Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-08-03
CAPTAIN HINSLOW OF The KEAR
SARGE.
His PART fn IiIe Naval Fight "a FOrl
Pillow I'm 1862.


His PART 1n the Naval Fight al Fort
Pillow I'm 1862.
a correspondent of the Cincinnati
Commercial tells this pleasant story Of the
commander ofthe Kearsarge
a send YOU little reminiscence of Cap
tain Winslow, the brave and successful
commander Of the kearsarge. While the
Federal feet of Commodore-since Admi-
ral-Davis was hanmering away at Fort
Pillow one Of the strongest forts thelrebels
have ever occupied, along about the middle
Of May two years past, your correspondent,
with eight or ten seribblers for the press
occupied comfortable quarters with Cap,
tain Dan. Musselman upon the steamer
Dicky, then used as the stOreship or com
missary department Of the fleet.
" l am sure that ali Will remember the
iovial, elderly gentleman, in the Indress
Uniform Of naval officer, who joined our
mess, one day, Immediately after the arri-
val Of the despach boat rom Cairo. He
was rather short, had a small quick black
eve, gray whisEels, and tIIe1IIttIo nsfIi lac
mad lett upon his head was 1ast assuming
an iron gray hue. He was agreeable III
his manners, but rather peculiar, some Of
us thought, in his conversation and daily
walk speaking in a rapid, disjointed style,
and using language that smacked strongly
oft salt seas. In fact, as the sequel has
revealed, he was an Out-and-Out sailor
having passed the greater part OF his life
in the naval service of the United States
and ne talked in way peculiar to the
ocean, with which few of the BOhemians
/.
This gentleman was also noted Tor his fits
Of abstraction and Observation-Disclosures
IL soon began 70 be whispered among the
showing ones that he was little cracked
IN the upper story-had lost q portion OF
his batteries-in TACT, was not considered
exactly sound in his mind. Few Questions
we're asked the officers, and although per-
fectly open and easy Of approach 10 those
who properly sought his acquaintance, he
seldom intruded upon the conversation of
others, seemed rather to prefer quiet and
the perusal Of huge copy Of the Bible,
with which the Dicky had been provided
by Captain Musselman.
Few of the correspondents had made
much progress with the naval officer when
lie Was invited on board the Benton TO dine
with Commodore Davis. Ii was only
when he emerged from his state-room in
full uniform, that We discovered his rank
IL the navy TO be that Of a commander. vi
course he had come down to supersede
somebody Such, at least, was the natU-
a suppo-Ition. But We We're wrong. He
had lust returned from three year cruise,
mad applied for and been plsced upon ac-
tive service-not exactly where he wanted
70 be-in the Western waters, He bad re-
ported to the Commodore and awaited
further orders.
"The morning OF the 10th day Of May
arrived. The rebel feet appeared, round
ing the point Just after the breakfast hour.
Inc well-remembered and to US disasterous
battle Of the day-the first IN which a Con-
fadarate teet had met Federal fleet upon
the waters OF the MIsslsslppi-Was tnen
fought. 1t is not the purpose of this sketch
To reproduce the occurrs..oss OF shat day
suffice il that glowing, and, as usual, un-
truthful accounts oIit were telegraphed
from Cairo TO the New York Herald, and
a. usual, the illustrated papers copied their
engraVngs from the hrst and faulty rela-
tiOns Inc result may besummed up thus;
hall an hours tghT 10 capture mortar
boat On the part Of the rebels, to prevent
ii, On the part Of our fleet. Several of the
rebel boats badly shattered, many men
killed-two OF our best gunboats, the Gin
cinnatI and Mound City, sunk, the COM
mander Of the former ana many of his men
severely wounded. Perhaps a loss in our
feet OF eight or ten seamen killed
'"In the excitement occasioned by the
battle, distant view of which we had
from the deck OF the Dickey, the captain
was lost sight Of. 1t was not until ali was |
over, and The entire loss had been ascer- |
tanned, the dispatches written, the wound |
ed cared for, the dispatch steamer started |
for he north, that some one thought to /
enquire Tor the captain II was found /
that shortly after the departure of the |
badly whipped fleet Of the rebels Tor
Memphis, the captain, all covered with /
perspIrauOn, powder, dust, gravel, and /
smoke, had returned 10 the store boat in a
small skif, which he had borrowed from
the stern Of the Dickey, in the confusion
Of the fight and propelled with his own
hands
Z He had been absent during the entire
conflict. 1t was later also learned that,
unable to stand the pressure and remain
an Inactive spectator Of the battle, the
captain had taken to the water, thrown of
bis coat, and alone unarmed, and unat-
tended had sculled swiftly into the midst
Of the eontending crafts. Blinded by the
smoke but directed by the sound Of cannon,
he had visited successfully, nearly every
gunbOat in the Federal feet, and undaunted
by whizzing shot and flying shells, exert
ID himself 10 the utmost to gain the deck
1f one and take part in the fight. At
ast he was successful. He found an
open port and deserted gun on the Gin
,innati he climbed into the port, secured
he painter, and actually aimed and
Unrked alone the deserted gun with some
Effect on the sides Of the Confederate with |
which sho was molly engaged. When |
he Cincinnati sunk, he deserted her and
ought TO aid other commanders. But
he fight was over The rebel feet was
nalzing,the best of time around the point,
lone Of our boats in trim to give them
-ery hot chase.
''The captain was Captain John A.
Ninslow, Of the Kearsarge, the man who
ought, aud by the aid of Yankee tars,
unk and completely destroyed the pirate
commanded by the pirate Cap
ain Semmes. Winslow was subsequently :
Ppointed TO the charge of the Baron
Je Kalb, and later transferred to the
craft he now commands"
Flotows operI "Alessandro Stradella7
meets with all sorts of harsh treatment