The National tribune., 1883-11-15
FIGHTING THEM OVER
What Our Veterans Have TO Say About
Their Old Campaigns.

J Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:

mentioned one Jacob Cruise as having assisted
in spikmg the guns. I was justly indignant
st the mistake or mlsstatelnent, whichever u
was. and for that reason, together with the /
fact that the little affair has never received
proper treatment at the hands Of war writer's, |
j ana inclined TO ask space IN The TRIBUNE /
for a reliable and truthful statement OF that /
nights work. For GOODNESS and daring Ia exc |
cution, The spking Of the guns Of the upper |
battery Of Island No 10 was not eXcelleo by |
any single act of the war, unless il he the de-
straciion o. the ram Albenarle, by Lieutenant
w b. Cushing. Of the navy, and feel that
Justice should at length be done 30 all those
concerned IN ii.
In the spring Of 1852 during the latter part
Of the month OF March, Commodore toote, with
his feet Of gunbeats and mortars. was lying On
the Aississip f,i River some distance above Isl
and No 10. lie busted himself IN Smelling the
island ANA tic shore batteries Oh the Kentucky
side just above the island itself the river
makes sharp turn, and at the elbow the reb-
els had planted their most formidable battery,
SO situated rs 10 rake ihe ganboats from The
steTn-their most vulnerable poiGt-thus rem
deriag running by almost an ilnpossi5ilIty.
This battery mounted six guns, one being of
very large caliber, some ten or twelve feet
long and was Commodore Foote's most dreaded
obstacle in his passage down stream. Know
inc this Fact. Colonel Roberts and Major Wal
worth, CT the Forty second. Illinois infantry,
suggested that q reconnaissance be made 10 dis
cover some mode of sleucing the guns.
They sgere sent forward upon this duty. At
the time the river was quite high, running
over its banks in many places and the two
officers accompanied by two or three sharp
shooters cot into a SNAIL boat and made their
wax tLrou gh the brush, under the shore, close
IL 10 the batteTy-belng IN direct range OF the
gnns-aBd there succeeded in gaining rough
plan OF the situation. They t0and that the
fort was ct night guarded by only few senti-
nels the nain body OF tro9ps-neariy bri-
gade-bcing on a fat-boat, some two or three
hundred yards back Of the battery. On return
ing from his scout. Colonel Roberts proposed
to Commodore Fo0te and General n. b. Buford,
who commanded the troops upon the trans
ports 70 caftare this battery, and. after great
rciHct2ace On their part succee1ed ia gaining
their consent to what was then considered al
most Sd iHpOssibity.
On the night OF the 30th, ]. as second leu
tenant was IN command of company &, Forty
second Illinois, and was on picket al night
upon the Missouri side OF the river. When,
1lIe next ranrning we came IL, Colonel Roberts
cagne 10 re and ordered that the company be
given All the rest possible that day, he wished
them fOr special service that III ht, and told me
10 report. with them. at his headg uarters at 8
p. IA We understood that something was up
then Cor we knew him To be Of reckless bravery
and very ambitious, and company A was always
picked cat for every desperate service. On the
evening Of lie 3Ist, therefore, We were on hand
anu were immediately taken on board the Rob
Roy miserable old tub Of steamboat, which
al the BOYS viii remember and were steamed
cowa 10 the gunbOst Benton, then the Com
modore's flagship. Here The colonel was in
formed that he coaid have only five yawis for
use on the expedition; these being furnished
lone eaah from the gunboats Benton, st. Louis,
CarOndelet. Mound City, and one other, whose
name Z i.axe forpo4fel These hn4tS would
carry but eight soldiers aud ten 0zrsTDen each,
and, upon learning this fact, Colonel Roberts
ordered me 10 select from the company forty
OF TIE best lacn for the purpose / found tine
only way tc DO was to lake the largest, so be
ea8 al the right OF the line, and the remainder
were a-ad enough at not being a5le 70 go, can
tel sou.
