Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1883-08-23
PLUCKED pulaski.
How the Guardian Of Savannah was Muxxled--
Saving slaves-Thc sturdy Brayer,
OF Negro Fisherman.

4
/ Of Negro Fisherman.
/ In November, 1861, Gen. Sherman.
at Port Royal. received orders to have
reconnaissance Of Tybee island, at the
mouth OF the Savannah river, as the in
troductory step toward the reduction of
Fort Pulaski, which commanded the an
proaches to Savannah. The Blue Bla-
yes found active employment, and was
seldom at anchor longer than twelve
hours in one place. On the 25th of No
vepoer the works on Tybee were felt
with shot and shell, but no response
was met with. and upon examination it
was found that the rebels had evacu-
ated the island. Troops were landed,
and possession at once taken of the
island, while battery of thirty-two and
sixty-four Founders was soon in position.
Early in December Gen. Gilmore
commenced erecting batteries and rifle
guns on the northwest end of Tybee.
until Pulaski was confronted bv. eleven
batteries, eight feet high, and bomb
proof traverse between every two guns
The Blue Blazes lay at anchor in Lazar-
etto creek, cooperating with the army
and assisting in landing guns and am
munition. in addition to patroling the
channel, which cut off all communica
ton between Savannah and the fort.
The construction of the batteries in
volved vast amount of labor There
was no wharf on the island, while
heavy surf dashed the shores almost con-
tinually. The ponderous guns were
pitched overheard at high water from
scows and at low water were mounted
on sling carts and dragged by white
hands over the sands to their destina-
ton. Negroes were not then allowed
to work, and, in consequence, beneath
the blazing sun of the south, thousands
tainted, siekened, and died, finding
nameless graves, from a mistaken pol
icy of Cancellation and compromise,
which at this period found its expo
nents and defenders among the gener-
ais of the army. 1t was two miles and
half from the landing to the batteries,
and required three hundred men to
move a thirteen-inch mortar, weighing
seventeen thousand pounds, loaded on
q sling cart. One mile of the road led
through soft, wet marsh. This was
crossed on fascines, thrown upon
the ground, composed of small poles
eighteen feet long and bound together
by withes in bundles about nine inches
| in diameter. Over this road all the
mammoth guns and mortars had to be
trundled. together with the shot and
shell. Twenty-Five thousand pounds of
powder, twenty thousand ten and thir-
teen inch shells and thirty thousand
solid shot were stored in the magazines.
On the 18th of April, everything was
ready. Gems. Hunter, Benham, Gil
more, Commodore Rogers, and the com
mander of the Blue Blazes, with few
of his officers, took their stations be-
tween two of the batteries Lincoln and
Burnside where they were sheltered
BY cambridge.
The morning was clear and cold. A
fresh northeastern whitened the bay and
dashed the surf of the ocean high in
the air. At SIS q. m. a puff of smoke
wreathed up over the central battery,
followed by a deafening roar and
shell with its shrill scream rose high in
the air. The fuse was not well timed
and it soon burst. inflicting no damage
The battle was soon opened from every
battery on the shore, and from every
gun in Pulaski which could be brought
to bear upon the assiiSsnts All day
long, without moments intercession,
the roar and boom of the guns con-
tinued. The firing from the batteries
was rapid and accurate, clouds of vel
low dust rose from the walls of Pulaski
and fracture after fracture was made
in the solid masonry. The batteries
roared with renewed activity, large
masses of brick and stone fell into the
ditch, while the fire from the rebel guns
slackened their discharges, then ceased
altogether. AT the same instant large
white banner was displayed from the
north angle of the fort and the victory
| was won.
Three hundred and eighty-three
prisoners, 10000 pounds of powder,
with proportionate amount of shot
and shell, 800 barrels of beef and pork.
| $4,000 pounds of hard bread, with cor
responding amounts of rice, sugar, and
coffee, were a portion of the substantial
fruits of the victory. Over 1000 shells
had exploded within the fort and utter
ruin was the result on all sides. Eleven
guns were dismounted, trayerses shot
to pieces; while bricks, splinters, and
rubbish encountered the inclosed area
at every step. The stars and stripes
once more waved on the national prop
erty, and the inhabitants of Savannah
were filled with terror and consterna-
ton at the unlooked-for result.
| At this time the boom of a heavy gun
was a heavenly sound to the slaves.
and they could be seen flocking in all
directions across the marshes to .Massa
Linkum's gun-boats,'' to secure free
dom, but in accordance with the policy
then existing, the slave had to be de-
| hvered to the master when the demand
was made.
At Newbern a slave girl, Is years of
age, escaped and sought the protection
OF the Federal camp. She was so white
her features 50 clearly cut, it was hard
to believe that drop of African blood
floWed in her veins. She was healthy.
bea.tiful, and finely formed. Her
master followed her up, insisted upon
her being delivered over to his tender
mercies, and it had to be done. To
similar character, she was sold to 90
south for the sum of $1,000. Her mar
ket value as a servant was about half
the sum paid; the balance was pre-
MUM on her beauty. Such was one of
the phases of southern slavery.
An emergency arose necessita.ing
the sending of steamer.
gunboat, from Beaufort, N. c., into
Bogue sound. The channel was narrow
and intricate, leading directly under the
guns of Fort Macon, and to increase
the difficulties of the situation, the pas
sage would have to be attempted under
cover of the gloom of night. 1t was
well understood that should the keel
take bottom or any accident occur. in
evitable capture would result. Not a
white pilot either in or out of the en-
| ploy of the government could be found
willing to undertake the delicate mis-
sion, although premium of $500 was
offered. A darby who had ESCAPED
from the lash of his master. a dyed-in-
| the-wool secessionist and a last-1itch
''chivn besides, volunteered for the
dangerous position. For years he had
been skillful pilot on the surrounding
waters, his master pocketing his earn
ings with celebrity and the GOODNESS sun
| posed to be one of the distinguished
characteristics of King Charlie s.cayaliers
from whom the bulk of the yellow-hair
ed, lean, lank blue bloods claim their
decent. Had the vessel been taken.
the pilot would have suffered death or
tortures worse than destruction. But
he assumed all the risks in homes of