Middletown transcript., 1868-02-15
DELAWARE

found that the executive was the only Off
Ger on the boat that knew anything of his
duty. The Captain of the boat ranked en-.
sign commanding, and was superannua-
ted preacher! and with the exception of
the executive the rest were clerks, fresh
from the band-box, and knew positively
nothing; and not one of our officers had
ever seen service where gunpowder was
used. The crew were nearly all veterans,
| and about half were skedaddlers from the
Confederate army, but like my partner and
] they had no visible means Of support,
and no employment, as the whole country
was, dangerously afflicted with war on the
brain.
After getting our guns on board con-
sisting of two 80 lb. riAed Parrots, and six
24 lb. brass howitzers, and our ammuni-
ton, we started for Cairo, to report to the
Admiral. On the first day out the Cap
tain mustered the crew and rated his petty
officers; he then preached homily on
morality, making it high crime and mis-
demeanor to drink, taste, smell, or snug
gle, spirituous liquors on his boat, and
called on his officers to support him; but
in less than two hours after, his steward
snuggled me a>good glass of cognac from
his private stores, and told me whenever l
became seriously sick he would most fra
ternally "tap the cask" again for me, as
he Thought the ration too large for one
man for q. year. e'ge ''iii '1 ai..si-i gsi
On arriving at Cairo we were inspected
and dispatched down the Mississippi, to
patrol Che river, between Memphis and
Vicksburg. Now the whole Mississippi
feet were stretched out on this river and
its tributaries for the laudable purpose of
| protecting the nop-aggressive citizens, as
the whole country was infested with bands
Of skedaddlers from the Confederate army,
who were levying black mail on every one.
On arriving at our station we were in,
formed that band of those brave soldiers
had captured, ,plundered and sunk, gov
ernment transport Of sick soldiers return
ing home. We got under weigh and pro-
ceeded to where she was sunk, and found
her on the Arkansas side, run ashore, but
no sign Of men on board A masters
mate, very pious grocery clerk, was sent
ashore with an armed party Of twelve men,
to get what information he could and to
search a planters residence which lay i'm
mediately back of the levee, and if any
arms were found to arrest and bring aboard
all white men on the premises. I, being
one Of the crew, was detailed with two
others to deploy and feel the way to guard
against ambush. So, having the centre,
| was the first over the levee, and seeing q
negro coming toward me, l asked, him if
there were any white men at the house.
He answered Yes. Marsa at home" I
told him 10 run like turkey, and tell him
we were going TO search for guns, and he
put out for the house. Finding the coast
all clear, We halted for the line to come
up, and l reported one scared negro. The
valiant masters mate stationed us around
the premises, and taking us three, enter
ed and told the planter Ca very aged man)
that he would like some information of the
sinking Of that steamer. The old gent
told him he knew nothing of it, only that
he was awakened in the night by some one
knocking at his door, and on going to see
who it was, he saw four men, one of whom
ordered him to get them some breakfast,
and after doing SO they filled their hayer"
| sacks and told him he might take his pay
out of the steamers load laying at his Ian
ding, but If she was not burnt before ~
o'clock, they would burn him, and left
The mate then told him his Instructions
were to search for arms, and commenced
by searching him, and found very small
silver mounted four-barrel pocket pistol,
which he appropriated We then search-
ed the house and finding nothing DANGER
GUS We went on board taking the planterl
with US. He was asked if he had taken
the oath of allegiance, and answered in the
negative, saying he did not require it, as
he was not much Of a beligerent. He was
sent ashore, and a boats Grew were detail-
ed to 60 and kill as good. beef as could
be found, for, the crew needed fresh pro-
visions, and to get all the vegetables pos
sible. And the Captain told the planter
to present his bill to the Quartermaster
General. As I never volunteer my SER
vices, and was not detailed, know moth
ing of what passed ashore, but the officer
brought off a magnificent violin with him.
VOLUNTEER,