Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1884-07-11
Row the Boys Got Their Tobacky.

\ unanimous as the people OF oOutn
| Carolina are supposed to have been in
| favor OF secession, there were some
loyal men among them. I remember
ons specimen, who, although Irish by
birth, has spent his best years in the
State He was now hard on to 60 years
OF age, and fairly we'll off for a man Of
| his station in life. He was dray-man.
and owned quite a number of teams,
| which he let for hire. When Capt.
Foster commenced work on Fort Moul-
triea good deal Of hauling had to be
done, and MeInerry, the drayman,
willingly let his carts for the purpose.
This displeased the rebels, and q COM
mittee waited upon him and demanded
that he withdraw his teams. The
committee reminded him that he was
a citizen of South Carolina, and that
| patriotism demanded that he should
not help the enemies of his state. A
citizen in South Caroliny is ~" re-
| piled the dray man. Faith, and do ye
suppose ! erased the broad Atlantic to
become citizen Of only one Shate?'
OF course McInerry's motives may not
have been unnlxed with mercenary con-
siderations in that transaction, but the
following is believed to be pure. There
was . tobacco famine in Sumter. A
piece Of tobacco was almost worth its
! weight in gold. This condition Of ours
had got abroad in some way, OF lovers
of the weed had guessed at it, and one
generous donation was received from
a leading manufacturer in New York.
But that supply was exhausted, and we
were as badly off as ever again.
One Sunday small boat was observed
leaving Snlliyans Island and com
ing in the direction Of Sumter. It had
no white flag, and contained only three
men. When il got within 500 yards Of
the fort it was hailed b. the sentinel and
ordered off, shot being fred in front
fit as a warning. The boat stopped,
and the figure in the stern-sheet COM
menced gesticulating violently, and no
doubt shouting, although we could not
make out what he said. At last he
seemed to give it up He ceased gesti-
culating and sat down. Then some IN
! explicable proceedings were INDUCED
in, and presently large white flag was
displayed, and the rowers resumed pull
| ing toward the fort. The sentinel re-
! ported, Flag Of truce approaching, J"
4 and the officer Of the day ordered q boat
/ away to receive it. But the flag of truce
was too quick for him. a While he was
1 yet talking itcame sweeping around the
corner Of the fort and in an instant had
hold Of the wharf witha boat hook. The
1 officer Of the day was furious at this
irregular proceeding he ordered the
boat to cast off at once on pain of being
fred into 81 Fire away if ye loike and
divil d hair i care T. said CHERRY, for
he it was in the stern-s heets Of the boat.
do 70 suppose that afther running my
/ Sunday shirt BY tearing the tail off for
! q white flag that I'm going TO be driven
4 away like 4 dog without giYin' tho boys
4 the tobacky ?" Meantime he was
throwing plugs Of tobacco ashore to the
1 men. After distributing in this way q
i good armful Of navy plug he dropped
4 away without waiting for thanks, and
! the officer Of the day promptly with.
4 drew inorder that The men might have
on opport unity Of expressing them
selves without committing q breach 81
discipline in his pre- sence. This they
did with q will, and many hearty cheers
4 were sent after the generous and loyal
& freshman who had risked his Life and
Z ruined his Sunday shirt on their behalf
The United Service. Z