The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-03-24
RUNNING THE GAUNTLET.
A Thrilling Incident of the Blockade of
Charleston.

RUNNING THE GAUNTLET.
A Thrilling Incident Of the Blockade o
Charleston.
The day had been sultry one. al
day long the flower of the American navy
had been laundering at the seawall 0.
Fort Sumter. The massive masonry hae
been slowly crumbling, but the shades .o1
evening had put an end to the furious
cannonadipg, and the gunboats and mon
itors had retired out of range, and came
To anchor for the night. On the bar OF
just outside the frigates and heavy side.
wheelers took up position beyond
Rebellion Roads," and extending out
10 sea was doubled banked column OF
guuboats; while almost in range of Sum-
ter and Battery Wagner the New Iron.
sides and the monitor were ranged.
After it grew dark thunder storm be.
gan to work up from the westward. Fitful
flashes of lightning and the rumbling
of thunder gave promise of stormy
night. About 10 o'clock the storm was
raging turiously, and on the low, unshel-
tered decks of the ironclads the
watch were exposed to the fury of the
pelting rain. Near midnight the storm
began working back with redoubled vio-
lence. Flash followed flash, and peal
followed peal rolling and crashing
with terrific conclusions. At times
the tossing waters were lit up with o
wiered, ghastly light, plainly revealing
the low-lying islands and the gaping enl-
brasures of the fort hard by.
Suddenly the heavy thud of gun
came down on the wings of the wind
from seaward, and following it crinkling,
sigzag binding shaft of light streams
across the heavens. The momentary
light illuminated every portion of the
broad expause. Then there was tre-
mendous crash that shook the solid moni-
tors to their keels. AS the thunder roared
and reverberated and died away in the
distance the deep boom of heavy Dahl
gren gun was heard out on the bar.
Presently another, in rapid succession.
The watch below came springing out into
the storm, every eye peering into the
darkness. While every ear listened to
catch the distant sounds came the stirring
battle music of the navy-a dozen drums
beating the tumultuous measured roll and
tap tap, and a dozen flies screaming in
shrill caden,e Rockets stream aloft and
lights flash intelligence that steamer is
inside the blockade and bound in.
Then there was tunult for q second.
The monitors beat to quarters, steam is
rung up, and the trained crews 60 to
their stations. From under the shadow,
of fort Sumter I strain through the iron
embrasure and see fitful flashes along the
line of gunboats. Yes the fugitive was
running the gauntlet of the fleet et!-trust-
ing to the darkness to escape. But her
people did not know that they must al
most rub the muzzles of our guns 10 pass.
The plucky fugitive WAS rapidly coming
up, and in few moments more would be
blown out of the water.
The drums have ceased beating, and
from afar come quick EXPLANATIONS, the
heavy booming Of the monitors and the
swift revolutions ofa screw. 1ronclad after
ironclad make the steamer a target but it
is pitch dark, and her swift way is against
them. Above the tumult of the elements
came the loud roar Of the huge guns; brt
still those adventurous spirits picked
their way through the inky blackness.
A bright light is blazing on the ramparts
of Sumter, and broad off on our port
beam, in the direction of Fort Moultrie.
Rockets are streaming continuously-the
bearings the Confederates display to help
the fugitive.
On she comes. The pulsations of the
tireless engines are now heard, together
with the swift churning of the screw.
Now she is passing the monitor ahead,
and in all. instant will be alongside. The
Montauk delivers both her guns; there
comes fash oflightning, and the steam
er is revealed for the first time. From
her low smoke stack the smoke is rolling
in thick masses and directly in front,
perched on the bridge is the pilot. He
stands upright as an iron bar. In her
waist a hand is slung casting the lead.
As looked his arm was swaying and the
lead whirling over his head, then it was
dark. AS she came abreast, fairlypushing
the blackness before her, the lsadsman's
voice, full and strong, spiced, too, with O
favor of the Cockney accent, rang out:
"And 'alf two"
Another fash revealed everything, the
man in the wheelhouse whirling the
wheel, the Cockney gathering in the slack
line, as if intent on having another cast
before being blown up, and then bell
tinkles, the turret turns steadily to port,
and the men crouch away from the re-.
coil F; then the vehement order to "ire |"
There is breathless pause, and then q
terrible malediction, for both primers re-
fuse to burn, and the bold blockade.run-
ner had vanished around the northeast
angels of umter!-Haryord, Conn.,,
Times.