The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1885-07-01
WHOLE NO. I772.

fact, set the military at defiance
Porter waived the point, however
being determined upon the eours'
to pursue when possession of the
forts was secured
All connected with the eapitula
ton were seated around the table OF
board the Harriet Lane with the ar
ticles before them. Porter had sign
ed them, as had Commander Rem
shaw. of the Westfield.
/ Lieutenant Commander Vain
wright, OF the Harriet Lane, wa!
about to follow sith bis signature
when one OF MS officers requested
him urgently to come on deck. HI
returned at once with the report tina
the Louisiana was drifting down th'
river on fire, coming toward the Un
ion vessels, which were anchored
about thirty yards apart Being
broadside to the current the ironclac
would not have room TO pass.
" This Is sharp practice, Portel
remarked to the Confederate officer
'bnt if you can stand the explosion
when it comes we can We will &c
on and finish the capitulation."
He then gave Lieutenant Vain
wright orders TO pass the word tC
each of the other vessels 10 veer az
to the end of their chains and tC
use steam in sheering clear of the
burning wreck if necessary, but not
to leave the anchorage. The per
was then handed 70 General Duncan
and Colonel Higgins, the bcldness
of whose signature gave no evidence
of the proximity Of a probably fatal
explosion.
The signatures being attached, al
waited quietly the result, which wa:
not long delayed, the explosion oc-
curing with shock that fairly un-
seated the expectant officers, and
threw the Harriet Lane well over te
port. The capitulation was regu.
llarly finished, despite the Interrupt
ton. The Louisiana had fortunate
ly exploded before reaching the line
of vessels, and injured nothing but
fort 81. Philip, at which one man
was killed.
The action of the Confederate of
/ fcers In DESTROYING the Louisiana
was severely censured by the Army
The latter assured the Federal Off
GERS that they felt in no way respon-
sible, as the vessel was entirely I'M
der Commander Mitchell's control.
The Federal commander was much
disappointed in the loss of the Lou
isiana, as ne had calculated upon
her usefulness in operations against
her former ywners farther up the
river. Within ten minutes after the
departure of the Confederate Off
GERS, the colors of the fort were haul
ed down, and both works delivered
over to the officers appointed to re-
ceive them. The rising
sun, the morning after the fight,
shone on smiling faces, even among
the wounded.
Farragut received the eongratula-
tons of mis- officers as be had con-
Quoted the great fight-with imper-
turbability. He wasted no time in
vain regrets over the saddening fea-
lures of his victory, but making the
signal Push on 20 New Orleans.
seemed TO forget the imperishable
fame he mad won, while in thought
he was following up his great vic
tory to the end.
TEE GUNBoATs AT SHILOH.
After noting the preparations for
the advance toward Pittsburg Land
ing, Admiral Porter says.
The account Of the famous battle
which soon occurred at this place
must be left to military writers, but
the battle of Shiloh, with its changes
of fortune from hour to hour, its
keen anxieties, the splendid fighting
on both sides and the splendid vic
tory which was finally wrenched
from the enemy after he had driven
our troops back upon the river viii
always be remembered by those who
have read the history of that day.
We viii only refer to the moment
when our troops, having been driv-
en- by the enemy from point to
point and ridge to ridge. had reach
ed the river bank and were brought
to bay. Here the gunboats Lexing-
ton and Taylor rendered good ser
vice, and the National troops, rally
ing under the cover Of their guns,
now made a superb resistance, and
although the enemy flung himself
again and again upon the Union
lines, he was again and again
driven back. The military histor-
ians have not done justice TO the
work of the guubOas5 at this impOr-
tant iuncture. - Ii il the
belief of many officers that without
the aid Of these vessels the Federal
Army would have been annihilated.
Between our position and
where the enemy had prepared for
this last rush was a ravine which
they must cross in the assault, and
here the gunbOats took up position.
At the same time Colonel Webster,
of General Grants staff, hastily col
Iected some scattered guns and plaes
ed them where they would play on
the left flank of the enemys line,
when they should advance. This
was the decisive point in the battle.
The next half hour would set
tie the question whether or not a
victorious Confederate army should
occupy and lay under contribution
the States north of the Ohio.
There was a brief lull III the firing
while the rebel host was making It's
final preparations, aud our troops
were being collected in semi-circu-
lar mass with the centre not half a
mile from the river. Our men with
the exception Of the shameless
skulksrs) had fought bravely, but
were now in a disorganized condi-
ton and it seemed as if their main
dependence must now be upon the
guns which Colonel Webster had