Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1863-05-01
,witzers up the Nansemond to practice on

the enemy. .la .f.e@3 Is ta@G
14th.-Ben Simmons, (Capt. of the fore.
castle) was up the Nansemond with lot Of
ours, was in the act Of priming howitzer
when q ball from rebel sharpshooter struck
the lock and glancing struck Simmons,
wounding him slightly. He was brought
back last night and is in the sick-bay. He
exposed himself contrary to orders. a
15th.--There is anxiety for Yorktown.
The Crusader has gone up there. A regi-
ment was sent from the Fort last night to rc-
inforce Gen. Peck. Sharp is the word and
more mea must be hurried along or We may
lose Norfolk. We are sending off expedi
tions continually from this ship, in aid Of the
land forces. You see the Nanscmond is con-
venient for us to send supplies to the army.
Beside, our holding IT prevents the enemy
from crossing to take Suffolk, Norfolk, etc.
The river is lined with sharpshooters. Our
men have been up there four days, fighting
more or less all the time. The enemy had
some heavy batteries. 1t seems wonderful
ssIo< We ouhSlCu ~ HllIOs lWO VI WcTC
killed on the Mount Washington. One was
Sylvia (Portuguese) aged 25. A shell carr
ried off half his side. He fell over the rail
into the river. He called for help once or
twice. A friend ran and looked over tho side
but nothing could DO seen save the eddy
where he went down. The ball that struck
him had passed through tho boiler Tho
men jumped overheard and swan ashore.
They returned when the escaped steam clear.
ed away. The pilot lost a leg, and two 9TH
ers were wounded. The second man killed
was Cling (Swede) aged 80. Killed by
musket ball through the breast. He only
said: ~ am wounded and died immedi.
ately. - ..G
Sam Woods showed himself by firing
briskly with the howitzer from the boat he
was in. He would make ordinations Of
this kind as he fred :" Ha, you rascals ~
~ Cling was taken ashore from us and bu-
ried yesterday. Our men who have been up
the Nansemond say that II is awful Tho
hidden foe opens suddenly upon them, now
from one point and now from another, frc-
quently changing position. Our fellows
shelled the woods and blazed away at every
head they could see. Two Of them speaking
of Burtwistle (master's mate) said that altho'
he was religious man he could draw bead
as nicely as any man they ever saw. From
that infer that they think religious men
generally are not good for war. y = It ia
reported that eight rebel boats are at CITY
Point ready to come down. Also that ten
thousand men were sent to Gen'l Peck last
night. Gen'l Peck is chief in command of
our forces ut Suffolk. .... .# ..s
16th.-Our I'd Lieut. (Lawson) had COM
nand Of the fleet during the engagement
on the Nansemond. When the Mount Wash
ington was disabled and aground they sent
out her regular crew and Lawson took her
in charge having with him Burtwistlc and
about forty of our crew. They were under
fire ten hours while aground. She was hit
by at least 100 shot, 80 of them from the
artillery. She was bored through and thrS
in many places. Lawson gives the men a
great name 10 the Captain. They speaks
equally well Of him. He is good with the
rifle. Put it to his shoulder once during tho
engagement, pulled the trigger, and rebels
arms flew up as . jumped from the ground
and fell his length to perform no more on the
banks Of the Nansemond. a1