Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1884-09-25
AT sUMPTER's SIEGE.
How a Couple of Veterans Fired the Ten
Inch E8arbstte Gun.

How a Couple of Veterans Fired the Ten
Inch Barbette Gun.
United Service.
For four hours we had been pounding
away at Stephens battery and making
no impression on it. This was very an
nOying to the men, and doubtless equal
ly so to the officers. The nOn-commis-
stoned officers believed they would de-
mOlish the battery with the ten-inch
gun. The ten-inch gun referred to was
mounted en- barbette on the third tier,
and the major had ordered that no guns
on that tier should be manned. Orders
were sacred in the opinion of Tom Ker-
nan, but the demolition of Stephens bat
terry was a duty. In this case duty and
orders seemed to conflict. Tom was
troubled. Tom was an old sergeant, a
veteran of the Mexican war. In this di-
lemma he consulted with the ordnance
sergeant, another Mexican war veteran,
and they agreed that if it could be done
on the sly, under the circumstances the
majors orders might be dlsregarded.
They would not, however, take anybody
with them. The blame, if any attached
to the act, should rest entirely on their
shoulders. Consequently they watched
their chance, and when the major was
out of their way slipped upstairs to the
barbette battery.
The gun was already loaded and aimed
at the very battery they desired to strike
For weeks before the bOmbsrdment be-
gan the guns were kept loaded. They
had nothing to do, therefore, but slip in
a friction primer IN the vent and pull
the lanyard; this was the work of a mo-
ment. The gun was fred, and the two
sergeants and those below who were in
the secret watched the fight of the shot
with almost painful interest. 1t missed
missed, seemingly by a hairs breadth
just grazing the top of the battery
Great was the disappointment; so much
risked, and so little won. But the two
sergeants would not give it up so. They
might as well be hanged for a sheep as a
lamb. They determined to have another
shot. The gun was reloaded, which was
quite a feat for two men, as the shot
weighed 12S pounds; bnt when they
tried to run the gun Gin battery" they
failed. 1t required six men to throw the
carriage Gin gear" and the two sergeants
could not accomplish it. Although the
discharge Of the ten-inch gun had es-
capped the observation of our officers, it
had been noticed by the rebels. They
knew all about the position and power
Of that particular gun, and had no doubt
wondered at its silence. No that it had
opened, 1t was of the utmost importance
that it be silenced at once; so every rebel
gun that could be brought to bear was
turned on it, and a shower of shot and
shell came Kissing and hurting about the
ears Of the two sergeants, who were still
struggling in vain at the handspikes.
Matters had now reached a crisis. "By
Genlini," said Sergeant Tom, "let US fire
her as she is" 1t was the only thing
they could do. So the elevating screw
was given half turn, the primer was in.
serted, and the ordnance sergeant ran
down to see if the coasts were clear.
Meantime Tom, who was left holding
the lanyard, found himself in a tight
place. Shot and shell were coming
thicker than ever. The rebel gunners
We're just getting the range. Tom was
lying down, because. as he said, there
was no room for him to stand up. What
could be keeping his friend so long?
Traverse circles were being torn up by
the enemy's shot, and great blocks of
granite were slashing about the terre-
pleln. He could stand it no longer; the
lanyard was pulled and the shot struck
the battery and seemed 10 do cOnsidera-
bic damage, but the gun, having been
fired out Of battery, retired over the
counter hurters and turned a sOmersault
backward. As the ordnance sergeant
reached the top of the stairs he met the
ten-lnch gun going in the opposite direc-
ton, and, looking around for his friend,
discovered him hugging mother earth,
half dead with fright-nOt at the enc
my's shot, but at having dismOunted the
boss gun of the outfit. Both cOmpatriots
came down. There were now additional
reasons for keeping mum about the ten
inch gun, and the Major never learned
how 1t was dismOunted.