of +solid shot was too much for her; and she was forced to seek shelter +under the bluffs, where the heavy guns of the Confederate +shore-batteries compelled the Union ships to keep a respectful +distance. Here she lay for several weeks, beating off every assault of +the Federals, and making a valuable addition to the defences of the +city. But, in an evil hour, the Confederate authorities decided to +send her down the river to recapture Baton Rouge. When her journey was +but half completed, she was pounced upon by several United States +vessels, with the "Essex" in the lead. Her engines breaking down, she +drifted upon a sand-bank; and the attacking ships pounded her at their +leisure, until, with the fire bursting from her portholes, she was +abandoned by her crew, and blazed away until her career was ended by +the explosion of her magazine. She had given the Federal fleet some +hard tussles, but beyond that had done nothing of the work the +Confederates so fondly hoped of her. + +While the flotilla of gunboats, led by the "Essex," were planning for +the destruction of the "Arkansas," a small naval expedition, +consisting of three gunboats, was threading its way up the narrow +channel of the White River in search of some Confederate batteries +said to be on the banks. Within twelve hours from the start, the +sailors learned from a ragged negro, whom they captured on the shore, +that the Confederates had powerful batteries only five miles farther +up, and that the river channel was obstructed by sunken vessels. +Anchor was cast for the night; and in the morning the troops +accompanying the expedition were landed, and plunged into the forest +with the plan of taking the fort by a rush from the rear. The gunboats +began a slow advance up the river, throwing shells into the woods +ahead of them. The blue-jackets kept carefully under cover; for, +though they could see no foe, yet the constant singing of +rifle-bullets about the ships proved that somewhere in those bushes +were concealed sharp-shooters whose powder was good and whose aim was +true. The "Mound City" was leading the gunboats, and had advanced +within six hundred yards of the enemy's guns, when a single shot, +fired from a masked battery high up the bluffs, rang out sharply amid +the rattle of small-arms. It was the first cannon-shot fired by the +Confederates in that engagement, and it was probably the most horribly +deadly shot fired in the war. It entered the port-casemate forward, +killed three men standing at the gun, and plunged into the boiler. In +an instant the scalding steam came hissing out, filling the ship from +stem to stern, and horribly scalding every one upon the gun-deck. The +deck was covered with writhing forms, and screams of agony rang out +above the harsh noise of the escaping steam and the roar of battle +outside. Many were blown overboard; more crawled out of the portholes, +and dropped into the river to escape the scalding steam, and +struggling in the water were killed by rifle-balls or the fragments of +the shells that were bursting all around. The helpless gunboat turned +round and round in the stream, and drifted away, carrying a crew of +dead and dying men. So great was the horror of the scene, that one of +the officers, himself unhurt, who saw his comrades thus tortured all +about him, went insane. + +While this scene was going on before the fort, the Union troops had +come up behind it, and with a cheer rushed over the breastworks, and +drove the garrison to surrender. The Confederate banner fell from the +staff, and the stars and stripes went up in its place. But how great +was the price that the Federals had to pay for that victory! That +night, with muffled drums, and arms reversed, the blue-jackets carried +to the grave fifty-nine of their comrades, who twelve hours before +were active men. With three volleys of musketry the simple rites over +the sailors' graves were ended; and those who were left alive, only +said with a sigh, "It is the fortune of war." + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + + ON TO VICKSBURG. -- BOMBARDMENT OF THE CONFEDERATE STRONGHOLD. -- + PORTER'S CRUISE IN THE FORESTS. + + +While the smaller gunboats were thus making dashes into the enemy's +country, destroying batteries and unfinished war-vessels, and burning +salt-works, the heavier vessels of the fleet were being massed about +Vicksburg, and were preparing to aid the army in reducing that city to +subjection. We need not describe the way in which Gen. Grant had been +rushing his troops toward that point, how for weeks his engineers had +been planning trenches and approaches to the Confederate works, until +toward the middle part of June, 1863, the people in that city found +themselves hemmed in by a huge girdle of trenches, batteries, and +military camps. Gen. Pemberton, with his army of Confederate soldiers, +had been forced backward from point after point, until at last he +found himself in Vicksburg, with the prospect of a long siege before +him, and no way to get past the inexorable lines of blue that +surrounded him. It is true that he had a wonderfully strong position, +and many were the tongues that said Vicksburg could never be taken. +But though stronger than Sebastopol, stronger than the Rock of +Gibraltar, Vicksburg was destined to fall before that mighty army that +encircled it, and was slowly starving the city into subjection. + +But the Union soldiers, looking from their camps toward the +Confederate citadel, saw that they had before them some severe work +before that flag that flaunted over the city should be replaced by the +stars and stripes. The city stands on a towering bluff high above the +eastern bank of the Mississippi River. On that frowning height the +busy hands of Pemberton's soldiers had reared mighty batteries, that +commanded the Mississippi for miles up and down stream. To think of +carrying the works by assault, was madness. Sherman had tried, and was +beaten back with terrible loss. Then Grant, with nearly twenty +thousand men, and with the co-operation of the river-flotilla, came +upon the stage, and determined to take the city though it kept him at +bay for months. + +All imaginable plans were tried to get the army below the city; for +Grant's command had come down from Cairo, and were at the northern and +most impregnable side of the enemy's works. As at Island No. 10, a +sharp bend in the river made a long peninsula right under the +Confederates' guns. Grant, remembering the plan adopted before, set to +work to cut a canal through the peninsula, so that the gunboats and +transports might get below the forts. Twelve hundred negroes worked +with a will upon this ditch for weeks. Then came a terrible +rain-storm: the swollen, muddy torrent of the river broke in upon the +unfinished canal, and that work was wasted. Then a new plan was +suggested, this time by Commodore David Porter, who all through the +war showed the greatest delight in taking his big gunboats into +ditches where nothing larger than a frog or musk-rat could hope to +navigate, and then bringing them out again safe after all. + +The country back of Vicksburg was fairly honeycombed with shallow +lakes, creeks, and those sluggish black streams called in the South +bayous. Porter had been looking over this aqueous territory for some +time, and had sent one of his lieutenants off in a steam-launch to see +what could be done in that network of ditches. When the explorer +returned, he brought cheering news. He was confident that, with tugs +and gangs of axemen clearing the way, the gunboats could be taken up +the Yazoo River, then into a wide bayou, and finally through a maze of +small waterways, until they should reach the Mississippi again below +the Vicksburg batteries. Then the transports could follow, the troops +could march down the other side of the river, be met by the +transports, ferried across, and take Vicksburg on the flank. It was a +beautiful plan; and Porter went to Grant with it, full of enthusiasm. + +Gen. Grant considered the matter for some time, but finally gave his +consent, and detailed a number of blue-coated soldiers to aid Porter's +blue-jackets in the work. They first cut the levees, and let the +mighty tide of the Mississippi sweep in, filling the bayous to the +brim, and flooding all the country round about. Then the gunboats +plunged in, and were borne along on the rushing tide until they +brought up, all standing, against the trunks of trees, or had their +smoke-stacks caught by overhanging branches. + +Then came the tug of war; and the axemen were called to the front, and +set to work. They chopped their way along for some distance; the rapid +current from the river banging the vessels against the trees and +stumps, until all the standing rigging and light cabins were swept +away. After a good deal of work they saw before them a broad river, +wide enough for two vessels to steam abreast. Soon they drifted out +into it, and the commanding officer sang out cheerily, "On to +Vicksburg, boys, and no more trees to saw." And so they steamed on, +thinking how neatly they should take the "gray-coats" in the rear, +when suddenly a bend in the river showed them, just ahead, a fort in +the middle of the river, with the channel blocked on either side. That +was a surprise. The works were new, and the water was still muddy +about the sunken steamers. Clearly the wily Pemberton had heard of +this inland naval expedition, and was determined to check it +effectually. + +The gunboats backed water, and crowded in confused groups. The gunners +in the fort took hurried aim, and pulled the lanyards of their cannon, +forgetting that those pieces were not loaded. It was hard to tell +which party was the more excited at the unexpected meeting. This gave +the blue-jackets a chance to collect their thoughts, and in a minute +or two the gunboats opened fire; but they were soon convinced that the +fort was too much for them, and they turned and crawled back through +the woods to the fleet above Vicksburg. Pemberton scored one point for +successful strategy. + +But, even while this expedition was working its way back to the +station of the vessels on the Mississippi, Porter was starting another +through a second chain of water-courses that he had discovered. This +time he was so sure of getting into the rear of Vicksburg, that he +took four of his big iron-clads, and two light mortar-boats built +especially for work in the woods. Gen. Sherman, with a strong +army-force, marched overland, keeping up with the gunboats. Admiral +Porter, in his Memoirs, gives a graphic picture of this expedition. +Back of Vicksburg the country is low, and intersected in every +direction by narrow, tortuous bayous, lined on either side by gloomy +morasses or majestic forests. Into these little-known water-courses +Porter boldly led his ponderous iron-clads; while Sherman, with a +detachment of troops, advanced along the shore, keeping as near the +flotilla as possible. Seldom have naval vessels been detailed upon so +strange a service. For days they steamed on under the spreading +branches of trees, that often spanned the bayous in a mighty arch +overhead, shutting out all sunlight. For a time this navigation of +placid, shady waterways was pleasant enough; but, as they penetrated +farther into the interior, the jackies sighed for the blue waters of +the ocean, or even for the turbid current of the Mississippi. The +heavy foliage that gave so grateful a shade also harbored all sorts of +animals; and coons, rats, mice, and wildcats, that had been driven to +the trees for shelter during the prevailing high water, peered down +upon the sailors, and often dropped sociably down upon the decks of +the vessels gliding beneath. + +At some portions of the voyage the flotilla seemed to be steaming +through the primeval forest. The bayou was but a few feet wider than +the gunboats, and its banks were lined by gnarled and knotted old +veterans of the forest,--live oaks, sycamore, and tupelo gum trees +that had stood in majestic dignity on the banks of the dark and sullen +stream for centuries. Sometimes majestic vistas would open; broad +avenues carpeted with velvet turf, and walled in by the massive tree +trunks, extending from the banks of the stream far back into the +country. Again, the stately forests would be replaced by fields of +waving corn or rice, with the tops of a row of negro cabins or the +columned front of a planter's house showing in the distance. Then, as +the flotilla steamed on, this fair prospect would disappear, and be +replaced by noisome cypress brakes, hung thick with the funereal +Spanish moss, and harboring beneath the black water many a noxious +reptile. + +So through the ever-changing scenery the gunboats moved along, making +but little progress, but meeting with no serious obstacle, until one +morning there appeared on a bit of high ground, some yards in advance +of the leading gunboat, an army officer mounted on an old white horse. +It was Gen. Sherman, and his troops were in camp near by. He greeted +the naval forces cheerily, and, rallying Porter on the amphibious +service into which his gunboats had been forced, warned him that he +would soon have not a smokestack standing, nor a boat left at the +davits. + +"So much the better," said the undaunted admiral. "All I want is an +engine, guns, and a hull to float them. As to boats, they are very +much in the way." + +A short time only was spent in consultation, and then Sherman with his +forces left the bayou and plunged into the interior, first warning +Porter that he would have a hard time getting any farther, even if the +enemy did not come down and surround him. But Porter was not the man +to abandon the advance, so long as there was water enough to float his +gunboats. Besides, he had gained some ideas regarding navigation in +the forests, that enabled him to move his fleet forward with more +celerity than at first. When a tree blocked the course of the +iron-clads, they no longer stopped to clear it away by work with the +axes; but, clapping on all steam, the powerful rams dashed at the +woody obstruction, and with repeated blows soon knocked it out of the +way. + +Soon after leaving Sherman, Porter saw that the difficulties he had +thus far met and conquered were as nothing to those which he had yet +to encounter. The comparatively broad stream up which he had been +steaming came to an end, and his further progress must be through +Cypress Bayou, a canal just forty-six feet wide..[??-second period a +smudge?] The broadest gunboat was forty-two feet wide, and to enter +that narrow stream made retreat out of the question: there could be no +turning round to fly. The levees rose on either side of the narrow +canal high above the decks of the iron-clads, so that the cannon could +not be sufficiently elevated to do effective work in case of an +attack. But there were nine feet of water in the great ditch; and that +was enough for Porter, who pressed boldly on. + +The country into which the combined military and naval expedition was +advancing was in truth the granary of Vicksburg. On all other sides of +the beleaguered city, the Federal lines were drawn so closely that the +wagons laden with farm produce could not hope to pass. But here, back +of the city, and far from the camps of Grant's legions, the work of +raising produce for the gallant people of Vicksburg was prosecuted +with the most untiring vigor. The sight, then, of the advancing +gunboats aroused the greatest consternation. From the deck of his +vessel Porter could see the people striving to save their property +from the advancing enemy. Great droves of cattle were being driven +away far into the interior; negroes were skurrying in all directions, +driving poultry and pigs to the safe concealment of the forest; wagons +groaning under the weight of farm and garden produce could be seen +disappearing in the distance. What the inhabitants could not save they +destroyed, in order that it might not profit the invaders. A short +distance from the mouth of the bayou "were six thousand bales of +cotton piled up on opposite sides of the stream, ready to be taken +aboard a steamer when the war should end. As the gunboats advanced +slowly, making little headway against the two-knot current of the +bayou, Porter saw two men, carrying lighted pine-knots, dash up to the +cotton, and begin to set it afire. The admiral looked on in disgust. +"'What fools these mortals be!'" said he to an officer standing at his +side; "but I suppose those men have a right to burn their own cotton, +especially as we have no way of preventing them." + +"I can send a howitzer shell at them, sir," said the officer, "and +drive them away." + +But to this Porter demurred, saying that he had no desire to kill the +men, and that they might do as they liked with their own. Accordingly +the officers quietly watched the vandals, until, after twenty minutes' +work, the cotton was blazing, and a dense mass of smoke cut off all +vision ahead, and rose high in the air. Then Porter began to suspect +that he had made a mistake. The difficulties of navigation in the +bayou were great enough, without having smoke and fire added to them. +Yet to wait for the cotton to burn up might cause a serious delay. On +the high bank of the bayou stood a negro begging the sailors to take +him aboard. + +"Hallo, there, Sambo!" sung out Porter, "how long will it take this +cotton to burn up?" + +"Two day, massa," responded the contraband; "p'raps tree." + +That ended the debate. "Ring the bell to go ahead fast," said the +admiral to the pilot; and away went the flotilla at full speed, +plunging into the smoke and fire. It was a hot experience for the +sailors. The heavy iron-clads made but slow progress, and were +scorched and blistered with the heat. The ports were all shut down, +and the crews called to fire-quarters, buckets in hand. To remain on +deck, was impossible. Porter and his captain made the trial, but had +hardly entered the smoke when the scorching heat drove both into the +shelter of an iron-covered deck-house. The pilot standing at the wheel +seized a flag, and, wrapping it about his face and body, was able to +stay at his post. As the flames grew hotter, the sailors below opened +the main hatch, and, thrusting up a hose, deluged the deck with floods +of water. So, without a man in sight, the huge iron ship moved along +between the walls of flame. Suddenly came an enormous crash. The +gunboat shivered, and for a moment stood still; then, gathering +headway, moved on again, though with much ominous grating beneath her +keel. Soon after she passed out of the smoke and heat, and all hands +rushed on deck for a whiff of the fresh, cool air. Their first thought +was of the cause of the collision; and, looking eagerly astern, they +saw a heavy bridge, about fifty feet of which had been demolished by +the tremendous power of the ram. This gave Porter a hint as to the +force he had at his command; and thereafter bridges were rammed as a +matter of course whenever they impeded the progress of the iron-clads. +The astonishment of the people along the shore may well be imagined. + +The great and formidable obstacles that stood in the path of the +squadron were, as a rule, overcome by the exertion of the great powers +of the steam-driven, iron-plated vessels; but at last there came a +check, that, though it seemed at first insignificant, terminated the +sylvan manoeuvres of the iron-clad navy. After running the gantlet of +the burning cotton, butting down trees, and smashing through bridges, +the column entered a stretch of smooth water that seemed to promise +fair and unobstructed sailing. But toward the end of this expanse of +water a kind of green scum was evident, extending right across the +bayou, from bank to bank. Porter's keen eye caught sight of this; and, +turning to one of the negroes who had taken refuge on the gunboat, he +asked what it was. "It's nuffin' but willows, sah," he replied. "When +de water's out of de bayou, den we cuts de willows to make baskets +with. You kin go troo dat like a eel." + +Satisfied with this explanation, the admiral ordered the tug which +led the column to go ahead. Under a full head of steam, the tug +dashed into the willows, but began to slow up, until, after going +about thirty yards, she stopped, unable to go forward or back. +Undaunted by this unexpected resistance, Porter cried out that the +"Cincinnati" would push the tug along; and the heavy gunboat, +withdrawing a short distance to gain headway, hurled herself forward, +and dashed into the willows with a force that would have carried her +through any bridge ever built. But the old fable of the lion bound +down by the silken net was here re-enacted. The gunboat did not even +reach the tug. The slender willow-shoots trailed along the sides, +caught in the rough ends of the iron overhang, and held the vessel +immovable. Abandoning the attempt to advance, the gunboat strove to +back out, but to no avail. Then hooks were rigged over the side to +break away the withes, and men slung in ropes alongside vigorously +wielded sharp cutlasses and saws; but still the willows retained their +grip. Matters were now getting serious; and, to add to Porter's +perplexity, reports came in that Confederate troops were coming down +upon him. Then he began to lose confidence in his iron-clads, and wish +right heartily for Sherman and his soldiers, of whose whereabouts he +could gain no knowledge. The enemy did not leave him long in doubts as +to their intention, and soon began a vigorous fire of shells from the +woods. Porter stopped that promptly by manning his mortars and firing +a few shells at a range measured by the sound of the enemy's cannon. +The immediate silence of the hostile batteries proved the accuracy of +the admiral's calculations, and gave him time to devise means for +escaping from his perilous position. + +How to do it without aid from Sherman's troops, was a difficult +question; and in his perplexity he exclaimed aloud, "Why don't Sherman +come on? I'd give ten dollars to get a telegram to him." The admiral +was standing at the moment on the bank of the bayou, near a group of +negroes; and an athletic-looking contraband stepped forward, and, +announcing himself as a "telegram-wire," offered to carry the note "to +kingdum kum for half a dollar." After sharply cross-questioning the +volunteer, Porter wrote on a scrap of paper, "DEAR SHERMAN,--Hurry up, +for Heaven's sake. I never knew how helpless an iron-clad could be, +steaming around through the woods without an army to back her." + +"Where will you carry this?" asked Porter, handing the despatch to the +negro. + +[Illustration: Porter's Flotilla on the Red River.] + +"In my calabash kiver, massa," responded the messenger with a grin; +and, stowing the paper away in his woolly hair, he darted away. + +The telegram being thus despatched, Porter again turned his attention +to the willows; and, a fortunate rise in the water having occurred, he +was able to extricate his vessels and begin his retreat down the +bayou. He was somewhat perplexed by the silence of the Confederates, +from whom he had heard nothing since his mortars silenced their masked +batteries. The conundrum was solved by the sound of wood-chopping in +the forests ahead, and the discovery shortly after of two heavy logs +lying athwart the bayou, and stopping the progress of the vessels. An +hour's hard work with axe and saw removed this obstruction; and the +tug, slipping through first, shot ahead to prevent any more +tree-felling. The loud reports of her howitzer soon carried back to +the fleet the news that she had come up with the enemy, and was +disputing with them the right to the bayou. + +The difficulties of the retreat were no less great than those of the +advance, with the intermittent attacks of the enemy added. The work of +removing heavy, soggy logs, half submerged beneath the black waters of +the bayou, clearing away standing trees, and breaking up and removing +Red-river rafts, wearied the sailors, and left them little spirit to +meet the enemy's attacks. The faint sounds of wood-chopping in the +distance told too well of the additional impediments yet in store for +the adventurous mariners. Scouts sent out reported that the enemy had +impressed great gangs of negroes, and were forcing them to do the work +of felling the trees that were to hem in Uncle Sam's gunboats, for the +benefit of the C.S.A. But the plans of the Confederates to this end +were easily defeated. Porter had not only many willing arms at his +command, but the powerful aid of steam. When the gunboats came to a +tree lying across the bayou, a landing party went ashore and fastened +large pulleys to a tree on the bank. Then a rope was passed through +the block; and one end having been made fast to the fallen tree, the +other was taken aboard a gunboat. The word was then given, "Back the +iron-clad hard;" and the fallen monarch of the forest was soon dragged +across the bayou and out of the way So expert did the jackies become +in this work, that they were soon able to clear away the trees faster +than the enemy could fell them. The tug then went ahead, and for a +time put an end to further tree-chopping, and captured several of the +negro axemen. + +From the captured contrabands Porter learned that the attempt to cut +off his retreat was directed by the military authorities at Vicksburg. +This was a startling revelation. He had thought that the Confederates +were in entire ignorance of his movement; and now it turned out that +the wily Pemberton had kept a sharp lookout on the marauding gunboats, +and was shrewdly planning for their capture. While Porter was +pondering over this new discovery, a party of scouts came in, bringing +in four captured Confederates, two of whom were commissioned officers. +The commanding officer, a mere boy, was somewhat chagrined at being +captured, but felt confident that his friends would recapture him +shortly. Porter politely asked him to take a glass of wine and some +supper. + +"I don't care if I do," responded the youngster; "and I have the less +compunction in taking it, as it belongs to us anyhow. In two hours you +will be surrounded and bagged. You can't escape. How in the Devil's +name you ever got here, is a wonder to me." + +Porter smiled pleasantly, and, helping his guests lavishly, proceeded +to question them on the numbers and position of the Confederate +troops. He learned that a large body of troops had been sent out to +surround the iron-clads, and were even then closing in upon the +intruders. The danger was imminent, but Porter showed no trepidation. + +"How far off are your troops?" he asked. + +"About four miles. They will bag you at daylight," was the confident +response. + +"Well, gentlemen," said the admiral, "Gen. Sherman is now surrounding +your forces with ten thousand men, and will capture them all before +daylight." And so saying the admiral went on deck, leaving his +captives lost in wonder; for the information carried to the Vicksburg +authorities had made no mention of troops. + +Though Porter had put on so bold a front before his captives, he +really felt much anxiety for the fate of his iron-clads. He could hear +nothing from Sherman, who might be thirty miles away for all he knew. +Accordingly he retraced his course for a few miles, to throw the enemy +off the scent, and the next day began again his descent of the bayou, +bumping along stern foremost amid snags and standing trees. The enemy +soon gave evidence that he was on the watch, and opened fire with his +artillery from the rear. At this one gunboat steamed back and silenced +the artillery for a time, after which she rejoined her fellows. +Sharp-shooters in the thickets along the levee then began to grow +troublesome; and the whistle of the rifle-balls, with an occasional +_ping_ as one struck the smokestack, warned the sailors that the deck +of a gunboat in a narrow canal was no safe place in time of war. The +high levees on either side of the bayou made it impossible to use the +guns properly: so Porter turned them into mortars, and, by using very +small charges of powder, pitched shells up into the air, dropping them +into the bushes back of the levee. This somewhat checked the fire of +the sharp-shooters, but the decks were still dangerous places to +frequent. A rifle-ball struck Lieut. Wells in the head as he stood +talking to Porter; and he fell, apparently dead, upon the deck. The +admiral beckoned an officer to come and bear away the body; but the +newcomer was also hit, and fell across the body of the first. Porter +concluded that the locality was getting rather hot, and gladly stepped +behind a heavy plate of sheet-iron, which an old quarter-master +brought him with the remark, "There, sir, stand behind that. They've +fired at you long enough." + +From behind his shield, Porter looked out anxiously at the forces by +which he was beleaguered. He could see clearly that the Confederates +were increasing in numbers; and, when at last he saw a long gray +column come sweeping out of the woods, his heart failed him, and for a +moment he thought that the fate of his flotilla was sealed. But at +that very moment deliverance was at hand. The Confederates were seen +to fall into confusion, waver, and give way before a thin blue +line,--the advance guard of Sherman's troops. The negro +"telegram-wire" had proved faithful, and Sherman had come on to the +rescue. + +That ended the difficulties of the flotilla. The enemy, once brought +face to face with Sherman's men, departed abruptly; and soon the +doughty general, mounted on an old gray horse, came riding down to the +edge of the bayou, for a word with Porter. Seeing the admiral on the +deck of his gunboat, he shouted out, "Hallo! Porter, what did you get +into such an ugly scrape for? So much for you navy fellows getting out +of your element. Better send for the soldiers always. My boys will put +you through. Here's your little nigger. He came through all right, and +I started at once. Your gunboats are enough to scare the crows: they +look as if you had got a terrible hammering." + +Somewhat crestfallen, Porter remarked, that he "never knew what +helpless things iron-clads could become when they got in a ditch, and +had no soldiers about." As