Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1877-12-12
From the Hartford Times
The Mule of Sumpter.
AN INTERESTING EPISODE OF THE LATE
REBELLION.

w ueu DallleSel lioh'I'""' oS
operations in Charleston Harbor, the
Tenth Army Corps made a sudden
dash and drove in the thin lines OF
pickets which the rebels had posted on
the eastern end of Morris Island.
When daylight came every gun which
Beauregard could bring to bear upon
the new work began to raiu shot and
shell. and fromsdaylight till noon there
we're lively times in and about Charles
ton Bay. Shortly after noon Fort
Sumter opened furiously, and it was
feared that an attempt was about to
be made by the enemy to advance
There were enough men there, it was
thought, to hold 1t, but there was a
deficiency of ammunition, and so a
mule-driver volunteered to deliver the
ammunition. The only road was the
smooth and sandy beach along the
bay, and the distance between the
two points about mile and half.
Half that distance was within easy
range of Fort Sumter, and Battery
Wagner's guns covered all the way to
the sand hills, behind which was the
Federal camp.
lam describing this incident as it
appeared from the shipping in the
bay, and what called attention to it
was the sudden waking.up of every
gun on the southeast angle of Stump
ter Looking to see the cause OF the
furious cannonading, everybody was
surprised to see Il mule team tearing
up the beach in the direction of the
new work. The driver was laying the
lash on, and that mule had its ears
LAID straight back and was making its
legs 60. Occasionally shell would
touch the beach, bound up, and ex-
plode, and the mule would then hest
tate and try to turn back. But the
driver would lay the cowhide on with
renewed vigor then the mule put on
another squirt until at last it became
entirely demoralized by the explosion
ola ten-inch shell under its belly.
Every glass in the squadron was lev
elled at the spectacle. The driver got
off his seat. took the animal by the head
whirled it around once or twice and
started it up the beach once more.
Fort Sumter flashed and famed, Bat.
terry Wagner belched and Numbered,
and still that daring driver urged his
mule along, though the way was
swept by at least thirty guns. AT
last he reached his destination, but he
could not stay there, and in moment
he was turned around and exhorting
that animal to do its level best. The
mule did not need to be told to step
out, for in it's re,r there was roar and
rocket, and about Its ears were flying
sand and scrap-iron, which seemed to
stimulate its feetnees. Down that
hard beach flew the mule, the light
cart bobbing and swaying, and the
drivers arm rising and falling as he
dealt out lash after lash. At last they
near the friendly shelter Of the sand
hills. In another minute they will be
safe but as they near the place to turn
aside shell came screaming from
Sumter.
Everybody could see the huge mass
Of iron as it roared through the air. 1t
struck the beach directly in the rear
of the mule and with bound it over.
took it ond exploded with terrific VIC
lence. A general exclamation is
heard from Dahlgreu's flagship where
the Admiral and his staff are earnestly
gazing at the adventurous mule and
the daring driver. Fort Sumter's
ramparts are black with men they, too,
willing witnesses of Yankee pluck.
Along the swell of Morris Island, and
oovnr;no, avarv olapaf1on can ba aaen