The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1856-06-20
A SHAM NAVAL FIGHT

A correspondent of the Cincinnati Times
thus describes the "sham fight" that was agot
up" to please the President, on the occasion
Of his visit to the new ship of war, the
Merrimaci
Half IN hour more was then spent in ex.
amning the vessel, her polite officers kindly
pointing out to us poor land-lubbers the de.
vice and use of the many strange appurtc.
nances and fxins to be seen above and below
deck. 1t soon began to be whispered around
that we were to have n sham battle, and while
everybody was inquiring of everybody else if
such thing was actually to take place, the
drums commenced beating to quarters. In an
instant every thing seemed to be in the
greatest confusion. Officers shouted incom.
prehenslble words through tin trumpets. The
men leaped hther and thiiher like insane
monkeys, handling ropes and preparing their
big guns for service. Powder boys swarmed
up from the lower decks, with huge cartridges
in leather buckets, and in few minutes all
the dread paraphernaia of battle was in
readiness. The mons,rous pivot guns were
wheeled around and pointed with the greatest
ease--the men were armed with pistols and
cntlnsses, and stood at thei posts, and all was
!
managed to stow themselves rs much M
possible out Of the way, and waited with
great anxiety Especially the ladies' and your
correspondent, who is awfully afraid of pi,nsA
the commencement of the battle.
"There was silence deep as death,
| And the boldest held his breath
| For time"
as Campbell says in his "Battle of the Nien
But we did not wait long, for Capt. Pen.
dergrast, taking his speaking trumpet, gave
the command: "Fi-st starboard battery, ready.
tlre!" and bang went half dozen of the buge
% Founders, with roar that shook the great
| snip from truck TO keel. But that was moth.
ing to what followed, us battery after battery.
IN rapid succession, exploded around. But
loud above the roar Of the Sc and 68 poun.
ders, could distinguish the mighty booming
OF the two great pivot guns, which throw
balls and shells of nearly two hundred pounds
weight. They could only be fired about once
IN TWO or three minutes, while the other guns
seemed to below necessarily. The cannon
ade kept up some twenty minutes, until we
were nearly stunned by the absolutely terrific
din, and the ship was completely enwrapped
IN thick canopy of sulphurous smoke
hen the call OF "Boarders away!" resounded
hoarsely along the deck, and part of the
crew, seizing their pixies and cutlasses. rushed
desperately to the place where an imaginary
enemy was supposed to be, and then ensued
terrible thrnsting Of pixies, cashing of cut
!asses. and popping of pistols, until the afore.
sad imaginary enemy was trumphanty
beaten off, and the marines, anxious to have
their share in the glory, loaded and fired into
the air with great expertness and bravery
And then il was discovered that the moGin,-
ry foe was attempting to board us over the
stern, and all hands-oflicers, sailors, and
marlnes-came tumbling back, flourishng
their weapons and looking excessively valiant.
And then the firing commenced over again,
hotter than ever; and in the midst of the
stoiming noise, the sharp and clear tones of n
bell gave warning that the ship was on fire.
Gan Imagination, of course.) A portion of
the guns ceased firing, and the crew, seizing
The hose and water buckets, prepared to del
uge us with cold water, but Captain Pender.
grast concluded to dispense with this per.
tormance.