Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-05-28
DEPARTURES.
Correspondence of the y. Y. Sunday Mercury.
Letter from Orpheus &. Kerr.
TRIUMPH OF NAVAL ARCHITECTURE-CAP
TURE OF PARIS, &C.. sc.

TRIUMPH OF NAVAL ARCHITECTURE-CAP-
TURE OF PARIS, &C., sc.
have Just returned my boy, from witnes-
sing one of the most tremendous battles of
modern times and shall see star-spangled
banners in every sunset for six months to
come.
Hearing that the Southern Confederacy had
evacuated Yorktown, for the reason that the
Last Ditch had moved on the first of May to
place where there would be less rent from our
cannon, started early in the week for the
quarters of the valorous and anguinary
Mackerel Brigade, expecting that it had gone
toward Richmond for life, liberty, and the
pursuit of happiness.
On reaching the Peninsula, however, /
learned that the Mackerel "corps dammee" p"
had been left behind to capture the city of
Paris in cooperation with squadron.
Reaching the stamping ground, my boy,
beheld a scene at once unique and impressive.
Each individual Mackerel was seated on the
ground, with a sheet of paper across his knees
and an ink bottle beside him, writing like an
inspired poet
approached Captain William Brown, who
was covering some bare spots on his geometri-
cal steed Euclid with pieces sciSsored out of
an old hair-trunk, and says l.:
Tell me, my noble Hector, what means
this literary scene which mine eyes behold?"
"Ahp saws William, setting down his glue
/ pot, 1we are about to engage in a skirmmage
| from which not one OF us may come out alive.
/ These heroic beings" saws William, ''are ready
/ to die for their country at sight, and YOU now
behold them making their wills We shall
march upon Paris" SAYS William, as soon
/ hear from Sergeant 0'Pake, who has been
/ sent to destroy a mill-lam belonging TO the
Southern Confederacy. Come with me, my
nice little boy, and look at the squadron to
take part in the attack"
This squadron. my boy, consisted of one
2S-inch row boat, mounting 12-inch swivel,
and commanded BY Com. Head, late of the
canal-boat service 1t is iron-plated after a
peculiar manner. When the ingenious chap
who was to iron-plate it commenced his work,
Com. Head ordered him to put the templates
on the INSIDE of the boat, instead of the out
side. as in the case of the Monitor and Galena.
What do YOU mean?' saws the contractor.
..Whv," saws the Commodore. - amt them
iron-plates intended to protect the crew?'
Yes" SAYS the contractor.
"Well. then. YOU poor ignorant cuss,' says
the commodore, in great passion, "what do
YOU want to put the plates on the outside for?
/ The crew won't be on the outside-will 1t?
+ The crew will be on the inside-won't it?
And now are YOU going to protect the crew on
the inside by putting iron-plates on the out
/ sideY"
Such reasoning. my boy. was convincing,
and the Mackerel Squadron Is plated inside
While was contemplating this new triumph
of American naval architecture, and wonder
ing what they would say about 1t IN Europe.
an orderly rode up and handed scrap OF
paper 20 William.
"Ha" SAYS William, perusing the message,
and then passing II to me, 1.-The veteran O'Pake
has not deceived the United States of Ameri-
ca"
The message was directed to the General
of the Mackerel Brigade, my boy, and read
as follows:
"GENERAI:-In accordance nth your or
ders, hare destroyed the mil d-H.
O'PAKE.-
And now" SAYS William. returning his can
teen to his bosom and pulling out his ruffles
1.-The United States of America Will proceed
: to capture Paris with great slaughter. Lee
the Brigade form in marching order, while
the fleet proceeds around by water. after the
manner Of Lord Nelson"
The Mackerel Brigade was quickly on the
March, hedueu %! tue uahu' VINO plaEeu al
: entirely new version OF Hail Columbia" or
his key-bugle. Tramp. tramp, tramp! and W,
found ourselves in position before Paris.
Paris, my boy. was city of two houses
previous to the recent great fire, which de
stroyed half of it. and we found it fortified
with strong picket fence and counterscarI
! earthworks, from the top of which frowneC
guns of great compass
I The Mackerel Brigade was at once formed
in-lne-of battle order-the line being no
quite as straight as an ordinary Pennsylvania
D railroad-while the feet menaeed the waite
front of the city from Duck Lake.