Sherman declined to come aboard, Porter +went below to look after his two prisoners. + +"Well, gentlemen," said he, as he entered the cabin, "you were right. +We are surrounded by troops." + +The two Confederates were greatly exultant, but assured Porter that +they would see that he was kindly treated when taken into Vicksburg. + +"To Vicksburg!" said he with mock amazement. "Who said any thing of +Vicksburg?" + +"Why, of course you'll be taken there as a prisoner, now that our men +have surrounded you." + +"Oh, you are mistaken there!" responded Porter. "The troops by whom I +am surrounded are Sherman's boys, six thousand strong." And at this +news the chagrined captives subsided, and began to consider the +prospects of a trip to the North, and incarceration in one of the +military prisons. + +Sherman's army soon came up in force, and went into camp along the +road that skirted the levee. As night fell, the scene took on a wild +and picturesque air. In the narrow bayou lay the gunboats, strung out +in single file along a line of half a mile. They bore many signs of +the hard knocks they had received in their excursion through the +woods. Boats, davits, steam-pipes, and every thing breakable that rose +above the level of the deck, had been swept away by the overhanging +boughs, or dashed to pieces by falling trees. The smoke-stacks and +wheel-houses were riddled by the bullets of the Confederate +sharp-shooters. The decks were covered with rubbish of all kinds, and +here and there was a fissure that told of the bursting of some +Confederate shell. The paint was blistered, and peeling off, from the +effects of the cotton-fire through which the fleet had dashed. + +On the shore blazed the camp-fires of Sherman's troops; and about the +huge flaming piles the weary soldiers threw themselves down to catch a +moment's rest, while the company cooks prepared the evening meal. Many +of the idle soldiers strolled down to the edge of the bayou, and, +forming a line along the levee, began chaffing the sailors on the +ludicrous failure of their attempt to perform naval evolutions in a +swamp. + +"What's gone with your boats, Jack?" sung out one tall fellow in +cavalry garb. "Been in dry-dock for repairs?" + +"How do you like playing mud-turtle?" said another. "Better stick to +salt water after this." + +"Don't go bush-whacking again, unless you have the soldiers with you. +You look as if your mothers didn't know you were out." And at this a +yell of approval went up all along the line, while the badgered +sailors growled and tried to make sharp retorts to the stinging +ridicule of the landsmen. + +So ended this memorable gunboat expedition. It is unparalleled in the +history of warfare. The feats performed by the unwieldy iron-clads in +the narrow bayous gained for them, from Lincoln, the title of +"web-footed" gunboats. They had traversed shallow and tortuous +channels; they had cleared their path of trees, snags, and even +bridges; they had run the gantlet of flaming cotton-bales and +Confederate bullets. After meeting and overcoming so many obstacles, +their final stoppage by a thicket of pitiful willow-shoots irritated +the blue-jackets and their commander extremely. Porter had penetrated +so far into the Yazoo country, that he could see how great damage +could be inflicted upon the Confederates, if the expedition could but +be carried out successfully. He had definite information to the +effect, that, at Yazoo City, the Confederates had a thriving shipyard, +at which they were pressing forward the construction of steam-rams +with which to sweep the Mississippi. To reach that point and destroy +the vessels, would have been a service thoroughly in accord with his +tastes; but the willows held him back. However, he was able to console +himself with the thought that the rams were not likely to do the +Confederates any immediate service; for a truthful contraband, brought +in by the Union scouts, informed the admiral that "dey has no bottom +in, no sides to 'em, an' no top on to 'em, sah; an' dere injines is in +Richmon'." + +When the dangers encountered by the gunboats during this expedition +are considered, the damage sustained seems surprisingly small. Had the +Confederates acted promptly and vigorously, the intruders would never +have escaped from the swamps into which their temerity had led them. A +few torpedoes, judiciously planted in the muddy bed of the bayou, +would have effectively prevented any farther advance. More than once +the Confederates posted their artillery within effective range, and +opened a rapid and well-directed fire upon the gunboats, but erred in +using explosive shells instead of solid shot. "They were evidently +greenhorns," wrote Porter, exulting over his narrow escape, "and +failed to understand that we were iron-clad, and did not mind +_bursting_-shell. If they had used solid shot, they might have hurt +us." The infantry forces of the enemy were ample to have given the +marauding gunboats a vast deal of trouble, if the Confederate officers +had been enterprising, and had seized upon the opportunities afforded +them. Night after night the flotilla lay tied up in the centre of a +narrow bayou, with the levees towering so high above the gunboats' +ports, that the cannon were useless. At such a time, a determined +assault by a body of hostile infantry could hardly have been resisted. +Such an attack was the danger which Porter most feared throughout the +expedition, and he nightly made preparations for a desperate +resistance. The widest part of the bayou was chosen for the anchorage, +in order that a strip of water at least four feet wide might separate +the gunboats from the shore. The sides of the iron-clads were then +greased, and the guns loaded with grape, and elevated as much as +possible. Landing parties with howitzers were sent ashore, and posted +so as to enfilade any attacking force; scouts were sent out in all +directions; and the crews of the gunboats slept at their quarters all +night, ready for action at the first alarm. But it is doubtful whether +even these elaborate precautions could have saved the flotilla, had +the Confederates brought one regiment to the assault. However, the +enemy let the golden moment pass; and, after suffering the agonies of +suspense for several days, Porter at last saw his gunboats safely +anchored by the side of Sherman's protecting regiments. + +Sherman and Porter held a consultation that night, and concluded that +it was useless to try to get around Vicksburg by hauling the gunboats +through the woods; and the following morning the flotilla started back +to the Union headquarters on the Mississippi. + +Gen. Grant was beginning to get impatient. Weeks had passed away, and +there were still no gunboats or transports below the Vicksburg +batteries to aid him in carrying out his military plans. He held a +long consultation with Porter, the outcome of which was that the +admiral decided to run his gunboats and transports right through the +fire of the Confederate guns. + +[Illustration: Dummy Gunboat passing Forts on the Mississippi.] + +But, before sending a vessel through, Porter thought that he would +test the accuracy of the Confederate gunners by giving them a dummy +to fire at. He took a large flat boat, and built it up with logs and +lumber until it looked like a powerful ram. Two huge wheel-houses +towered amidships, on each of which was painted, in great, staring +letters, "Deluded Rebels, cave in." From the open ports, the muzzles +of what appeared to be heavy rifles protruded; though the guns that +seemed so formidable were really only logs of wood. Two high +smoke-stacks, built of empty pork-barrels, rose from the centre of +this strange craft; and at the bottom of each stack was an iron pot, +in which was a heap of tar and oakum that sent forth volumes of black +smoke when lighted. One dark night the fires in this sham monster were +lighted, and she was towed down to the Confederate batteries, and set +drifting down the river. She was quickly discovered, and the batteries +on the bluffs opened on her with a roar. There was nothing about the +dummy to be hurt, however; and it was impossible to sink her. So she +sailed majestically through the plunging hail of solid shot, and past +the terrible batteries that were thought to be a match for any thing +afloat. The Confederates in the trenches looked at each other in +astonishment and dismay. Word was sent to Gen. Pemberton that a +powerful Yankee iron-clad had passed the batteries unhurt, and was +speeding down the stream. The General's first thought was of a +gunboat, the "Indianola," lately captured from the Federals, and now +being converted into an iron-clad ram. She must be saved from +recapture, even if it should be necessary to destroy her. Word was +hurriedly sent down the river that a formidable ram was bearing down +upon the "Indianola;" and, if the latter vessel was not in condition +to do battle, she should be blown up. Accordingly, while the dummy +ram, caught in an eddy of the river, was whirling helplessly around +just below Vicksburg, the Confederates put the torch to their new +war-vessel, and she was soon a heap of ashes. Porter's little joke was +a good one for the United States. + +But all the time that the Union navy was making these futile attempts +to get the better of the wily general who held the fort at Vicksburg, +a constant bombardment of the city was kept up. From gunboats and land +batteries, shells were hurled into the streets of the town, tearing +down houses, killing men, women, and children, and driving the +inhabitants to their cellars, or to deep caves dug in the hills. The +fire from the Union gunboats was most destructive, for they could drop +down to an advantageous point, shell the city until tired, then steam +back into safety again. + +Cave-digging in the city became a regular business; and caves brought +from twenty to fifty dollars, according to their size. They generally +consisted of two or three rooms, and people lived in them quite +cheerfully during the time that the iron hail was falling in the +city's streets. + +A Northern woman, who was pent up in Vicksburg during the siege, tells +graphically the story of the bombardment:-- + +"For many nights we have had but little sleep, because the Federal +gunboats have been running past the batteries. The uproar when this is +happening is phenomenal. The first night the thundering artillery +burst the bars of sleep, we thought it an attack by the river. To get +into garments, and rush up-stairs, was the work of a moment. From the +upper gallery we have a fine view of the river; and soon a red glare +lit up the scene, and showed a small boat, towing two large barges, +gliding by. The Confederates had set fire to a house near the bank. +Another night, eight boats ran by, throwing a shower of shot; and two +burning houses made the river clear as day. One of the batteries has a +remarkable gun they call 'whistling Dick,' because of the screeching, +whistling sound it gives; and certainly it does sound like a tortured +thing. Added to all this is the indescribable Confederate yell, which +is a soul-harrowing sound to hear. I have gained respect for the +mechanism of the human ear, which stands it all without injury. The +streets are seldom quiet at night: even the dragging about of cannon +makes a din in these echoing gullies. The other night we were on the +gallery till the last of the eight boats got by. Next day a friend +said to H----, 'It was a wonder you didn't have your heads taken off +last night. I passed, and saw them stretched over the gallery; and +grape-shot were whizzing up the street just on a level with you.' The +double roar of batteries and boats was so great, we never noticed the +whizzing. Yesterday the 'Cincinnati' attempted to go by in daylight, +but was disabled and sunk. It was a pitiful sight: we could not see +the _finale_, though we saw her rendered helpless. + +[Illustration: Passing the Vicksburg Batteries.] + +"Since that day the regular siege has continued. We are utterly cut +off from the world, surrounded by a circle of fire. Would it be wise, +like the scorpion, to sting ourselves to death? The fiery shower of +shells goes on day and night. H----'s occupation, of course, is gone, +his office closed. Every man has to carry a pass in his pocket. People +do nothing but eat what they can get, sleep when they can, and dodge +the shells. There are three intervals when the shelling +stops,--either for the guns to cool, or for the gunners' meals, I +suppose,--about eight in the morning, the same in the evening, and at +noon. In that time we have to both prepare and eat ours. Clothing +cannot be washed, or any thing else done. On the 19th and 22d, when +the assaults were made on the lines, I watched the soldiers cooking on +the green opposite. The half-spent balls, coming all the way from +those lines, were flying so thick that they were obliged to dodge at +every turn. At all the caves I could see from my high perch, people +were sitting, eating their poor suppers at the cave doors, ready to +plunge in again. As the first shell again flew, they dived; and not a +human being was visible. The sharp crackle of the musketry-firing was +a strong contrast to the scream of the bombs. I think all the dogs and +cats must be killed or starved: we don't see any more pitiful animals +prowling around.... The cellar is so damp and musty, the bedding has +to be carried out and laid in the sun every day, with the forecast +that it may be demolished at any moment. The confinement is dreadful. +To sit and listen as if waiting for death in a horrible manner, would +drive me insane. I don't know what others do, but we read when I am +not scribbling in this. H---- borrowed somewhere a lot of Dickens's +novels, and we re-read them by the dim light in the cellar. When the +shelling abates, H---- goes to walk about a little, or get the 'Daily +Citizen,' which is still issuing a tiny sheet at twenty-five and fifty +cents a copy. It is, of course, but a rehash of speculations which +amuses a half-hour. To-day he heard, while out, that expert swimmers +are crossing the Mississippi on logs at night, to bring and carry news +to Johnston. I am so tired of corn-bread, which I never liked, that I +eat it with tears in my eyes. We are lucky to get a quart of milk +daily from a family near, who have a cow they hourly expect to be +killed. I send five dollars to market each morning, and it buys a +small piece of mule-meat. Rice and milk is my main food: I can't eat +the mule-meat. We boil the rice, and eat it cold, with milk, for +supper. Martha runs the gauntlet to buy the meat and milk once a day +in a perfect terror. The shells seem to have many different names. I +hear the soldiers say, 'That's a mortar-shell. There goes a Parrott. +That's a rifle-shell.' They are all equally terrible. A pair of +chimney-swallows have built in the parlor chimney. The concussion of +the house often sends down parts of their nest, which they patiently +pick up and re-ascend with." + +Grant's impassable lines about the beleaguered city soon made +starvation more to be feared than even the terrible shells from the +cannon of the gunboats. Necessaries of all sorts became woefully +scarce in Vicksburg. Five dollars could purchase only a little bit of +mule's flesh, hardly enough for a meal for two people. Flour was not +to be had at any price. Bread was made of coarse corn-meal or grated +peas. The ammunition of the soldiers in the trenches soon began to +give out, and the utmost economy was exercised. Many of the soldiers +were armed with muskets that required caps, and it was not many days +before caps were at a great premium. They were generally smuggled into +the city through the Union lines by fleet-footed carriers, who ran a +long gauntlet of Union pickets. Many were shot down in the attempt, +but more succeeded. One man who brought in sixteen thousand caps, was +nine days travelling thirteen miles, and was fired on more than twenty +times. + +But, though Grant could have starved the city into subjection by +simply sitting and waiting, he grew tired of this, and determined to +force matters to an issue. The first thing to be done was to get the +gunboats and transports past the batteries. The transports were put +into shape to stand a cannonade by having their weaker parts covered +with cotton-bales; and on one dark night in June, the flotilla started +down the river, with the iron-clad gunboats in advance. Admiral Porter +led in the "Benton." At eleven o'clock the fleet got under way; and, +as the "Benton" came abreast of the first batteries, the alarm was +given in the Confederate camp, and a fierce cannonade began. Huge +fires were lighted on the shores to light up the river, and make the +gunboats visible to the Confederate cannoneers. The warships swung +grandly around the bend, responding with rapid broadsides to the fire +of the forts. All the vessels were hit once or oftener. The heavy +smoke that accompanies such fierce cannonading hung over the river, +cutting off all view of the surroundings from the sailors. The eddying +currents of the river caught the steamers, swinging them now this way, +now that, until the perplexed pilots knew not which way their vessels +were headed. The blue-jackets at the guns worked away cheerily, +knowing that enemies were on every side of them, and that, no matter +which way their missiles sped, an enemy was to be found. More than one +vessel turned completely around; and once, when the rising breeze +cleared away the smoke, the pilot of the "Benton" found that he was +taking his ship up-stream again, and was in imminent danger of +running down a friendly gunboat. But they all passed on without +receiving any severe injuries, and at five o'clock in the morning lay +anchored far below the city, ready to begin the attack upon the +Confederate batteries at Grand Gulf, which were called "the key to +Vicksburg." + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + + VICKSBURG SURRENDERS, AND THE MISSISSIPPI IS OPENED. -- NAVAL + EVENTS ALONG THE GULF COAST. + + +The first grand step toward the capture of Vicksburg was made when the +river-flotilla followed Porter down the Mississippi, and past the guns +of the Confederate batteries. Grant, with his army, had followed along +the western bank of the great river; and we now find him ready to +cross the river, and move upon the Vicksburg batteries from the south. +But, before this could be done, the Confederate works at Grand Gulf +must be silenced; and it again happened that the navy was to be the +chief factor in the contest. For this new battle all the blue-jackets +were ready and anxious. Admiral Porter says that "when daylight broke, +after the passage of the fleet, I was besieged by the commanding +officers of the gunboats, who came to tell me of their mishaps; but, +when I intimated that I intended to leave at Carthage any vessel that +could not stand the hammering they would be subject to at Grand Gulf, +they suddenly discovered that no damage had been done to their +vessels, which, if any thing, were better prepared for action than +when they started out!" + +The Confederate works at Grand Gulf mounted eighteen guns; and, as +they stood upon high bluffs overlooking the river, they were most +formidable. It was decided by the Federals that the navy alone should +undertake the task of reducing the fortifications,--a decision that +was of benefit to the Confederates, for their strongest position was +along the river-front. Four of the guns held a raking position up and +down the long stretch of muddy water that swirled and eddied by with a +current of seven miles an hour. + +While the fort had the advantage of position, the gunboats were much +stronger in their armament; and the contest was looked forward to as +one bound to be desperate. The position of every gun in the batteries, +and the size of the garrison, were well known to every commander of a +Union vessel; and they made the most careful preparations for the +assault. + +The Confederates knew that the result of that day's battle would +decide the ownership of Vicksburg, and they were prepared to offer the +most desperate resistance. The orders at every battery were to use +shell alone; and the men were instructed to fire carefully, and only +after taking deadly aim. In a high tree just outside the fort a +lookout was stationed; and at early daylight, on the morning of the +29th of April, 1863, he signalled that the fleet of gunboats was +bearing down upon the works. + +Men who were in the fort that morning saw a strange panorama. The +stillness was most profound on the shore and on the river. The boats +moved slowly and grandly down, not a man in sight, and with no sign of +life. The trees up the river were black with Federal spectators; and +the chirp of birds was all about the men who stood waiting beside the +huge cannon. + +Porter went at his work with a vim which made the forest tremble and +the river bubble. For the first few minutes the Confederates were +appalled by the fierceness of the fire, which stands on record as the +fastest in the war; but, when the forts did get down to their work, +they went in with a roar that almost deafened the Federal soldiers +three miles away. Great shells burst over the gunboats, or, falling +into the water close by their sides, threw up columns of water that +deluged the decks. The vessels found the greatest difficulty in +getting good positions for the swift-eddying current. One moment they +were bow on, the next headed down stream, or up, or whirling around in +circles. Of course this greatly hurt the aim of the gunners, but it +likewise made the vessels poor targets for the Confederates. + +Three gunboats--the "Benton," "Tuscumbia," and "Lafayette"-- engaged +the upper battery; and nowhere in naval history is found the record of +faster firing than was done by these ships. Their huge shells tore +away at the walls of earth, throwing up tons of dirt with each +explosion, but not seeming to affect the strength of the fort at all. +Not a shot entered an embrasure, though many came near it. One of the +Confederate artillerists said after the fight,-- + +"There was not one single minute in all that five hours in which I did +not expect death. We all worked away as if in a nightmare, and we all +felt that any moment might be our last. The 'Benton' fired repeatedly +at my gun; and as many as twenty of her shells struck the opening, +tearing holes in the parapet ten feet back. Twenty times we were +almost buried out of sight under the clouds of dirt, and the loose +earth was knee deep around our gun when the fight closed. Not one of +us was hit hard enough to draw blood, and yet we all felt ten years +older for that five hours' work. I sighted the gun, and saw fourteen +of my shot hit the 'Benton,' and six plunge into another." + +The gunboats fought in a way that showed desperate determination. The +first gun from the "Lafayette" was answered by a shell which crashed +through her side and exploded in a wardroom, knocking every thing into +chips. Three times the carpenter came up and reported to the captain +that the ship was sinking; and each time the reply was, "Very well, +sir: keep right on firing until the guns are under water." When the +ship came out of the fight, she counted up fifty scars. + +The long-range firing that was carried on at first did not satisfy the +"Mound City." One particular gunner on the Confederate works seemed to +cherish a spite against her; and every time the flame leaped from the +muzzle of his gun, a solid shot banged against the gunboat's side. +This was not to be tamely borne; and the "Mound City" rushed up so +close to the bank that her bow stirred up the mud, and from that +position opened fast and furiously upon the forts with grape and +canister. A hail of rifle-bullets fell upon her decks; but she stuck +to her post, and succeeded in driving the enemy to the bomb-proofs. + +But, with all their pluck and rapid firing, the gunners of the fleet +were making no impression on the works. Gen. Grant, who was watching +the engagement from a tug in mid-stream, saw this, and determined to +rush his soldiers past the fort in transports, while the navy engaged +the enemy's guns. This was done quickly, and towards night the ships +returned to their post up the river, leaving the Confederates in +possession of the batteries. But the great point had been gained; and +Grant's army was moving on Vicksburg, with nothing to interfere with +its besieging operations. + +Then began that series of attacks and repulses, of building trenches, +paralleling, and advancing steadily, until the lines of the Federals +and the Confederates were so close together that the men used to shout +jokes and taunts over the breastworks. All the Confederates were known +as "Johnnies," and all Union soldiers as "Yanks." Often "Johnny" would +call out, "Well, Yank, when are you coming into town?" Sometimes the +answer was, "We propose to celebrate the Fourth of July there." The +"Johnnies" did not believe this; but it was true, nevertheless, for on +July 4 Grant's victorious army marched into Vicksburg. A day or two +later the Confederate works at Port Hudson and Grand Gulf were +surrendered to the Federals, and the Mississippi was again open for +commerce throughout its length. + +When the fall of Vicksburg had thus left the river clear, Admiral +Porter was ordered to take his fleet up the Red River, and clear away +any Confederate works that he might find on the banks of that stream. +Gen. A. J. Smith, with a strong body of troops, accompanied him; while +Gen. Banks was to march his troops overland from Texas, and join the +expedition at Shreveport. For several days the gunboats pressed +forward up the crooked stream, meeting with no opposition, save from +the sharp-shooters who lined the banks on either side, and kept up a +constant fire of small-arms. + +Shreveport was reached in safety; and, after a short halt, the +flotilla started again on their voyage up the river. They had +proceeded but a short distance when a courier came galloping down the +river's bank, waving a despatch, which he handed to Admiral Porter. + +[Illustration: Manning the Yards.] + +"The despatch read, 'Gen. Banks badly defeated; return,' Here was a +dilemma to be placed in,--a victorious army between us and our own +forces; a long, winding, shallow river wherein the vessels were +continually grounding; a long string of empty transports, with many +doubtful captains, who were constantly making excuses to lie by or to +land (in other words, who were trying to put their vessels into the +power of the Confederates); and a thousand points on the river where +we could be attacked with great advantage by the enemy; and the +banks lined with sharp-shooters, by whom every incautious soldier who +showed himself was shot." + +But, though the admiral clearly saw all the dangers he was exposed to, +and which he recounts in the foregoing paragraph, he did not propose +to return, but pressed forward. He soon reached the scene of battle, +and with the big guns of his boats covered the retreat of the troops; +then, having done all there was to be done, started down the river. + +But now came the great trouble of the whole expedition. Those Southern +rivers are accustomed in summer to fall rapidly until they become mere +dry ditches, with a narrow rivulet, hardly deep enough to float a +row-boat, flowing down the centre. This was the summer season, and the +Red River was falling fast. The banks swarmed with gray-coated +soldiery, anxious to be on hand to capture the ships. At Grand Ecore +the "Eastport" became unmanageable, and was blown up. The fleet +continued on its way quietly, until a serious obstacle was met. +Admiral Porter writes:-- + +"One of the 'Cricket's' guns was mounted on the upper deck forward, to +command the banks; and a crew of six men were kept stationed at it, +ready to fire at any thing hostile. + +"We went along at a moderate pace, to keep within supporting distance +of each other. I was sitting on the upper deck, reading, with one eye +on the book and the other on the bushes, when I saw men's heads, and +sang out to the commanding officer, Gorringe, 'Give those fellows in +the bushes a two-second shell.' A moment after the shell burst in the +midst of the people on the bank. + +"'Give them another dose,' I said, when, to my astonishment, there +came on board a shower of projectiles that fairly made the little +'Cricket' stagger. Nineteen shells burst on board our vessel at the +first volley. It was the gun-battery of which our prisoner had told +us. We were going along at this time about six knots an hour; and, +before we could fire another gun, we were right under the battery and +turning the point, presenting the 'Cricket's' stern to the enemy. They +gave us nine shells when we were not more than twenty yards distant +from the bank, all of which burst inside of us; and, as the vessel's +stern was presented, they poured in ten more shots, which raked us +fore and aft. + +"Then came the roar of three thousand muskets, which seemed to strike +every spot in the vessel. Fortunately her sides were musket-proof. + +"The 'Cricket' stopped. I had been expecting it. How, thought I, could +all these shells go through a vessel without disabling the machinery? +The Rebels gave three cheers, and let us drift on: they were +determined to have the whole of us. They opened their guns on the two +pump-boats, and sunk them at the first discharge. The poor negroes +that could swim tried to reach the shore; but the musketeers picked +off those that were in the water or clinging to the wrecks. It was a +dreadful spectacle to witness, with no power to prevent it; but it +turned out to be the salvation of the 'Cricket.' All this took place +in less than five minutes. + +"The moment the 'Cricket' received the first discharge of artillery, I +went on deck to the pilot-house, saluted by a volley of musketry as I +passed along; and, as I opened the pilot-house door, I saw that the +pilot, Mr. Drening, had his head cut open by a piece of shell, and the +blood was streaming down his cheeks. He still held on to the wheel. 