The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1860-1863, 1862-04-17
FROM ISLAND NO. TEN.
Sublime Night Spectacle.
THE PiTTsBURG RUNS TIE BLOCK.
AIDE.
Mean ISLAND No. 20. April 7.

NEAR lHLAhD Nv ~ r pm l.
Last night was one Of fearful anxiety
TO all on board the feet. The sue ess Of
the Carondolet in running the blockade
on Friday night, had convinced the Com
modore ofths propriely Of attempting Ii
once more. Upon this occasion the Phts'
burg, Captain Thompson. was chosen
Late 10 the afternoon she COAL d. and Of
ter dark commenced her preparations for
the syeniiul and hazardous voyage. The
night was most auspicious. and by sing
ular coincidence similar in character to
that upon which the CarOndolst veal
through. About midnight the neon
went down into dark bank of Clouds
Distant flashes upon tie horizon, aud the
low rumble Of thunder ,prophccicd the ad-
veut OF another storm. The clouds piled
heavier aud heavier, and about hall past
one it conn encfd raining. AT two, the
I PittSburg hauled out in the stream, every
light extiugulshed, ports closed, aud haV-
iug in tow two barges Of hay and one OF
Goa which served as an excellent prJec'
ton 10 her exposed brosdsides. | watch
ed her as she Hoated by US, visible only
for minute, seemingly like some black
phantom Of the night. The mkt miunIe
Ghe lad disappeared in the darkness, but
could still trace her course by ihe black
streams Of smoke pouring out from her
Chimneys. Onward she made her way to-
ward The Kentucky battery, spiked few
Dights since. Eagerly We watched and
lsteuened for the senliDel's alarm She
glidcd past il without being observed, Tut
II moment afterward the rirg Of musketry
told that she was discovered. Signal
muskets answered all along the line Of the
main shore, and from the Island. Light'
= CLEANED one after the other, and we knew
:. then that tbs whole force were al thi
l. guns. There was u mysterious silence
which only made US the more anxious. L
was soon broken. A brigh. flash gleam
a ed in the darkness, and tie next insian
!, came savage roar, announcing tbst The
. ball was opened.
o As she proceeded down flashes leapet
from poiut to point, and roar after roal
broke upon the night. Sometimes a sol
;. taIy gun, then five or six others all a
i. once until the Garth fairly reeled and tn
:. sky was painted with living red. Fo
!, hall an hour the caunonading was inces
- SAINT aad terrific. Old man ol-Ear'6 me
.. tell me they never heard a more terrlbl
= one. Join 10 lhis the binding flashes I
d lightning and the heavy peals Of Heaven
ID artillery, and it formed picture of ssrr
ID bic sublimity ard awful majesty whic
,. might have surpassed even the wIdei
- flights of Rembrandt in hs darkest mood
n. AS the Pitlsburg neared the lsland--fc
of We could tIsce her course by the firing
II again the cannonading was resumed =
IN Vollry afer volley Of muskstry Was fire
with the utmost rapidity and kept up fc
ts several minutes, indicating the pr ssnc
m of Two or three regiments Of soldiers. III
= firing again died away, indicating th'
h. the Rubieon was passed. D..
rn About FIVE minutes after, the sen,ine
y; at The Kentucky battery again gave the
IN arm, and the cannonading was again T
to sumcd, this time up the river. The
MS were tVldently impressed WIN wv III
Oh that the whole fleet were coming doV
nd upon them. The cannonading was ke
Ii. up for about ten minutes, the riff
he shots flying about us with most intern
If, scream. One might as we'll attempt
improve the rainbow with pant pot al
& brush rs to describe the flight and scrts
IN. of rihed projectiIc. 1t is sound
SIS. Sc unlike any other have ever hear
ola and to be appreciated or even imagine
- it must be heard. 1t is sufficient that
ew is sound which will always lingcr
on, ones memory. Oyer 500 shots in
, to we're fred at the Pittsburg, and as
OF cannonading directed against her last
,m only about twenty minutes, one can 70
DAD some idea of its fearful lapidiIy.
t Of The firing was kept up at long inter
,ro. all through The night until five o clock
cut morning, when it ceased altogether