Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1863-06-26
OF the Gazette,
LETTER FROM THE NAVY.
U. 8. FRI0ATg MINNESOTA, !
HAMPTON ROADS Va. (


HAMPTON ROADS Va,
April 18th. One Of ours from the Nanse.
mond affair had his fingers amputated on
board yesterday. He was serving the ven,
of a gun when ball from rebel sharpshoot.
er struck him BY the way, it was our Capt
Crosby who planned the taking Of the rebel
battery about which the papers have so much
to say. Lieut.. Lanson carried it into exccu,
ton. Had it not been for the gunboats,
Longstrcet would have crossed the river and
Suffolk and Norfolk would have been in dan.
ger. Gen. Dix came on board to-day. We
burnt about Is lbs powder on the occasion.
Our fiddler is now scraping away. to ny
annoyance and to my shipn,ates' satisfaction.
He is good hand at it, Did well at the
Northern theatres, but he liked whisky. r
Our soldiers are heavily reinforced at S e.
fol-. Very good.
lSth.--A dcserter from the rebel feet reach.
ed us last night. He reports two ircn. cads
and three wooden, also that they are rcmov-
ing the obstructons preparatory to coming
down. All right. Walk along. The San.
CANON. Galrna, and ourselves are ready. X
We hear firing enough to-day from up the
Nansemond. * Sloop Of war Ossipee lust
arrived.
l9th.-Firing last night and this morning
from up the Nansemond, probably gunboats
Shellng the woods Six or seven sick
and wounded sent out of the ship this morn.
| ing.
2oth.--Continued firing up the Nansenond
las. night and this morning. Our launches
were out last night. Return d this morning.
a lot OF ours were selected to-day to take the
places OF the killed and wounded on board
the Stepping Stones and the Governor Barney
IN the late engagement. Have been fitting
the launches for duty again with howitzers,
small arms, etc.
2lst.-Arrived the Lehigh (Ericsson)
Howell, commander, formerly our First Lieut.
Two Of our blacks talking last night
one observes: 81 dosn't like de looks oh 4,
cap'n. He looks cross and mighty Sassy
| do>n't like dc looks OBJ him at ally' Darky
pretty near right. The captain has stern
look. Good sort Of man, however. =
French frigate down by the fort. Her ad
niral and other officers we've on board to day
We gave him II salute Of thii,eenguns. i
Our boats manage 10 run up aud down tn.
Nans,mond aud that is all. We have burnt
down several three and four-story mansion,
near the river. They were finished and iurn
'Shed IN style. Owners in the rebel army
Burnt to prevent the enemy using them "a.
means Of otfensc.
22.-" Why don't you get up and go in
the Navy - is the word among our men JUS
now. Some Of them when in Boston heard
landlord say this to one of his boardcr,
who had spent all his money. His none,
gone, of course the landlord wanted him I,
go. SO our chaps in walking will come le
a fellow sitting on deck aud will begin
Come get up and 90 in the navy"
WHATS that!' says another.
40, rm asking him why he don't get w
and 60 in the Navy"
/ y fine brass 24-pounder was brought OF
board to day. trophy from the rebels ON tn,
Nansemond. 1t bears date, Boston, 1858.
$50 p. NJ. Two fddlcrs are now scrapint
away at great rate. Eight as big rascal.
dancing as ever stepped to violin. Abou
100 lockers on. All in high glee. Up tn,
side and down the middle. away they go
Light dancing and heavy dancing. principal
iy the latter. Launches off again to
night to See and do what they can up thu
Nansenond. Armed with a l2-pouud bras,
howitzer, muskets, pistols, revolvers and cu,
lasses. Random firing up there to-day.
24,h.-Yesterday, two Of our men wer.
brought on board dead, from the Nansemond
This was the way Of it. A flag Of truce was
4 displayed on shore. One was then hoistel
on the Stepping Stones and boat from he,
was sent ashore in answer to the flag
When close to the shore they were fired int
by the rebels. Richards, who was steering
the boat, fell overheard when shot The res
were taken prisoners. When Longstree
l,eard the facts he expressed regret and sale
it was the first thing Of the kind that hat
happened. What he did to his men for thi,
murderous business is not known. Proba
bly, nothing. The rebel party acknowledged
that they decoycd them ashore in hopes thai
a masters mate would come with them upor
whom they wished to take vengeance 70,
sonie Of the rebels who had been killed b,
shell from the gunboat. Richards was abou
25 years Of age, native Of one of the Ger
mar States, lively, good sort of man. H,
with some forty more were detached from
this ship to man gunboats on the Nanse
mond.
25,h:-Old Jack Bateman criticises tn,
women. La! Mrs. Jones How glad an
to see you! Walk in. Ny! how we'll yo,
are looking! Why, you are great stranger
indeed, and how is Mr.. Jones? was sayin,
to Mr.. johnson, the other day, WONDERED
why Mr.. and Mrs. Jones had not called
Etc, etc.