'I +am all right, sir,' he said: 'I won't give up the wheel.' + +"Gorringe was perfectly cool, and was ringing the engine-room bell to +go ahead. In front of the wheel-house, the bodies of the men who +manned the howitzer were piled up. A shell had struck the gun, and, +exploding, had killed all the crew,--a glorious death for them." + +Porter now found himself in a bad fix. His guns could not be elevated +enough to bear on the batteries that stood on the crest of the high +bluffs. There was nothing to do but to run by at the best possible +rate of speed. Suddenly the engine stopped, and the vessel floated +helplessly down the stream. Porter rushed below to discover the +trouble. In the engine-room stood the engineer leaning heavily against +the throttle. Porter shouted at him, but received no reply; then, +putting his hand on the man's shoulder, found him dead. The admiral +threw the body aside, pulled open the throttle, and the "Cricket" +glided along past the batteries to a safe refuge down-stream. The +other ships came down safely, although more or less cut up; and the +flotilla continued its retreat down the stream. For a day or two all +went smoothly as a holiday excursion; then came a sudden reverse, +that, for a time, seemed to make certain the loss of the entire fleet. +At Alexandria the Red-river bottom is full of great rocks that make it +impassable except at the highest water. When Porter's gunboats +arrived, they found themselves caught in a trap from which there +seemed to be no hope of escape. The army was encamped along the banks +of the river, and the soldiers began again their jokes upon Porter's +habit of taking gunboats for an overland journey. The army generals +began to get impatient, and advised Porter to blow up his ships, as +the troops must soon march on and leave him. Porter was sick in bed, +but this suggestion aroused him. "Burn my gunboats!" he cried, +springing to his feet. "Never! I'll wait here for high water if I have +to wait two years." And, indeed, it began to look as though he would +be forced to wait nearly that long. + +[Illustration: Bailey's Dam on the Red River.] + +In this time of suspense, there arose a man equal to the emergency. A +certain Lieut-Col. Bailey, who had been a Wisconsin lumberman, came to +Porter, and suggested that a dam should be built to raise the water +fourteen feet above the falls. Porter jumped at the suggestion, and +eight thousand men were set to work. + +"It will take too much time to enter into the details of this truly +wonderful work," writes Admiral Porter. "Suffice it to say that the +dam had nearly reached completion in eight days' working-time, and the +water had risen sufficiently on the upper falls to allow the 'Fort +Hindman,' 'Osage,' and 'Neosho' to get down and be ready to pass the +dam. In another day it would have been high enough to enable all the +other vessels to pass the upper falls. Unfortunately, on the morning +of the 9th instant the pressure of water became so great that it swept +away two of the stone barges which swung in below the dam on one side. +Seeing this unfortunate accident, I jumped on a horse, and rode up to +where the upper vessels were anchored, and ordered the 'Lexington' to +pass the upper falls if possible, and immediately attempt to go +through the dam. I thought I might be able to save the four vessels +below, not knowing whether the persons employed on the work would ever +have the heart to renew their enterprise. + +"The 'Lexington' succeeded in getting over the upper falls just in +time, the water rapidly falling as she was passing over. She then +steered directly for the opening in the dam, through which the water +was rushing so furiously that it seemed as if nothing but destruction +awaited her. Thousands of beating hearts looked on, anxious for the +result. The silence was so great as the 'Lexington' approached the +dam, that a pin might almost be heard to fall. She entered the gap +with a full head of steam on, pitched down the roaring torrent, made +two or three spasmodic rolls, hung for a moment on the rocks below, +was then swept into deep water by the current, and rounded to safely +into the bank. Thirty thousand voices rose in one deafening cheer, and +universal joy seemed to pervade the face of every man present." + +After the dam was repaired, the rest of the fleet passed down safely. + +With the escape of the Red-river flotilla, the career of Admiral +Porter on the rivers ended. Indeed, there was but little work for the +river navy remaining. The Mississippi, Tennessee, and Cumberland +Rivers were opened; and the Confederate works on the smaller streams +were unimportant, and could be left to fall with the fall of the +Confederacy, which was near at hand. There was work for fighting +sea-captains along the Atlantic coast, and thither Admiral Porter was +ordered. He will re-appear at the bombardment of Fort Fisher. + +An event which caused the greatest excitement in naval circles at this +time, and which for courage and dash has probably never been equalled +in the history of the world, was the run of the Confederate privateer +"Florida" past the United States fleet blockading the harbor of +Mobile. The "Florida" was originally a merchant-ship, known as the +"Oreto;" and under that name she sailed from Liverpool, carrying a +peaceful cargo, and manned by sailors who had no idea that any thing +beyond a peaceable voyage was planned. She was commanded by an English +sea-captain; and, although the United States consul at Liverpool +looked on her with some suspicion, yet he could find no pretext upon +which to oppose her departure. + +Hardly had the ship passed the mouth of the Mersey, when her course +was shaped for Nassau, the haven of privateers and blockade-runners. +At Nassau several officers of the Confederate navy were living; and +from the anxiety with which they scanned the horizon day after day, +through their telescopes, it would seem that they were watching for +some friendly craft. The "Oreto" arrived safely at Nassau; and a young +gentleman who had come with her made all possible haste ashore, and +delivered to the watchful gentlemen in the town certain letters, which +made them first look with the greatest satisfaction at the newly +arrived ship, and then begin again their outlook for vessels. The +letters were from Capt. Bulloch, the agent in London of the +Confederacy; and by them he notified his brother naval officers that +he delivered to them the "Oreto," an admirably built ship, suited for +an armed cruiser. "It has been impossible to get the regular battery +intended for her on board," wrote Capt. Bulloch; "but I have sent out +four seven-inch rifled guns, with all necessary equipments, in the +steamship 'Bahama,' bound for Nassau." + +So here were the naval officers and their ship, but the guns were yet +to come; and, when they did come, some shrewd planning would be +necessary to get the guns mounted without alarming the British +authorities. By the time the "Bahama" arrived, the plans were all +made. As the steamer came up to the dock, a small schooner slipped +alongside, and eight or ten heavy cases were transferred from the +larger vessel's hold to the deck of the coaster. Then the little +vessel sailed over to Green Cay, a desert island about sixty miles +from Nassau, where she was soon joined by the "Oreto." There the work +of changing the peaceful merchantman "Oreto" into the war-cruiser +"Florida" began. + +The work of transferring the armament, and mounting the guns, was very +laborious. The hot sun of August at the equator poured down upon +them. Exposure and general discomforts told heavily upon them; and +before long the yellow-fever, that most terrible scourge of the West +Indies, broke out among the men. There was no surgeon on board, and +the care of the sick fell upon Capt. Maffitt. Two United States +men-of-war were hunting through the West Indies for the vessel they +knew was fitting out somewhere amid the coral reefs and sandy, +desolate keys. But Maffitt kept up his courage, and before long found +himself at sea, with a good stanch ship and crew, that, though +short-handed, was made up of the very best material. But he had hardly +cut loose from civilization, and started out upon his cruise, when he +discovered, that, in the worry and haste of his departure, he had put +to sea without rammers or sponges for his guns. He was in a desperate +plight. Had the smallest United States man-of-war met the "Florida," +the Confederate could not have offered the slightest resistance. She +could not have even fired a gun. Capt. Maffitt ran his vessel into +Havana in the hopes of being allowed to refit there; but the fortunes +of the Confederacy were waning fast, and all nations feared to give it +aid or comfort. Seeing no hope, Maffitt determined to dare all things, +and make a dash for Mobile through the very centre of the +blockading-fleet. + +When the "Florida" put out from the harbor of Havana, only four or +five men were able to be on deck. The rest, with her commander, were +below, deathly sick with yellow-fever. Under the command of a young +lieutenant, her course was laid for Mobile; and in a few hours the +smoke of the blockading-vessels could be seen rising on the clear air. +An English ensign was hoisted, and the fleet ship dashed towards the +men-o'-war that lay in wait. A blank cartridge was fired to warn her +away, but she paid no heed. Then came a solid shot that ploughed up +the water before her bow. As this evoked no response, the whole fleet +opened fire with shot and shell. "Had they depressed their guns but a +little," said Maffitt afterwards, "the career of the 'Florida' would +have ended then and there." But, as it was, she sped on, with no signs +of damage save the flying ends of cut cordage. She could not respond +to the fire, for but three men remained on her deck. So, silently and +grimly, she rushed through the fleet, and finally passed the last +frigate. Quarter of an hour later she anchored under the guns of Fort +Morgan. She had received eight shots in her hull, and her masts were +chipped by dozens of fragments of shell. After refitting, the +"Florida" waited nearly a month for a chance to get out again. Finally +the moment arrived; and she made her escape, though chased for four +hours by the blockaders. Once on the open sea, she began the regular +career of Confederate cruisers, burned unarmed ships, and avoided +war-vessels, until she was run down in a neutral port by a Union +man-of-war, whose commander acted in utter defiance of all the rules +of modern warfare. In the career of the "Florida," after her escape +from Mobile, there was nothing of moment; and her capture, treacherous +as it was, brought more discredit upon the Northern arms than did her +depredations work injury to the Northern merchant-marine. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + + OPERATIONS ABOUT CHARLESTON. -- THE BOMBARDMENT, THE SIEGE, AND + THE CAPTURE. + + +We have now reached the period at which the rapid decline in the +prospects of the Confederacy had become apparent, not only to its +enemies, but to its friends. Throughout the South the stars and bars +floated over only three strongholds of any importance,--Charleston, +Mobile, and Wilmington. One after the other these were destined to +fall, and their final overthrow was to be the work of the navy. It was +no easy task in any one of the three instances to dislodge the +Confederates from their positions; for though beaten in the Middle +States, driven from the Mississippi, and with their very citadel at +Vicksburg in the hands of the Federals, they still fought with a +courage and desperation that for a long time baffled the attacks of +the Unionists. + +From the very opening of the war, Charleston Harbor had been the scene +of naval hostilities. The Confederates, looking upon their mouldering +wharves, and vessels tugging idly at their chains, then looking out to +sea past Fort Sumter, could see the ships of the blockading-squadron +maintaining the watchful guard that was slowly reducing the city to +penury. What wonder that the blood of the good people of Charleston +boiled, and that they built, and hurled against their hated enemy, +weird naval monsters, shapeless torpedo-boats running beneath the +water, or huge rams that might even batter in the heavy walls of Fort +Sumter! + +One attack so made was successful to a certain extent. It was in +February, 1864, that an inventive genius in the beleaguered city +brought out a steam torpedo-boat. The craft was about twenty-five feet +long, shaped like a cigar, built of boiler iron, and propelled by a +screw. She had no smokestack, and her deck barely rose above the +surface of the water. Running out from her bow was a stout spar +fifteen feet long, bearing at its end a huge torpedo charged with two +hundred pounds of powder. Just before nine o'clock one night, the +lookout on the deck of the frigate "Housatonic" saw this strange +object approaching the ship. It was a bright night, with no sea on. As +yet torpedoes were hardly known, so the lookout took it for a large +fish, and simply watched with interest its playful movements. Not +until it came so close that no guns could be brought to bear, did any +suspicion of danger enter the lookout's mind. Then there was the roll +of the alarm-drums; while the men rushed to the side, and poured a +fierce fire from small-arms on the mysterious object. The "Housatonic" +started her engines, and tried to escape; but, before any headway +could be gained, the launch dashed alongside, and a slight jar was +felt. Then, with a tremendous roar, a huge column of water was thrown +high in air, washing away men and boats from the deck of the warship. +A hole large enough to drive a horse through was rent in the hull of +the ship. Great beams were broken in twain, the heaviest guns were +dismounted, and men were hurled fifty feet into the air. In five +minutes the ship had gone to the bottom, and boats from other vessels +were picking up the crew. The launch escaped in the excitement. + +The Union sailor-boys did not let the Confederates outdo them in dash +and pluck. One of the cleverest bits of work in the whole war was done +by four boat-crews from two men-of-war on the Charleston station. Word +had been brought to the blockaders, that, far up a little deep and +narrow creek, a large steamship was loading with cotton, expecting to +reach the ocean through the labyrinth of inlets that fairly honeycomb +the South Carolina coast. Should she once get into that network of +waterways, it would require a whole fleet to catch her; for there was +no telling at what point she might emerge. + +It was at once determined to try to capture her as she lay at her +deck, and four boats' crews of picked men were sent out on the +expedition. It was early evening when they set out; and all through +the dark night they pulled away, threading the mazes of the tidal +inlets. Just as the eastern horizon was beginning to grow gray with +the coming dawn, they came in sight of their destination. Sure enough, +there on the bank of the river was a little Southern village, changed +into a prosperous town by the blockade-runners that had evidently been +making this place a harbor for some time. + +All was dark and silent as the grave. Confident in their fancied +security, the blockade-runners had all turned in, leaving no one on +guard. The steamer was loaded, and ready to sail in the morning; and +the thin wreaths of smoke rising from her smokestack told that the +fires were up. Stealthily the sailors pulled alongside, and clambered +on deck. Without a word they stole below, put the crew under guards, +and rushed into the engine-room, where they found the engineer dozing +on his stool. He was ordered to get under way at once; and, though he +looked rather dazed, he obeyed the order. And in fifteen minutes the +steamer was speeding down-stream, leaving the old town still asleep. + +One man alone of all the townspeople had seen the capture. A negro, +hiding behind a pile of lumber on the dock, had watched the whole +affair, and, as if struck dumb with astonishment, failed to give the +alarm until the steamer was out of sight down the winding stream. The +blue-jackets took their capture safely out of the enemy's lines, and +the next day it was sent to New York as a prize. + +While the navy was keeping the port of Charleston sealed, and every +now and then beating back the improvised gunboats that the +Confederates sent out in the forlorn hope of breaking through the +blockade, the armies of the North were closing in upon the doomed +city. All the North cried aloud for the capture of Charleston. It was +the city which fired the first gun of the war. Let it be reduced! On +every available point of land a Union battery was built. Far out in +the swamps back of the city, where it was thought no living thing save +reptiles could exist, the soldiers of the North had raised a battery, +mounting one two-hundred-pound gun. When a young lieutenant was +ordered to build this battery, he looked the ground over, and reported +the thing impossible. "There is no such word as impossible," sternly +answered the colonel. "Set to work, and call for whatever you need to +secure success." + +[Illustration: Cutting out a Blockade-Runner.] + +The next day the lieutenant, who was a bit of a wag, made a +requisition on the quarter-master for one hundred men eighteen feet +high, to wade through mud sixteen feet deep. Pleasantry is not +appreciated in war; and the officer was arrested, but soon secured his +release, and built the battery with men of ordinary height. + +[Illustration: War-ships off Charleston Harbor.] + +In April, 1862, Admiral Du Pont had lined his iron-clads and monitors +up before the beetling walls of Fort Sumter, and had hurled solid shot +for hours, with only the effect of breaking away sharp corners and +projecting edges of the fort, but leaving it still as powerful a work +of defence as ever. The little monitors exposed to the terrible fire +from the guns of Sumter were fairly riddled; and, when the signal was +finally made to withdraw from the action, the humblest sailor knew +that Charleston would only fall after a siege as protracted and +wearisome as that of Vicksburg. + +The investment of Charleston lasted from the date of that first attack +upon Fort Sumter until 1865. From time to time the war-vessels would +throw a few shells into the city, as a reminder to the inhabitants +that they were under surveillance. Early in the siege the Swamp Angel, +as the big gun back in the swamp was called, began sending hourly +messages, in the form of two-hundred-pound shells, into the city. In +one quarter, where the shells fell thickest, a severe fire was +started, which raged fiercely, driving people from their homes, and +reducing whole blocks to ashes; while the deadly shells aided in the +work of destruction. But the life of the Swamp Angel, whose shells +were the most destructive, was but short; for, after a few days' work, +it burst, scattering the sand-bags, of which the battery was built, +far and wide over the swamp. + +The officers of the army, who were bringing their troops nearer and +nearer to the city, expected the iron-clad vessels to steam boldly up +the harbor, and compel a surrender of the city; but the naval officers +dared not, owing to the torpedoes with which the channel was thickly +planted. If Sumter could only be captured, the torpedoes could be +searched out and easily removed; and, with this thought in mind, a +number of bold sailors fitted out an expedition to attack the fort. +Thirty boats, filled with armed men, made their way to the base of the +shattered walls of the fort. As they came up, not a sign of life was +to be seen about the huge black monster that had so long kept the +iron-clads at bay. Rapidly and silently the men swarmed from their +boats, and, led by three brave officers, began the ascent of the +sloping walls. "The Johnnies are asleep," they whispered to each +other: "we have the fort this time." But the Johnnies were wide awake, +and waiting behind those grim bastions until the proper moment should +arrive. Higher and higher climbed the blue-jackets; and they were just +about to spring over the last barrier, when there rose before them a +wall of men and a deadly fire of musketry, and a storm of +hand-grenades cut their ranks to pieces. Around the corner of the fort +steamed a small gunboat, which opened fire on the assailants. The +carnage was terrible; and the sailors were driven back to their +boats, leaving two hundred dead and wounded, and three stands of +colors, as trophies for the garrison. + +[Illustration: Charleston bombarded.] + +After that grapple with the giant fortress, the Federals did not again +try to come to close quarters; but, keeping at a distance, maintained +a steady fire upon the fort, which drove its defenders from the guns, +and enabled the Union troops to throw up batteries upon all the +neighboring islands. The fleet then remained on blockading-service +until Feb. 18, 1865, when the Confederates evacuated the city, and +left the fort to the victorious Federals. Five years after the date +when Major Anderson with his little band of soldiers had marched out +of Sumter, leaving the fort to the enemy, the same gallant officer +returned, and with his own hand hoisted the same tattered flag over +the almost ruined fortress, amid salvos of artillery and the cheers of +a victorious army and navy. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + + THE BATTLE OF MOBILE BAY. + + +The last two actions of the United States navy in the civil war were +destined to be the grandest successes of a long record of daring and +successful exploits. Farragut at Mobile, and Porter at Fort Fisher, +added to their wondrous careers the cap-sheaves of two victories +wrested from apparently unconquerable adversaries. + +It was on a bright August morning in 1864 that Admiral Farragut stood +on the deck of his stanch frigate the "Hartford," that had borne him +through so many desperate battles. Around the flagship were clustered +the vessels of the Gulf squadron. There was the battered old +"Brooklyn," scarred with the wounds of a dozen fights; the "Richmond" +and the "Itasca," that received their baptism of fire at the fight +below New Orleans. In all there were fourteen wooden vessels and four +iron-clad monitors assembled in front of the strongest combination of +harbor defences that warships ever yet dared attack. Yet Farragut was +there that bright summer morning to enter that bay, and batter the +forts of the enemy into subjection. To capture the city was not his +purpose,--that he left to the army,--but the harbor forts and the +great ram "Tennessee" must strike their colors to the navy. + +Before arranging for the attack, the admiral made a reconnoissance, +the results of which are thus told by one of his officers: "On the +afternoon of the day of our arrival, Admiral Farragut, with the +commanding officers of the different vessels, made a reconnoissance on +the steam-tender 'Cowslip,' running inside of Sand Island, where the +monitors were anchored, and near enough to get a good view of both +forts. On the left, some two miles distant, was Fort Gaines, a small +brick-and-earth work, mounting a few heavy guns, but too far away from +the ship-channel to cause much uneasiness to the fleet. Fort Morgan +was on the right, one of the strongest of the old stone forts, and +greatly strengthened by immense piles of sand-bags covering every +portion of the exposed front. The fort was well equipped with three +tiers of heavy guns, some of them of the best English make, imported +by the Confederates. In addition, there was in front a battery of +eleven powerful guns, at the water's edge on the beach. All the guns, +of both fort and water battery, were within point-blank range of the +only channel through which the fleet could pass. The Rebels considered +the works impregnable, but they did not depend solely upon them. Just +around the point of land, behind Fort Morgan, we could see that +afternoon three saucy-looking gunboats and the famous ram 'Tennessee.' +The latter was then considered the strongest and most powerful +iron-clad ever put afloat; looking like a great turtle, with sloping +sides covered with iron plates six inches in thickness, thoroughly +riveted together, and having a formidable iron beak projecting under +the water. Her armament consisted of six heavy guns of English make, +sending a solid shot weighing one hundred and ten pounds,--a small +affair compared with the heavy guns of the present time, but +irresistible then against every thing but the turrets of the monitors. +In addition to these means of resistance, the narrow channel in front +of the fort had been lined with torpedoes. These were under the water, +anchored to the bottom, and were chiefly in the shape of beer-kegs +filled with powder, from the sides of which projected numerous little +tubes containing fulminate, which it was expected would be exploded by +contact with the passing vessels. + +"Except for what Farragut had already accomplished on the Mississippi, +it would have been considered a foolhardy experiment for wooden +vessels to attempt to pass so close to one of the strongest forts on +the coast; but when to the forts were added the knowledge of the +strength of the ram, and the supposed deadly character of the +torpedoes, it may be imagined that the coming event impressed the +person taking his first glimpse of naval warfare as decidedly +hazardous and unpleasant. So daring an attempt was never made in any +country but this, and was never successfully made by any commander +except Farragut, who in this, as in his previous exploits in passing +the forts of the Mississippi, proved himself the greatest naval +commander the world has ever seen. It was the confidence reposed in +him, the recollection that he had never failed in any of his attempts, +and his manifest faith in the success of the projected movement, that +inspired all around him." + +When the reconnoissance was completed, the admiral called a council of +his captains in the wardroom of the "Hartford," and announced that the +attack would be made early the following morning. The council over, +each commander returned to his ship, there to make ready for the dread +business of the morrow. The same writer whom we have before quoted +tells how the night before a battle is spent by brave men not afraid +of death:-- + +"At sunset the last order had been issued. Every commanding officer +knew his duty, and unusual quiet prevailed in the fleet. The waters of +the Gulf rested for a time from their customary tumult, a gentle +breeze relieved the midsummer heat, and the evening closed upon us as +peacefully as if we had been on board a yachting squadron at Newport. +During the early part of the night, the stillness was almost +oppressive. The officers of the 'Hartford' gathered around the +capacious wardroom table, writing what they knew might be their last +letters to loved ones far away, or giving to friends messages and +instructions in case of death. There were no signs of fear; but, like +brave and intelligent men, they recognized the stern possibilities of +the morrow, and acted accordingly. + +"But this occupied but little time; and then, business over, there +followed an hour of unrestrained jollity. Many an old story was +retold, and ancient conundrum repeated. Old officers forgot for the +moment their customary dignity, and it was evident that all were +exhilarated and stimulated by the knowledge of the coming struggle. +Capt. Heywood of the marines proposed a final 'walk-around;' Tyson +solemnly requested information as to 'Which would you rather do or go +by Fort Morgan?' and all agreed they would prefer to 'do.' La Rue +Adams repeated the benediction with which the French instructor at the +naval academy was wont to greet his boys as they were going into +examination: 'Vell, fellows, I hope ve vill do as vell as I hope ve +vill do.' Finally, Chief Engineer Williamson suggested an adjournment +to the forecastle for a last smoke, and the smoking club went forward; +but somehow smoke had lost its customary flavor, and, after a few +whiffs, all hands turned in, to enjoy what sleep would come." + +When the morning dawned, the men were called to quarters, and the +advance upon the forts was begun at once. It was a foggy morning, and +the ships looked like phantom vessels as they moved forward in line of +battle, with the "Brooklyn" in the van. Second came the "Hartford," +with the admiral high up in the rigging, where he could overlook the +whole scene. + +"Nearly every man had his watch in his hand, and waited for the first +shot. To us, ignorant of every thing going on above, every minute +seemed an hour; and there was a feeling of great relief when the boom +of the first gun was heard. This was from the monitor 'Tecumseh,' at +forty-seven minutes past six o'clock. Presently one or two of our +forward guns opened, and we could hear the distant sound of the guns +of the fort in reply. Soon the cannon-balls began to crash through the +deck above us, and then the thunder of our whole broadside of twelve +Dahlgren guns kept the vessel in a quiver. But as yet no wounded were +sent down, and we knew we were still at comparatively long range. In +the intense excitement of the occasion, it seemed that hours had +passed; but it was just twenty minutes from the time we went below +when an officer shouted down the hatchway: 'Send up an army +signal-officer immediately: the 'Brooklyn' is signalling.' In a moment +the writer was on deck, where he found the situation as follows: The +'Brooklyn,' directly in front of us, had stopped, and was backing and +signalling; the tide was with us, setting strongly through the +channel, and the stopping of the 'Brooklyn' threatened to bring the +whole fleet into collision and confusion; the advance vessels of the +line were trying to back to prevent a catastrophe, but were apparently +not able to overcome the force of the current; and there was danger +not only of collision, but of being drifted on shore." + +While the fleet was thus embarrassed and hampered, the gunners in the +forts were pouring in their shot thick and fast. On the decks of the +ships the most terrible scenes of death were visible. Along the port +side the bodies of the dead were