, 1885-02-25
AN EXPLOSIVE CONVOY
UPS AND DOWNS ON BOARD A mI5sls-
slPPl POWDER TRANSPORT.
Poppered by a Four-Gun Battery on Shore
Within nn Incl. OF Kingdom Come
Capabilities OF an "Infernal
Machine's' Platoon"

We started for Vicksburg in company
with the Jacob Strader, the largest steam
boat on the lower river. The Strader was
burthened with thousands OF tons OF powder
and fixed ammunition for tho army. To
gsther we formed, perhaps, the most explo-
sivs convoy that ever sailed the Mississippi.
Tho holds were crammsd with powder and
percussion shell; powder was piled on the
main decks aft the furnaces and covered
with tarpaulins to keep out the sparks.
Lower and upper guards and cabins were
stacked with cartridges for mail arms.
Is we glidei down stream Capt. Birch
called me to the upper deck and introduced
me TO the quesrest looking informal ma
chine we had yet encountered Beliigerent
cranks were constantly bringing to the naval
authorities some new invention for destruc-
ton OF the human species ITO DO tried" As
for four years the Confederate states furn-
ished subjects for these experiments, they
should be entitled to a bill in equity against
tho inventors for a share OF the profits.
This thing placed in charge Of Capt Birch
was d sort OF infantry platoon on wheels-a
rank Of rife barrels ranged parallel and
mounted like a boat howitzsr. BY percus-
sion the whole platoon was simultaneously
discharged In "one tims and one notion
Birch told me no had reason to fear that the
Confederates were aware OF the coming Of
taA 0Ah4 Aaah A0hA " 4 "a LIZ
route to Viclrsburg they might waylay Us
and try 10 blow us up. In case opportunity
offered he wished me TO take charge OF the
"infernrl machine and report upon its capa-
bilities. We charged tho platoon" and
blnzed away over the river a few times TO
got elevation and range; thon loaded AMI
left 1t ready for emergency.
Next morning about z o'clock, as we we're
steaming down the river, 1 had just rolled
-..- - -. H. - 4
by a crash through the sides OF the ship,
together with a rattling report Of light artil-
lery. In a moment came a kick at my door,
with the words: "Haliool Get upl We're
In a hghtl' / bounced out, aud being ready
harnessed, excepting coat aud boots, ran for
the hurricane deck and Internal machine"
We were passing through Cypress Bend"
and things around looked interesting.
On shore, abreast tho narrowest of the
channel, was n four-gun battery OF isld
pieces, manned by about 200 Confederates,
all peppering away like a fourth OF July.
About 100 yards ahead was the Strader.
She had boon tho target OF the first vollsy
and escaped damage. Tie Gen. Lyon came
next, and here the enemy had better luck,
putting all four OF the shot of their second
volley through US. 1t Is scarcely necessary
to mention that our cargo was unscathed-
Had any part of IL been struck this chapter
would have been written by somebody else.
Next after the Lyon came the transport
New kentucky. loaded with troops and
mules. The third round Of the battery blew
her up. She drifted and lodged upon a sand
bar and lay there helpless, enveloped In a
cloud OF steam, while the battery poured
hot into her as fast as the guns could be
served. The men not busy with the field.
pieces amused themselves with .lAll arms.
Many were perched In the small trees astrad-
die of the limbs, whence they kept up a
lively shower of buchshot and little bullets
But they fired too high
Alongside our lee WIS the gunboat Signal
Capt. Birch suggested that she engage the
battery and rescue the disabled transport,
which was being roughly treated. The com
mAnder OF the Signal objected that, being a
"tin-clad, he could not go within range
without e~ndangering his own boilers.
III you won't do it, said Birch, "then, by
G., l will'
We rounded to and went for the battery.
The long thirty-two FOUNDER on The fore
castle was in charge of an old man-of-wars-
man and gunner, Acting Ensign John
Powell. As we neared the Confederates he
sent a she'll which struck in the river bank
beneath them. Another quickly followed
and burst in the midst Of tho convocation
around the guns. Il caused a scattermentn
aA4 49, - ~ AAAA18A UP
Meanwhile tho "~infernal machine" was
tested. Aimed into the tree tops, it fired a
whole platoon. l had squatted down behind
1t to aim. and, intent on the effect of tho dis
charge, forgot to keep clear OF the recoiL !
picked myself up with n sore head, for
which l was compensated by witnessing the
comical style in which tho occupants Of the
tree tops tumbled out. 1t reminded me o.
old-time black bird shooting. The plstosl
was again got into line OF battle and fired
another blizzard with good effect, while the
old thirty-two FOUNDER put In some more
notices 10 quit, so persuasive that our foea
were soon in full retreat across the bend,
affectionately followed by our kind adieux
so long as we could see them.
TIL steamer New kentucky was rescued
and taken in tow. 1t then behooved US TO
hasten on and pass the other side OF the bend
before the battery reached it to intercept US.
Since we had force enough It would, per-
hapS ave been bettoF and safer to have
landed and captured the guns than to rish
their bad Workmanship again. Forum.
ately we got ahead Of them and escaped a
repetition of their attentions
One of the party Of hostiles was subss-
quently captured, and from him we learned
that the sholl so appositely planted among
them from the Lyon killed and wounded six
teen men OF the battery. To how much
credit tho internal machine was entitled is
uncertain Judging by the Internal energy
with which 1t kicked over its engineer it
ought to nave slaughtered all there was left
Our los was trihing. our escape miracu-
lous. or the shots which struck the Lyon
two passed through tho iues closo in front,
tho other, just behind her boilers One
actually K; ,ckei off the button OF tue steam
gauge. = liver ye1ce o. one inch. either
way. woall i.nve ueel destruction t the en-
tire conway. II sssmd us II Ir,vidence had
purposed an example OF "upnn what slender
threads hang everlasting things" the loss
OF those cargoes If ammunition might have
materially CT ranged results at Vicksburg.
Had our assailants succeeded in blowing Us
up 1t woul have been a rich joke On them
selves. We wer5 not thirty yards distant
when they struck us, and had we "gone of"
there would not have been a grouse spot left
If fhonn