Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1864-09-16

----e,I ---.-l,. - -.
:. Don't you believe it my boy,' replied
the old sailor. They know when to dowse
them and when to light British skipper to
their nest" .7frE 7". va S'ss"i's "''
The chase had now lasted between two
and three hours, and the fort,-at Cape, Fear
could not be more than twelve miles to our
lee; we were still two miles from the stran
ger, and the chances were momentarily less.
en;ng Of overhauling her in time, unless we
succeeded in materially disabling her, while
our danger of becoming crippled from, her
well directed shots was very great. If the
wind had been light the shots in our rigging
would have impaired our speed but slightly |;
but the gale that had us in its teeth, lent us
half our speed, and an uplucky shot in our
cross trees might be irretrieyable.
"Thcre there we have IL now! Was
there ever such luck s"q cried tho Captain
with an oath. And our mansail came down
with rush as he spoke, every one flying
from the splinters Of tho mast, which was
severed like a pipe stem = 'st. y so.3 7t..-
Werall looked glum enough at this mishap
and began to consider the prize as a might.
have. been. But the Captain determined on
last effort, and ordered broadsido volley,
though the distance, a mile and a half at
least, made success extremely doubtful. The
! ship rounded to handsomely. The ports
were opened, the bar<ers already loaded and
manned, and, at a given signal, long sheet
Of flame lcaped from the side, and the noble
frigate roared and auvercd to her keelson as
the twenty simultaneous DEATH bolts Of her
terrific broadside rushed upon their prey
Another instant and a wild huzza sweled
upward from our crowded deck for our
broadside was q success. The entire rigging
OF the stranger seemed in ruins; her bow.
spirit was trailing in tho sea; and VIC could
distinguish another ugly smash in her stern,
which must have come very near destroying
her precious flukes. OF course the prospect
w1s now far better than before, but still BY
no means certain, as it was questionable
whether we were not almost disabled in the
rigging, and the rapidity with which the
damaged tops Of the stranger were mendcd
and cleared away seemed miraculous, though
she inow gave over firing, apparently bent
on safety only by sharp sailing. New spars
were already up on our own mainmast, and
with clcw or two on the mizzen shrouds
and the use Of the after.braccs, with double
duty on the mizzcn top gallant spars, our
mainsail was again aloft, with cheering indi.
cations that we were gaining fast. In fifteen
minutes we had so sensbly diminished the
interval between us and our prey that we
ceased firing, the Captain modestly desiring
to take her with some clothes on, to use his
own expression. The lanterns of Cape Look
out were now left far away on our starboard
quarter, and every forward furlong we mado
was so much nearer to the formidable fort
Just then a faint flash, like the horizon glim-
ncr Of summer lightning, shonc above thc
water far beyond the ship we were pursuing,
and hardly heard but ominous boom told
US that the old sea a'dragon, Fort Macon, was
newcd our peltng Of the stranger, with fur
vocred for Shackleiord Shoals, with evident
intention of beaching herself il unable to
get under the. fort. Another quarter of an
hour and We were within long range Of the
heavy coast guns Of the fortress, who seemed
to understand the state of the case perfectly,
for her shells began to drop around us brisk
ly. And now the great breakers of the coast
were plainly dscernable on the starboard,
tossing their white plumcd, hutrying legions
high above the beach, with here and there Il
bold, blutfy rise from the monotone Of sand;
and the Devils skillet-a dangerous reef
was boiling white little lower down.
| ShaclIleford Shoals is n low, narrow sand
bank, about twenty miles imlrngth. It's low.
CT extremity comes within three miles, at a
rough guess, Of the Borden Banks or Shoals
on the easternmost portion of which the fort
is situated. The bank is everywhere tfcach
crous, but especially at this southern point
where the dangerous shoals are covered with
deceitful appearance of prolundity. And
now, as we ncared our expected prey, she
made bold push for this inlet but as we
dashed in between her and the fort, regard.
less OF the latter's continuous firing, she al.
4 tered her course and steered right head on
for the fatal breakers on her starboard.
She's bent on suicide |" said Jerry, who
then ran below for his pistols, as the Captain
ordered the boats to be manned.
"IIas she struck ?" .11 ".'' 5'. '.-
| /" No+-yes--thcre she goes Z" .44 ...4
Sure enough, she had grounded and slight
I ly hecled over, but in such deep water that
the soft sand OF the shoals would not hold
her long. Two Of our boats were manned
with our beloved Lieutenant as commander
| of the expedition, and | in his boat. We
pushed off with some difficulty, on account
of the heavy sea. As We did so, we saw the
boats OF tho suicide also lowered, and pulling
| inside for the inlet Tho rats were leaving
| the crib. n,,.., ~.3.g oft ..a, .,t... :
T." You can get her off if you try, Brace
taut. Throw over everything to tighten her"
was the parting injunction Of Captain B. Il,
and as VIC pulled away, he hauled his ship
| out OF range, of the fort. 1t ieas rather un-
| comfortable the way the, shells dnckcl and
plunged around us, or burst above our heads,
but we pulled away for the prize. Our boat
was the last to reach the ship--a first class
iron propeller, Of great tonnage, and clipper
built. As tho crew OF the advanced boat
climbed up her sides, several crashes made
US aware that the fort was turning her guns
| against the vessel to deprive US of, The plum
der "Ji E@''-" '"''. ''9sif @"@' "is- '-
,.And hot shot at that listen +" said
Bracetaut- to me, when the fizzing sound oi
the pluangng hot shot was plainly aistin-
guishable.
| Our boat was within rod Of the prize
when we perceived the men who had already
boarded her jumping hastily over lhe bul
warks, dropping into their boat, and pushing
| Off, as if something unusual was to pay One
had been left behind. Il was the little mid
| dy, Jerry Bloom, who now appeared uncon
Fcernedy leaning over the side, and coolly
awaiting the Lieutenant's orders. 1t.ls .tf
/" What's her cargo ~ beloved Bracctau,
| through his trumpet. f.r+..lt 7s,3fra,-r.
PowDER!" sang back the shrill tones Of
the New World Cassabianca and siz +! siz
went the plunging red shot; and crash
crash they went against the floating rhaga
zine with frightful precision. * - g 0g,f..I 4
Jump for your lifel" roarcd !thc Lieu
tenant to Jerry. "Back water you lubbers
back for your lives!" @4@T# %
| We saw the midshipman join his palms
over his head and leap from the gunwale o
the fated ship. Scarcely had his slender fic
ure cut the brine before number of shart
reports were heard-then long, deep, vol
canic rumbling, that swelled into terrific
thunder, deafcned our ears dozen blood
red flames shot up to the stars and we be
held the deck and majestic spars of the doom
ed blockade runner spring aloft in fragments
A huge black mass descended with fearful
splash yard from our bows the long steri
| chaser going to the bottom tho yards OF ia.
powder ship yawncd wide open in an instant
| filled with fire and then disat,r,t,arcd tN,