ranged in long rows, while the +wounded were carried below, until the surgeon's room was filled to +its last corner. One poor fellow on the "Hartford" lost both legs by a +cannon-ball, and, falling, threw up both arms just in time to have +them carried away also. Strange to say, he recovered from these +fearful wounds. + +Just as the fight was at its hottest, and the vessels were nearing the +line, the passage of which meant victory, there went up a cry from the +whole fleet, "The 'Tecumseh!' Look at the 'Tecumseh!'" All eyes were +turned on the monitor, and every one saw that she was sinking. She +staggered for a moment, and went down with a rush, carrying her brave +commander and over a hundred of her crew. A few escaped, the last of +whom was the pilot. As the pilot was rushing for the hatchway that led +to the open air and to life, he met at the foot of a narrow ladder +Commander Craven. Craven stepped back, saying gravely, "After you, +pilot;" and the pilot passed out. "There was nothing after me," said +he, in relating the story afterwards; "for as I sprang out of the +hatchway the water rushed in, carrying all behind me to the bottom." + +This terrible sight made the ships stop for a moment in some +confusion; but Farragut signalled sternly from his flagship, "Go on," +and all advanced again. As the fight grew fiercer, the admiral grew +tired of being on the second ship in the line, and ordered the +"Hartford" to forge ahead. + +"On board a war steamer the engines are directed by the tap of a bell, +the wires connected with which lead to the quarter-deck. One stroke of +the bell means 'go ahead;' two, 'stop;' three, 'back;' and four, 'go +ahead as fast as possible.' Leaning down through the shrouds to the +officer on deck at the bell-pull, the admiral shouted, 'Four bells, +_eight bells_, SIXTEEN BELLS! Give her all the steam you've got!' The +order was instantly transmitted, and the old ship seemed imbued with +the admiral's spirit; and running past the "Brooklyn" and the +monitors, regardless of fort, ram, gunboats, and the unseen foe +beneath, dashed ahead, all alone, save for her gallant consort, the +'Metacomet.'" + +[Illustration: Fight at Mobile Bay.] + +But by this time the fleet was well abreast of the forts, and now, +pouring out broadside after broadside, they swept along past the +terrible ramparts. The Confederate gunboats had found the fight too +hot for them, and had fled for shelter, with the exception of the +dreaded "Tennessee," which seemed to be holding itself in reserve. It +was but a short time before the vessels were safely past the fort, and +out of range, floating on the smooth waters of the inner bay. Then +the crews were piped to breakfast, and all hands began to recount +their narrow escapes. + +But the end was not yet, for the ram "Tennessee" was now ready to try +her mettle with the fleet. Lieut. Kinney of the "Hartford" tells +graphically the story of the desperate fight that the ram carried on +alone against the whole attacking flotilla. + +"We were just beginning to feel the re-action following such a season +of extreme peril and excitement, when we were brought to our senses by +the sharp, penetrating voice of executive officer Kimberly calling all +hands to quarters; and a messenger-boy hurried down to us with the +word, 'The ram is coming.' Every man hastened to his post, the writer +to the quarter-deck, where the admiral and fleet-captain were +standing. The cause of the new excitement was evident at once. The +'Tennessee,' as if ashamed of her failure, had left the fort and was +making at full speed directly for the "Hartford," being then perhaps a +mile and a half distant. The spectacle was a grand one, and was viewed +by the Rebel soldiers in both forts, who were now out of range of our +guns, and lined the walls. Few audiences have ever witnessed so +imposing a sight. The great ram came on for a single-handed contest +with the fleet. She was believed to be invulnerable, and had powerful +double engines by which she could be easily handled; while our +monitors were so slow-gaited that they were unable to offer any +serious obstacle to her approach. Farragut himself seemed to place his +chief dependence on his wooden vessels. Doubtless the crowd of +Confederate soldiers who watched the fight expected to see the +'Tennessee' sink the Yankee vessels in detail, and the chances seemed +in its favor.... + +"Meanwhile, the general signal, 'Attack the enemy,' had gone up to the +peak of the 'Hartford;' and there followed a general slipping of +cables, and a friendly rivalry to see which could quickest meet the +foe. The 'Monongahela,' with her artificial iron prow, was bravely in +the lead, and struck the Rebel craft amidships at full speed, doing no +damage to the ram, but having her own iron prow destroyed, and being +otherwise injured. Next came the 'Lackawanna,' with a like result. The +huge iron frame of the 'Tennessee' scarcely felt the shock, while the +wooden bow of the Union ship was badly demoralized. For an instant the +two vessels swung head and stern alongside of each other. In his +official report, Capt. Marchand naively remarks:-- + +"'A few of the enemy were seen through their ports, who were using +_most opprobrious_ language. Our marines opened on them with muskets: +even a spittoon and a holystone were thrown at them from our deck, +which drove them away.' + +"The 'Tennessee' fired two shots through her bow, and then kept on for +the 'Hartford.' The two flag-ships approached each other, bow to bow. +The two admirals, Farragut and Buchanan, had entered our navy together +as boys, and up to the outbreak of the war had been warm friends. But +now each was hoping for the overthrow of the other; and, had Buchanan +possessed the grit of Farragut, it is probable that moment would have +witnessed the destruction of both vessels. For had the ram struck us +square, as it came, bows on, it would have ploughed its way half +through the 'Hartford;' and, as we sank, we should have carried it to +the bottom, unable to extricate itself. But the Rebel admiral was not +desirous of so much glory; and, just as the two vessels were meeting, +the course of the 'Tennessee' was slightly changed, enough to strike +us only a glancing blow on the port-bow, which left us uninjured, +while the two vessels grated past each other. He tried to sink us with +a broadside as he went by; but only one of his guns went off, the +primers in all the others failing. That gun sent a shell that entered +the berth-deck of the 'Hartford,' and killed five men." + +But by this time the unequal conflict was becoming too much even for a +man of Buchanan's courage. The armor of the ram was penetrated in +several places, and at last came a shot that almost fatally wounded +her commander. With the controlling mind that guided her course gone, +the ram was useless; and in a moment a white flag fluttered from the +shattered stump of her flagstaff. And so closed the naval battle that +effectually ended Confederate rule on the Gulf coast, and earned for +Farragut his proudest laurels. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + + THE FALL OF FORT FISHER. -- THE NAVY ENDS ITS WORK. + + +In noticing the work of the blockading-fleet, we have spoken of the +fine harbor of Wilmington, and the powerful works that defended its +entrance. This Confederate stronghold was known as Fort Fisher, and +had been for a long time a cause of anxiety and worry to the Northern +authorities. The war had gone past Fort Fisher. To the north and to +the south of it, the country was under the sway of the Federal +authorities; but there in North Carolina stood the formidable bastions +over which floated, in defiance of the laws of the Union, the stars +and bars of the rapidly dying Confederacy. With its connected +batteries, Fort Fisher mounted seventy-five guns, and was stronger +than the celebrated Malakoff at Sebastopol. + +To reduce this stronghold, a joint naval and military expedition was +fitted out; and Gen. Butler was placed in command of the land forces, +while Admiral Porter, torn from his beloved Western rivers, was given +command of the fleet. Butler introduced a novel feature at the very +opening of the siege. He procured an old steamer, and had her packed +full of gunpowder. On a dark night this craft was towed close to the +walls of the fort and set afire, in the hopes that she might, in +blowing up, tear the works to pieces. But in this the projectors were +disappointed; for the explosion, though a terrific one, did absolutely +no harm to the Confederate works. When Porter finally did get into the +fort, he asked a soldier what he thought of the attempt to blow them +up. "It was a mighty mean trick," responded the Southerner +satirically. "You woke us all up." + +After this fiasco had set all the world laughing, Butler retired +voluntarily, and was succeeded by Gen. Terry; and on Christmas Eve of +the year 1864 the fleet began the bombardment, although the land +forces were not yet prepared for the assault. It was the grandest +armada that was ever arrayed against any fortress. The thunder of +nearly five hundred guns rent the air on that Christmas Eve, when +carols were being sung in Christian churches throughout the world. +Tremendous as was the cannonade, the earthworks were almost a match +for it. The fort was not a mass of masonry that these enormous guns +might batter down and crumble into rubbish, but a huge bank of earth +in which the shells might harmlessly bury themselves. But five hundred +cannon are more than a match for any fort, and so they soon proved to +be in this instance. Earthworks, guns, and men alike went down before +them. The iron-clads were stationed about three-quarters of a mile +from the fort, a little farther out were the frigates and heavy +sloops, and still beyond were the smaller vessels,--all firing to +cover themselves; and all along the whole extended line there blazed +one almost continuous sheet of flame, while the rolling thunder of the +broadsides, and the defiant answering roar from the guns of the forts, +shook earth and sea. Clouds of dust went up from the bastions of the +fort, and mingled with the floating smoke above. Within the forts, +there was a scene of the most terrible confusion: guns were +overturned, piles of cannon-balls were knocked to pieces and scattered +about, and two magazines were blown up and scattered fragments all +over the parade. In one hour and a quarter all the gunners were driven +to the bomb-proofs, and the forts were silenced, not returning a +single shot. + +[Illustration: Charge of Sailors at Fort Fisher.] + +On Christmas morning Gen. Terry arrived with all his transports, and +the attack was recommenced. Early in the morning the ships fell into +position and began a slow fire, merely to cover the landing of the +troops. Again the garrison was driven to the bomb-proofs; and, indeed, +so entirely were they chased from their posts, that a Federal soldier +went into the fort and brought off a Confederate flag without ever +having been seen by the garrison. All the troops were landed; but +for some reason the attack was deferred, much to the disgust of the +officers of the fleet, who felt sure that the fort could be taken then +by a dash. But the troops returned to their transports or went into +camp, and it was not until weeks after that the assault was fairly +made. In the mean time, the ships rode out the winter gales at their +anchors, doing a little desultory firing to keep the garrison in a +state of unrest. + +On the 14th of January the heavy bombardment began again, and again +the troops were landed. By night it was seen that every gun on the +face of the fort was disabled, and it was decided to storm the works +the next day. Sixteen hundred sailors and four hundred marines were +told off as the storming-party. + +Early in the morning the ships began a fierce cannonade, under cover +of which the sailors and marines landed, and threw up light +breastworks to cover them until the time should be ripe for the +charge. The arrangements contemplated a fierce charge by the +blue-jackets, armed with their cutlasses and revolvers; while the +marines, remaining in the rifle-pits, should cover the advancing party +with a hot fire of musketry. The soldiers from the army-camp were to +charge the fort on the other side. + +At three o'clock came the signal that all was ready. The whistles of +the ships rent the air; and the blue-jackets, with ringing cheers, +dashed in a compact body up the beach. But in an instant the +Confederate ramparts were black with men, and a furious fire of +musketry rained down upon the sailors, who were helpless. The marines +in the rifle-pits failed to do what was expected of them, and the +sailors halted for a moment in surprise. + +As they stood, a most destructive fire rained down upon them; and the +poor fellows, grasping their useless cutlasses, turned and fled down +the beach, leaving great heaps of dead and wounded behind. Then the +Confederates, thinking the day was theirs, sprang on the ramparts, and +began a vigorous cheer just as the Union soldiers came pouring over +the landward face of the fort. Then ensued a fierce hand-to-hand fight +that lasted for hours. The blue-jackets, encouraged, rushed back to +the fight, and now at close quarters swung their cutlasses with deadly +effect, until step by step the Confederates were driven out of the +fort. Then the fleet opened upon them, and they fled for dear life +while a sailor sprang to the flagstaff and pulled down the Confederate +flag. Fort Fisher had fallen. It was a noble victory, and formed a +fitting climax to the work of the navy throughout that great war. + +With the fall of Fort Fisher, the navy ceased to be a prominent factor +in the war. Its work was done. Along the seacoast, and inland as far +as navigable rivers extended, the ships of the North had carried the +starry banner; and the sailor-boys of the North had defended it. And +their opponents, whether on sea or shore, had shown themselves +courageous and dashing, and worthy to be numbered as men of the same +nation as those who proved the victors. And who can doubt, that, +should the need arise, the sons of these men will show that they have +in their veins the blood that animated the Blue-Jackets of '61? + + + + +PART IV + + + + +BLUE JACKETS IN TIMES OF PEACE + + + + +CHAPTER I. + + POLICE SERVICE ON THE HIGH SEAS. -- WAR SERVICE IN ASIATIC PORTS. + -- LOSSES BY THE PERILS OF THE DEEP. -- A BRUSH WITH THE PIRATES. + -- ADMIRAL RODGERS AT COREA. -- SERVICES IN ARCTIC WATERS. -- THE + DISASTER AT SAMOA. -- THE ATTACK ON THE "BALTIMORE'S" MEN AT + VALPARAISO. -- LOSS OF THE "KEARSARGE." -- THE NAVAL REVIEW. + + +The years immediately following the civil war were particularly quiet +and uneventful for the navy. The department was chiefly engaged in the +work of reducing the forces and adapting the navy to the changed +conditions. At the termination of the war an immense naval armament +had been developed, and the navy had assumed a magnitude which made +the United States foremost among the naval powers. This force was +gradually reduced to a peace standard. The volunteers were discharged +and retired from service. The large number of captured and purchased +vessels were disposed of. The home squadrons were withdrawn, and +squadrons established abroad. The ships in foreign stations displayed +an unprecedented energy and activity, visiting, in 1866, nearly every +large port in the world, including several in China which had never +before been entered by an American man-of-war. The reception of +Rear-Admiral Bell in his flagship, the "Hartford," by the Japanese, +was manifestly more hospitable than that given to any other nation. +Admiral Farragut was made commander of the European squadron in 1867, +and he was received with distinguished attention by the sovereigns and +dignitaries of Europe. The "Swatara," of the European squadron, was +ordered, in November, 1866, to Civita Vecchia, a port in Italy, to +bring to the United States John H. Surratt, who was charged with being +implicated in the assassination of Lincoln. The fugitive was +apprehended, but he escaped, and fled into the papal dominions. He was +recaptured at Alexandria, and in February was delivered to the marshal +of the District of Columbia. + +The Japanese made further advances of a friendly character toward the +United States in 1867, when the "Shenandoah," of the Asiatic squadron, +with the American minister aboard, arrived at the port of Hakodadi, +and the first salute ever given in honor of a foreign minister was +fired. Just previous to this, the Japanese government had expressed +its willingness to open an additional port on the western coast to +foreign trade, and Commodore Goldsborough, in command of the +"Shenandoah," visited and made surveys of several harbors in which no +foreign ship had ever before anchored. + +News was received by Rear-Admiral Bell, in the autumn of 1866, that +the schooner "General Sherman" had been wrecked in the Ping Yang +River, one of the streams of Corea, and that her officers, crew, and +passengers had been murdered by the natives. The Rear-Admiral +despatched one of the vessels of his squadron, the "Wachusett," to +investigate the matter, and demand from the authorities that the +survivors, if any, be delivered on board the "Wachusett." The King of +Corea was communicated with, but without satisfactory results. It was +found that there were no survivors of the schooner. A few months +afterward information reached Rear-Admiral Bell that a similar outrage +had been perpetrated on the southeast end of the island of Formosa. It +was reported that the American bark "Rover" had been wrecked, and all +on board murdered. Commander Febiger, with the "Ashuelot," found that +the crime had been committed by a horde of savages, who, the +authorities of the island said, were not obedient to their laws. +Rear-Admiral Bell left Shanghai in June, with the "Wyoming" and +"Hartford," with the intention of destroying, if possible, the +lurking-places of the savages. On the 18th of June the vessels +anchored half a mile from shore, and 181 officers, sailors, and +marines were landed, under the command of Commander Belknap, of the +"Hartford," and Lieutenant-Commander Alexander S. Mackenzie. As the +company approached the hills the natives, dressed in clouts, with +their bodies painted, and muskets glistening in the sun, descended to +meet them, fighting from the long grass. After delivering their fire, +they would retreat, and form ambuscades, into which the men from the +ships frequently fell in charging after them. In one of these +Lieutenant-Commander Mackenzie was mortally wounded. After fighting +under the intensely hot sun for six hours, during which period several +of the attacking party suffered sunstroke, they returned to their +ships, the expedition having proved a failure. + +The navy performed a valuable maritime service in 1867, by locating and +surveying a shoal which was reported to exist twenty miles west of +Georges Shoal, and directly in the track of vessels bound to and from +Europe. The shoal was found by Commander Chandler with the United States +steamer "Don," and mariners were made cognizant of a danger which +probably had been fatal to many vessels. In the same year the "Sacramento," +Captain Napoleon Collins, while on an important cruise, was wrecked on +the reefs off the mouth of the Kothapalem River in the Bay of Bengal. +The vessel proved a total wreck, but without loss of life. Those aboard +effected thrilling escapes by means of rafts. The navy suffered another +misfortune in 1868, in the drowning of Rear-Admiral Bell, commander of +the Asiatic squadron, Lieutenant-Commander J. H. Reed, and ten of the +crew of the Admiral's barge, which was upset in crossing the bar near +Osaka, few days after the opening by the Japanese of that port and Hioto +to foreigners. Another disaster occurred in 1869. Twenty-seven officers +and men of the "Fredonia" were drowned at Arica, on the western coast of +South America The "Fredonia" and "Wateree" were resting at anchor when a +shock of earthquake was felt. The sea receded and left the former vessel +on the bottom; a moment afterward the wave rolled back, breaking the +ship into fragments. The "Wateree" was thrown upon the shore; its +position was such that the expense of launching would have been greater +than the worth of the vessel, and it was consequently sold. A year +previous to its catastrophe, the "Monongahela," in the harbor of St. +Croix, was swept from her moorings by the force of an earthquake, and +carried by a wave over the warehouses into one of the streets of the +town. Five of her crew were lost. The vessel, after an interval of some +months, was relaunched. + +The Cuban rebellion, which began in 1868, occasioned activity on the +part of some of the cruisers to prevent violations of the neutrality +law and to protect the interests of American citizens. A company of +Cuban filibusters, encamped on Gardiner's Island, near the eastern end +of Long Island, were captured by Lieutenant Breese, in command of the +revenue cutter "Mahoning," and fifty marines. The prisoners, to the +number of one hundred and twenty-five, were taken to New York. On the +island of Cuba some outrages were perpetrated upon American citizens +by the Spanish authorities. Rear-Admiral Hoff, in command of the North +Atlantic squadron, was ordered to Santiago de Cuba for the better +protection of American interests, and no further aggressions occurred. + +Two disasters in the navy ushered in the year 1870. In the Bay of +Yeddo, on January 24th, the steam-sloop "Oneida," just after leaving +Yokohama for Hong Kong, was run into and sunk by the English steamer +"Bombay," with the loss of twenty officers and ninety-six men. The tug +"Marie" was sunk in the same month, with a loss of four men, in Long +Island Sound. In October of the same year, Commander Sicard of the +"Saginaw" determined to run to Ocean Island, a small island about a +hundred miles west of the Midways, to rescue any sailors who might +have been shipwrecked there. The "Saginaw" was herself wrecked on a +reef off the perilous coast, but her men, after extreme exertions, +landed safely on the shores of the uninhabited island. Here they lived +for some months. They were rescued by a steamer from the Sandwich +Islands, sent to their aid by the authorities of the islands, who had +been informed of the accident by William Halford, one of the crew, +who, with Lieutenant Talbot and three others, had volunteered to make +the trip from Ocean Island to Honolulu, a distance of 1,500 miles, in +an open boat. After thirty-one days of great danger and hardship, they +arrived off one of the Hawaiian group of islands. In attempting to +land, the boat was upset in the surf, and all but Halford were +drowned. + +At various times during the years 1871 and 1872, the marines of the +Brooklyn Navy Yard rendered very efficient aid to the revenue officers +in quelling riots in Brooklyn which grew out of the raiding of illicit +distilleries. In July, 1871, Captain Gilbert was killed and several +men wounded by the rioters. + +[Illustration: Attack on a Corean Fort.] + +The steamer "Forward," bearing the San Salvador flag, landed 200 +desperadoes at Guaymas, Mexico, in June, 1870, and these outlaws took +possession of the custom-house. They forced the foreign merchants +to furnish them with funds and goods, and compelled the United States' +consul to supply coal for their vessel, their purpose being to become +pirates on a large scale. Commander Low, of the "Mohican," upon +learning these facts, sailed from Mazatlan, and overtook the "Forward" +while still in the Gulf of California. She was attacked in the harbor +of Boca Teacapan by six boatloads of sailors and marines from the +"Mohican," and was captured and burned. + +It seemed desirable, in 1871, that some arrangement should be made +with the people of Corea whereby sailors wrecked upon these shores +should have protection. With this end in view our Minister to China, +accompanied by Rear-Admiral John Rodgers, with the "Colorado," the +"Alaska," the "Benicia," the "Monocacy," and the "Palos," vessels of +the Asiatic squadron, sailed to Corea, anchoring in the Sale River. +The local authorities were assured that the visit was a perfectly +peaceful one, and they in turn gave evidences of a peaceful spirit. +But when a party engaged in making surveys and soundings for the +safety of commerce had got beyond a point where they could be +protected by the cruisers' guns, they were fired upon by the Coreans, +and were forced to re-pass the Corean forts under a fierce cannonade. +Admiral Rodgers and the minister determined that an explanation should +be at once demanded. No answer having been received from the Coreans +after an interval of ten days, it was decided that an attack should be +made upon the forts from which the shots had been fired. A party of +about 700 of the sailors and marines were landed, and after a march +through mud which rose to their knees, the first fort was captured +without serious resistance. The next day, other forts were easily +taken, and preparations were made to attack the horseshoe-shaped +citadel, which was defended by a garrison of a thousand Corean +soldiers. A few shells from the vessels, judiciously planted among the +Coreans, frightened and disconcerted them; but they made a stubborn +fight until their ammunition gave out. The attacking party swarmed +over the walls. Then ensued a desperate hand-to-hand fight The Coreans +expected no quarter, and fought till all who had not fled had been +killed or wounded. Lieutenant Hugh McKee, who was the first man to +climb over the ramparts, fell with a mortal wound. Two hundred and +forty-seven dead Coreans were counted within the works. Five forts and +a large number of flags and cannon had been captured. The gallant +conduct of the men of the navy made a deep impression on the people of +the China coast and led to the increased consideration and safety of +American citizens in those localities. + +On Saturday morning, November 26, 1877, occurred one of the most +disastrous wrecks in the history of the navy. The steam sloop-of-war +"Huron" struck the rocks near Oregon Inlet, North Carolina, in a heavy +gale and was wrecked, with the loss of nearly a hundred officers and +men. The boats were washed from the davits and the thirty-four persons +who were saved reached the shore by swimming. Ensign Lucien Young +landed on the beach after desperate efforts, and spread the alarm. His +sturdy activity resulted in the saving of several lives. + +The members of a naval exploring expedition, which had sailed in the +"Polaris" for the Arctic regions in 1871, were rescued from boats and +the floating ice in Baffin's Bay in 1873, the "Polaris" having been +abandoned as a wreck. + +The United States steamer "Rodgers," commanded by Lieutenant Robert M. +Berry, was detailed in 1881 to search for the exploring party +organized by James Gordon Bennett and headed by Lieutenant-Commander +DeLong, which had embarked in the "Jeannette" for the far north and +had been last heard of in August, 1879. The "Rodgers" was burned and +abandoned in St. Laurence Bay, Siberia, in November, 1881; but +Lieutenant Berry continued his search on the coast. In the early +spring he learned that one party from the "Jeannette," that of +Chief-Engineer Melville, had been saved and was searching for the +other two parties which had become separated from the first in a storm +while attempting to escape from the Arctic seas in open boats after +the "Jeannette" had been crushed and sunk by the ice. Lieutenant Berry +soon afterward met Chief-Engineer Melville's party and learned that +the bodies of Lieutenant DeLong and his companions had been found. +Search for the other party which had been led by Lieutenant Chipp was +continued, and the Navy Department fitted out another vessel, the +"Alliance," to aid in the possible rescue. But Lieutenant Chipp and +his men were never found. + +[Illustration: Wreck of United States War-Ships off Samoa.] + +During the massacres by Egyptian troops under Arabi Pasha in +Alexandria, in 1882, when more than two hundred European residents +were killed or wounded, the flagship "Lancaster," under Captain +Gherardi, was in the harbor and afforded a place of refuge for large +numbers of men, women, and children. A large body of marines with a +detachment of naval artillery landed in the city and were of much +service in restoring order. + +Another Arctic expedition was fitted out in the spring of 1883. Three +vessels, the "Thetis," "Alert," and "Bear," left New York by order of +the Navy Department to search for Lieutenant Greely and his party, +comprising what is known as the Lady Franklin Bay Expedition. After a +long voyage, in which the vessels were several times in imminent +peril, they passed around Cape Sabine and found Lieutenant Greely and +the seven survivors of his party. Their condition was so enfeebled +that they could have lived only a little longer. On August 8th the +relief squadron and the rescued party arrived in New York. + +An insurrection broke out in the United States of Colombia in the +spring of 1885, during which the city of Aspinwall was in great part +destroyed. The affair assumed such a serious aspect that the vessels +of the North Atlantic squadron, under Rear Admiral Jouett, were +ordered to Aspinwall, and in addition to the fleet, the Navy +Department sent a force consisting of about seven hundred and fifty +from New York, for the special purpose of operating on shore. Upon his +arrival at Aspinwall, on April 10th, Rear-Admiral Jouett issued orders +for the landing of a force to open the transit across the isthmus, and +on the 12th, trains were run as usual. On April 28th, the insurgents +capitulated, and shortly afterward the United States naval force was +withdrawn. + +One of the most severe disasters that ever befell the United States +Navy in time of peace occurred on the 16th of March, 1889, when, +during a hurricane in the harbor of Apia, Samoa, the "Trenton" and +"Vandalia" were totally wrecked, and the "Nipsic" was run on shore to +save her from destruction. Five officers and forty-six men lost their +lives in this catastrophe. Nothing that skill and experience could +suggest was left undone to avert the disaster, but the vessels were +equipped with old-fashioned engines, whose steam-power was not strong +enough to withstand the fury of the gale. The value of high-pressure +engines in war vessels was illustrated by the British ship "Calliope," +which was able to steam out to sea, and thus escaped destruction on +the reefs. The "Trenton" and the "Vandalia," which had been two of the +best of the old wooden fleet, were abandoned. The "Nipsic" sailed for +the Sandwich Islands, where she was refitted for active service. The +natives of Samoa displayed great heroism in their efforts to save the +shipwrecked sailors, and were afterward rewarded by the United States +government. Fifteen merchant vessels which were in the harbor were +either sunk or run upon the shore, and the German naval vessels +"Elber," "Adler," and "Olga" were wrecked, with the loss of many men. + +When the United States cruiser "Baltimore" was at anchor in the harbor +off Valparaiso in October, 1891, shortly after the end of a Chilian +rebellion, a number of the seamen were given liberty to go on shore. +They were attacked by a mob in the streets of Valparaiso, and Petty +Officer Charles Riggin was stabbed, and left to die. Another petty +officer, Johnson, went to his assistance, and was attempting to carry +him to an apothecary, when a squad of Chilian police, with fixed +bayonets, came down the street. When at close quarters, they fired at +Johnson. A shot passed through his clothes, and another entered +Riggin's neck, inflicting a death-wound. Petty Officer Hamilton was +dragged to jail dangerously wounded. As a result of the attack, two +men, Riggin and Turnbull, died, and eighteen others were disabled by +wounds. Thirty-six of the "Baltimore's" men were arrested, and treated +by the Chilian police with extreme brutality. Investigation proved +that all had been perfectly sober and well-behaved. The attack grew +out of the bitter hostility of the Chilians toward the United +States--a feeling largely due to false accusations in reference to the +action of the navy during the Chilian revolution. The affair caused +excitement and indignation in the United States, but was amicably +settled. + +[Illustration: Wreck Of The "Kearsarge."] + +The most important assemblage of naval vessels ever seen in the waters +of America took place in April, 1893, in celebration of the Columbian +quadricentennial. Invitations had been sent to all the important +maritime powers, and at the rendezvous in Hampton Roads, on April +24th, the combined fleet, under the direction of Rear-Admiral +Gherardi, of the United States Navy, comprised twelve men-of-war of +the United States, four of England, three of France, two of Italy, two +of Germany, two of Russia, three of Brazil, and one of Holland. At New +York, the squadron was joined by one more Russian, three Spanish, one +Argentine vessel, and the "Miantonomoh," of the United States Navy, +making a combined fleet of thirty-five ships-of-war. The President, on +board the "Dolphin," reviewed the fleet on April 27th, and the next +day the armed battalions of the various nations, to the number of +3,815 men, marched through the streets of New York, and were reviewed +by the Governor of the State. + +The navy suffered a severe loss in 1894, in the wreck of the famous +old man-of-war "Kearsarge," the conqueror of the "Alabama," which was +wrecked February 2d on Roncador Reef, while on her way from Port au +Prince to Bluefields, Nicaragua. Eight days later her men were rescued +by the "City of Para." + +One of the conspicuous features of the pageants which attended the +opening of the Kiel Canal, between the North and the Baltic seas, on +June 19th, 1895, was the fleet of war-vessels which assembled in the +harbor at Kiel. It was the most remarkable ever seen in any waters, +numbering over a hundred of the finest vessels in existence. A number +of these, headed by the flagship "New York," belonged to the new navy +of the United States. These ships provoked the admiration of all the +naval authorities present, and their effective strength was noted and +commented upon all over Europe. