The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-12-29
RUNNING THE GANTLET.
How the Carondelet and Gallant Crew
Passed the Confederate Batteries.

Passed the Confederate Batteries.
Article in January Century.
Having received written orders from the flag
officer, under date of March 80, l at once began
to prepare the Carondelet for the ordeal. All
the loose material at hand was collected and on
April the decks were covered with it, to protect
them against piunging shot Hawsers and
cabin cables were placed around the pilot-house
and other vulnerable parts of the vessel, and
every precaution was adopted to prevent dis.
aster. coal-barge, laden with hay and COAL
was dashed to the part of the port side on which
there was no iron plating, to protect the maya
zine. And it was truly said that the old Caron-
delet at that time resembied farmers wagon
prepared for market. The engineers led the
escape steam through the pipes aft, into the
wheel house, to avoid the putting sound it made
when blown through the smoke-stacks
All the necessary preparations having been
made, informed the flag officer of my intention
to run the gantlet that night, and received his
approval. Colonel Buford who commanded the
land forces temporarily with the foti1la, assisted
me in preparing for the trip and on the night of
the 4th brought on board Captain Hollensteiu
of the Forty second Illinois, and twenty three
sharp shooters of his command who volunteered
their services which were gratefully accepted.
Colonel Buford remained on board until the last
moment, to encourage US. informed the officers
and crew of the character of the undertaking,
and ali expressed readiness to make the
venture In order to resist boarding parties in
case we should be disabled, the sailors were well
armed, ana pistols, cuUlaSSeS, nluSkeJS, BOARD
ing -pikes and hand grenades were within reach
Hose attached to the boilers for throwing
scalding water over any one who might
attempt to board If it should be found
impossible to save the vessel it was
designed to sink rather than burn her.
as the loss of life would probably be greater
in the latter case by the explosion of her maya
zine. During the afternoon there was promise
of clear, moonlight night and it was deter
mined tc wait until the moon went down, and
fho a1y1f -bafA fhaa oh
Having gone so far, we could not abandon the
project without a bad effect on the men, equal
almost to failure.
At 10 o'clock the moon had gone down, and
the sky, the earth, and the river were alike hid
den in the black shadow of a thunder Storm
which had now spread itself over all the heavens
As the time seemed favorable ordered the first
master to cast Off Dark clouds now rose rapidly
over us. and enveloped US in almost total dark
ness, except when the sky was lighted up by
the welcome flashes of vivid lightning, to show
us the perilous way we were to take. Now and
then the dim outline of the landscape could be
seen, and the forest bending under the roaring
storm that came rushing up the river.
With our bow pointing to the island we
passed the lowest point of land without being
observed, it appears, by the enemy. All speed
was given to the vessel to drive her through the
tempest The flashes of the lightning conten-
ued with frightful brilhancy, and almost every
second" wrote correspondent, every BRACE
post and outline could be seen with startling
distinctuess, enshrouded by a bluish-white glare
of light, and then her form for the next minute
would become merged in the intense darkness.
When opposite battery No g on the mainland
the smokestack blazed up but the fire was
subdued. 1t was caused by the SCOT becoming
dry as the escape of steam, which usually kept
the stacks wet, had been sent to the wheel house,
as already mentioned to prevent noise With
such vivid lightning as prevailed dur
ing the whole passage, there was no
prospect of escaping the vigilance of
the enemy but there was good
reason to hope that he would be unable to point
his guns accurately. Again the smokestacks
took fire, and were soon put OUT and then the
roar OF the enemys guns began and from bat
teries :, and came almost necessarily the
sharp crack and screaming sound of their rife
Shells which seemed to unite with the electric
batteries of the clouds to annihilate US.
While nearing the island or some shoal point,
during few minutes of total darkness, we were
startled by the loud. sharp order, "Hard aport!"
from our brave and skillful pilot, First Master
Hoel We almost grazed the island, and, it ap-
pears, were not observed through the storm
until we were close in, and the enemy, having
no time to point his guns, fired at random. In
fact, we ran so near that the enemy did not,
probably could not. depress his guns sufficiently.
While close under the lee of the island and dur
ing lull in this storm and in the firing, one Of
our pilots heard confederate officer shout,
Elevate your guns" YES, confound
you," said the pilot in much lower
key, elevate" 1t is probable that the muzzles
of these guns had been depressed to keep the
rain out of them, and the officers, not expecting
another night attack in such storm, and arriv
ing late ordered the guns elevated just in time
to save US from the direct fire of the enemys
heaviest fort; aud this, no doubt, was the cause
of our remarkable escape Nearly all the enc
mys shot went over
Having passed the principal batteries we
were greatly relieved from suspense, patiently
endured, however, by the officers and crew. But
there was another formidable obstacle in the
way-a floating battery, which was the great
war elephant of the confederates. built to
blockade the Mississippi permanently. AS we
passed her she fired six or eight shots at us, but
without effect One ball struck the coal barge
and one was found in bale of hay. We found
also. one or two nusket bullets. We arrived at
and were most ioyfully received by our army
At the suggestion of Paymaster Nixon, all