The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1861-11-22
THE WEEKLY PIONEER AND DEMOCRAT.

crying, "Great God Great God Great
God The Yankees are coming fire the
boats" Other slaves reported that when
the white folks see the little boats coming
up, dey LATED at dem, but when they see
de big checker.sided vessels comm, dey
LATED on de oder side der moufs."
vAaARIEs OF THE SHOT.
Some of the shots played queer pranks.
One solid Columbiad shot 100 pounds
weight ricocheted four times after striking
the water, and then seemed about to pass
through the Bienville just above the water
line, when it suddenly took flying leap
clean over the latter ship, passing 10 or II
feet above her decks, and struck the Au-
gusta, which lay 20 or 40 yards beyond the
Bienville.
BEHAVIOR OF OUR MEN,
But very few of our sailors had ever
been in action before, owing to the peaceful
condition of our National affairs of late
years, which have entailed no wars on us :;
but cannot learn that single man finch
ed or faltered. Several of the captains
have told me that they look upon their men
as already veterans in point of bravery,
coo!ness, and utter Indifference to danger.
A BRAVE BOY.
On almost every vessel, after the fight,
the men were called aft and publicly thank.
ed by their respective captains. On the
ship Bienville, particular mention was made
and special thanks returned, in presence of
the ships company, to William Henry
Steele, boy not IA years old, who con-
Quoted himself with distinguished bravery.
He is powder-boy, and not only never
finched or lodged shot, but when two
men were killed at his gun he did not turn
pale or cease for an instant his duties, but
handed the cartridge be had in his hand to
the gunner, stepped carefully over the bod
les, and FASTENED below for more ammuni-
ton. Young Steele is a smart, active, in
telligent boy, from Williamsburgh, N. Y,
where his parents live. He cannot fail to
make such sailor as bis country will yet be
proud of.
COST OF THE BATTLE.
The Wabash fired during the entire &C
ton, 900 shots, being all 8, 9, 10 and IL
inch shells, with the exception of a few rifed
cannon prOjectiles of new pattern, and
which were used simply as matter of ex
pertinent. The Susquehanna fired 500 shots,
the Bienville 185, and the average of the
gunbOats and the other smaller ships may
probably be set down at $50 EACH There
were, in all, 10 vessels engaged on our side,
and probably from all of them were fired
not far from $500 shot and she'll at the two
forts, Walker and Beauregard, the four gun
battery, and the three steamers.
The average cost of each shot, reckoning
shell, round shot and rifed cannon projec-
tiles of peculiar make, and taking into ac-
count tn value of the powder used to fire
them, may be set down at about IS. Thus
the burned powder and broken shell iron of
the battle of Port Royal may be set down
as having cost the country not less than
$4,000. Reckoning then a few items of
this battle, beginning with the immense
cost of this feet, which has been preparing
since August last, the pay of the soldiers
the value of their food, and the expense of
the two lost vessels on a very moderate
scale, it will be seen that battles are an ex.
pensive amusement even for great coun.
try" A few, very few, items of the ex-
pense OF the show would foot up something
like this (:
Rent of the vessels up to this time,
say ................... $4,000, 900
Pay of the soldiers, &c. up to this
time. 100000
Value of rati0ns consumed up to
this time .................. 100000
Value of clothing worn out up to
this time. ..................... 5000
Value of powder burned. .......... $4,000
Value of the Governor and Peerless,
lost. on the Catiline scale $4,000. 100000
Total. Observation-Disclosures. "a, 1868 900
Let some political economist add to this
the losses to the country of the labor of so
many men, and compute other expenses
more in his way than mine-my arithmeti.
cal guess work has brought the country
into most expensive predicament already.