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + + THE NAVAL MILITIA. -- A VOLUNTEER SERVICE WHICH IN TIME OF WAR + WILL BE EFFECTIVE. -- HOW BOYS ARE TRAINED FOR THE LIFE OF A + SAILOR. -- CONDITIONS OF ENLISTMENT IN THE VOLUNTEER BRANCH OF + THE SERVICE. -- THE WORK OF THE SEAGOING MILITIA IN SUMMER. + + +The _personnel_ of a navy is quite as important as its vessels. It has +been said that a ship is worth what her captain and crew are worth. It +is certainly true that a man-of-war, of whatever power, would be +useless or worse than useless if her officers and men did not +understand her wonderfully complicated construction nor know how to +handle her. The officers of the United States navy are given this +important instruction at the Naval Academy at Annapolis, and the rank +and file of the men of the navy, those who fill the positions of +seamen and petty officers, are trained at the station in Coaster's +Island Harbor, near Newport, R.I., and in the training-ships when +cruising. + +The training-station is designed to ensure the thorough efficiency of +the corps of men enlisted in the service, and to provide for the +manning of the vessels by American citizens instead of by foreigners. + +There was a time, and not a great while ago, when the gunners and +crews of United States men-of-war were, with very few exceptions, +aliens, who spoke the English language with difficulty, and who did +not have, and could not be expected to have, any of the patriotic +spirit which makes effective fighters in naval engagements. While this +condition still exists to some extent, the growth of the apprentice +system is bringing about a gradual change. + +As early as 1837 an attempt was made to establish a naval apprentice +system. In that year Congress passed an act making it "lawful to +enlist boys for the navy, not under thirteen nor over eighteen years +of age, to serve until twenty-one." Within a few months several boys +were received as apprentices aboard naval vessels. Six years later, +however, the system was abandoned as a failure, owing to a false +impression which had gained wide currency that the apprentices would +receive commissions in the navy. + +Capt. S. B. Luce and the officers of the practice-ship "Macedonian" +investigated the apprentice systems at Portsmouth and Plymouth, +England, twenty years afterward, and made such favorable reports that +Secretary Welles was induced to revive it in the United States navy. +This was done, and during the civil war the system was in successful +operation, but soon after the close of the war it was again abandoned. + +In the following years the want of intelligent seamen of American +birth in the navy was greatly felt, and in 1875 Secretary of the Navy +Robeson deemed it advisable to resume the enlistment of boys under the +naval apprentice law, which was still in existence. As an experiment +two hundred and fifty boys were enlisted and placed on the frigates +"Minnesota" and "Constitution" and the sloops of war "Portsmouth" and +"Saratoga," which were commissioned as training-ships. Since 1875 the +training-station and vessels have been very important features of the +naval establishment. + +The regulations governing the enlistment of boys are simple and few in +number. The boys must be between the ages of fourteen and sixteen +years, of robust form, intelligent, of perfectly sound and healthy +constitution, free from all physical defect or malformation, and of +good moral character. They must be able to read and write, although in +special cases, when a boy shows general intelligence and is otherwise +qualified, he may be enlisted notwithstanding the fact that his +reading and writing are imperfect. Each boy presenting himself for +enlistment must be accompanied by his father, mother, or, in case +neither is living, by his legally appointed guardian, and must +voluntarily sign an agreement to serve in the navy till twenty-one +years of age. Upon enlistment the boys are rated as third-class +apprentices, and are paid $9 a month. Deserving boys are rated +second-class apprentices, and receive pay of $15 a month after they +have completed their term of service on a cruising training-ship. If +they have served a year on a cruising ship of war they are considered +properly qualified apprentices, and receive $21 a month. As the +apprentices become proficient and their services are required, they +are transferred to the seagoing vessels. Upon the expiration of the +enlistment of an apprentice he will, if recommended, receive an +honorable discharge, and if he enlists again within three months, will +be given pay for this period. The apprentices are under the immediate +supervision of the Bureau of Navigation of the Navy Department, and +applications for enlistment are made to the chief of that bureau at +Washington, or to the officer commanding either the "Vermont," at the +Brooklyn navy yard, or the "Richmond," stationed at the League Island +yard, Philadelphia. These were the recruiting-ships, from which the +boys were being sent to the training-station at Coaster's Island as +soon as a squad of twenty were enlisted, at the period of this +writing. Sometimes there have been more ships in this duty. + +There are usually about one hundred boys at the station at one time. +They are taught to march, handle muskets, revolvers, broadswords, and +cannon; they go aloft so as to get practice with the sails, and are +also made familiar with the management of boats and oars and +boathooks. Two hours a day are devoted to lessons, consisting of +arithmetic, reading, writing, spelling, geography and grammar. Ample +time is given for recreation, and innocent social pleasures are +encouraged. + +There are two training-ships, besides the famous old ship +"Constellation," which figured in the War of 1812, at the station +devoted to the use of the boys, and every six months one of these +appears at Coaster's Island, and receives the apprentices who have +been at the station for half a year. The vessel then starts on a +cruise to Europe if it is summer, and to the West Indies in the +winter. Each boy remains aboard a year, only half of the crew being +changed at a time. Practice aloft and the life in general aboard a +sailing vessel give him a broad general foundation of knowledge of the +sea and ships, upon which he can build the special training and +instruction he afterward gets upon a regular man-of-war. When he is +transferred, upon the expiration of his year on the training-ship, he +begins the task of mastering the intricacies of a modern ship-of-war. +Here he remains until his first term of service has expired. If he +re-enlists and has shown aptitude for the service, he is sent to +Washington navy yard for a course of six months' instruction in +gunnery and special branches, such as electricity and torpedoes. He +becomes a seaman gunner, with the billet and pay of a petty officer. + +A serious defect in the apprentice system, however, and one which +makes it impossible to man the vessels altogether with well-trained +American citizens, is the fact that the majority of the apprentices do +not re-enlist after receiving their honorable discharge at the age of +twenty-one, for the reason that the special training they have +received enables them to secure better-paid places in civil life than +are possible to them in the navy. In the government service, too, they +cannot attain the rank of officers, as there is no such provision for +the promotion of enlisted men in the navy as there is in the army. + +Secretary Tracy, in his report of 1889, forcibly called the attention +of Congress to this condition. As a remedy he recommended that there +be a statutory extension of the term of enlistment to twenty-four +years of age. It was further recommended that the number of +apprentices be increased from seven hundred and fifty to fifteen +hundred, and that the course in the training-ships be extended by the +formation of a special class for training in gunnery on board a ship +devoted exclusively to this purpose. Congress has as yet taken no +action upon these and numerous other recommendations which have been +made for the improvement of the apprentice system, and they remain +pertinent. + +The navy, however, in case of war, would not have to depend entirely +upon apprentices and graduates of the training-station for its skilled +seamen. The Naval Militia has become an organization that would render +very efficient service if called upon by the government. It is +composed of about three thousand highly intelligent and well-drilled +young men, and has been organized in sixteen States. It bears the same +relation to the navy that the National Guard does to the regular army, +and is therefore wholly under State control; but it is subject to +call, of course, by the federal government. + +The organization of the Naval Militia has been a growth of the last +eight years, and is due in large measure to the reconstruction of the +navy and the revival of activity and interest in naval affairs in the +United States. + +It was seen that the new vessels of modern and intricate construction +and appliances should, in case of war, be manned by men skilled in +the use of these appliances. The apprentice system brought to the navy +a supply of apprentices, but the number would be totally inadequate in +a naval war. A naval reserve force was an urgent necessity. + +The first step toward meeting this necessity was made in 1887 by +Senator Whitthorne, of Tennessee, who in that year introduced a bill +"to create a naval reserve of auxiliary cruisers, officers, and men, +from the mercantile marine of the United States." The measure did not +pass, and the next year another was introduced by Senator Whitthorne, +providing for the enrolment of a Naval Militia and the organization of +naval reserve forces. According to this bill, it was to be lawful for +States and Territories bordering on sea and lake coasts and navigable +rivers to enroll and designate as the Naval Militia all seafaring men +of whatever calling or occupation, and all men engaged in the +navigation of the rivers, lakes, and other waters, or in the +construction or management of ships and craft, together with +ship-owners and their employees, yacht-owners, members of yacht clubs +and other associations for aquatic sports, and all ex-officers and +former enlisted men of the navy. + +The bill contemplated a naval reserve artillery and a naval reserve +torpedo corps. It did not become a law, but formed a basis for +legislation in several of the States shortly afterward, although the +original plan, as shown in the proposed measure, was modified to the +extent of making the Naval Militia a State organization and forming it +of volunteers irrespective of occupation. + +Massachusetts was the pioneer among the States in the organization of +the Naval Militia. In May, 1888, the legislature passed a bill +authorizing the formation of "a naval battalion to be attached to the +volunteer militia." This measure was prepared, with the assistance of +others, by Lieutenant John C. Soley, a retired officer of the United +States navy, and he was afterward energetic in putting it into +successful operation. + +The next State to provide for a Naval Militia was Pennsylvania, whose +legislature made the necessary law in 1889. On the same day the +legislature of Rhode Island "established a naval battalion to be +attached to the Rhode Island militia." In New York, in 1889, a State +Naval Militia of three battalions of naval reserve artillery and a +naval reserve torpedo corps, to consist of not less than four +companies to a battalion, was established. + +[Illustration: Cruiser "Columbia" (Commerce Destroyer).] + +The practical work of the Naval Militia began in 1890, when the +Massachusetts battalion drilled on the receiving-ship "Wabash," and +the New York battalion on the receiving-ship "Minnesota." + +A very decided impetus was given to the movement in 1891 by the +appropriation by Congress of $25,000 for arms and equipments for the +Naval Militia, leaving the disbursement of the money to the discretion +of the Secretary of the Navy. Within the year California, North +Carolina, Texas, and Maryland joined the States having battalions of +Naval Militia, and at its close the force numbered 1,149 men. Progress +was made also in 1891 in the method of drilling and instructing the +members of some of the battalions. Those of New York, Massachusetts, +and Rhode Island spent several days aboard the vessels of the Squadron +of Evolution, under the command of Rear-Admiral J. C. Walker, and were +given practice with the guns and boats, and participated in the ship's +routine duties. + +Further appropriations of $25,000 each for the Naval Militia were made +in 1892 and 1893. The legislatures of Vermont and South Carolina +provided for battalions of the Naval Militia in 1892, and those which +had been authorized, but not yet organized, in Maryland and +Pennsylvania, were formed. During the summer of 1892 the members of +the North Carolina Naval Militia were drilled on board the "Newark." +The "Wabash," the "Chicago," and the "Atlanta" were used for drills by +the Massachusetts battalions, and those of New York received their +instruction on the "New Hampshire," the "Chicago," and the "Atlanta." +The California Naval Militia drilled on board the "Charleston." + +The Naval Militia was increased in 1893 by battalions formed in North +Carolina, Michigan, Illinois, Georgia, and Connecticut, under laws of +these various legislatures of that year, and the force numbered 2,376 +officers and men. New Jersey and Virginia, in 1894, organized +battalions of the Naval Militia, and in that year Congress passed an +important act, empowering the Secretary of the Navy to lend +temporarily to any State vessels "not suitable or required for the +general service, together with such of her apparel, charts, books, and +instruments of navigation as he may deem proper, said vessel to be +used only by the regularly organized Naval Militia of the State for +the purposes of drill and instruction." Even interior States, with no +bodies of water other than rivers, have organized naval battalions. At +Pittsburg the organization owns a small armored gunboat, of the sort +that was so useful on inland waters in the civil war. This vessel was +presented to the militia by a wealthy manufacturer. Few commands, +however, are so fortunate. Most take advantage of the law authorizing +the loan of government ships. Under this law the following vessels +were lent: the "Minnesota" to Massachusetts, the "Wyandotte" to +Connecticut, the "New Hampshire" to New York, the "Portsmouth" and the +"Ajax" to New Jersey, the "St. Louis" to Pennsylvania, the "Dale" to +Maryland, and the "Nantucket" to North Carolina. The other States have +been compelled to get along without vessels, for the reason that there +have been no others available. + +[Illustration: Torpedo Boat "Cushing."] + +During the summer of 1894 the Massachusetts brigade of the militia +encamped for drill on Lovell's Island, Boston Harbor, and the monitor +"Passaic" was lent to the State. There were also drills and +target-practice on the "Miantonomoh" and the "Atlanta." The forces of +Connecticut and Rhode Island received instruction on the "Miantonomoh" +and the "Atlanta" respectively, and New York's battalion spent a week +on board the "New York" and the "San Francisco" in Gardiner's Bay, +Long Island. A part of the Pennsylvania force had target-practice at +sea on board the "New York," and the North Carolina battalion received +instruction on the "Montgomery." + +[Illustration: Armored Cruiser "New York."] + +The California division helped to man the "Olympia" for a week in +1895, taking the places of the crew; the Maryland contingent had a +week's cruise on the "Dale," and the First Naval Battalion of New York +carried out a scheme of reconnoissance and distant boat work along the +northern shore of Long Island, encamping on Shelter Island. The party +was accompanied by the torpedo boat "Cushing." Most of the other +battalions had their quota of drill and instruction. + +These details of the summer operations of the Naval Militia will +convey an idea of the manner in which its members are being prepared +for the emergencies of war. In addition to the summer work, there is +drill in armories in the winter. This course of training, in +conjunction with the intelligence and enthusiasm of the young men of +the Naval Militia, who are of the best classes in this country, has +made an organization which would doubtless be of very great value in +time of war. + +The uniform of the Naval Militia consists of a blue cap, blouse, and +trousers of blue trimmed with white braid. The working suit is of +white duck with white canvas hat. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + + HOW THE NAVY HAS GROWN. -- THE COST AND CHARACTER OF OUR NEW + WHITE SHIPS OF WAR. -- OUR PERIOD OF NAVAL WEAKNESS AND OUR + ADVANCE TO A PLACE AMONG THE GREAT NAVAL POWERS. -- THE NEW + DEVICES OF NAVAL WARFARE. -- THE TORPEDO, THE DYNAMITE GUN, AND + THE MODERN RIFLE. -- ARMOR AND ITS POSSIBILITIES. + + +At the close of the civil war the United States had one of the most +formidable navies afloat. The necessities of the war had forced the +Navy Department to the utmost exertion in increasing the number and +power of the vessels of the fleets. This work of naval upbuilding and +strengthening had been carried on, moreover, till Fort Fisher fell and +hostile operations ceased. The result was that at the close of the war +the United States had upon its hands a large number of ships-of-war +for which it had no use. The Secretary of the Navy at once began to +reduce the number, and secretaries succeeding him followed the same +policy. Old vessels which had outlived their usefulness as cruisers +were one by one taken out of commission and were not replaced. Thus +the navy moved steadily on a downward plane. Through the seventies and +into the eighties this retrogression continued. The lowest ebb was +reached in 1882, when the entire naval force numbered only thirty-one +vessels in commission, all but four of which were built entirely of +wood. They were old-fashioned ships, which had been efficient in a +past day, but were totally unfit to cope with the modern warships of +foreign naval powers. Both their guns and engines were inferior. Their +sole usefulness, in short, lay in displaying the national flag upon +the seas and in the harbors of the commercial world in times of peace. + +This condition of the navy was referred to by Secretary Chandler, in +his report of 1882, as follows: + +"It is not the policy of the United States to maintain a large navy, +but its reputation, honor, and prosperity require that such naval +vessels as it possesses shall be the best which human ingenuity can +devise and modern artificers construct. Our present vessels are not +such and cannot be made such. They should be gradually replaced by +iron or steel cruisers, and allowed to go out of commission." + +It may be of interest to add that in 1882 there was only one +high-power cannon in the navy, while there were nearly nineteen +hundred naval officers, making the proportion of fifty-nine officers +for each ship, and one for every five seamen. + +As the result of Secretary Chandler's recommendations in his report of +1882, three steel warships and an armed despatch-steamer were +authorized by the next Congress. The building of these vessels, named +the "Chicago," the "Boston," the "Atlanta," and the "Dolphin," may be +regarded as the first movement toward the making of the new navy of +the United States. + +While progress in naval construction has been so rapid that these +ships are a long distance behind the war-vessels of to-day in power, +they were then considered to be equal to any afloat in their +respective classes. All are unarmored. The "Chicago," of forty-five +hundred tons displacement and a speed of fourteen knots an hour, was +an example of the largest and best unarmored fighting and cruising +vessel then built, and, according to Secretary Chandler, had no +superior in speed, endurance, and armament. In the "Boston" and +"Atlanta," each of three thousand tons displacement and a speed of +thirteen knots an hour, speed and endurance were supposed to have been +given their greatest development, and their fighting power was +increased by placing the battery on a central superstructure on the +spar-deck and adopting a brig rig, so that the extremities would be +clear for a fore and aft fire. The "Dolphin," of fifteen hundred tons +displacement and a speed of fifteen knots, was designed as an +auxiliary in naval operations, and it was expected that she would +furnish a model for high-speed commerce-destroyers to be subsequently +built. These vessels were constructed at an aggregate cost of over +$2,400,000, in the shipyard of John Roach, of Chester, Pa. The +"Dolphin" was launched in 1884. + +The Congress which authorized the building of the cruisers also +directed that the double-turreted monitors, "Puritan," "Amphitrite," +"Terror," and "Monadnock," whose keels had been laid several years +before, be completed. In accordance with this order they were launched +in 1883. + +In order that the work of the reconstruction of the navy should be +carried on as rapidly as possible, the secretary recommended, in 1883 +and 1884, that seven unarmored cruisers, in addition to the four then +in the process of construction, be built. Congress adopted his +suggestion to the extent of authorizing, in 1884, the construction of +two unarmored cruisers, two gunboats, and two armored cruisers. + +The vessels with which the reconstruction of the navy began--namely +the "Chicago," the "Boston," the "Atlanta," and the "Dolphin"--were +completed about this time, and were in some measure disappointments. +It was found that the "Dolphin" was better adapted for pleasure trips +than for war service, because of the lack of protection against +hostile fire. The engines had been so placed as to be exposed above +water-line, which was condemned as a serious mistake in a war-vessel +without armor-protection. It was realized, too, that the essential +characteristic in an unarmored cruiser is great speed. The function +she is expected to perform is to destroy commerce; and if she is +slower than the merchant-vessels it is useless for her to go to sea; +and if she is slower than the iron-clads, and consequently cannot +escape from them, she could not long continue her service. The chief +objection to the vessels was the lack of a speed equal to that of +merchantmen and the cruisers of other countries. The type of protected +cruiser with a maximum speed, in some cases as high as twenty knots, +developed at this time as a result of the earlier experiments. The +torpedo, too, was receiving constant attention, and money was freely +spent for its improvement. It was found that vessels at anchor or +under slow headway could be protected from torpedoes by being +surrounded by a large net. This defence was generally adopted for +armored vessels. + +A stride forward in naval construction in the United States marked the +year 1887. Before that time a serious obstacle in the way of building +up the navy was the lack in the country of manufactories necessary to +the construction and armament of a modern war-vessel, namely, that of +steel forgings for the heavier guns, of armor for iron-clad vessels, +and of secondary batteries, which are an essential portion of the +armament. It was important that the country should not be dependent +upon foreigners for these necessary implements of warfare, because +they are contraband in time of war, and consequently could not then be +obtained abroad. Secretary of the Navy Whitney, who succeeded +Secretary Chandler, stipulated, in his advertisements for bids for the +contracts of making the armor for the ships under construction, that +this armor should be of domestic manufacture. Correspondence was also +opened with the leading steel manufacturers of the country, offering +them inducements to take the matter up. Interest was awakened, and it +was found upon investigation that armor could be made in the United +States as advantageously as abroad. A contract was drawn up with the +Bethlehem Iron Company, under which a plant for the production of +armor and gun steel was erected at Bethlehem, Pa., which was designed +to be second to none in the world. In the matter of the second +batteries, the policy of insisting upon home manufacture was also +pursued, with the desired result. + +Congress had authorized, in 1885, the construction of two additional +cruisers and two gunboats. In 1886 there was further authorization of +two armor-clad vessels, each of about six thousand tons, and each to +cost, exclusive of armament, not more than $2,500,000. In 1887 the sum +of $2,000,000 was appropriated for harbor and coast defence vessels. +As a result of this reawakening on the part of Congress to the +necessity of a respectable navy, and the manifestations of +enlightenment in the form of substantial appropriations, Secretary +Whitney was able to state in his report of 1888 that upon the +completion of the ships under construction, the United States would +rank second among the nations in the possession of unarmored cruisers +or commerce-destroyers possessing the highest characteristics--namely, +size of three thousand tons and upward and a speed of nineteen knots, +and more. The vessels, inclusive of the monitors, completed and +uncompleted, then composing the navy, were as follows: The "Dolphin," +"Boston," "Atlanta," "Chicago," whose keels were laid in 1883; the +"Charleston" "Baltimore," "Newark," "Philadelphia," "San Francisco," +protected cruisers, whose keels were laid in 1887 and 1888; and the +gunboats "Yorktown," "Petrel," "Concord," "Bennington," whose keels +were laid in 1887 and 1888. In addition to these, there were under +construction the dynamite cruiser "Vesuvius," with a guaranteed speed +of twenty knots an hour, and a first-class torpedo-boat with a speed +of twenty-three knots an hour. Besides