Connecticut western news., 1884-06-18
A STORY OF FORT SUMTER. CASE IN wutgu DUTY AND ORDERS
 sLEMED TO CONFLICT, The SrrEcHnIs aud thc Tcn-Inch Gun=ttew
 They Dis moantcd it.

The scrscAnts and the Tcn-IBch GuR=IIew They Dis moantcd it.
 For four hours we had been pounding away at Stevons's battery and making no impression on it. This was very annoy ing to the men, and doubtless equally so to the officers. The non-commiasioned officers believed they could demolish the battery with the t0.inch gun. The 1o-inch gun referred 10 was mounted cn barbCuc on the third tier, and the Major had ordered that no gums on that tier should be manned Orders wore sacred in tho opinion of Tom Herman, but tho demolition of Steyens's battery was a duty. In this case duty md orders seemed to conflict, and Tom was troubled. Tom was an old Sergeant, a veteran of the Mexican war. In his di- lemma he consulted with tho Ordnance Sergeant, another Mexican war veteran, and they agreed that if it could be done on the sly, under the eircunst stancos, tho Majors orders might be deregardod. They would not, however, take anybody with them. Tho blame, if my attached to the act, should rest entirely on their shoulders. Consequently they watched their chance, and when the Major was out of the way, they slipped up stairs Co he barbctte battery. The gun was al- ren y loaded and aimed at the very bat. tery they desired to strike, Four weeks before the bombardment began all the guns were kept loaded. They had nothing to do, therefore, but slip a iric- ton primer in the vent md pull the lan- yard; this was the work of n moment The gun was fired, and tho two Ser geants and those below who were in the secret, watched the flight of the shot with almost painful interest. IL missed -missed, seemingly, by a hairs breadth-iust grazing tho top of the battery. Grent was tho diappointmont So much risked: GO little won. But tho two Sergeanis would not give it up so. They might as we'll be hanged for n sheep as n lamb. They were deter mined to havo another shot, The gun was reloaded, which was quito feat for two men, as the shot weighed 12s bounds. but wben they tried Co run the gun fin battery" they failed. IL rec auired six men to throw the carriage ''in gear," and the two Sergeants could not accomplish it. Although the discharge of the 10.inch gun hnd crcaled tho ob- servation of our own oflioera, it had been noticed by the rebels. They knew all about the position and power of that particular gun, and had no doubt won- dered at it's silence. Now that # was opencd, it was of the utmost importance that it should be silenced at once; 70 every rebel gun that could be brought to bear was turned on it, md q shower of shot and shell came missing and hurt ling about the ears of tho two Ser geants who were still struggling in vain at the handspikes Matters had now reached n crisis. By Gemini, said Sergt Tom, "lets fire her ns she ia. !" It was the only thing they could do So the elevating screw was given half a turn, the primer was inserted, and tho Ordinance Sergeant ran down to ecc it the coasts were clear Meantime, Tom, who was left holding the lanyard, found himself in tight place. Shot and shell were coming thicker than ever. Tho rebel gunners were just getting tho range. Tom wns lying down, because, as he said, there waa no room for him to stand up What could be keeping his friend so long7 Traverse circles were being torn up by the enemy's shot, and great blocks of granite were slaah- ing about tho torrcploiu. He could stand it no longer; tho lanyard was pulled, and the shot struck the battery and seemed to do considerable damage, but the gun, having been fired out ot battery, rccoiled over the countor.hurt- CTS and turned somersault backward. As the Ordnance Sergeant reached the top of the stairs ho met the l0-inch gun going in tho opposite direction, and, looking around for his friend, discovered him hugging mother earth half dead with tright-not at tho enemy's shot, but at having dismounted tho boss gun of the outfit Both eompatriots came down. There were now additional rca- sons for keeping mum about tho 1oinch gun, and tho Major never learned how it was dsmounted.