Union County star and Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1859-1864, 1862-01-17
ARMY LETT TERS.
From the Linn Rifles.

From the Linn Rifles.
Last Tuesday evening about 4 O'Clock
| was running down between decks, TO
hunt quarters for some Of our men, and
met the Lieutenant Of the boat, Mr.. Car
penter, and the engineer, rushin-up. |
went to the side aud saw them lower the
Captains gig, and pull away across our
bow. went to the other side, by the
wheel, aud as | opened the glass doors,
the most awful screams Of drowning men
met my ears. then went on to the hur-
rcaue deck, where the Captain ot the YES
sci, Capt. Bennett, the Colonel, reporters
aud officers were gathered. The moon,
though shining, was obscured, aud We
could only see little black boats dartlu 9
towards the spot. The hoarse cries OF
drowning men, screams, oa;hs, curses,
prayers, all intermingled, black hu!led
steamer lying there, left Us IN painful IN
certainty Of the extent Of the disaster
From the noise and confusion we thought
transport filed with troops was slukIng.
One reporter imagined that he saw the
black hulled steamer sinking. Indeed 1t
was a time when you might imagine the
worst. "Ob, am drownIng" "Help. :.
gasped one .'Let 60 my leg " cried au-
other. We could hear all these things,
and in the darkness we were left to hi up
the picture, each one TO his fancy. Above
all the din and confusion | beard one hrm,
manly voice cry out-the husky voice OF
a sai!cr-"EAsy there, its all right, keep
quiet" and at once the confusion appeared
TO subside Mr. Carpenter returned report
ing that he had rescued four men, three
cinging to the surf-bo and one to the
wheel, nearly exhausted. Some one on
the steamer had given the order to start 1t
up. lust as he arrived he called TO them
TO stop. A man in his sblrt-slceves on
the steamer asked him, "Who the devil
are you?" "If had you by the throat d
show YOU who am" His ordering him
to stop, saved the man clinging to the
wheel and others from death The stea-
mer, as far as he could learn, had run
over boat containing % men and ~
we're saved. The Colonel and Capt. Ben
net and the reporters went over to the
"Chasseur," to which the rescued were
taken, and found they belonged to the 2lst
Mass. Some were very much exhausted,
and four were missing. We learned The
next morning, that all were recovered,
and that the missing had not been in the
boat at all, and came on board in the NOR
ming. One can imagine the feelings OF
their comrades, after thinking of them
beinc in their cold wa,ery graves, all night,
or swept out toward the ocean BY the
dark swift current, to sec them come back
m over the side of the vessel in the bright
sunlight of the morning, in full vigor Of
life.
Wednesday was indeed bright and
beautiful day There could be no finer
scene, than we had from the deck OF our
vessel. The river full of vessels, 40
steamers and ships, crowded with men.
The wind blowing briskly, waters spark
libg 10 the sunlight, little boats playing
to aud fro. The picturesque shore-the
fine old town, seen to perhaps greater ad-
vantage from here than elseshere-is
was scene shall not soon forget. About
8 o'clock in the afternoon, the brig Dragon
and the Scout were ,owed up and hitehed
to ours. We were hourl in expectation
Of roipp. Somewhat after dark, l was
standing on deck, little boat came around
our stern, "Cossack" sung out Lieut. Nor
tis voice. "Aye Aye" "Col. Hartrantt
On board ?" ayes Sir" "Call him out"
Then we had our orders Keep bright I
ook out for three rockets, Euglneer then .
yet up steam One gun, first brigade Will
tart; two guns, second: three, the third
Norris looks as gay in his gig as he does
IN his bay. And now the evening is spent
,mopg the officers discussing our destlna-
ion. Lieut. Blair has comic plausible
me. The "Cossack" will land at APpa-
acLicola bay, Florida, push on and take
7 'alahassa aud the railroad. Lieut.Col. Bell
d the Scout will land al Cedar Keys and