Having thus got in shape for the start, one
man tOr each boat was furnished with some
ras-saiI Eies and hammer, with special in
struetiOns that, 50 soon as tie bow OF The boat
he was in touched the breastwcrks, his duty
was 10 jump for the shore, hunt gun, jam IN
the flies hammer them down, and then break
them c. II the vent They were not 10 pay
any attention TO any fighting going Oh about
them. Then, with the Benton yasl, com
nlznded by Col Roberts. in the lead. and ths
ST. Lonis, commanded By Lieut.. Davis, follow
ing. we dropped down the stream. The SIX.
was dark aud threatening and the wind cams
against u IN gusts Heavy thunder eioudi
were pushing Up il the west, and the low nut
terings 81 thunder proPhesied q storm Ii wa
so black taat the glilnmer Of the water wa
scarcely visible. Keeping close IN toward tn
bank. nader the bushes, with mufned oars
we driltad down with the cuIreut. No on,
dared whisper q word or scarcely breathe, 70
discover meant that hone Of the little bzn'
would ever return 10 tell the tale.
~ He drew Nearer the battery we paused
litlie 10 ascertain its exact locality, and then
loss give way passed from boat to boat, and v
sssOs forward ike zrrOBs Just before reachin
shore the senrries saw or heard ~ and tire
1ansket shots rang cut sUddeAiy, one ball sirik
1ng - Clos to my boat as 70 splash water oye
nae but tAe Eext Instant the boats ran up o
The saaG. and the reaels took 10 their heels a
our gallant spkers sprang UP behind then
The low bank was oFerlowed with wasel
through which cur boys had 70 founder in tt
oaTkECss; ta6n ~ they clasaberod GA the breas
Narsss, tbs guns were reached, and the hammer
clicked IN the darkness. Ia less than tw
minutes the battery Was useless greck-wls
tie cau-foDadiDg III 3 fortnight had failed [
accom- lishsd those five men did. But the
came the fun, and We were rot long IL gettin
inlo TIC boats again The batteries along Il
shore and on tie island had taken the alarm
aud re could isear the long roll beating IN ever
direction. The rebel ram Grampus" lyiI
near the HEAD Of the island, commenced steam
4AE U.s. s-tAtfA aJs SCH 70 kllBh y GO,
By this risac we were started up the rive
Roberts and my OWE boat wore abreast, pulliI
AS IN q race, bat ran foul Of LOG. which ga
hiEa . Few lengths the lead, when We at la
boarded tug Oh the lockout Tor Us, and '
were then transferred TO the Benton again.
When we left, Commodore FooIe said !
would give as until II clock, and fnoi bae
by that time, or heard from he would new
expect 10 meet as again. Ii was nearly 2 o'clos
when We reported on the Benton. The. Cor
lnOd0re. who had retired, was called M. az
Col. koberts tod him tie gHns were ali spike
lis FIRST question was:
HOw many men did yOa l0se%
Sgt . nlsn, answered Roberts
It's Uhe most brilliant thing / ever hea
Of the Old naval hero exclaimed.
We were returned On the old tub Rob r.
once mere. ard on cur way % the transports {
storm, which had been threatening, burst up
us IN thnader, lightning aud perfect hur
cane Of wind. had to nse the men as ball2
running them from one side OF the boat TO [
other, in order 70 keep her from going over, b
VIC finally reached our transport BelleOf Mel
pbis having lost bat one sailor during L
night, who fell overheard and was drowned
Now. 2 few words regarding the result II
wac the key which unlocked the whole sitI
tion, for on different nights after this the
Louis and Car0ndelet. with a fatboat lash
upon one side and tug OF the other, succeed
Ia running the batteries which remained. 7
FIRST night the boats received q salute Of thir1
SIX shots, and on the second sevcnty-two no
OF which touched them. As a result of II
(.s44D Pom afk Nm Tr.T asIs ~ fas-