Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1885-10-04

After an Hours Pull at the Oars
they reached the gulf beach fronting Fort
Pickess, and remained there until the moon
went down, in consultation with the officers
of the fort. When about starting to enter
the mouth OF the bay at o'clock next morn
ing the boats crew were told exactly what
was expected of them, and to sell their lives
as dearly as possible. Slowly and silently
we slipped from the beach into the smooth
waters OF the gulf and were soon inside Pen
sacola bay, hugging the Santa Rosa shore
as closely as possible. To the right the mas
siVe walls Of Pickens doomed up, while to
the left, through an almost impenetrable
darkness, the faint shadows of the Conted-
crate Notifications revealed themselves by
dim outline. Not the slightest whisper was
heard among the men. The steady, quiet
dip Of the muftled oars, the almost imper.
ceptible forward movements of the boats,
and the beating of expectant hearts we're
all that could be seen or heard as the expe-
iition made it's way in Indian file toward
the city of Pensacola. We were to drop
down with the tide from that direction and
surprise the sleeping enemy. 1t was nearly
3o'clock in the morning when we had reach
ed point several miles above the navy
yard mile abreast OF the Confederate
shore. Turning the boats around we headed
for The judah.
All navy yards sre equipped with an i'm
euse pair of shears, which stand at the
I'd Of pier oVerhanging the water, about
On al INCLINATION OF the Leaning Tower Of
Pisa They are used to step" masts into
vessels, Perched in the "top" of the shears
AZ the Pensacola Navy Yard, sixty feet
above us, as we were nearing the wharf was
a vigisnt Confederate sentry, but not a ma
tive Of the South, as his dialect revealed.
Ee WAS The first to discover us, and yelled
Justify Who goes there2 Be Jssus, tell
NE or I'll shoot" Pull long and steady for
your lives, said Russell, calmly. Again the
sentry cried, and receiving no reply fired his
musket. In a moment all was confusion
along the shore The long roll began to
beat:
The Cry of "To Arms" ITO Arms"
rsrg out on the morning air; rockets were
exploded and the hurried tread of march
ing feet could be heard The launch and
whale boat we're quickly alongside the Judah
at the dock. ClsmberiDg up her bow chains
we began pouring on her deck, and after q
desperate hsnd-to,hand struggle, under a
heavy FIRE Of musketry from the adjoining
whsrves, the crew was driven ashore or
overheard into the water. Bags Of shavings
end cans Of turreutine were Quickly passed
up from the boats, thrown into hold and set
on fire. The first volley from the ships
crew was showered upon US as We we're
boarding the vessel. Two young bostswsin's
mates, Lsmph're of Boston and John r.
Herring, of Philadelphia, fell back dead
into one of the boats, and q number were
wounded. The fire, through CALLING one,
did not stagger US in the determination to
succeed.
While the hand 20 hand conflict was rag
iug on deck was an eyewitness to sicken-
ing tragedy at the after end Of the schooner
that shall never forget. One OF our sail
ors, with his short carbine and sword bayo-
net, sprang toward tall man who was
staDding motionless on the deck, and plung-
ing his bsyonett into bis stomach, fairly
pinned him through and through to the bull
work. He grssped the bloody weapon with
both hands, his head fell back against the
LOP'5 ouu Will BuESuuB sOuuu NC ldiuJlJ
cried: Don't you know mp He did
not finish the last word, but fell lifeless to
the deck, the blood pouring out of the
wound like water from hydrant. To the
horror Of his slayer and his shipmates it was
discovered that it was John Y. Smith, one
of the marines, who like the rest of us had
brsved danger to reach the deck, bat had
unfortunately lost his cap in the fight and
hence he was mistaken for Confederate.
The flames were now under head way
from the hold Of the schooner and the clack |
Of musketry going on all around us.
"To the Boats." was shriIly Called.
Smiths insniust body was lifted up and |
dropped into the launch, we were soon out
Of range OF the enemy's FIRE. While bat
ling on the Judahs decks the crew of one
Of the cutters had boarded wharf near by |
and efectuslly spiked ffteen-inch Dahl |
yren pivot gun, which had menaced Fort
Pickens and Billy Wilson's camp for many |
months on the opposite side. The flames
Esre soon in the rigging of the doomed yes
vel, and by the aickering light We were en-
lbled to see the movements of the Confei
srates on shore. Two rounds Of craps and