Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1862-05-13

! us below they are brlian blaze. and rising
from the flames is u spiral, fuauel-shaped cloud
OF graylsh black smoke, so lense AZ 20 shut
from the fort and all else IN hat direction -
Nearer and nearer these seemingly formidable
rats approach, but they occason ycry little anx-
iely. We know how to disp4s Of them. The
sailors from the large chips ars called out Of the
rigging, which they have been germitted to oc-
cupy as interested spectators o the battle. and
in a short time boats have the RATS IN tow and
they are landed on the river balk to burn way.
We all confess to an admiratla Of these pyro.
tecnic displays. They add vasIy TO the pictur
esqueness Of our surroundings, Ind are perfectly
harmless.
The brave fellows on the sciooners did not
relax their fire during this exciting interludc.-
The quick, sharp bark OF the nortars was in
csssant. Following each repr is an awful
rushing whirr-r-r-rr, as though ten thou
sand humming tops were whirlog in the air.
Each bomb-shell when filled, Weighs about 2l5
pounds, and the charge is graduated according
! ~ the distance which the missile is REQUIRED 10
reach We use here from hIren to twenty
pounds Of powder at each discharge, and the
length OF the fuses Is forty five seconds. Watch
bomb from the time 1t leaves tue mortar until
it explodes, and 1t seems astonhlngIy long on
the passage. They are thrown at great eleya-
ton, and describe tha arc OF a circle IN their
course. the extreme altitude OF which is about
equal 10 the length Of the base The practice
was pronounced 10 be excellent Every bomb
! plunged 10 and about the fort, marking the
! place OF It's tall by throwing Up co umns Of
| gray earth, which looked like fountains OF mud
dy water, or, ii exploding in tle air, By tile
1 spIashes winch the scattered fragments made as
they dropped into the river, or ank deep INTO
the oozy SOIL Il Its banks.
The war Yagod in this way al. day. At in
i tcryals the fire Of the enemy was brsker than
at others. \. nearly as we c.4id Judge the
rebels were unable to stand long under our lire
at the aarbetIo guns, but retreate1 b their case.
mate, where, having gained rest aada fresh sup
/ ply OF courage, they would return only To be
driven away again alter firing a sw rounds. -
About o'clock p. NJ, ne obaEyed flames.
apparently IN the centre Of Fort Jackson, and
! tier it broke out there was no further firing
/ from either iort At nighttall signal was
made from tile Harriet Lane, for the schooners
20 cease operations, and the Digu: was passed
ia quiet, without even ire-rah 4pIearing to
disturb eur repose
The mortar fleet, worn out BY uuceasing toll =,
had been greatly dissatisfied for toe past day or
two, because the large vessels ioJk no part IN
the action. The men were sAaplstely iaoed
with their laboTs, without receiving much en-
cOuragemeut as 10 the adyanage which had re-
suited thereirom. Ii was re,liy pItliul sight
To 20 On board the schOoners ami lo0k at them.
have seen them when relieved from duty 50
exhausted that they did not attempt to 20 be-
low. but, dropping upon be deck, seek sleep
amid the Internal din OF he hring. A. each
discharge the vessels shyered and vlbrated as 1t
each plank and timber Were lung upon hinges,
making everything movable Cauce and clatter,
the lateral concussIon OF the atmosphere being
| turcbie enough to shatter, as u DID, bulwarks
and other llght woodwork, ari striking upon
the tympauum with painful ring, productive
OF headache and deafness. required heroes
to endure this long continued strain upon the
physical organization, and as such | shall always
look upon these mortar men. | verify believe
that II the lorts could not haze been reduced
except through thelr agency, that every man
would have continued at his pSt unmurmurlng-
ly; but it was tantalzlng to see those large YES.
sells quietly at anchor, when 1t was plain to un-
derstand that they must eventually take part in
the delay. The cham barrier had been cut
three nights before, and the old hulks which
supported II were trailing along the riyer-bauk,
where the tide had swept them. When it be-
came known positively on " ednesday night that
CommOuore farragut would certainly move hls
squadron AZ o'clock the mex, morning, every
body was made happy and The wearlad men
looked eagerly for the moment which was Il
bring lhem relief.
The night was calm and starlight the ssren.
ny OF the scene being rudeiv broken upon eycry
ten minutes by the bang oi d mortar IRON ract
OF the vessels OF the division on watch. which
awakened echoes and rolled the sound IN reyer.
beratlng waves far down the river. The rchs,
all day had preserved an omin1us silence Nol
single gun bad been fired from either fort and
the tact argued that they had either tyacuate,
their position, or were rrSerying their ammuni
ton IN anticipation OF the grand attack Fol
myself | could not think ot Sleep becaus. of m,
anxiety Tor the success of the InOmentous under
taking which was soon to commence. | passel
the slow hours IA gazing at the dark outlinrs o
the vessels. a death-like stiffness hung over ey
cry snip, unTeheyed by the talntest ghmmer o.
{ lamplight
here were no warm colors in the nicture
F and Its cold, dreary aspect Was suggestive O
any but pleasant thoughts, Precisely At tw,
O'Clock two signal lanterns Were hoistcd upol
the Hartford mizzen peak, and IN a few mo
ments the voices OF the boutswains rang CLEARLY
over the river up all hammocks." whci
, mean, that the men were 10 iOrego their slcei
and get the ships uuderNeigh, There was SOM
delay in getting up anchors, and ranging mt
position, ard 1t was not until three aud one-hal
O'Clock tbar the vessels began to move. whol
they did IN three divisions.
f As soon as the vessels got under headway,
/ furious fire was thrawn ia tae direction of tbt
forts from the whole line OF mortryessals. whie
seemed to shake the very waters, and Mt time
g could count nine bombs ut once in their airb
t as they ,wnkled through the air radlantly a
5 Ealing stars. The rebels seemed cogni4anl o