The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1851-05-14

kept cheering with all their might.
cheered withthem, though confess
| scarcely knew for what. Certainly
there was nothing very inspiriting in
the aspect Of things where was sta
toned. So terrible had been the
work Of destruction round us, it was
termed the slaughtcrhouse. Not on
ly had we had several men and boys
killed and wounded, but several of
the guns were disabled. The one I
belonged to, had q piece of the muz-
zle knocked out: and when tho ship
rolled, it struck beam Of the uppo..
deck with such force as to become
iammcd and fixed in that position. A
twenty four pound shot had also
passed through the screen of the
magazine, Immediately over the ori-
fee through which we passed our pow
der. The schoolmaster received a
death wound. The brave boatswain,
who came from tho sick bed to the din
of battle, was fastening q stopper on
the back stay which was shot away,
when his head was smashed to pieces
by cannon ball; another man going
to complete the unfinished task, was
also struck down. Another of our
midshipmcn also received a severe
wound. The unfortunate ward room
steward, who attempted to cut his
throat on former occasion, was kill.
cd. A fellow named John, who for
some petty offence, had been sent on
board as punishment, was carried
past INC wounded. l distinctly heard
the large blood drops fall pat, pat, pat,
OIL the deck; his wounds were mortal.
Even a poor goat, kept by the officers
for her milk, did not escape the gen.
eral carnage; her hind legs were shot
Of, and poor Nan was thrown over
board.
Such was the terrible scene amid
which VIC kept on shouting and firing.
Our men fought like tigers. Some
of them pulled off their jackets others
their jackets, and vests; while some
still more determined, had taken off
their shirts, and, with nothing but a
handkerchief tied around the waist
bands of their trousers, fought like
heroes also observed boy nam
ed Cooper, stationed at gun some
distance from the magazine. lie
came to and fro on the full run, and
appearing to be as merry as a crick-
Ct The third liutcnant chccrcd
him occasionally, by saying 'Well
done my brave boy, you arc worth
your weight in gold.
/ have been asked what were MY
feelings during this fight. / felt
pretty much as | suppose every enc
does at such a time. That men are
without thought when they stand
amid the dying and the dead. is too
absurd an idea to be entertained a
momtnf, Wei all appeared cheer
full, bt& know that . nogy ls 4. i,,;3s ss)i2se
what could VIC ttly%j5,Sy = ,l ~ f.f JS4ii-
blancc, at least Of animation? To
run from our quarters would have
been certain death from the hands of
our own officers; to give way to gloom
to show fear would do no good, and
might brand us with the name Of
towards, and insure certain defeat
Our only trre philosophy, therefore,
was to make the best Of our situation,
BY fighting bravclY and chccrtnlly.
| thought great deal, however, of
the other world; every groan, every
falling man, told me that the next
instant mi yht be before the July
Of all the earth. For this felt un.
prepared; but being without any par
ticular knowledge Of rcli ligious truth.
| satisfied myself by repeating again
and again the Lords prayer. and
promising thatifhc spared me ] would
be more attentive to religious du,ics
than ever before. This promise
had no doubt at the time, Of keeping:
but l have learned since that it is
easier to make promises amid the
roar of the battles thunder, or in the
horrors of shipwrcck. than to keep
them when danger is absent, and safe.
ty smiles upon our path
While these thoughts secretly agi-
tatcd my bosom, the din Of the battle
Continued. Grape and canister shot
were pouring through our port holes
like leadcn hail, carrying death in
their trail. The large shot came
against The ships side like iron hail
shaking her to the very keel, or pass.
ing through her timbcrs, and scatter.
Ing terrific spllntcrs, which did even
a more appalling work tlian their
own dcath-giving blows. The read.
cr may form an idea of the effect
of the grape and canister, when he
is told that grape shot is formed by
seven or eight balls confined to an
iron and tied in a cloth. These balls
arc scattered by the explosion Of the