these, five protected cruisers +had been authorized, but were not yet in process of construction. + +[Illustration: Dynamite Cruiser "Vesuvius."] + +The "Baltimore," "Charlestown," "Yorktown," and "Petrel" were given +their trial trips in 1889, and were accepted by the Navy Department. +The trip of the "Baltimore," in particular, was a brilliant success. +The horse-power proved to be in excess of the contract requirement, +and her highest speed for one hour was 20.39 knots--this result being +then unparalleled by any warship in the world of the "Baltimore's" +displacement. + +When Benjamin F. Tracy became Secretary of the Navy, in 1889 he called +attention to the fact that, while the United States had secured a +number of excellent vessels of the cruiser type, it did not as yet +possess an efficient navy. He pointed out that the country had two +widely separated ocean frontiers to protect, and that there was only +one way to protect them, namely, by two separate fleets of armored +battle-ships. He said further that in addition to the battle-ships, +the condition of the country required at least twenty vessels for +coast and harbor defence, and, moreover, that the employment of these +ships as floating fortresses demanded that they be equipped with the +most powerful batteries and the heaviest of armor. It may be said +parenthetically that eight vessels of this type, five of which were +reconstructed monitors, were under construction or had been authorized +at that time. Secretary Tracy recommended the authorization by the +following Congress of eight armored battle-ships. He also said that +the United States could not afford to neglect torpedo-boats, with +which the foreign naval powers were well supplied, and he recommended +that appropriations be made for the construction of at least five of +these boats of the first and second class. The year before, the keel +of the first of the battle-ships, the "Texas," had been laid in the +navy-yard at Norfolk, Va., and in 1889 work was begun at the Brooklyn +navy yard upon another vessel of the same class, the "Maine." These +vessels are respectively of 6,314 and 6,648 tons displacement. The +construction of a third battle-ship, which had been provided for, had +not yet been begun. + +Secretary Tracy's recommendations reveal clearly the naval condition +in 1889. Previous to that year the additions to the navy had consisted +chiefly of cruisers of from three to four thousand tons, and of +gunboats under two thousand tons; but, acting upon the secretary's +report, Congress, on June 10, 1890, authorized, in addition to another +armored cruiser, three seagoing coast-line battle-ships. These were an +entirely new class of vessels in the United States navy, and their +authorization marks another distinct step in its reconstruction. + +An appropriation was made in 1891 for an additional armored cruiser, +designed to be a sister ship to the one provided for in 1890. It was +the purpose to make these vessels more powerful than any of their type +in the navy. Their tonnage was fixed at 7,500, and their maximum speed +at twenty-two knots. They were to be given coal capacity that would +enable them to cruise for great distances without recoaling. This, it +will be seen, is an important advantage to a navy so destitute of +coaling-stations abroad as that of the United States. + +The vessels under construction in 1891 were the monitors "Puritan," +"Amphitrite," "Monadnock," and "Terror," which had been begun in 1874, +but had been neglected in subsequent years; the "Maine," the "Texas," +the coast-defence vessel "Monterey," which was launched in 1891; the +"New York," "Cincinnati," "Raleigh," "Detroit," and a practice-ship, +which had been authorized by the act of 1887; the harbor-defence ram +"Katahdin;" and gunboats "5" and "6," authorized in 1889; the three +battle-ships, "Indiana," "Massachusetts," and "Oregon," and the +protected cruiser "No. 12," authorized by the act of 1890; and +protected cruiser "No. 13," provided for in 1891. + +Three vessels, the "Newark," the "Concord," and the "Bennington," were +given their trial trips in 1890. The behavior of the "Newark" proved +her to be a valuable addition to the list of cruisers. The "Concord" +and the "Bennington," vessels of the gunboat class, similar to the +"Yorktown," also gave evidences of power and usefulness. They carry a +comparatively heavy battery, while their light draught enables them to +run into shallow rivers and bays, and thus perform services for which +larger vessels are incapacitated. + +The subject of the organization of a naval militia or reserve had been +discussed for some time before Secretary Tracy assumed his office. He +forcibly urged the necessity of such an organization in his first and +in following annual reports, until, in 1891, Congress appropriated +$25,000 for arms for the militia. This was a decided impetus toward +its development, and at the close of the year it existed in six +States, an effective, well-drilled, and organized force of eleven +hundred men. + +The year 1892 saw considerable progress in the development of the +navy. Two important vessels, the "Iowa," a first-class, seagoing +battle-ship of 11,296 tons displacement, and the "Brooklyn," an +armored cruiser of 9,150 tons displacement, were provided for by +Congress. The cruisers "Texas," "Columbia," "Olympia," "Raleigh," and +"Cincinnati," and the gunboats "Machias" and "Castine" were launched. + +Secretary Tracy's administration of the affairs of the navy, which +closed in 1892, was one of marked progress and development; and this +development was not confined to ships alone. Experiments extending +over a period of three years had resulted in the adopting of an armor +of new composition, namely, nickel-steel, which had been found to be +far superior to any before known. The manufacture of torpedoes had +been domesticated. Since 1889 the heavy, rapid-firing guns had been +developed and proved successful. The manufacture of armor-piercing +shells, of which two firms in Europe had had the monopoly, was begun +in this period under the care and encouragement of the Navy +Department; and the shells turned out soon surpassed the foreign +product. Through investigation and experiment conducted by its own +agencies, the Navy Department succeeded in developing a smokeless +powder, which gave better results than that made abroad. Careful and +protracted experiments with high explosives were also carried on, with +the result of developing an explosive that can be safely used in +shells fired from high-power guns. + +In 1893, the first year of the administration of Secretary Herbert, +the following vessels were launched: the armored battle-ships +"Indiana" and "Massachusetts;" the protected cruiser "Minneapolis;" +the unarmored and very rapid cruiser "Marblehead;" and the armed +coast-defence ram "Katahdin." During the same year Congress authorized +the construction of three new vessels, to be of the class known as +light-draft protected gunboats. These are of about twelve hundred tons +displacement, and are designed for river service in China and +elsewhere. Several vessels, namely, the "Monterey," "Bancroft," +"Detroit," "New York," armored cruiser of 8,480 tons displacement, and +the gunboat "Machias," were given their trial trips in 1893. The +results were in each case satisfactory, and the vessels were added to +the effective fleet of the navy. + +Before 1893 the United States had been behind the other important +nations in the matter of small-arms equipment. The navy was still +using the old-fashioned, large-calibre rifle, employing a charge of +black powder, and effectively carrying only twelve hundred yards. +Under Secretary Herbert's direction, a board of naval officers +investigated the improved small arms in use in foreign navies, and +made recommendations which resulted in the adoption of a small-calibre +magazine rifle, in which is used smokeless powder, and which has an +effective range of a mile and a half. A further advantage of the new +rifle is that it employs cartridges of such a weight that no less than +two hundred rounds can be carried by one man. The cartridges used in +the old rifle were so heavy that one man could not carry more than +fifty rounds. + +Secretary Herbert recommended in his report of 1893 that Congress +authorize the construction of at least one new battle-ship and six +torpedo-boats. He said that for the defence of ports the latter are +more effective according to cost than any class of vessels. The +knowledge of their existence alone will make an enemy chary about +approaching within bombarding distance. The value of this boat is +recognized by all naval powers, and they are being built abroad in +great numbers. The next naval appropriation contained a provision +authorizing the construction of three additional torpedo-boats of the +general type of the "Ericsson," which was then ready for trial. The +design for the new boat called for a speed of not less than +twenty-four and one-half knots an hour. The battle-ships "Indiana," +"Texas," and "Oregon" underwent preliminary trial trips in 1894, and +were accepted by the government in 1895. It is of interest to note +that until these vessels were put in commission, the navy was still in +the condition that existed when President Cleveland, in his first +message to Congress in 1885, made the following statement: "We have +not a single vessel that could keep the seas against a first-class +vessel of any important power." It is true that vessels of size and +power enough to hold their own against the battle-ships of other +nations had been under construction for several years, but the United +States was still without an available man-of-war of the first class +until the "Indiana" and the "Oregon" joined the fleet. + +Considerable progress in naval affairs marked the year 1895. One of +the important events was the adding to the commissioned fleet of the +coast-defence monitor "Amphitrite," whose keel was laid in 1874. The +work of remodelling her was begun in 1889, under the appropriation +made by Congress in 1887. The "Amphitrite" is in some respects an +old-fashioned type of vessel, but is nevertheless capable of important +service. Her displacement is 3,990 tons. Her armor and armament are +heavy, although not so powerful as that of the battle-ships. Her main +advantage, as with all of the monitors, is that she presents a +comparatively small target for the enemy's fire. + +[Illustration: United States Battle-Ship "Indiana."] + +Adopting the spirit of Secretary Herbert's recommendations in his +report of 1894, Congress, in 1895, authorized the construction of two +coast-line battle-ships of most formidable equipment and power, +their cost not to exceed $4,000,000 each. Further provision was made +for the building of twelve torpedo-boats. An interesting feature of +the bill was the stipulation that one of the battle-ships shall bear +the historic name "Kearsarge," after the famous old man-of-war that +was wrecked in 1894 on Roncador Reef. According to the plans of the +new ships, they resemble in a general way the "Indiana," although they +are longer and broader and have a greater displacement, and their +batteries are more powerful. A new feature in the arrangement of the +guns was decided upon. The vessels will carry two turrets of two +stories each. Many objections to this plan were advanced, but it was +said that all are outweighed by the opportunity which the turrets give +of concentrating an enormous quantity of shot on a given point. An +estimate has been made that the "Kearsarge" will carry enough +ammunition to kill or disable a million persons, and that she will be +able to discharge it all within a period of five hours. Accommodations +will be provided for five hundred and twenty officers and men. The +"Kearsarge" and her sister ship, which will be called the "Kentucky," +will carry heavier armor and guns and a greater quantity of the latter +than any foreign battle-ship in existence or in course of +construction. + +The ram "Katahdin" was rejected by the government in 1895, because, +upon her official trials, she did not fulfil the speed requirements. +She made 16.011 knots, while the contract called for 17 knots. +Congress was asked to purchase the vessel, and finally did so. + +The armored cruiser "Brooklyn," designed to be one of the fastest and +most powerful vessels of her class afloat, was launched from Cramp's +shipyard in Philadelphia in 1895. She is the sister ship to the "New +York," which was put in commission in 1893. A matter of significance, +as showing the rapid progress in the art of naval construction within +a few years, was the taking out of commission in 1895 of the +"Chicago," to be refitted with engines and boilers that will give her +powers approaching those of the newer vessels. Two years will be +required for this work, and when she is complete she will travel three +knots an hour faster than heretofore, and in many respects will be +substantially a new ship. + +The official trial trip of the battle-ship "Massachusetts," which +occurred in 1896, was a source of gratification to the Navy Department +and to all others who are anxious to see the United States take +respectable rank among the naval powers. The primary business of a +battle-ship is to fight; hence her guns and not her speed are of the +first importance. Naval experts have agreed that the "Massachusetts" +and her sister ships, the "Indiana" and the "Oregon," have larger and +more effective batteries than any man-of-war afloat or in progress of +construction. The "Massachusetts" has now proved, by steaming at the +rate of 16.15 knots for four hours, with a maximum speed of 17.03 +knots, that she is superior to all other battle-ships in speed as well +as in armament. Her performance is unparalleled in naval history, and +makes her the foremost war-vessel of the world. The "Indiana" is a +trifle slower. She steamed 15.61 knots for four hours, but under the +disadvantage of a bottom that had never been cleaned. She would +probably go half a knot faster with a clean bottom. As a +representative specimen of the battle-ships which belong to the navy, +a few details of the "Massachusetts'" armament may be of interest. She +has thirty guns in all. The chief of these are four of thirteen-inch +calibre, which are the largest in use in modern navies; a pair of them +can be fired every three minutes. The eight-inch guns are next in +size. There are four of them, and they can be fired every minute. In +addition to these, there are two six-inch rifles, twenty six-pounders, +and four one-pounders. The six-inch guns can be fired twice a minute, +and the six-pounders twenty times in the same period. In a fight +lasting thirty minutes, these guns would throw forty-one and a half +tons of metal, of which forty-four thousand pounds would be the share +of the thirteen-inch guns, thirty thousand pounds the share of the +eight-inch, six thousand pounds of the six-inch, and thirty-six +hundred pounds of the others. The total weight of the "Massachusetts'" +broadside is 5,724 pounds, and of her head or astern fire 3,434 +pounds. + +Another of the monitors, the "Monadnock," was added to the navy in +1896. She was launched in 1883, and was then practically left alone +until the acts of 1885, 1886, and 1887 provided for her completion. +She is now a formidable vessel, with heavy guns which can be made to +bear on a point a small boat's length from the ship's side, or can +bombard at a distance of six miles. + +While the successive Secretaries of the Navy, during the last fourteen +years, have been chiefly active in increasing the number of +ships-of-war, they have not altogether neglected defences on the +coast. Some of the larger seacoast cities have succeeded in obtaining +a part of the heavy gun and mortar batteries that would be necessary +in repelling attacks without the aid of battle-ships. The cities of +New York and San Francisco have now mounted and ready for action +powerful pneumatic dynamite gun batteries, the most destructive +engines of war in existence. Each of these guns is capable of hurling +a projectile carrying five hundred pounds of the most powerful +explosive known to man, and is able to destroy the strongest +iron-clad. In the naval battle of Sinope in the Crimean War, a shell +designed to explode on striking the object was used for the first +time. When the high explosives, such as dynamite and gun-cotton, +appeared, the idea suggested itself that they might be used in the +shells with vastly greater effect than gunpowder, which had been +employed. The objection, however was that these explosives are so +sensitive that there was great danger of their exploding at the outset +of the journey from the sudden shock of being hurled from the ordinary +high-power guns and mortars. Captain Zalinski, of the United States +Artillery, suggested a method of gun construction by which the shells +could be projected by a steady pressure of compressed air instead of +by the sudden force of powder gases. This system has been steadily +improved until the pneumatic dynamite gun now works perfectly and is a +marvel of destructiveness. The United States possesses six and Great +Britain one of the seven dynamite guns that have thus far been +manufactured for coast defence. + +The "Iowa," a battle-ship of the first class whose keel was laid in +1893, was launched in March, 1895. She is the largest vessel of the +navy now afloat, her displacement being 11,410 tons, which is over a +thousand tons greater than that of the "Massachusetts," "Indiana," or +"Oregon." + +It will be seen that progress toward the building of the new navy of +the United States has been steady since the first move was made in +1882. As a result of this development, the navy now consists, counting +the vessels built and authorized by Congress, prior to 1896, the naval +appropriations bill for that year still pending at this writing, of +about seventy modern ships-of-war. These include eight battle-ships, +six coast-defence steel-clads, two armored cruisers, one armored ram, +thirteen protected cruisers, eighteen gunboats and unprotected +cruisers, and about two dozen torpedo-boats. This fleet gives the +United States sixth place in the list of naval powers, being outranked +in number of vessels by England, France, Russia, Germany, or Italy, in +the order named. A true idea of the comparative fighting strength of +the United States navy is not conveyed, however, by its rank in the +numerical strength of the fleet. The _personnel_ of the navy and the +power of the individual ships must be considered. It is generally +conceded that the United States has the finest fighting men and +vessels in the world. These advantages would, in all probability, +enable us to whip Germany or Italy in a series of naval contests; +therefore, it is thought by naval critics that we really hold fourth +position among the naval powers. England is still a long way ahead of +us, the English navy now numbering nearly five hundred vessels, of +which one hundred and twenty are armored cruisers. But, comparing the +navies ship to ship, the United States fleet, so far as it goes, is +superior even to that of Great Britain. The battle-ships, while +somewhat smaller, are more effective fighters. The English navy has no +armored cruisers as fast or as powerful as the "New York" and +"Brooklyn;" and the commerce-destroyers, "Columbia" and "Minneapolis," +are the fastest vessels, either of war or peace, that have gone to +sea. + +That this new navy of ours will ever have to meet so stern an ordeal +as that through which the sailors of '61 went is wholly improbable. In +multiplying the number and the effectiveness of fighting machines the +nations of the world have seemingly lessened the likelihood of war. +International disputes which once would have put the territory of all +Europe ablaze are now settled by the peaceful devices of diplomacy. +But behind the diplomat must be the gun, and it will be a sorry day +for the United States when, if ever, the sense of security bred of an +avowed national policy of non-intervention in foreign affairs shall +lead this people to neglect the naval arm of the republic. + + + + +PART V. + + + + +THE NAVAL WAR WITH SPAIN. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + + THE STATE OF CUBA. -- PERTINACITY OF THE REVOLUTIONISTS. -- + SPAIN'S SACRIFICES AND FAILURE. -- SPANISH BARBARITIES. -- THE + POLICY OF RECONCENTRATION. -- AMERICAN SYMPATHY AROUSED. -- THE + STRUGGLE IN CONGRESS. -- THE ASSASSINATION OF THE "MAINE." -- + REPORT OF THE COMMISSION. -- THE ONWARD MARCH TO BATTLE. + + +A short time after the inauguration of William McKinley as President +of the United States in March, 1897, it became apparent that the +disordered condition of Cuba under Spanish rule was destined +inevitably to become an issue which the United States must help to +settle. For two years a great part of the island had been in open and +determined revolt against Spanish rule. Though the forces of the King +had been able to hold the seaports, thus cutting off the insurgents +from regular communication with the outer world and making impotent +their efforts to secure recognition from foreign powers, the patriots +under Maceo and Gomez held control of the interior, established a +government of their own, enforced order, and levied taxes. Enormous +sacrifices were made by the Spanish people to re-establish sovereignty +in the island. More than 300,000 troops were sent thither to be +cruelly cut down by plague and pestilence. A nation, long on the verge +of bankruptcy, incurred uncomplainingly prodigious additional +indebtedness to save for its boy king--Alphonso XIII. was at this time +but twelve years old--its most precious possession in the west, the +Pearl of the Antilles. Queen Isabella of Spain pawned her jewels that +Columbus might have the means to press his voyage of discovery into +unknown seas, but in the closing years of this century the people of +Spain pawned their national assets, put even themselves and their +posterity in pawn to hold for Spain the last relics of the empire +which Columbus won for her. + +Though we were forced to draw the sword upon Spain in the cause of +humanity and human liberty, the man of reason, and of a sense of +justice, will not withhold from the people of that sorely chastened +nation admiration for their loyalty and the sacrifices they made in +their national cause. + +But the Spanish people were cruelly betrayed by their own rulers. The +generals whom they sent to Cuba gave less thought to the suppression +of the insurrection than to filling their own pockets. Out of the +millions and millions of pesetas set aside by an already impoverished +people for the needs of war, a great part was stolen by generals and +by army contractors. The young conscripts, sent from Spain to a land +where the air is pestilential to the unacclimated, were clothed and +shod in shoddy; their food invited disease, and when they fell ill it +was found that the greed of the generals had consumed the funds that +should have provided sufficient hospital service. Comparatively few +fell before the bullets or machetes of the insurgents--for, as we +shall see, the revolutionists adopted the tactics of Fabius--but by +thousands they succumbed to fevers of every kind. Death without glory +was the hapless lot of the Spanish conscript. + +The Patriot generals, Maximo Gomez and Antonio Maceo, met this +situation with consummate skill. The military problem which confronted +them was one which chiefly demanded self-restraint. They were +lamentably destitute of arms and munitions of war. Cartridges were a +dearly prized acquisition, and it is worth noting, as an indication of +the venality which corrupted the Spanish army, that a considerable +share of the insurgent ammunition was obtained by direct traffic with +the Spanish soldiers. But in the main the Patriots were armed with +heterogeneous firearms and the machete--a heavy, sword-like knife, +used, in peace, for cutting cane. The latter at close quarters was a +formidable weapon, and the insurgents became singularly proficient in +its use; developing a style of machete play almost as exact and +scientific as the school of the rapier in ancient France. + +This disparity in weapons, however, made it imperative that the +insurgents should avoid pitched battles with the invaders, who were +armed with Mauser rifles, that do deadly work at two miles' distance. +Accordingly, Gomez and Maceo confined themselves to harrying the +Spanish army of occupation on every side and destroying all vestiges +of Spanish authority outside the large towns. Warfare of this sort +inevitably develops into the most cruel, the most barbarous of +conflicts. So it was in this case. That Cuba might be made desolate, +unable to pay anything toward the price of its own subjection, the +insurgents relentlessly destroyed standing crops, burned great fields +of standing sugar cane, destroyed mills, dynamited railroads, tore up +roads, and demolished aqueducts. That the peaceful inhabitants--the +pacificos--might not give aid or comfort to the revolutionists, +General Weyler caused them to be driven from their farms and herded in +the towns still under Spanish rule. There they stayed, in squalid huts +or under thatched sheds, AND STARVED. Systematically, with devilish +ingenuity, Spain planned to crush Cuba, not by fighting the +revolutionists, but by starving women and children, old men and +peaceful farm hands. It is estimated, and conservatively, that more +than 500,000 people had been starved to death before the United States +interfered. + +Indeed, it was upon the hapless pacificos that the horrors of war +chiefly descended. They were ruined, but that was the least. Their +property, the honor of their women, and their lives were held to be +the legitimate spoil of any Spanish soldier, and the tacit +legalization of loot, rapine, and murder was taken full advantage of. +More inhuman even than the regular soldiery were the guerrillas, +licensed free companions, who roamed the island ever in search of +spoil. The deeds of these wretches beggar description, and so foul was +the repute of their corps that prisoners from their number taken by +the Cubans were instantly put to death. It is just to say here that +the testimony of Americans who served with Gomez and Maceo proves that +those leaders enforced humane and orderly conduct upon their +followers. The death penalty was more than once imposed upon useful +and brave soldiers, who had been guilty of outrage. Nothing could more +vividly indicate the moral difference between the Cuban and the +Spaniard than the contrast between their methods of prosecuting the +war. Though outlawed, the Revolutionists observed with scrupulous +exactness the rules of civilized warfare, while the Spaniards murdered +helpless prisoners, even killing the wounded in their beds, had +recourse to torture and to nameless mutilation, in order to wreak +their hatred, and let loose a swarm of bandits and ruffians to prey +upon the defenseless people of the island. + +Out of warfare such as this, waged on an island only a few hours' sail +from our coast, and in which were heavy American interests, it was +inevitable that invasion of American rights should proceed, and the +wrath of the American people be awakened. Our citizens owned large +plantations in Cuba, which were destroyed either by the Spaniards or +the insurgents. Many Americans living in the island or visiting there, +were arrested by the Spanish authorities, and one, at least, Dr. Ruiz, +was murdered in Morro Castle, while another a newspaper correspondent, +was cut to pieces by guerrillas. For Spanish outrages upon the lives +or property of American citizens, claims aggregating $60,000,000 were +on file with the United States Department of State before the +declaration of war. The general sympathy of the American people with +the insurgents, as well as the hope of profit, led to repeated efforts +by our citizens to smuggle arms and munitions of war to the Cubans, +and in time it became necessary to employ a great part of the United +States navy in police duty on the high seas for the purpose of +stopping the filibusters. This service in behalf of Spain was +exceedingly repugnant to the American mind, and contributed greatly to +the growing feeling of irritation toward Spain. + +History in coming ages, however, will relate, to the unending horror +and glory of the American people, that humanitarian considerations, +rather than regard for imperiled interests, brought the United States +into a war which most emphatically their people did not desire. The +great New York newspapers, day by day, printed circumstantial accounts +of the frightful sufferings in Cuba. One journal secured a great +number of photographs of scenes amid the starving reconcentrados, +which, greatly enlarged, were publicly exhibited in all parts of the +Union. These pictures, showing the frightful distortions of the human +body as the result of long starvation, showing little children, mere +skeletons, looking mutely down on the dead bodies of their parents, +brought home to the mind of the people the state of life in a +neighboring land as no writing, however brilliant, could. A cry went +up from every part of the United States that a Christian duty was +imposed upon our nation to interfere for the alleviation of such +horrible suffering. Charity came to the rescue with free contributions +of provisions, and Congress made a heavy appropriation of money for +the relief of the Cubans. But everywhere the opinion grew that +philanthropy alone could not right this great wrong, but that the +strong hand of the United States must reach forth to pluck out the +Spaniard from the land he ravaged. And when a number of Senators and +Representatives in Congress made journeys to Cuba, and returning, +described in formal addresses at the Capitol the scenes of starvation +and misery, this opinion hardened into positive conviction. + +Then, almost as if planned by some all-knowing power, came a great and +inexplicable disaster, which made American intervention inevitable and +immediate. + +During the latter years of the Cleveland administration the +representatives of American interests in Cuba urged that a