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.

A Thrilling Incident OF the Blockade O
! Charleston.
| The day had been sultry one. AL
day long the flower Of the American nav,
had been laundering at the seawalI O
Fort Sumter. The massive masonry bat
been slowly crumbling, but the shades o
evening had put an end TO the fnriou
cannonadipg, and the gunboats and mon
itors had retired out Of range. and cam,
70 anchor for the night. On the bar OF
just outside tho frigates and heavy side
wheelers took up position beyonf
| Rebellion Roads," and extending ON
10 sea was q doubled banked column o.
| gunboats; while almost ip range of Sum.
ter and Battery Wagner the New Iron.
sides and the monitor were ranged
Affer it grew dark thunder storm be.
gen TO work up from the weetwe-d. FitfuI
flashes OF lightning and the rumblinp
OF thunder gave promise of q stormy
night. About 10 O'Clock the storm wa,
raging furiously, and on the low, nnshel.
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.
!ence. Flash followed flash, and peal
followed peal rolling and crashing
with terrific conclusions. At timea
the tossing waters were lit up with a
wiered, ghastly light, plainly revealing
the low-lying islands aud the gaping EN-.
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,
zigzag binding shaft of light streams
across the hes vens. The momentary
light illuminated every portion of the
broad expanse. Then there was q ire
mendous crash that shook the solid moni.
tors to their keels. AS the thunder roared
and reyerberated and died away in the
distance the deep boom Of heavy Dahl.
gren gun was heard cut 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 dozen flies screaming in
shrill caden 20. Rockets stream aloft and
lighto flash intelligence that steamer is
inside the blockade and bound in.
Then thero was q tumult for secou i.
The monitors beat to quarters, steam Is
rung up, and the trained crs vs. 20 TO
their stations. From under the shadow
Of fort Sumter 7 strsim through the ;:n..
embrasure aud see fitful flashes along the
line of gunboats. Yes the fugitive was
running the gauntlet of the fleet TRUST.
ing to the darkness to escape. But her
people did not know that they must nl-
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 exclarnationt. the
heavy booming Of the monitors and the
swift revolutions of a screw. Ironclad after
ironclnd make the steamer q target but il
is pitch dark, and her swift way is against
them. Above the tumult of the elements
came the loud roar of the huge guns; but
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 porI
beam, in the direction of Fort Moultrie
Rockets are streaming continuously--the
bearings the Confederates display to helm
the fugitive.
On she comes. The pulsations of the
tireless engines are now heard, together
with the swift churning of tho screw
Now she is passing tho monitor at ,ad,
and in an 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 rollibp
in thick masses; and directly in front
perched on the bridge is the pilot. He
stands upright as an iron bar. In he,
waist 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, fairly pushing
the hlackness before her, the leadsman'i
voice, full and strong, spiced, too, with q
flavor OF the Cockney accent, rang out:
"And 'alf twor'
Another flash revealed everything. ths
man in the wheelhouse whirling the
wheel, the Cockney gathering in the slack
line, as if intent on having another cas-,
before being blown up, and then bel
tinkles, the turret turns steadily to port
and the men crouch away from the re
coil then the vehement order to "fire p
There 10 a breathless pause, and then .
terrible malediction, for both primers re
fuse to burn, and the bold blockade run
ner had vanished around the northeas
angels of Sumter !EHdYJord, Conn.
IiDaes 81