Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1862-04-17
FROM ISLAND NO. 10.
Sublime Nigh. Scene-The Pittsburg
N... fh. Es..l.1.


FROM ISLAND NO. 10.
Sublime Nigh. Scene-The Pittsburg
Runs the Blockade.
lCOrsspondsnee Of the Chicago Tibune.l
Mas ISLAND No. 10, April 2.
Last night was one Of fearful anxiety
to all on Board the feet. The success
Of the CarOndolet in running the block
sde on Friday night, had convinced
the Commodore Of the propriety Of at
tempting ID once more. Upon this oc-
casion the Pittsburg. Captain Thomp-
son, was chosen. Late in the afternoon
she coaled, and after dark commenced
her preparations for the eventful and
hazardous voyage. Phe night was
most auspicious, and By singular coin
cidence similar IN character to that
upon which the Carondolent went
through. About midnight the moon
went down into dsrk bank Of clouds.
Distant flashes upon the horizon, and
the low rumble Of thunder, prophecie6
the advent Of another storm. The.
clouds piled heavier and heavier, and
about half past one It commenced rain
ing. At two O'Clock. the Pittsburg
hauled out in the stream, every light
extinguished, ports closed, and having
in tow two barges Of hay and one Of
coal, which served as an excellent pro-
lection to her exposed broadsides. T
watched her as she fioated by Us, Yisi-
bic only for a minute. seemingly like
some black phantom Of the night The
next minute she had disappeared in the
darkness, but l could still trace her
course by the. black streams Of smoke
pouring out from her chimnsys. On
ward she made her way tsWard the
Kentucky battery, spiked few nights
since. Eagerly we watched and list
ened for the sentiners alarm. She glil
ded past it without being observed. but
a moment sfterward the ring Of musset-
~ told that she was discovered. Single
muskets answered all along the line Of
the main shore, and from the Island
Lights cleaned one after the other, and
we knew then that the whole force
were at their guns. There was a mys-
terious silence, which only made us the
more anxious. It was soon broken.
A bright fash cleaned in the darkness,
and the next instant came savage
roar, announcing that the ball was
opened. f.
As she proceeded down flashes lesped
from point to point. and roar after roar
broke Hpon the night. Sometimes q
solitary gun, then five or six others all
at once, until the earth fairly rseled and
the sky was painted with living red
For half an hour the cannonading was
incessant and terrific. Old man-os-
wars men tell me they never heard
more terrible one. Join to this the
binding flashes Of lightning and the
heavy peals OF Heavens artillery, and
it formed picture of terrible sublimity
and awful majesty which might have
surpassed even the widest flights Of
Rembrandt in his darkest moods. As
the Pittsburg neared the lsland-foT
we could trace her course by the
fring-again the cannonading was re-
sumed. Volley after Volley Of musket-
ry was fred with the utmost rapidity
and kept up for several minutes, indica-
ting the presence of two or three regi-
ments OF soldiers. The firing again
died away, indicating that the RubicOn
was passed.
About FIVE minutes after, the sentinels
at the Kentucky battery again gave the
alarm, and the cannonading was again
resumed, this time up the river. They
were evidently impressed with the idea
that the whole feet were coming down
upon them. The cannonading was
kept up for about ten minutes, the rifed
shot flying about US with most infer
nal scream. One might as well attempt
to improve the rainbow with paint pot
and brush as to describe the fight and
scream Of a rifed projectile. 1t is a
sound per Sc unlike any other have
ever heard. and to be appreciated or
even imagined, must be heard. 1t is
sufficient that it is a sound which will
always hngsr in ones memory. Over
500 shots in all were fred at the Pitts
burg, and as the cannonadng directed
against her lasted only about twenty
minutes, one can form some idea OF its
fearful rapidity.
The firing was kept up at long inter
walls all through the night until FIVE
O'Clock this morning, when it ceased