The Avoyelles pelican. [volume] (Marksville [La.]) 1859-186?, 1863-03-21

sas.l
arIk hidden behind Their iron siilss,f
lis|ing iprth their liquid iiiye
s E4;stIs Of III 3 :epuf en- be5s
tie meantime, The three steamers
At Nj walf we're making hasty l1reparsas
tiioE to Ieave and thu Louis D g )r,,l||
..tll was mooretl lower than The centrsssfal
seeded at ono inc almost within tlisiT
r5Ih; but, not hing tlssa1ntesl, she grace
fiji bent her way aroullfl towards The
uper point and MAS the first % Ind saf-
-. dn iljgslst and still, silent as death,
zoo |tfowlling batteries held back their
athaatr i'll wrap ii darkness, our
#sf4ly c;,ilnalee and ualsno we'd ttleir
IS -paE aud oily discovered tht.iir grim vis.
as when tie Hash of the ene,n j S shells
& sI over tllrir heads. But, bark n
dip soice has spoke,l----it is Col. Smith !.
| II|eunlnanas Il The uIlperinost battery j
Iab pound Tile Parrot--then, q blue
ytcillating light is seen to ficker--it1
il she Ere Iance5of The gunner !. Com
mhcc firing" says the calm voice, and
tiIil, a fash, report, and the loud
nsieal whistle. of the iron messenger
| Erig tlirougl, tho air. Il is ot,r signal.
Nv the enemy has come within closer
,ibge, anel.the Southern boys, who have
81 powder to waste, have commenced
lr, el,allsnga. tRnt theirs IS not the
HE Of tie hireling crew of the river there
below; whose cowardice sinks into ex.
,tration in the linninglseu at a thou7
sand guns fired 1t random by their trem
LING hands. Nte-it is tho slow, steady,
Deliberate aim Of the brave, whose eye
is li,ndimmed and whose hand is nnsha-
ken BY fear, DEG Gournay's battery, be-
ing the lowest, has a better sight Of the
piratical fleet and is keeping mp the
sbfiskest fire, to which the enemy replies
.by wildevolleys, intended no doubt to
rdyer tie movements Of the = Essex
OF other iron-elads. which will attempt
I'd, pass unscath-d through the food Of
iiGp.
.But, alasI ,our boat has at last sue-
cAded in getting up steam, afld, being
charge Of Government property Of the
greatest importance and value to Wes-
tern Louisiana. we cannot discard our
imperative orders and weare soon steam
iir,g ii,g up the river and from. its middle
stream enjoy still better View Of the
raging contest.
II Is now evident that the rapid firing
of the fleet has SO much heated their guns
or strained their crafts, that they are
Stacking and, although still terrific, then
fire is not SO wild. Whilst our batter.
iits, never excited, still keep up theirs
at the same regular intervals.
But we have now passed the poin
that forms the upper bend above the
Forts, and blazing pineknof fire, intended
Is asignal, is sending itsl lurid glare over
yass5Fs 81 }Hsys Wi sRWay tayns1 thft pejnI
ba{ants, when suddenly the firing "
comes more furious-ev vessel sends
|lroarside after broad side; our batterieI
/ fire with more rapidity and in tlesliglt Q
exploding shells, we perceive q blacl
mass, not issuing even a SPARKLE MOVING
MP past the Fort! O! the brave oil
Parrot! Hear her now whistle viii
Irsgel 4 Size the streak Of electric lig!1
Ehcr missiles leave behind
Has 1the pirate passed ? Has sh,
|.baAied the brave gun We know not
bat in few moments, allow, Ions
black hull, with slender spars, ,Sinterpose
its bulky form between us, and the fr,
atthe point! Surely then shehas passes
Eour batteries but no see her now TAX
a Iurch, stop, and suddenly hug tile shore
|sas ikjn mortal embrace! She is aground
t4{ther badly disabled, or sinking :
soon, no doubt, All easy prey to our Cav
airy on the rigll bank. ,Thissis the las
Eoi the active scenes ofthe fight we wit
messed Distance soon shut out evei
the thu1idarn our batteries and nothinl
but 4 distant flash, like that Of assnnl
fmer evening, g,tells us Of the conflict rag
ing below.
Bdt take It FOR granted that Por
Hudson wilfnot, shall mot and canno
fall. The Vandals may pass, one .
more Of their iron-elads. piliage, deyas
tate eyehthis rich region, but open TIL
Mississippi river TO the fhievinss traders
never.
] II. ST. p 49,,
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