United +States ship-of-war should be permanently stationed in Havana harbor. +The request was reasonable, the act in thorough accord with the custom +of nations. But, fearing to offend Spain, President Cleveland avoided +taking the step and President McKinley for months imitated him. In +time this act, which in itself could have had no hostile significance, +came to be regarded as an expression of hostility to Spain, and all +the resources of Spanish diplomacy were exerted to prevent any +American warship from entering Havana harbor. Ultimately, however, the +pressure of public opinion compelled the Executive to provide for +representation of American authority in the disordered island, and the +battle-ship "Maine"--a sister ship to the "Iowa," a picture of which +appears elsewhere in this volume--was sent to Havana. + +The night of February 15 the "Maine" lay quietly at her anchorage in +the Havana harbor. Her great white hull, with lights shining +brilliantly from the ports aft where the officers' quarters were, +gleamed in the starlight. On the berth deck the men swung sleeping in +their hammocks. The watch on deck breathed gratefully the cool evening +air after the long tropic day. Captain Sigsbee was at work in his +cabin, and the officers in the wardroom were chatting over their games +or dozing over their books. The lights of the town and of the ancient +fortress of Morro shone brightly through the purpling light. Not far +away the Spanish man-of-war "Alfonso XIII." lay at her moorings, and +an American merchantman, brightly lighted, was near. The scene was +peaceful, quiet, beautiful. True, in the minds of many officers and +men on the American warship there was a lurking and indefinable sense +of danger. Their coming had been taken by the Spaniards in Havana as +a hostile act. Though all the perfunctory requirements of +international courtesy had been complied with, salutes interchanged, +visits of ceremony paid and returned, there was yet in the Spanish +greeting an ill-concealed tone of anger. In the cafes Spanish officers +cursed the Yankees and boasted of their purpose to destroy them. On +the streets American blue-jackets, on shore leave, were jostled, +jeered, and insulted. Yet the ill-temper of the Spaniards, though +apparent, was so ill defined that no apprehension of a positive attack +was felt. As is the practice on men-of-war, however, the utmost +vigilance was maintained. Only the employment of a boat patrol and the +use of torpedo nettings were lacking to give the "Maine" the aspect of +a ship in an enemy's harbor. + +Then came the disaster that shocked the world. A disaster in which it +is impossible not to suspect the element of treachery. A disaster +which if purely accidental, occurring to a hated ship in a port +surrounded by men who were enemies at heart, was the most +extraordinary coincidence in history. The story is brief. Not until +this war is ended and the authority of the United States is employed +to clear up the mystery, can the real narrative of the destruction of +the "Maine" be told. + +This much we know: At about half-past nine those on the "Maine" who +lived to tell the tale heard a sudden dull explosion, with a slight +shock, then a prolonged, deep, furious roar, which shook the ship to +its very vitals. The people on the other ships in the harbor saw the +whole forward portion of the "Maine" suddenly become a flaming volcano +belching forth fire, men, huge pieces of steel, and bursting shells. +Portions of the ship's hull rained down on decks a thousand yards +away. When the first fierce shock of the explosion was past, it was +seen that the "Maine" was on fire and was rapidly sinking. + +How wonderful is the power of discipline upon the human mind! On the +great battle-ship, with hundreds of its men blown to pieces or penned +down by steel debris to be drowned in the rapidly rising waters, there +was no panic. Captain Sigsbee, rushing from his cabin door, is met by +the sergeant of marines who serves him as orderly. Not a detail of +naval etiquette is lacking. Sergeant William Anthony salutes: + +"I have to report, sir, that the ship is blown up and is sinking," he +says, as he would report a pilot boat in the offing. + +The captain reaches the deck to find his officers already at work, the +men who have not been injured all at their stations. Boats are +lowered and ply about the harbor to rescue survivors. Though the +flames rage fiercely, and the part of the ship which they have not yet +reached is full of high explosives, there is no panic. At the first +alarm every man has done what years of drill and teaching have taught +him to do. The after-magazines have been flooded, the boats' crews +called away. Even preparations for a fight had been attempted. +Lieutenant Jenkins, hearing the first explosion, sprang so quickly for +his station at a forward gun that he was caught in the second +explosion and slain. Though a bolt from heaven or a shock from hell +had struck the "Maine," it brought death only--not fear nor panic. + +The work of rescuing survivors and caring for the wounded was pushed +apace, for the ship sunk rapidly, until only her after-superstructure +was above the water. Boats from the Spanish man-of-war joined in the +work of mercy and her officers, as though conscious that the suspicion +of treachery was first in every man's mind, exerted themselves in +every way to show solicitude for the wounded and sorrow for the +disaster. When all was done that could be done, and the roll of the +ship's company was called, it was found that 266 brave Americans were +lost in Havana harbor--a friendly port. Some lie there yet, penned +down beneath the gnarled and scorched steel which formed the gallant +"Maine"; others lie in lonely graves on the adjacent shore, where, +before this war is ended, the American flag shall be raised above them +to be their avenger and their monument. + + * * * * * + +It will be necessary to outline in only the most terse and condensed +form the political and military events which succeeded the destruction +of the "Maine" and led up to the declaration of war. The news of the +great disaster was received at home with horror, speedily turning to +anger. The Government, rightly desiring to proceed calmly and in +accordance with regularly ascertained facts, strove to calm the public +temper, but with little success. It gave out as Captain Sigsbee's +first report of the disaster a cable message, which contained no +charge of treachery, advised caution, and urged a suspension of +judgment. But presently it became rumored about Washington that this +dispatch was, in fact, sent under orders; that the captain's first +report formally charged the Spaniards with blowing up the ship. In the +newspapers the discussion raged and theories of the disaster were +plentiful, but, after long weeks of careful study of the evidence, the +Naval Board of Inquiry presented the following report: + + When the "Maine" arrived at Havana, she was conducted by the + regular Government pilot to buoy No. 4, to which she was moored + in from five to six fathoms of water. + + The state of discipline on board, and the condition of her + magazines, boilers, coal-bunkers, and storage compartments, are + passed in review, with the conclusion that excellent order + prevailed, and that no indication of any cause for an internal + explosion existed in any quarter. + + At eight o'clock on the evening of February 15 everything had + been reported secure, and all was quiet. At 9.40 o'clock the + vessel was suddenly destroyed. + + There were two distinct explosions, with a brief interval between + them. The first lifted the forward part of the ship very + perceptibly; the second, which was more open, prolonged, and of + greater volume, is attributed by the Court to the partial + explosion of two or more of the forward magazines. + + The evidence of the divers establishes that the after-part of the + ship was practically intact, and sank in that condition a very + few minutes after the explosion. The forward part was completely + demolished. + + Upon the evidence of a concurrent external cause the finding of + the Court is as follows: + + At frame 17 the outer shell of the ship, from a point eleven and + one-half feet from the middle line of the ship and six feet above + the keel when in its natural position, has been forced up so as + to be now about four feet above the surface of the water; + therefore, about thirty-four feet above where it would be had the + ship sunk uninjured. + + The outside bottom plating is bent into a reversed V-shape, the + after-wing of which, about fifteen feet broad and thirty-two feet + in length (from frame 17 to frame 25), is doubled back upon + itself against the continuation of the same plating extending + forward. + + At frame 18 the vertical keel is broken in two and the flat keel + bent into an angle similar to the angle formed by the outside + bottom plates. This break is now about six feet below the surface + of the water and about thirty feet above its normal position. + + In the opinion of the Court, this effect could have been produced + only by the explosion of a mine situated under the bottom of the + ship, at about frame 18, and somewhat on the port side of the + ship. + + The conclusions of the Court are: + + That the loss of the "Maine" was not in any respect due to fault + or negligence on the part of any of the officers or members of + her crew. + + That the ship was destroyed by the explosion of a submarine mine, + which caused the partial explosion of two or more of her forward + magazines; and, + + That no evidence has been obtainable fixing the responsibility + for the destruction of the "Maine" upon any person or persons. + +[Illustration: Partial View of the Wreck of the "Maine."] + +To-day, in the midst of war with Spain, we have no more definite, no +more authoritative knowledge of the cause of this disaster than this. +Spain, indeed, through her official commission, decided that the +explosion was wholly internal, but the American people is not +convinced. Battleships are not in the habit of blowing themselves up, +and it is the expectation that the establishment of American authority +in Cuba will be followed by the unraveling of this murderous plot. +Undoubtedly an anecdote told of Captain Robley D. Evans (Fighting Bob) +of the navy expresses the popular conviction: + +"The admiral in command of the United States fleet at Key West should +have sailed for Havana on getting news of the 'Maine's' destruction," +said Evans. "He should have reduced the forts, seized the city, +discovered the assassins, and hanged them." + +"But that would have been defiance of the orders of the Navy +Department," responded his auditor, aghast. + +"Perhaps so," admitted Evans, "but the man who did it would have been +the next President of the United States." + +While the "Maine" Court of Inquiry was in session measures looking +toward war were rapidly taken. March 9, a bill, which had passed both +houses of Congress without a dissenting voice, became a law, +appropriating $50,000,000 to be expended for the national defense. Out +of this sum the Navy Department bought two Brazilian cruisers building +in England, which were rechristened the "New Orleans" and "Albany." A +flotilla of yachts, seagoing tugs, and merchantmen was bought and +refitted. The great American liners "St. Paul," "City of Paris," "City +of New York," and "St. Louis" were chartered and made into auxiliary +cruisers. All Europe was ransacked for purchasable warships and +torpedo boats, with the result of proving that no nation, however +rich, can equip itself with a navy in an emergency. Not one +battle-ship was available for purchase, and only four cruisers, of +doubtful quality. And while this work of preparation was going +hurriedly on the country was drifting into war with what seemed at the +time inexplicable slowness, but to the calmer backward glance of +history will appear dangerously swift in the face of our great lack of +preparation. What might be termed the milestones on the march to +battle were these: + +_April 5._--Consul General Fitz Hugh Lee recalled from Havana. + +_April 11._--Message of the President on Cuba, recommending that we +have power to intervene forcibly without "recognizing at this time the +independence of the present insurgent government." + +_April 13._--The House passed a resolution directing the President to +intervene in Cuba at once, and authorizing him to use the land and +naval forces of the United States to stop the war. + +_April 16._--The Senate passed a joint resolution, as a substitute for +the House resolution, declaring the island to be free, recognizing the +republic, demanding relinquishment of authority in Cuba by Spain, and +withdrawal of Spanish forces; directing the President to call out the +militia in addition to regular land and naval forces, and, finally, +disclaiming any intention to annex the island. + +_April 19._--Senate resolution adopted by the House, with the proviso +recognizing the republic of Cuba stricken out. Both houses agreed to +the report in this form. + +_April 20._--Ultimatum to Spain, cabled at 11 A.M.--a formal demand +that Spain at once relinquish its authority and government in the +island of Cuba, and withdraw its land and naval forces from Cuba and +Cuban waters. + +President signed Cuban joint resolutions at 11.24. + +Senor Polo y Bernabe, the Spanish Minister, was notified. He at once +requested his passports. + +_April 21._--General Woodford, the American Minister at Madrid, left +Spain. + +The President directed the Secretary of the Navy to order the vessels +of the North Atlantic squadron to proceed without delay to Cuban +waters to blockade Havana and other ports of the island. + +_April 23._--President McKinley signed the proclamation calling for +125,000 volunteers. + +_April 25._--Formal declaration of war recommended by the President, +and a bill "declaring that war exists between the United States of +America and the Kingdom of Spain," passed by both houses. + +And so the United States embarked on its first war with any European +Power, save England--a war forced upon us by every consideration of +humanity--a war which shall be of great advantage or of great harm to +our Republic, according as its fruits are wisely or wrongly +administered. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + + THE OPENING DAYS OF THE WAR. -- THE FIRST BLOW STRUCK IN THE + PACIFIC. -- DEWEY AND HIS FLEET. -- THE BATTLE AT MANILA. -- AN + EYE-WITNESS' STORY. -- DELAY AND DOUBT IN THE EAST. -- DULL TIMES + FOR THE BLUE-JACKETS. -- THE DISCOVERY OF CERVERA. -- HOBSON'S + EXPLOIT. -- THE OUTLOOK. + + +Strangely enough the first warlike stroke at Spain was not delivered +in or about Cuba, where the quarrel arose, but in the other +hemisphere, in the far-away waters of the Asiatic Pacific, where the +American flag is almost a stranger and the power and wealth of the +great American Republic are unknown. In the Philippine Islands Spain +retains one of the colonies with which she once encircled the globe. +More than 7,000,000 people--a peace-loving, kindly, intelligent +race--are there ruled by the Spaniards, and as the rule was of the +characteristic Spanish kind, with all the accompaniments of slaughter, +dishonor, and extortion, the natives--as in Cuba--were in a chronic +state of rebellion. One uprising, which had assumed very considerable +proportions, was reported by the Spaniards as suppressed just before +our declaration of war. That event, however, aroused the +revolutionists again and, as we shall see, they were of the greatest +service to us as allies. + +When war was declared an American squadron of six warships lay at Hong +Kong. The vessels were the "Olympia," protected cruiser; "Raleigh," +"Baltimore," and "Boston," cruisers; "Concord" and "Petrel," gunboats, +and the revenue cutter "McCulloch." Not a very powerful fleet--not a +battle-ship nor even an armored cruiser among them--but the ships +carried crews of as sturdy Yankee blue-jackets as ever trained a gun, +and when the time came for daring an enemy's fire the little "Petrel" +was as dashing and defiant as the stoutest of steel-clads could be. In +command of the squadron was Admiral George Dewey, a Vermonter, who +served with Farragut and had his baptism of fire at the forts below +New Orleans. In time of peace the war record of a subaltern is quickly +forgotten, and Dewey patiently climbed the ladder of promotion until +1898 found him a commodore and in command of the Asiatic squadron, +without anybody's remembering particularly that this officer in far +Hong Kong had seen fighting and knew how to bear himself under fire. +It is a significant fact that when he had won the first great victory +of the war, and the newspapers were searching everywhere for stories +illustrative of his character, it was discovered that he had chiefly +impressed himself on the Washington mind by his excessive +punctiliousness in matters of dress. + +Four days after the declaration of war there was a commotion on the +ships of Dewey's squadron. The signal to weigh anchor flew from the +foremast of the "Olympia," and everybody knew that the admiral had +received fighting orders. For some days past the ships had been in +their battle rigging. The white paint had been covered by a dull +greenish-gray. All woodwork, railings, and unnecessary hamper had been +stripped off and sent ashore. The officers' baggage was reduced to the +barest necessities. Nothing was left anywhere on board which could be +turned into a cloud of flying splinters by a shell, or which cumbered +the decks to the inconvenience of the gunners. The warships which, in +time of peace, were as bright and sparkling as a well-kept yacht, had +put on the sullen, vicious air of war. + +Dewey's objective point when he set sail from the harbor of Hong Kong +was the Asiatic squadron of Spain, under the command of Admiral +Montojo. There was every reason to believe that he would find the +enemy under the protecting guns of the forts that guarded the harbor +of Manila. In themselves the Spanish ships were no match for the +American fleet. Three good ships had Admiral Montojo--the "Reina +Cristina," the "Castilla," and the "Don Antonio de Ulloa"; but his +others were old-fashioned and lacking in modern armament. But should +they take positions under the guns of the Spanish forts, at the end of +a channel plentifully guarded by mines and torpedoes, the disparity in +forces would disappear. As it occurred this was precisely what they +did, giving Admiral Dewey opportunity to put into practice tactics +which it seems he had studied for months in anticipation of exactly +such an emergency. + +On the night of April 30 the American ships arrived at the entrance of +Manila harbor, unseen by the sentries on the forts. It was known that +Montojo was inside, and every light was extinguished and every noise +hushed on the Yankee ships, for the admiral had planned a midnight +entrance to the stronghold. The ships were stripped for action, boats +covered with canvas, nettings spread to prevent splinters from flying, +partitions removed, and ammunition hoists and bullet shields put up. +At midnight the entrance to the harbor began, the ships steaming in +single column at about six knots an hour, with the "Olympia" leading. +Strangely enough not a single torpedo or mine in the channel was +exploded, though the Spaniards discovered the advance of the ships and +opened fire from the forts. The first shot in answer was fired by a +gunner on the "Boston," without orders. He saw the flash of a gun on a +shore battery and instantly fired his piece without altering its +elevation. That dismantled a gun in the Spanish works and killed +thirty men. + +For a few hours after passing the forts the wearied blue-jackets slept +at their guns. With the approach of day came the signal from the +flagship to prepare for action. In the gray dawn the Spanish fleet +could be seen about two miles distant, at such a point that their fire +could be re-enforced by the guns of the forts. A most graphic story of +the action that followed, as seen from the view-point of "the man +behind the gun," whom Captain Mahan eulogizes, is told by Chief Gunner +Evans of the "Boston," from whose narrative I quote the following +paragraphs: + +[Illustration: Dewey at Manila.] + + "We were steaming very slowly, but increasing speed as the dawn + increased. In the gray daylight we could make out a line of ships + anchored in front of the city. Then we steamed ahead faster. The + ships ahead proved to be merchantmen, and at daylight we could + discern the Spanish fleet further down the bay, and then it was + 'Full ahead!' The Spanish fleet did not advance to meet us, and + apparently made no move on the defensive. Possibly our audacity + had for the moment paralyzed them. But it was not for long. In + twenty minutes or so they opened a terrific cannonading at long + range. The batteries and forts around Manila opened fire at + the same time. Every man on the ship was now wide awake and at + his post. I knew that it would not be long before there would be + some hot work, and I served my men with a cup of coffee and a + piece of hardtack, and a little later gave them each a drink of + whisky and water. + + "According to orders, we did not respond to the Spanish guns + until our ships came into position. Then the flagship opened + fire, and then I followed with two hours of cannonading which I + do not believe has ever been equaled in naval warfare. The shots + from the 'Olympia' were the prearranged signal for the other + ships to do the same. + + "We soon discovered that the batteries of Cavite were very + heavily mounted, and the ordnance included several ten-inch guns, + and we were not long in finding out that the 'Don Antonio de + Ulloa' and the 'Reina Cristina,' the flagship, carried much + heavier guns than we thought. We began to fear that our ships had + met their match. As hot as the battle was, the heat of the sun + was equally so, and I had my men who were bringing up the + ammunition throw off every vestige of clothing except their + shoes. + + "The Spanish guns had opened upon us at 5.10 A.M., and it was + fully 5.40 before we began to reply. But when we did, we made + every shot tell, for our gunners demonstrated that their + opponents were no match for them in accuracy, although the + Spaniards had every advantage and should have known the exact + range of every point in the harbor, while of the American fleet + not a single gunner had ever as much as been in the harbor + before. + + "By 6.30 we had circled three times, and were starting for the + fourth when the Spanish admiral came out in the 'Reina Cristina' + and gallantly assailed us; but we made it hot for him. I don't + know how in the world he escaped with his life. While he was + standing on the bridge a shot from one of our ships--I think it + was the 'Concord'--blew the bridge clean over; in fact, shot it + right from under him, but the Admiral was apparently uninjured, + for a few minutes later I saw him walking the deck as calmly as + though he was on parade. It was getting too hot for him, and he + evidently saw that his ship was no match for us, and he turned to + get back to his fleet. + + "Just as the 'Reina Cristina' swung around an eight-inch shell + from the port battery, which I was tending, struck her square + astern, and set her on fire. By this time other gunners had got + the range, and if ever a ship was riddled it was the 'Reina + Cristina.' I do not think it was fifteen minutes from the time + the shell from the 'Boston' struck her when she went down with, + it is said, over two hundred men. The Admiral, however, had + escaped in a small boat and made for the 'Isla de Cuba,' where he + again hoisted his flag. + + "After we had circled five times, we withdrew. The smoke was so + dense that we could hardly distinguish friend from foe. Our men + had worked three long hours with scarcely a mouthful of food. I + had, however, kept my men well supplied with whisky and water. I + gave each a small drink about every twenty minutes. + + "After we had withdrawn, and the clouds of smoke had lifted + enough so that we could see, Admiral Dewey signaled the ships to + report the number of killed and wounded. It would have done your + heart good to have heard the shouts and cheers that went up as + ship after ship ran up the signal to indicate that she had no + killed and none wounded worth reporting. It was one of the most + thrilling moments of the entire battle. + + "It was a wise move on Admiral Dewey's part in withdrawing at + that moment, for our men were rapidly becoming exhausted. For my + own part I do not think I could have held out another half hour, + and neither could my men. We were not only wearied physically, + but the nervous strain was something awful. I called my men into + the gunroom and served each with a good stiff drink of whisky and + told them to take all the rest they could get. I went into the + chartroom, as it was about the coolest place on the ship, and + threw myself on the chart table. I was too nervous to sleep and + too exhausted to move. I just lay there sort of dazed. + + "Soon after ten o'clock we advanced again, and the 'Baltimore' + opened the fight. As many of the Spanish ships had been disabled, + what we most feared now was the forts. The 'Baltimore' sailed + right into the very teeth of the guns, any one of which could + have annihilated her, and only bad marksmanship of the Spanish + gunners saved her from destruction, and she did not retreat until + she had practically silenced the fort. + + "My ship, the 'Boston,' was perhaps struck oftener during the + battle than any of the American ships, but in every instance it + was small shot or shell, making a glancing blow that did no + particular harm. After the first hour or so of the battle, if we + had received a damaging shot, the chances are that we would have + all gone down, for out of all the ship's boats, only two were of + any value, the others having been shattered to pieces. + + "We were circling in line with the other ships when the 'Isla de + Cuba' swung around to give us a broadside. The guns in the port + battery got the range on the 'Isla de Cuba,' and sent in a shot + that struck in amidships and made her tremble from stem to stern. + I was watching at the porthole at the time. The other guns of the + 'Boston' followed the example of the port gunner, and for a few + minutes it seemed that the 'Isla de Cuba' was crumbling to pieces + like a falling building in an earthquake. We turned, and the + starboard guns did equally good work, and when the Spanish flag + came tumbling down we let out a yell that was heard around the + world, figuratively speaking, if not literally. + + "I can never forget the scene after the battle. The forts were + smoking, and scattered all through the bay were the hulks of once + magnificent Spanish ships. Some were drifting helplessly about, + as though the men on board seemed not to know what to do and had + lost their heads entirely. Rigging was trailing in the water and + only remnants remained of the lifeboats. Over at one end of the + bay was the wreck of the once magnificent 'Reina Cristina.' + Further along were smoking hulks, and here and there could be + seen only the masts and rigging above water. + + "To add to the horror of the scene, hundreds of corpses came + floating by, and it seemed as though the bay was full of dead + Spaniards, although I believe less than a thousand were killed. I + really think that the sight in the harbor that afternoon + impressed men more with the horrors of war than did anything + which occurred during the actual battle. + + "During all the fight my men, except for a little while during + the interval for breakfast, were stripped to the bare skin and + wore only their shoes. The thermometer was over one hundred, and + to this was added the heat of the fire of the guns, until it made + one's blood fairly boil." + +The plan of action was for the fleet to revolve in a great circle or +ellipse before the delivering their fire from starboard and port +batteries alternately. The first shot from the "Olympia" was a +250-pound shell, aimed at the Cavite fort, and discharged with a shout +from all hands, "Remember the Maine!" After two hours' fighting the +fleet withdrew for breakfast, returning to action in about two hours, +and after the Spanish surrender the little "Petrel" was sent in to +destroy, by boats' crews, the ships in the inner harbor. + +Commodore Dewey's official report of the action is a model of modesty +and brevity. It came in these two cable messages: + + MANILA, May 1.--Squadron arrived at Manila at daybreak this + morning. Immediately engaged the enemy, and destroyed the + following Spanish vessels: "Reina Cristina," "Castilla," "Don + Antonio de Ulloa," "Isla de Luzon," "Isla de Cuba," "General + Lezo," "Marquis de Duero," "Cano," "Velasco," "Isla de Mindanao," + a transport, and water battery at Cavite. The squadron is + uninjured, and only a few men are slightly wounded. Only means of + telegraphing is to American Consul at Hong Kong. I shall + communicate with him. + + DEWEY. + + + CAVITE, May 4.