, 1877-11-17

were lively times In and about Ghnrlcstou p,r
Hhprtiy after noon Fort Sumter OPENED frrt,n','
y, md It was feared that MI attempt wns nts,,,
were enough men there, It wns tllJ,1gI., 10 h,ti
1t. Int there WAS deficiency uf antnuniti,,,, %
nnt 40 1nltc+lrlycr volunteered to deliver ,n..
n'nmunitlni'. Ihc only road WAS tbs sn,rotl,
and sandy hcacl, alo,E tno bny a1d tic .ls,nun.
between the two points about a mile a1ri i,at
ltall that distance was wIthtn easy ral,rr -;
Fort Sumter. and Battery Wagncrs u,.ns s,,yrr. =.
cd all ihe G way to tho sand hills, behind whieh
am describing this Incident as It apnc,rc.
from the shipping In the bay, and what tTl1,,i
attention to IL was tho sudden waklny.un n
every aun On TIE southeast angle Of Sumter.
Loot<ng to SEQ the enuse OF the furious cannt,n.
aiding, everybody was surprised tn sec ,nu}o
team tearing ul tho beach III the direction iIf nf
the new work. The driver was Iavinr The jasI,
back md was making tts legs 90: Occasionally
shell would touch the bcach bound up, nhdt
expfudc. and tho mule would then l,esttn,.. mi
try to turn back. But tho driver would lav tbr
co., eoste hi n,S On with renewed yso,: then .e mule
entirely dcmorallzcd by the explosion Of Il len.
fncti shell almost under lis belly. Every pIas,
tM the squadron vas lovelcl at tho spectacle
The driver E"t of1 bis seat, took the nnimai BY
started It up ihe beach nnce nore. Fnrt Sum.
ter flashed and tlatncl, Battery Wagner lcicict,
and thuudercd, and still that daring driver
urged his mulc alonr, though tho way wa,
At la.t he reached llls destination, but b.
could not stay there. and In moment lie WIS
turned around and exhorttng TINT 9nima, Ia RI,
It's level best. The mule did not need 10 IN
told TO step out. for In It's rear there was ruar
and racket, and about It's cars were flying tan,
aud scrnp-lron. which seemed to stimulate ia
1!eetness, Down that hard beach few the muir.
tho light cart bobt,ing and swayug, and liz
drivers arm rising and faliing as ile dealt o,,t
lash after lash. At Inst they near the feieni]Iy
shelter OF tho sand hills. In another ntnutc
| they will be safe, but Just as they neur lid
place to turn aside shell canle screaming from
Sumter. Everybody could see the huge 'nass
of iron as Y roarcl through tho air. II struck
| the bench directly in the rear OF the mule ami
will. a bound 1t overlook 1t aal exploded viii
| terrific violence. 4 general exclamation IL
heard from Dah1grcn's flagship, where tho
Admiral and Ills staH are earnestly gazing at
the. adventurous nlufe anl his daring driver,
Fot sumter's ratnparts arc black will, men, they,
Along the swell Of Morris 1s1and, md covering
every elevation, can bo seen the Union soldier,
who stand With batcd breath, auxous and full
| OF suspense, Aud every eye inicntly taking IN
tho scene. When tue shcll exploded circle ii
smoke hid the mule for u moment, but when
back. md, With head down, md legs 1ashIng
wildly out, he was making ktndflng wood of tho
cart, which had been bodily demorallzcd BY a
fragment Of the shell. Presently the driver 1.
seen l!nping to the mule In a second tho mule
Is tree from the curt, and With the driver III his
back, anI farewell whlsk Of Ills tall, disappear.
behind tho cover OF the hills.
and hearty hurrah; the sailors wavo theft
hats and shout themselves hoarsc, and, lsari
the ltcbcls lave caught tho Infection, and arc
cheering, tuo.