Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1882-12-18
A Tempest of Fire.


of the Confederates on Morris Island,
Charleston harbor, at the time of the
famous iron-clad bombardment, July
Is, 1868. His description in the
new number of the Philadelphia
Weekly Times of how the fort with
s4ood the fleet is more thorough, per-
haps, than any other description yet
written. That it is graphic every
one will be likely to conclude upon
reading the following extracts from
the article:
The fire from the monitors which
now daily paid their respects to Wag-
ner was wonderfully uncomfortable,
butnot SO destructive as would nat
l4uslly have been supposed. The
horrible noise produced by the ex-
plosion of the huge shells was more
calculated to demoralize troops than
any damage done by the projectiles,
but the showers of sand, which flew
at each impact of the missiles with
the work, filing the eyes and ears
and clothing and permeating through
it to every part of the body, render
ing the situation any thing but desir-
able. These morning calls were
made every morning about l 0 o'clock,
and the unwelcome visitors extended
their salutations to the afternoon.
The troops were sheltered in the
| homb-proofs under the traverses and
the parapet and outside the fort in
the ditch on the reverse side, where
they had the benefit not only of the
protecting wall, but of the sea breeze
which eddied around the work. The
flight of these immense projectiles
could be observed and the fash gave
timely warning of their coming. The
firing was never very rapid. The
Confederate guns replied, but, with
the exception of the 10-inch colum-
biad, with little expectation of doing
more than distracting attention and
diverting aim. Hopes were, of
course, entertained of penetrating
the armor or jamming the machinery
of the iron-clads with the heavy pro-
jectiles of the 10-inch gun, but the
object of aim was comparatively
small, and as it was movable, ac-
curacy could not be expected; the
Confederate gunners, however, man
fully maintained their positions al
their guns and fired with delibera
ton and pluck.
1t was novel and curious specta
Gle to witness these monitor monster.
come into action; like huge wate
dogs, their black sides glistening in
the sun and showing their lines above
the water, they would apparently
swim without any effort into range
then dive under the water, showing
only their horrid heads, represented
by their turrets, above the sea, ant
then opening the red mouths, bari
deep-toned defiance at their enemies
Nothing could be seen but the drum
like black objects that like buoy
rested on the water, apparently an
chored to the bottom, but they woult
then, by some unseen and mysteri
Gus power guiding them from tn,
depths below, shift their positions
and derange the range of the gun
trained upon them. Their richoche
shots were admirable striking tn
sea, they would skip along, maxim:
what the boys call ducks and brakes
and then roll into the fort or boun,
clear over the work and explode il
the salt marsh far beyond. On on
occasion one of these shells strikin.
; shoal of mullets hurled some O
them into the fort-the men who fiji
ed that gun becoming unconsciou
rebels by giving aid and comfort t
the enemy, and thus, although be
5 longing to the iron clad fleet, debal
4 ring themselves literally from takin
the lron-clad oath. The wooden bal
racks were fortunately knocked
pieces by these shells, for had the
taken fire much trouble might hav
+ resulted, although they were so sit
r uated that the smoke and fame unde
e ordinary conditions of the weatht
would have Deen blown by the usua
: ly prevailing sea breeze over into I'll
q marsh. They should have been d.
e stroyed by the Confederates, but tt
|, work was done for them by their ell
}. emies with saving OF labor to then
e selves, which was properly apprec
:. ated.
; Before the shelling had made thel
: untenable the headquarters was
one of these buildings which we
= constructed of inch boards. On Il
: morning of the 14th, Captain Wa
y ing an accomplished gentlemen
South Carolina, who was serving
"a volunteer aid in the staff of Gener
d Taliaferro, enlisted to make son
t. report. Now and then the spat al
II thud of musket balls were heard upt
- the building, but as the nearest no
- tile musket was more than thre
N fourths of mile distant and Il
t, building was protected by the wo
h. from any direct fire, little notice w
l. taken of the circumstances, and th,
y were supposed to be spent balls fa
,o ing from muskets fired at high ell
vation and not apt to do much inj
ry. Waring remained few IN
oapfc and loft tho buildiuU Ha n.