The Osceola times., 1882-08-12
A DEED OF DARING.
An Act OF Galiantry which 0utranks the
British Gunner's act at Alexandria,
st. Louis Post Dispatch

a gunner on bOaru tne ALEXANDRA
performed gallant deed. A lighted
shell fell upon the main deck. The gun
ner picked il up and immersed the burn
ing fuse in bucket Of water. This is
described as a wonderful piece of devo-
ton, more gallant than anything of the
sort ever before chronicled.
A Post dispatch reporter met Mr.. j. w.
Mcclellan, the broker and while talk
ing of the above, that gentleman said;
"The statement is incorrect in one par
ticuar While the act certainly shows .
great heroism in the gallant gunner, yet
il is not more gallant than anything of
the kind ever before chronicled."
"Do you recall similar instance of
daring"
81 do, just as daring and as gallant.
In 1868, after the passage of the
Union fleet under Admiral Porter
by the Vicksburg batteries, it was deci-
ded by Gen. Grant TO cross his army,
then on the west bank of the Mississippi,
TO the east bank at Grand Gulf at the
mouth of the big Black River, from
which the general was 10 have begun ag-
gressive movements. In order to learn
the strength of the Confederate batteries
at this point a reconnaissance was made
on board the steamer Gen. Price, a gun
boat captured by the Union forces at the
fall of Vicksburg. Gen. Grant was pres
ent, and, having drawn the fire of
the battery, it was thought by both Adj
mirable Porter and Gen. Grant that the
rapture of the place would be matter
of very short time. The next morn
ing the iron clads went into action. The
current in the river however, was so
swift, the eddy so treacherous, and the
batteries so-inaccessible TO proiectiles
that after five hours or more of almost
incessant bombardment the gunboats
were forced to return to their former an
chorage and the capture Of the forts
abandoned. Two hulks that had been
loaded with quartermaster and COM
missary stores, guarded by detachment
of cavalry with the expectation of max
an immediate landing had the ports been
captured, lay at the head of the reach
and it was decided that rather than un-
load them, they should be towed by the
batteries to a point below. This duty
was assigned to the steamer General
Price. The river was narrow, and alb
rupt, and il was necessary to run with
in hundred yards of the Nicksburg
batteries, which were mainly composed of
eght-inch siege guns The undertaking
was one of no little danger. Fears were
entertained at the time all three YES
sells would be sunk. II was on this occa-
sion that a deed of yalor fully equaling,
if not surprising, that of the Brave Brit
on, was accomplished"
"What was il ?"
The night was bright and starlight
when the Price, under full head Of steam,
with her tow lashed alongside. came with
in range of the batteries. The gunboats
had dropped down, in the meantime, and
opened fire in the hope of drawing at
tention away from the tow, but it was to
no purpose. The wooden vessels pre-
sented such tempting mark that every
gun was turned at them. Fortunately
they were so close in running the bend
that the shells, with few exceptions, went
over or merely passed through the upper
works. There was many close CALL
however as our boilers were entirely ex-
posed, but each minute we were leaving
danger behind, and the chances were
improving in favor of our getting safely
to our anchorage below. Twas an officer
of the Price, and was standing with the
Captain On the hurricane deck. Our at
tention was suddenly called to immense
columns of water in line between c
batteries and ourselves, showing conchu-
sively that an enemy's shell was ricochlet-
ing directly for us. We had hardly time
to confirm our opinion before there was
a crash. The shell had struck us, and |
was Immediately sent 10 ascertain the
damage. On my way to the lower deck
| encountered the crew rushing aft in the
widest CONSERVATION. Learning that
the shell had struck forward, | pushed
nv way in that direction, when, on
reaching the boiler-Tuoms, ! found
third assistant engineer standing before
the fire-doors, with n deck bucket in his
hand lie was coolly deluging with wa
ter an eight-inch shell, which had Just
come aboard, passing through the side
and heavy hog-beam in its way. The
missile had landed beneath the crate
bars of the furnace, among the red-hot
cinders While the stokers and fircmen
on duty had left their posts in abiect fear
he alone had remained to rake il out
and through his presence of mind and
heroism saved the ship and the lives of
all on board"
"A close call, surely said the reporter.
"Yes. Upon further investigation it
was found that this shell had first struck
the steamer lashed 10 our port side had
passed through the Quartcrmastcr's stores
and through the bodies of four horses be-
fore coming aboard of us and land
ing under our boilers. Had it remained
another moment among the burning Goals
an explosion would have occurred which
would have sacrificed every life on board.
The next day the bushing was removed
from the shell. and the fuse. which was
ten-second one, was found to have
burned to within an inch of its limit. II
was sent TO Washington, and was on
exhibition at the Navy Department"
"Who is the hero"
"ln the excitement of war bravery
was the rule, not the exception, and it is
extremely doubtful if this truly heroic
deed was received at the time with more
than passing notice or whether the brave
mans name was ever heralded beyond
those who are personally cognizant of it.
1t has long since been forgotten. recall
the circumstance SO many years after its
occurrence only to correct the erroneous
impression that ii is necessary to look
tbroad to learn Of deed more gallant
Than anything of the sort ever before
cbropicloI