The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1879-04-16

ROMANCE OF THE WAR.
A "REMINISCENCES OF THE ATTEMPT TO
STORM FORT sUMPTER.


STORM FORT sUMPTER.
In the Spring Of 1864, while the
Union fleet, doing blockade duty of
Charleston, was riding lazily at an.
Choir, the lookout stationed at the
masthead gave notice to the deck
that a general signal flag was flying
from the staff Of the flag ship Phila-
dclphia, in command of Admiral
Dahlgren. Instantly all hands were
on the qui vire. The signal quarter
master quickly mounted the bridge,
with a glass in hand, and began to
read to the executive officer, who in.
terpreted the number as given, and
reported the result to the captain.
Each vessel was directed to send to
the flag couple Of boats, equipped
and manned, to take part in the
midnight assault to be made by the
navy upon "Old Sumrter,' for the
purpose of capturing and occupying
that still defiant but demoralized
brick pile. veg -
Admiral Dahlgren, who had but a
short time previous assumed com
mand of the feet, partook of the
general desire of the naval forces to
be the captors, and thought this
time to plant the "old tlag'' upon the
ramparts Of the still rebellious
Sumpter. AS each captain received
the order officially, stating the quo
ia Of men and boats required, he
mustered his crew, telling them the
nature of the services, and called for
volunteers. The response was such
as might be expected from the mate
rial composing the crew Of an Amer
lean man of-war. Tie whole ships
company, even to the ships cool,
stood aside, ready and anxious to
share the victory or death. The
gallant commander was nonplussed,
his quota being only twenty-five
men, and here were nearly two hun
dred Offering themselves for service,
4 selection was made of the men
known to he the most active and
daring. The programme was finally
arranged, the muster concluded, and
mcn "pipc,faoun." The volunteers,
expecting the expedition to be -one
Of great danger, and probably ;
"forlorn hope,.' set to work coollJ
making preparations for death, as I
sailor, when he has to die, likes tt
DO so in clean mastering clothes
A general change was made; and the
best the clothes bag afforded put on
The last letter was written to the
dear ones at home; a final disposi
ton was made Of all moneys due OF
articles of value by will signed, seal
ed and delivered. Matters were now
in good shape. Volunteers, armed
with cutlass aud revolver, only wait
ed to be called away to the reudez
yous of the expedition, which was
to be the flagship when the tide
suited. The volunteers, before star.
ting, made arrangements with each
other. in case Of death or capture,
that the survivor was to send any
little souvenir that might be Of
value to the family Of the lost ono
as a memento of his sad fate.
The result of the Inflated expedi
ton is now a matter Of history,
Out ofthe twenty-five men Of oul
party but ten retur.cd, and they ii
a demoralized condition. One o.
those who returned, after recovering
from the fatigue, set about gather
ing up the trinkets, ETC., Of his mate
which j he had promised to send t.
his family, and in doing 50 he wrote
a letter of coincidence. In due time
an Acknowledgements was received
thanking the surviving shipnate
and extending to him an invitation
to visit,the family, who resided il
one Of the numerous cosy and pictu
rescue little villages that nestl
amidst the hills of Pennsylvania
The invitation was accepted, PROV
ded he should get safely away fror
the cruel war. A corresponding
was the outgrowth Of the letter 9
coincidence, and an exchange Of pie
lures followed, After the close (
1.-THE war our hero, BY chance (onl
Ichance) happened to be in the neigi
borhood Of the home Of his decease
friend, and dropped in to offer furtl
IA.