The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1884-01-23
In December, 1868, while the Federal

In December, 1863, while the FEEDER
gunboat Marblehead, carrying six gur
to broadside, was lying in Stone Rive
she was opened on one morning {
daylight by six or seven pieces {
heavy artillery from the bank. FC
fifteen or twenty minutes there was
sharp fight, and while it seemed certai
that the vessel would have to haul dow
her flag or go TO the bottom lucky sbo
changed the whole outlook in n moment
An eleven inch shell from the Marble
head fell between two Of the Confederat,
guns, dismounted one, killed nearly al
the crew Of the other and killed O
wounded eight infantrymen lying il
support. During the confusion caused
by the sudden disaster the gun.boat in
creased her steam until able to slip hei
anchor and maneuver, and after that she
was more than match for the attack.
ing force. Her fire was so rapid and
accurate that the Confedcrates left part
Of the battery in position when they
drew of.
In March, 1854, six Federal vessels
assembled the Ouachita River, which
empties into the Red, to a small town
called Trinity. The Confederates had
quite a force OF Infantry here, together
with several 32-pounders and some
lighter artillery. The whole fleet were
abreast Of the town, and preparations
were making TO land, when heavy ar.
dllery fire WAS opened on two of the
craft. This was at once replied to by
over forty guns, all firing right into the
town at rifle range. The fire was CON
tinucd for n quarter Of an hour before
there was any cessation, and the results
were appalling.
The Confederate artillery in the town
had come up only few minutes before
the arrival Of the fleet, aud therefore no
time had been given the citizens 10 seek
shelter outside. OF the sixty or more
houses in the place only one or two
escaped that furious cannOnade With
the first crash Of the guns woman and
started for shelter. The only
place Of safety was the river bank. To
reach the town the guns were elevated.
thus making the waters edge the safest
shelter for miles around.
The effect of some OF the prOIecuIes
was amazing One solid shot struck the
corner OF frame house near the upper
iloor lolsts and tore away so much Of it
that one standing on the street could
look into the upper bedroom. This shot
glanced across the street into n yard and
rolled to the door-steps Of house ON
which two or three women were stand
ing. A shell entered dwelling near
window, tore its way through three par
tltlons, demolished bcdstead and il it's
explosion tore out half the second floor
and great part Of the roof, and yet
woman aud three children who werc
cronched in bedroom were unhurt.
Seven or eight infantrymen sought
shelter belinda cooper shop. A shell
the building Just under the
caves, exploding Ms it struck, and two
thirds OF the roof was carried away.
Every man behind it was more or less
severely wounded by the flying splinters.
In II house in which an old man was i'll,
shell penetrated the roof, alightcd on
bed upstairs, and in its explosion il
ore away one end of the binding aud
most oil the roof aud threw the house OIL |
he blocks on which it rested. The sick
nan WIS covered with dust and splintcrs,
mt did not receive II scratch. Another |
i'll which n mother and five or |
'lx children were imprisoned had solid |
mot pass into and out Of it, without |
injury to any one, while barn near by |
n which was n span Of mules and a
wagon was literally blown away.
AT the attack on Fort Morgan, Mobile
Bay, in 1864, riilc-shcll struck the
Federal sloop Oneida square on her
roadside near the water-line The shell
,roko away her chain armor, crushed
Trough her heavy planks, penetrated
no boiler and exploded inside. The
oller was torn to pieces, half the crew
ltally scalded, and nearly every man
board was knocked down and stunned.
he men returned to their guns while
ct the steam wns 80 hot that legs and
rms were blistered. They had not vet
covered from the explosion when nm
'hcr shell broke through and exploded
the cabin, cutting the tiIler ropes,
hooking down all the bulkheads, and
nstroying every breakable thing in that
art OF the ship. Within five minutes
iird shell crushed into the Oneida and
aried fire on top the magazine. The
ames were put out by the crew without
ding to the confusion, and signal
rought the Galena alongside to take
er IN tow. Something OF the admirable
sclpline of a naval vessel even when in
re distress, may he fonud in the fact
mt the Oneida fired away in this action
ghty-eight shot, shell and rounds of
MISTER. M. QUAD.