Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1863-04-17


=" Does ye say anything to de man ?"
"No He comes and axes ye for de tick
So they had it as long as I was awake.
It was "de tickets" "de man." "de rail
road" all mixed up. They have lot Of
stuff like this continually. They all like
Portsmouth and Boston. Not one that I
have seen wishes to go back to Old Virginia,
whatever their masters or any other may say
to the contrary. l only state the facts. Elk.
cepting favorite house-servants, l never saw
a negro that liked to be slave. This saying
that they do not want their freedom is hum
bug. In the course of fifteen years, have
had frequent and ample opportunities fo1
observation in the slave States. have beer
for months, repeatedly, in all their princpa
ports, as Richmond, Norfolk, Charleston
Wilmington, Savannah, New Orleans, etc
Have lived in New Orleans year in and yea,
out. think know something about slaves
and slavery. Yet I was never what was
called abolitionist." s. Three Ericsson
batteries here now. Jim Laird says he car
sleep soundly, not being afraid of Merrimacs
when these salamanders are around.
30th.-Darkies under my hammock last
night singing John Brown" They all put
in strong when they came to
| &c And well hang JET Davis on tree
| Aswe 80 marching along"
Some Of their voices are splendid but th,
song is trash.
FEB. 4th.--Mikc Sullivan, the marine
Mike has always been very polite to me, tao
as general thing there is no love lost be
tween sailors and marines. At ten last nigh
went down the ladder where he was postct
as sentry to prevent any going down exccp
for water. got drink and was returning
to stem the northern blast when
.Nike.-Iley
X-Wcll?
Mikc.-Aint yese perished'
X-Its very cold, Mike.
-Nihe.-Ah, yes, it is. It's too cold 70
ycse. Go and stow yourself away where it.
warm. I'm minute was comfortably un
der the Ice Of gun. The next momen
along came six men bearing a dead bod,
from the sick bay. kept quiet and the,
passed on.)
p X-All hands just piped TO bury tn
dead. Chaplain offered prayer and then tn
coffin was passed out of port to be takel
ashore and buried. 1t is not five minute
since and that man is forgotten. Though
our crew is made up in great part from th
scrapings of all Europe yet there are som
good men beside the Americans. Jim Laird
for instance. Laird IS a Scotchman. A
armorcr his business is to mend muskets
&c. He can do anything that can be dom
with iron, tin, or copper. He is well-inform
cd Reads much. Is quite a traveller Ha
been whaling in the Arctic and in the Pacif
ic. Can spin long yarn about the Esqui
maux as he wintcrcd with them one year
Has been in the naval service before. IIa
been in Japan and Africa. Remembers al
that he has seen. Is a stout built, heart,
man, minds his business and is well liked
Is down on whaling and this is his last cruis
in a man of-war.
6th.-Capt. Harrison is making hinscl
conspicuous by showing interest in the drill
at the guns, &c. Yesterday he began witt
the lst. 2nd, and 3rd divisions which consti
tute the gundccE division.
Capt-Man the port battery! (Away W
90 on a fast walk
Capt.-You are too slow. Man the star
board battery! (Away we 60 little faster.
Capt.-You are too slow there forward.
want you to move quick. Man the port bat
terry (Done.) Man the starboard battery
| Crhis time we 60 across the deck upon tn
clean jump lIa! that does it.
Then came loading, firing, etc. To-da
the Capt. drilled us first at the big guns
Then had all the boardcrs formed in line
i. c. those of us who carry revolvers and pis
tolls, about 200 men. He said he was goin
to show us the importance Of knowing no,
to use them, that We had lost two ships late
by the crew not using their arms proper
which was very disgraceful. Holding re
vovcr in his hand he said "Men in board
ing you draw your revolver from your bell
this way-cock it, this way--and hold tn
muzzlc up so as not % shoot one anothe,
Don't fire here and there and anywhere, bu
try to kill man. want you to recollee
this as 1t is very important" .##
7th.-Wc are all over the Roads. TIL
enemy must have some fighting before h
car, pass here We are expecting his flee
every moment. = One Of the Nahant'
crew tells me that they do not feel the nos
of her guns inside though there is a tremer
dous report outside. Pretty good that al
rangemcnt especially when throwing Is inc
shot weighing 450 TBS. She Is q Monito1
Her turret revolves by steam. : The las
week we had it freezing. blowing, showing
thawing. and freezing again and again, put
ting US all out Of humor. We have no tirt
except where the cooking is done and tina
place it is high crime and misdemcanor t