--I have taken possession of naval station at + Cavite, on Philippine Islands. Have destroyed the fortifications + at bay entrance, paroling the garrison. I control bay completely, + and can take city at any time. The squadron is in excellent + health and spirits. Spanish loss not fully known but very heavy. + One hundred and fifty killed, including captain of "Reina + Cristina." I am assisting in protecting Spanish sick and wounded; + 250 sick and wounded in hospital within our lines. Much + excitement at Manila. Will protect foreign residents. + + DEWEY. + +It is little short of marvelous that no lives were lost on the +American ships--though a month later Captain Gridley of the "Olympia" +died from the effect of the concussion of his own guns. The vessels +were handled with a daring amounting almost to bravado, yet so poor +was the marksmanship of the Spaniards that little or no damage was +suffered. It is to be kept in mind that, despite the disparity in the +armament of the fleets, the Spanish works at Cavite mounted guns of +twice the weight of any that Dewey's ships bore. Yet, when the action +was over, the American vessels were practically uninjured, and +perfectly capable of fulfilling the threat sent by Admiral Dewey, +that if another shot was fired he would lay Manila in ashes. + +At the time these words are written, that threat alone keeps order in +Manila bay. Dewey with his ships is there, holding the town at the +muzzles of his guns and waiting for the re-enforcements of troops, +which were dispatched to his aid from San Francisco almost a month +after his victory--an unconscionable delay. Some 25,000 troops will be +sent to his aid, and with the insurgents, who were greatly encouraged +and strengthened by the American victory, will forever destroy Spain's +power in the Philippines. + + * * * * * + +In the waters of the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, where it +was expected the fighting would come first and be most decisive, the +war lagged languidly for weeks. For a few days the jackies found some +excitement and some hope of profit in capturing unsuspecting Spanish +merchantmen, but soon the dull and deadly monotony of the peaceful +blockade settled down upon the fleet, and Sampson's men grilled grimly +under a blazing sun by day and slept uneasily by their guns at night, +week after week, without a touch of battle to vary the dull round. The +Spanish ships "Vizcaya" and "Oquendo," which had been in the harbor of +Havana when war was declared, had slipped away, and there was no enemy +afloat in the neighborhood save puny gunboats and torpedo boats that +clung close to the protecting guns of the fortresses. Blockading is +the most trying duty the blue-jacket has to discharge. Destitute +wholly of glory, the element of danger is still ever present in a form +which is particularly trying to the nerves. Every night brought danger +of an attack by torpedo boats. These swift and sinister craft might at +any time dart out of Havana harbor, discharge their fatal bolt, and +send a good ship to the bottom as speedily as went the "Maine." That +the Spaniards at no time even seriously attempted a torpedo-boat +attack on the blockading squadron seems to reflect on their courage. +But what they lacked apparently in courage they made up in shrewdness. +For weeks the best efforts of our board of strategy and our board of +naval intelligence were baffled by the mysterious movements of the +Spanish fleet under Admiral Cervera. This squadron, which numbered +among its vessels the powerful armored cruisers "Vizcaya," "Maria +Teresa," "Cristobal Colon," and "Almirante Oquendo," was reported now +at the Canaries, then at Cadiz, then dashing through the Suez Canal to +overwhelm Dewey at Manila, then off the coast of New England,--whereat +Boston and Portland were mightily alarmed,--then bound South to +capture or destroy the "Oregon,"--which was painfully making the +voyage around Cape Horn,--then at Martinique, and, in short, at every +conceivable point of menace. As a result of these conflicting reports, +two American fleets were reduced to impotence. The "flying squadron" +of fast cruisers under Commodore Schley was kept for weeks at moorings +in Hampton Roads ready to be dispatched for protection of our northern +coasts, while the squadron of battle-ships under Admiral Sampson was +made to steam hither and yon in the Caribbean Sea looking for an +enemy's fleet which much of the time lay snugly on the other side of +the Atlantic. Accordingly, up to June 15, the results of naval +operations in West Indian waters were almost _nil_. Powder had been +burned indeed as when, on April 27, the Spanish works at Matanzas were +bombarded and silenced by the "New York," "Puritan," and "Cincinnati," +of Admiral Sampson's squadron, and on May 13 the works at San Juan, +Porto Rico, were similarly tested. Deeds of conspicuous gallantry, +too, were done, as when Ensign Worth Bagley lost his life while +gallantly engaging Spanish gunboats and shore batteries with the +torpedo boat "Winslow" at Cardenas. But these actions, though seized +upon eagerly by a public hungry for war news, were inconclusive and +trivial. The shore batteries were quickly repaired and strengthened, +and the great object of capturing Havana seemed at the middle of June +even further off than it had when war was declared. + +Nevertheless, May and June saw a marked progress in the work of +preparation for active hostilities. The army was mobilized and a great +camp established at Tampa, Fla. Schley's flying squadron, finally +relieved from apprehension as to the course of the Spanish fleet, left +Hampton Roads to increase the naval strength in West Indian waters. +The great battle-ship "Oregon," after a record-beating voyage around +Cape Horn, in which her machinery met and withstood every imaginable +strain, arrived at the rendezvous. And finally it was definitely +learned that Admiral Cervera, with Spain's principal effective fleet, +was actually in West Indian waters, and had entered the port of +Santiago de Cuba for coal and repairs. There he was trapped by an +exploit which has conferred new glory on the United States Navy and +has added a new name to the roster of dashing heroes like Somers and +Gushing. + +The harbor of Santiago de Cuba is one of the most easily defended in +the world. Steep hills rise abruptly from either side of the harbor's +mouth, which is scarce half a mile wide, with a channel so narrow that +two vessels could scarcely pass in it. Into the brow of the hills are +built batteries which, with plunging shot, command the entrance +completely. An abrupt turn in the interior shore line makes the whole +inner bay invisible from without, so for days the officers and men of +the United States blockading fleet outside were ignorant whether +Cervera's entire fleet was cooped up within. To send in a boat to make +a reconnoissance would have been suicidal, for the channel, difficult +at all times, was blocked by mines and torpedoes. For this reason, +too, there could be no repetition of Dewey's exploit at Manila. + +Accordingly, Admiral Sampson was confronted with a problem which +seemed likely to tax the patience rather than the daring of his men. +There seemed to be no opportunity for more exciting duty than a long +blockade, unless the Spaniards should conclude to come out and +fight--a most unlikely decision for them to reach. The forts, in all +probability, could be reduced by the ships' cannon, but, even with +that done, to enter the harbor in single file, so that the undisturbed +fire of Cervera's fleet could be directed upon the Americans, ship by +ship, as they entered the bay, would have been a most hazardous +undertaking. The situation was not made more pleasing to the admiral +by the fact that he was not sure of having all the Spanish ships in +the trap. Some might not have entered Santiago, but might be at that +very time devastating portions of the coast of the United States. + +While the admiral was considering the problem thus presented to him, +there appeared at his cabin a young lieutenant, Richmond P. Hobson, a +graduate of the Naval Academy in 1889. The scientific side of naval +duty had always chiefly attracted this young man. Graduating at the +head of his class, he studied naval construction for two years in +British dockyards. Above all things a student, a contributor to +magazines, a delver into mathematical and structural problems, this +young officer outlined to the admiral an exploit of reckless daring +and volunteered himself to perform it. + +[Illustration: The "Zealandia" leaving San Francisco with Troops for +the Philippines. (Drawn, after a photograph, by William Ritschel.)] + +It was folly, urged Hobson, to keep the entire American fleet watching +at the door to that harbor. The Spaniards, doing nothing and daring +nothing themselves, were still reducing Admiral Sampson's powerful +squadron to complete impotence. If the entrance to the harbor were +obstructed one or two ships would serve to prevent the Spaniards from +escaping, and the remainder of the American fleet would be released to +take part in more vigorous warfare. By sinking a vessel, an old +collier heavily laden, in the channel this could be accomplished, and +Hobson volunteered to perform the feat. It was an invitation to almost +certain death, for the fire of three batteries and part of the Spanish +fleet, besides the explosion of the mines, must be braved before the +narrow spot in which the ship was to be sunk could be reached. But +Hobson thought he could do this, scuttle his ship, and escape with his +men by swimming to a launch which should accompany him at a distance. + +"Do you really expect to escape alive?" asked one of the officers as +he outlined his project. + +"Ah! that is another thing," replied the lieutenant. "I suppose the +Estrella battery will fire down on us a bit, but the ships will throw +their searchlights in the gunners' faces and they won't see much of +us. Then, if we are torpedoed, we should even then be able to make the +desired position in the channel. It won't be so easy to hit us, and I +think the men should be able to swim to the dingey. I may jump before +I am blown up, but I don't see that it makes much difference what I +do. I have a fair chance of life either way. If our dingey gets shot +to pieces, we shall then try to swim for the beach right under Morro +Castle. We shall keep together at all hazards. Then we may be able to +make our way alongside, and perhaps get back to the ship. We shall +fight the sentries or a squad until the last, and we shall only +surrender to overwhelming numbers." + +The plan being approved by the admiral, volunteers were asked from the +fleet, by signal, to accompany Hobson. Practically the whole fleet +responded. One man was wanted from each ship, but on the "Brooklyn" +150 and on the "Texas" 140 pleaded to be taken. Finally these seven +were selected: + +Osborn Deignan, a coxswain of the "Merrimac"; George F. Phillips, a +machinist of the "Merrimac"; John Kelly, a water-tender of the +"Merrimac"; George Charette, a gunner's mate on the flagship "New +York"; Daniel Montague, a seaman of the cruiser "Brooklyn"; J. C. +Murphy, a coxswain of the "Iowa"; Randolph Clausen, a coxswain of the +"New York." + +To man the launch which was detailed to follow the "Merrimac "--the +ship chosen--four men and Naval Cadet Joseph W. Powell were taken. In +the end they, too, proved to be heroes. + +The steel steamer "Merrimac," loaded with 2,000 tons of coal, was then +given to Hobson and prepared for sinking. An eye-witness, who followed +the "Merrimac" as nearly as safety would permit, thus tells the story +in the New York _Sun_: + + "Cadet Powell and his crew saw the 'Merrimac' head straight for + Estrella Point, which is on the east side of the harbor, back of + the Morro. They knew that just before she reached that point the + engines were to be stopped and the momentum allowed to carry her + on. Then the flimsy wooden props holding the bonnets of her + sea-valves in place were to be kicked aside, the helm put hard to + starboard, and the starboard bower anchor let go. This would + steer the ship directly across the channel and check her headway. + + "At the same time seven reduced eight-inch charges, containing + eighty pounds of brown powder in copper cases and protected by + pitch from water, were to be set off separately. These charges + were suspended about ten feet below the water-line at intervals + of thirty feet, and connected by a series of dry batteries. As + the ship steered across the channel the forward port powder + charge was to be exploded. Then, as the stern swung into + position, the anchor lashed on the starboard quarter was to be + let go and the other six charges exploded in succession. A + catamaran and lifeboat were slung aft on the starboard side ready + for the seven men to drop into them. + + "The crew in the steam launch watched the course of the old + collier with eyes strained. The moon had sunk behind the horizon. + It was 3.20 o'clock. On, on the heroes went. Lieutenant Hobson + stood on the bridge of the old collier, dressed in full uniform. + The other six men were at their posts, clad in tights, to aid + their escape in case they had to swim a long distance. + + "The watchers saw her head straight for Estrella Point, saw her + swing hard across the channel, apparently undiscovered, heard + five of the seven charges explode, and then began a screaming, + flashing, death-dealing fire from the Spanish ships and batteries + that hid the rest from view. + + "The battery on Dead Man's Point, square in the center of the + harbor, opened the fire and soon directed its guns against the + launch. In the face of this hell, with ten-and twelve-inch guns + blazing at them at this short range, Cadet Powell and the crew of + his launch continued to search for the men of the 'Merrimac.' + +[Illustration: Morro Castle, Santiago De Cuba.] + + "They saw then the guns of the 'Cristobal Colon,' Admiral + Cervera's flagship, and of the old cruiser 'Reina Mercedes,' + which had been considered gunless, trained on them and thundering + in their ears. "Still they searched with never as much as a + faint cry for help or the sign of a single arm raised in mute + appeal to guide them. Those on the battle-ship looking into the + mouth of the harbor saw only a sheet of flame which, with the + roar of the guns, lasted thirty-five minutes. By this time dawn + had tinged the land and sky with light, and the tiny launch could + be seen loitering by the shore. On the west side of the harbor, + in the center of the channel, just where Hobson had promised to + sink his vessel, could be seen the tops of the 'Merrimac's' + masts. The harbor was blocked." + +Hobson and his gallant men were not lost. A shot from one of the +batteries destroyed the boat in which they had expected to reach the +launch, but on a raft they escaped from their sinking vessel, only to +be captured by the Spaniards. With sailor-like chivalry and hearty +admiration for a gallant deed Admiral Cervera sent word to the fleet +of their safety and offered to exchange them as soon as the necessary +formalities could be complied with. + + * * * * * + +The closing words of this chapter must be penned just as the decisive +action of the war seems to be at hand. Cervera is hemmed in at +Santiago with a vastly superior force confronting him. The batteries +at the harbor's mouth have been demolished by the fire of the fleet. +At Caimanera, thirty miles away, the United States flag is flying on +the shore and a battalion of United States marines--"soldiers and +sailors, too"--are there installed and have twice beaten back the +attack of Spaniards in double their number. On great transports +General Shafter's army of 20,000 men is steaming from Key West to +Caimanera, where the invasion of Cuba will begin. The order has gone +forth to reduce Porto Rico, and by the time these words reach the +reader, General Coppinger's army may be landed there. Fitzhugh Lee, +the gallant, is held in reserve for Havana, where he served his +country as Consul General during the trying days that led up to the +war. Hesitation and doubt have vanished. The dreary days of delay are +over. The end is near--the end of Spanish misrule in the West Indies. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + + THE SPANISH FLEET MAKES A DASH FROM THE HARBOR. -- ITS TOTAL + DESTRUCTION. -- ADMIRAL CERVERA A PRISONER. -- GREAT SPANISH + LOSSES. -- AMERICAN FLEET LOSES BUT ONE MAN. + + +When the event was least expected the Spaniards made a desperate dash +from the harbor, seeking freedom but finding only death. + +July 3d the land forces of General Shafter were closing in on +Santiago. There had been hard fighting for two days, in which both +sides had shown dogged courage, but the Spaniards had been beaten back +into the city, which the Americans almost completely invested. Though +Shafter had but few heavy siege guns, many of the shells from his +field artillery fell in the streets of the town and produced a panic +there. + +Admiral Cervera had landed some of his rapid-fire guns in aid of +General Linares, and his marines fought with the Spanish soldiers. But +as the American advance continued he saw that he would be caught in a +trap and ground to pieces between Shafter and Sampson. So he made up +his mind to the desperate chance of slipping out and trying to run +past the American squadron. + +[Illustration: The Protected Cruiser "Olympia," Admiral Dewey's +Flagship.] + +[Illustration: Admiral George Dewey.] + +[Illustration: Acting Rear Admiral W. T. Sampson.] + +[Illustration: Rear-admiral Montgomery Sicard.] + +[Illustration: Commodore W. S. Schley.] + +[Illustration: Captain A. S. Barker, _Late of the "Oregon"; Now of the +"Newark."_] + +[Illustration: Captain "Jack" Philip, _Of the Battle-Ship "Texas."_] + +[Illustration: Commodore J. Crittenden Watson. _Second in Command of +the Gulf Squadron._] + +[Illustration: Ensign Worth Bagley Of The "Winslow." _The first +American Officer killed by the Enemy._] + +[Illustration: Cadet George T. Pettengill. _Who fired the first Shot +of the War._] + +[Illustration: Captain F. W. Dickins. _Chief of Bureau of +Navigation._] + +[Illustration: Commodore John A. Howell. _Commanding inner Line of +Coast Defenses._] + +[Illustration: Brig.-Gen. H. C. Hasbrouck. _Commandant of Fort +Monroe._] + +[Illustration: Captain C. E. Clark. _Of the Battle-Ship "Oregon."_] + +[Illustration: Admiral F. M. Bunce. _Commandant of Brooklyn Navy +Yard._] + +[Illustration: Bombardment of Spanish Ports and Fleet at Santiago De +Cuba, July 6, 1898.] + +[Illustration: "Maria Teresa" and "Vizcaya" burning on the Beach near +Santiago.] + +[Illustration: The Flagship "New York," followed by the "Vixen," +closing on the "Cristobal Colon," while the Latter was being run +Ashore West of Santiago.] + +[Illustration: Effect of a single Spanish Shot on Upper Deck of the +Battle-Ship "Texas".] + +[Illustration: _Part of Crew of "Texas"_ Band of the "Oregon" playing +Funeral March after the Defeat of the "Colon".] + +[Illustration: Engineer Battalion unloading Tools at Siboney.] + +[Illustration: "St. Louis." A Transport. "Suwanee." "Vixen." Auxiliary +Cruisers Protecting Landing.] + +[Illustration: Commodore Watson's Fleet for Service in Spanish +Waters.] + +At 9.30 on the morning of the 3d the lookout on the "Texas" saw smoke +rising above Morro Castle. Immediately after, the black prow of a +warship appeared in the channel coming out at full speed. It was the +"Almirante Oquendo." Instantly the "Texas" broke out with bunting +signaling to all the vessels of the fleet that the Spaniards were +coming out. On every side rung out the bugles and clattered gongs +calling the crews of the American ships to quarters. Admiral Sampson +with the "New York" was far away, and Commodore Schley with the +"Brooklyn" commanded the fleet. The odds were not so greatly in favor +of the Americans, for the Spaniards had four armored cruisers and two +torpedo-boat destroyers, while the Americans had five battle-ships, +one armored cruiser and a yacht. The superiority of the Spaniards in +rapid-fire guns was very great. + +The "Brooklyn," thinly clad with armor, dashed first into the fray and +was soon engaged with four armored vessels, each her superior; the +"Iowa," "Texas" and "Oregon" rushed to her aid. It was soon apparent +that the Spaniards were more intent on running than fighting. +Nevertheless, they kept up a rapid fire, but showed the bad +marksmanship which characterized Montojo's gunners at Manila. One +shell from the "Oquendo" crashed through the pilot-house of the +"Texas" just after Captain Philip had left it for the securer retreat +of the conning tower, and one exploded in the smokestack. These were +about the most effective shots aimed by the enemy. + +A correspondent of the New York "Journal" and the "Sun" stationed +aboard the "Texas" sent the most graphic account of the battle which +has at this date, July 6, been printed. Some extracts from it will +give a clear account of the fighting: + + "Almost before the leading ship was clear of the shadow of Morro + Castle the fight had begun. Admiral Cervera started it by a shell + from the 'Almirante Oquendo,' to which he had transferred his + flag. It struck none of the American vessels. In a twinkling the + big guns of the 'Texas' belched forth their thunder, which was + followed immediately by a heavy fire from our other ships. The + Spaniards turned to the westward under full steam, pouring a + constant fire on our ships, and evidently hoping to get away by + their superior speed. + + "The 'Texas,' still heading in shore, kept up a hot exchange of + shots with the foremost ships, which gradually drew away to the + westward under the shadow of the hills. The third of the Spanish + vessels, the 'Vizcaya' or 'Infanta Maria Teresa,' was caught by + the 'Texas' in good fighting range, and it was she that engaged + the chief attention of the first battle-ship commissioned in the + American Navy. The 'Texas' steamed west with her adversary, and + as she could not catch her with speed she did with her shells. + + "The din of the guns was so terrific that orders had to be yelled + close to the messengers' ears, and at times the smoke was so + thick that absolutely nothing could be seen. Once or twice the + 12-inch guns in the turrets were swung across the ship and fired. + The concussion shook the great vessel as though she had been + struck by a great ball, and everything movable was splintered. + The men near the guns were thrown flat on their faces. + + "Meanwhile the 'Oregon' had come in on the run. She passed the + 'Texas' and chased after Commodore Schley, on the 'Brooklyn,' to + head off the foremost of the Spanish ships. The 'Iowa' also + turned her course westward, and kept up a hot fire on the running + enemy. + + "At 10.10 o'clock the third of the Spanish ships, the one that + had been exchanging compliments with the 'Texas,' was seen to be + on fire and a mighty cheer went up from our ships. The Spaniard + headed for the shore and the 'Texas' turned her attention to the + one following. The 'Brooklyn' and 'Oregon,' after a few parting + shots, also left her contemptuously and made all steam and shell + after the foremost two of the Spanish ships, the 'Almirante + Oquendo' and the 'Cristobal Colon.' + + "Just then the two torpedo-boat destroyers 'Pluton' and 'Furor' + were discovered. They had come out after the cruisers without + being seen, and were boldly heading west down the coast. 'All + small guns on the torpedo boats' was the order on the 'Texas,' + and in an instant a hail of shot was pouring all about them. A + 6-pounder from the starboard battery of the 'Texas,' under Ensign + Gise, struck the foremost torpedo boat fairly in the boiler. + + "A rending sound was heard above the roar of battle. A great + spout of black smoke shot up from that destroyer and she was out + of commission. The 'Iowa,' which was coming up fast, threw a few + complimentary shots at the second torpedo-boat destroyer and + passed on. The little 'Gloucester,' formerly a yacht, then sailed + in and finished the second boat." + +The "Gloucester" of which the correspondent speaks was in command of +Lieutenant-Commander Wainwright, who had been the executive officer of +the "Maine." For two months after the disaster to that vessel +Wainwright lived on a United States ship in the harbor of Havana, +refusing to set foot on shore until he could go "with a landing party +of marines." In his attack on the torpedo-boat destroyers--vastly +superior to his craft in weight and armament--he threw prudence to the +winds and fought with a fierceness bred of bitter hatred for the Dons. +His was the most stirring display of personal courage shown on a day +when all were brave. + +To return to the correspondent's account: + + "Gun for gun and shot for shot the running fight was kept up + between the Spanish cruisers and the four American vessels. At + 10.30 o'clock the 'Infanta Maria Teresa' and 'Vizcaya' were + almost on the beach, and were evidently in distress. As the + 'Texas' was firing at them a white flag was run up on the one + nearest her. 'Cease firing,' called Captain Philip, and a moment + later both the Spaniards were beached. Clouds of black smoke + arose from each, and bright flashes of flame could be seen + shining through the smoke. Boats were visible putting out from + the cruisers to the shore. The 'Iowa' waited to see that the two + warships were really out of the fight, and it did not take her + long to determine that they would never fight again. The Iowa' + herself had suffered some very hard knocks. + + "The 'Brooklyn,' 'Oregon' and 'Texas' pushed ahead after the + 'Colon' and 'Almirante Oquendo,' which were now running the race + of their lives along the coast. At 10.50 o'clock, when Admiral + Cervera's flagship, the 'Almirante Oquendo,' suddenly headed in + shore, she had the 'Brooklyn' and 'Oregon' abeam and the 'Texas' + astern. 'The Brooklyn' and 'Oregon' pushed on after the + 'Cristobal Colon,' which was making fine time and which looked as + if she might escape, leaving the 'Texas' to finish the 'Almirante + Oquendo.' This work did not take long. The Spanish ship was + already burning. At 11.05 o'clock down came a yellow and red flag + at her stern. Just as the 'Texas' got abeam of her she was shaken + by a mighty explosion. + + "The crew of the 'Texas' started to cheer. 'Don't cheer, because + the poor devils are dying,' called Captain Philip, and the + 'Texas' left the 'Almirante Oquendo' to her fate to join in the + chase of the 'Cristobal Colon.' + + "That ship in desperation was plowing the waters at a rate that + caused the fast 'Brooklyn' trouble. The 'Oregon' made great speed + for a battle-ship, and the 'Texas' made the effort of her life. + Never since her trial trip had she made such time. + + "The 'Brooklyn' might have proved a match to the 'Cristobal + Colon' in speed, but she was not supposed to be her match in + strength. + + "It would never do to allow even one of the Spanish ships to get + away. Straight into the west the strongest chase of modern times + took place. The 'Brooklyn' headed the pursuers. She stood well + out from the shore in order to try to cut off the 'Cristobal + Colon' at a point jutting out into the sea far ahead. The + 'Oregon' kept a middle course about a mile from the cruiser. The + desperate Don ran close along the shore, and now and then he + threw a shell of defiance. The old 'Texas' kept well up in the + chase under forced draught for over two hours. + + "The fleet Spaniard led the Americans a merry chase, but she had + no chance. The 'Brooklyn' gradually forged ahead, so that the + escape of the 'Cristobal Colon' was cut off at the point above + mentioned. The 'Oregon' was abeam of the 'Colon' then, and the + gallant Don gave it up. + + "At 1.15 o'clock he headed for the shore, and five minutes later + down came the Spanish flag. None of our ships was then within a + mile of her, but her escape was cut off. The 'Texas,' 'Oregon' + and 'Brooklyn' closed in on her and stopped their engines a few + hundred yards away. + + "Commodore Schley left the 'Brooklyn' in a small boat and went + aboard the 'Cristobal Colon' and received the surrender. Meantime + the 'New York,' with Admiral Sampson on board, and the 'Vixen' + were coming up on the run. Commodore Schley signaled to Admiral + Sampson; 'We have won a great victory; details will be + communicated.' + + "Then for an hour after the surrender in that little cove under + the high hills was a general Fourth of July celebration, though a + little premature. Our ships cheered one another, the captains + indulged in compliments through the megaphones, and the 'Oregon' + got out its band, and the strains of the 'Star-Spangled Banner' + echoed over the lines of Spaniards drawn up on the deck of the + last of the Spanish fleet, and up over the lofty green-tipped + hills of the Cuban mountains. + + "Commodore Schley, coming alongside the 'Texas' from the + 'Cristobal Colon' in his gig, called out cheerily, 'It was a nice + fight, Jack, wasn't it?' + + "The veterans of the 'Texas' lined up and gave three hearty + cheers and a tiger for their old commander-in-chief. Captain + Philip called all hands to the quarter-deck, and with bared head, + thanked God for the almost bloodless victory. + + "'I want to make public acknowledgment here,' he said, 'that I + believe in God the Father Almighty. I want all you officers and + men to lift your hats and from your hearts offer silent thanks to + the Almighty.' "All hats were off. There was a moment or two of + absolute silence, and then the overwrought feelings of the ship's + company relieved themselves in three hearty cheers for their + beloved commander." + +By this victory the naval power of Spain was effectively and finally +crushed. She lost four fine armored ships and two large destroyers. In +killed, wounded and prisoners her loss exceeded eighteen hundred men, +while but one American was slain. Among the prisoners was Admiral +Cervera, whose dignified bearing in the presence of disaster won for +him the high regard of the Americans, his foes. The value of the +property lost to bankrupt Spain exceeded thirteen million dollars, and +it is probable that before these words reach the reader the final +price of Cervera's daring dash will be paid by the surrender of +Santiago. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Naval History of the United States, by +Willis J. Abbot + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK NAVAL HISTORY *** + +***** This file should be named 26416.txt or 26416.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/6/4/1/26416/ + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Christine P. Travers and +the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +http://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at http://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +http://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at http://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit http://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: http://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + http://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. |