Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-03-14
ON TO RICHMOND.
"REMINISCENCES or A DAY OK THR
JAMES RIVER.
How Captain Poster Steamed the
Commodore Perry to Richmond
-Going Through tho Channel.

were being drawn tighter and closer, snd
The final blew was ab9ct 10 be struck On
that morning it vas my watch on deck.
About o'clocl, Captain Foste-, who had
been taking an hoU.'s rest, came gp from
his cabin and asked me il had heard any
firing up She river during his absence. !
told him that I had not. He thought il
silence momen. and saiG: Dir. Pierce,
would not be svEprised il The end Of all
this would come within the mex: twenty
four hours" Scarcely had he SPOKEN when
Il sheet Of fame shot into the air, followed
by tremendous explosion.
"There," exclaimed tbs Captsiu. "goea
2 rohel i,on-clad" Two similar explosions
followed Immediately After waiting for
further developments Captain Foster or
derod his gig away, and, going ashore,
Climbed to the tep Of the Old Crow Nest"
signal tower, from which an excellent view
could be obtained for miles around In
about an hour the Captain returned on
board, and in few minutes the flagship
sicnalei the Perry, Get under way.
Take the lead u Richmond. Be very care
ful Of tSrpedoe-."
The ED boat lad borne tho brrnt Of sew
cral severe fights, and that she was now
going TO oitempt to clear the James riveri0s
torpcGoes made the officers and crew hope
that thev would be the first 10 reach Rich
nonri. The boz tsvain's whistle cnile,i all
hands 70 weigh anchor, and in very short
time the Perry commenced 10 move NJ the
river Boats were sent out in advance. As
the old ship made progress up the stream
little chip was seen floating on the water.
It was 4 torpedo float. The boat crews
went 10 work cutting lines and wires until
the Internal boz was brought 10 the sur
face, the can cu1 open and the contents
spilled into the rivo-. In this wa3- fifty
one torpedoes were removed and the James
.opened TO navigation.
When the Perry reached Fort n&rEing
she ran aground en- distractions placed
across the river. Orders were given the
chief engineer to pay 10 attention TO &he
engine bells, but to force the vessel forward
and backward as hard rs possible until she
was worked of. There we were, working
away, when the United States steamship
Malvern, which was Admiral porters flag
ship, came TIP astesn OF Us, We then
learned for the first time that President
Lincoln vas on board, and had made his
arrangements to accompany the feet to
Richmond 1t being impossible for the
AdniraPs vessel to 20 By us, he deter
mined to take the President to Richmond
in lis barge. The boat was lowered, the
President and Admiral taking seats in the
stern sheets,while Lieutenant Barnes with
a body guard of marines. followed IN tne
MalYern'5 first cutter.
Between tie Perry and the shore was o
very narrow channel OF deep water, and
through which the Admiral intended the
boats 10 pass. The place, however, was
found too narrow 10 use the oars, and so,
backlog water 4 little, the crew pulled
hard, thinking by the power thus obtained
the boat would pass through. The Ad-
Ia;ral cid not take into account the cur
rent, however, and those IN the boat we're
surprised to fnd themselves drifting in the
direction Of the steamers immense wheel
} lust at this moment the engineer turned
the lever, and IN a moment the engines
were cLurning up Inc sea 10 the alarm Of
the beats crew.
The President shouted stop her" and
Size Admiral followed suit. The uproar
Immediately reached the cars o. Cantaiu
Foster, who, with one bound, reached the
cngine-room hatch and shouted TO the en-
gineer to reverse. In a moment this was
done and the boat was safe When the
barge had backed out Of her perilous stu
alton the Adafiral, rising and blowing the
water out of his mouth, called ont
" Where Is the Captain OF the vessel %
"IIe-c ! am" said Captain Foster lean
ing over the ship rail.
"Wel, sir" said the Admiral, indig-
nantly, when you back off from here
don't you attempt to go to Richmond, but
anchor down below and allow the other
vessels TO 90 up before YOU
without moments hesitation, the Cap
trim, in bis usual tone of voice, responded
" aye, aye, sir" and in moment more the
boats went on. After working the engines
for some time without avail, the Captain
squeezed the three tugs, which he had used
in clearing the river, through the channel.
4 large hawaer was then attached to the
Perry from each Of the tugs and the Cap
tain gave the order that when he waved
his handkerchief the TUGS should 20 ahead
at full speed TIE handkerchief dropped, !
the tugs started, and the old Perry, putting !
on steam, crushed through the distractions J
and in q moment more was floating on the
broad stream Continuing the journey
under full head Of steam Richmond was
reached, and the Commodore Perry was
the first ship bearing national colors TO
drop anchor before Richmond. A few
hours after the Malvern hove in sight and
dropped anchor near us.
A jY,,:-oI DCro,,or,1y
with the President, who had passed the ?
afternoon in the rebel capital, returned on
board his vessel, and the greatest ordeal OF
the whole campaign was now before Cap
tain Poster, as he was obliged To so on
board the flagship and report the presence
Of his vessel to the Admiral. AS he left in
the gig his face looked trife paler than
usual, but his great dark eyes showed de-
termination to face the music like the man
that he was Going on board he was met
by Fleet Captain Bruce, who whispered in
his ear, You'll get hi, old fellow, for
coming up here" His presence was com
to the orderly at the cabin door,
fho announced TO the Admiral that Gap
ain Foster had come aboard to report"
He was accordingly asked into the cabin,
where he saw the President and the Adj
niral seated at small center table Sa-
uting both, Captain Foster said: "Admi-
al, have the honor to report the arrival
# the United States steamship Commodore
Perry at Richmond"
The Admiral, in stern voice, replied,
: Captain Foster, though l told you not
o come up to Richmond"
The Captain answered, "Sir, I did not
understand you SO. thought you told me
hat when l backed off not to attempt to
come up here"
well" returned the Admiral, IN the
anne stern voice, what of it2''
In the same measured accents which
the whole conversation, the
Captain answered, Sir, did not back off,
ran her over bow first"
The Admiral turned all shades of red, /!
1ut before he could utter an accent "Old
Abe" saw the joke, and laughingly arose
md offered his heartiest congratulations to
-,aptoir Eostar The ADMIRAL imlnediS lately