The National tribune., 1884-03-06
SAVING THE NATION.

lcoHtmaed from lsf pdgeI
fhe river TO save themselves from being scaldcd.
Lawcr settles the Naruna The sailors leap
frsta the deck into the rushing stream, TO be
picked MP by the boats of the Oneida.
The Mississippi poured broadside into
jackson, another into st. Philip. The Manas-
sas comes down with rush upon her, crushing
a hole in her huh below the water-iine aud
disabling her machinery by the shock Bat
nil the while her guns are rcaring-sending
eirfat-inch solid shot into the Manassas, Kidding
heF iron plates. setting her on fire.
The Katahdin pnts on all steam, runs close
under St Pbilip. and pours her FIRE into the
iroa-clad Louisiana. The Kineo runs close up
20 &c. Philip, and then sends solid shot at the
Manassas.
- The Wissahickon unfortunately runs
- in the darkness before reaching the
Tort, bat floats again, runs past the forts, only
to ground once more These vessels belonged
10 the FIRST division. They were TO pay little
attention 10 the forts, bus TO engage the thir-
teen Confederate vessels.
THE CENTER DIVISION.
Ut was Just half past three in the morning
when the Hartford, heading the second division,
swep. round the bend Of the river. BY the
light of the iire-Tssfts and the blazing piles Of
pifch-pinc wood on sherc the Confederate gun
ncFs in Fort Jackson besiold the beautiful out
lines Of the vessel and the shot and shell begin
70 sweep her dcrks. The Hartford can only
reply With her bow gun. Bat at five minutes
before four, from the middle of the stream, her
br0adsidcs open upon both forts. Ten minutes
and she + past ihom, bIf in the darkness runs
aground The Manassas sees her and pushes a
great raft of fire upon her. La an instant the
flames axe leapins up her sides and into the
rigging Upihc shrouds run the sailors to put
il oHt. The stcan-pamps are set TO work; the
sailors lower their buckets, dip mp the water,
dash il upon the flames; and all the while the
cannon are laundering.
/" In twinkling tie flames had risen
1alf way 10 nlsa-top and mizzen,
Darling up the slsrOuds like smoke
All. how we elanked AZ The brakes,
And the deep steasa-puiAl,s tlrobbed under,
Sending ceasele7s flow
Our top mef-a dauntiess crowd
SATaIlned in rigging and shrOud
There Twas wondeTt
The Burning ratlins and shrouds
They cueieacl with their bare hard hands.
But The great guns below
Never siienced their thunGeri"
The Hartford floats once more A Confed-
crate yess-l crowded with men comes down 10
beard her, but Captain Broome lets 1y a shell
and She disappears.
The Brooklyn IN the darkness runs upon one
Of the huilSs OF the raft. The Manassas, another
Confederate vessel, fires upon her, but, running
close up 70 ST. Philip, she sends such a storm Of
grape and canister from her great guns that by
the flashes the sailors can see the Confederates
fleeing from the fort.
A Confederate vessel--the WarIior-cOmes
down upon her, but the Brooklyn sends eleven
shells into her In an instant the Warrior is
helpless wreck Oh ere from stem 10 stern.
The Richmond steaIns- slowly past the forts
firing steadily. the gnnners watching the
flashes FROM the fort and taking deliberate
aim.
THE THIRD DIVISION.
Y The sciata. with Captain Bell on her deck,
leads. steaaaing rapidly past the forts engaging
two Confederate vessels and setting them on
FIRE.
The Iroqnois gets past the forts. The Con-
federate vessel AcCrea sweeps her decks with
grape. but she sends one eleyen-inch she'll and
q broadside Of canister into the McCrea, driy-
ing her OF. and opens her broadsides upon the
rest Of the Confederate vessels
The Pinola-the last to pass the forts-re-
ceives the FIRE OF the forty guns OF st. Philip,
bat arrives IN season TO take part in the fight
with the Confederate vessels.
A Shell from one OF the forts explodes in the
boiler of the Itasca, and she drifts back below
the hulk The Wsn0na is drigca hack-her
decks slippery with the blood of her crew.
What scene il IS. Lurid flames Burning
RATS. tlA flashing Of 300 guns, a storm OF shells
raiFing upon Fort jackson, the air thick with
solid shot. grape and canister, vessels rushing
ISon each other. black Clouds OF smoke rolling
Fleetwood sneared with tar, white
hing from the cannon's mouths.
is daWning--the uproar diving
Confederate feet is destroyed.
117s'S'51 sals have disappeared like the
farnna, ~ the swirling waters. Others
are shattered HNscks drifting seaward. The
hanassas IL all afaTne. The powder left in her
magazine cxplodcs. and she disappears forever.
II SEw ORLEANS
Never before wSs there such CONSERVATION
In New Orleans. Men lose their senses. Al
the Irvce is great feet Of steamers loaded
with Gotten. In an instant they are ablaze-
tic people setting them on fire, cutting the
cables, aild sending them adrift IN the stream.
People run Ather and tAifheF, not knowing
w'ilai 10 DO oT where 10 20 Ia an hour prop
cry worm millions OF dollars Is licked up by
the Gaines
Up tic river steam the vessels. the Caynea
in advance Three miles below the city the
Confederate have erected battery Of twenty
heavy eaus, which open upon her, bat the
Hartford. Pensacola and Brooklyn open with
then bio4dsIdes sach strV&m that the C0nfed-
crates 3lec in terror, and the vessels steam on,
aTDppiD- auchur in front Of the city at o'clock
II the afternoon Ct April 18th. On the ships
The sailors swing their caps and harrah. On
the shore Is crowd OF people, earsing and
fgcarsng IN sNPoteDt rage
Burn ssse city" shout tie Taramuffins, who
have nothing 70 lose
-shsor The coward who commanded the
forts. fhey cry, not knowing bow CALAMITY
lie el,leLcTsstcs in the forts had fought non
thai tir Confederate flag j. sill flying above
them.
But they could not hold fhem The garFi-
sDps began 10 desert. and taey were surrendered
10 fTenerai 5pter, who aook possession OF NeR
Orleans 9a tlie Isl "a May.
IN the battle the loss on the ships was forty
killed and IL wounded
j was battle, said Cap.9in Bailey, DC.
tpeen iron hearts ia wooden vessels and iron
ciads with iron baaks, and the iron heart
xca.r
TO be c0nsszuea
NkEt congress shaald DO.
TO flle Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE: