National Republican., 1885-10-02
rr NJ. B.. in phiIn lolphin rimcs


with an awful death. The Colorado was
the sister ship of the Minnesota, and was
built and launched thirty ycais ago. She
was the flagship of the gulf squadron IN
1861, and under the command Of Capt
ThcudOrus Bailey was In Farrugut's fleet
when he bombardcd Forts jackson and ST.
Philip, In 1852, anl took the city Of New
Orleans.
The Colorado was lying or Fort Pickcns
in the fall Of 1861. Col Harvey Brown, of
the regular army, grim and aged soldier,
whose face recalled the pictures Of sold
Hickory was in command of the fort,
having relieved Slcmmcr with detachment
Of troops from Texas that had been in
Bragg's command there Below the fort,
on long, low, sandy stretch Of land,
known us Santa Rosa island, was the camp
of Billy Wilson's zOuavcs. DiagOnully OPP
pOsite Fort PiCkcns was the Pensacola or
Warrington navy yard. Lying in one of
the slips and awaiting an opportunity to
escape was the Judah, one of the pretticst
schOoncrs ever seen, fully manned and
equipped with II battery Of six twelve
pound howitZers. Below the navy yard
opposite the entrance to the bay and di-
rcCtly facing PCkens, was Fort Burrancns
and MCRac, a dangerous looking water bat
terry, and Gen. BraXton Bmgg's camp Of
5000 confederate soldiers. The iirst-namcd
fort was an old Spanish foitilicatiun. The
city of Pensacola was seven miles above, ut
the mead OF the bay. Capt. Bailey was dc-
tcrmincd that the Judah should he destroyed,
aud Just such an expedition to accomplish
II was fitted out as went with the brave De-
Catur fifty years before in the harbOr Of
TrpOli to destroy the frigHtc Philadelphia,
then In the hands of the Algcrincs.
THE SILENT EXPEDITION.
Just after dark on the night of Sept t3,
1861, four crews IN n launch, a whale
boat, and two cutters, comprising ninety
two sailors, marines, and officers, pushed
oil from the Colorado. The two first named
boats had twelve-pOund hOwitzcr In the
bow of each. The ours were muilcd.
Every man In the tour boats had white cap
cover on to distinguish him from his foe in
the dark while each marine and sailor
Clutched IA short carbinc, with an ugly looking
swOrd-bayOnct attached. Lieut.. John II.
RUSSELL now commodore at the Mare island
navy yard IN California, was In command
He Is a brother to Purchasing Paymaster A.
w. Russell, L. 5. ~, Of this city, and Ms
gallant II little man rs ever drew Il sword IN
defense of his country. One of the young
midshipmcu along with the party was
Francis W. lliggnsOn, son Of the well
known Col. r. ". Iliggnson, Of Massa-
chusctts, and who is now commander in
the navy.
After an hours pull at the oars they
reached the gulf beach, fronting Fort Pick
eus, 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 l o'clock next
morning the boats crews 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 We're
soon inside the Pensacola bay, hugging
the Santa Rosa shore as closely Us possible.
To the right the massive walls Of Pick
ems loOmed up, while to the NJ,
through an almost impenctrablc dark IsIss,
the faint shadows of the confederate 70 bii-
cations revealed themselves by dim outline.
Not the slightest whisper was heard among
the men. The steady, quiet dip of the
muilled oars; the almost impcrceptiblc for
ward movements of the boats, and the beat
ing of cNpectaut hearts We're all that could
be seen or heard Us the expedition made its
way in Indian file toward the city of Pen
sucola. We were TO drop down with the
tide from that direction and surprise the
sleeping enemy. II was nearly 3 o'clock in
the morning when we had reached point
several miles above the navy yard, Il mile
abreast of the confederate shore. Turning
the boats around, we headed for the Judah
Up N THE SHEARS.
All navy yards are equipped with an i'm
mcnsc pair of shears, which stand at the
end Of pier OvcrhNnglmg the water, about
ON an inclination of the Leaning Tower Of
Pisa. They are used to "stcp' masts into
vessels, Perched in the "topN of the shears
ut the Pensacola navy yard, sixty feet above
us, as We were nearing the wharf, was II
vigilant confederate sentry, hut not native
Of the south, as his dialect revealed. lie
was the first tO discover us, and yelled
Justify: "Who goes there? BE Jasus,
tell me or I'll shoot" :" Pull
long and steady for your lives"
said Russell, calmly. Again the sentry
cried and receiving no reply fired his
along the shore. The long roll began to
beat; the cry of "To arms ~ $40 arms :"
rang out on the early morning air; rockets
were exploded, and the hurried tread of
marching feet could he heard. The launch
and whale boats We're quickly along side
the Judah at the dock. Clambcring up her
bow chains, we began pouring ON her deck,
aud after adesperatc hand-tO-hantl struggle,
under Il heavy fire of muskctry
from the adjoining whHrvcs, the
crew was driven ashore or over
board into the water; bags of shavings and
cans of turpentine were quickly passed up
from the boats, thrown into the hold and
set on fire, The first vollcy from the ships
crew was shOwcred upon us as we were
boarding the vessel, Two young boat
swain's mates, Lamphcrc, of Boston, and
John X. Herring of Philadelphia, foil back
dead into one of the boats and Il number
were wounded. The fire, though CALLING
one, did not staggcr us IN the determination
to succeed
A sICKENING TRAGEDY.
While the hand-tO-hund conflict was
raging on deck | was an eyewitness to Il
sCkening tragedy at the after part of the
schooner that shall never forget. One Of
our sailors, with his short carbine and
sword bayOnct, sprang toward II tall man
who was standing mOtiOnlCss ON the deck,
and, plunging his bayOnct into his
stomach, fairly pinned him through and
through to the bulwark. lie graspcd
the bloody weapon with both hands,
his head fell back against the ropes
and with gurgling sound he family cried /;
"DOn't yOu know m--yn lie did not finish
the last word, but fell lirccsS to the deck,
the blood pouring out of the wound like
water from a hydrnnt, To the horror of
his slayer and his shpmNtes il was discov-
cred that 1t was John \. Smith, one of the
marines, who like the rest of us had hrnVed
danger to reach the deck, but had unfOrtIl-
uately lost his cap in the fight AMI hence
was mistaken Tor confederate,
''TO THE BoATs ~
The flames were now dcrheadway from
the hold of the schooner and the cack Of
musketry going on all around MS. 80 the
boats ~ was shrilly called, Smiths mani
mate body was lifted up and dropped into
the launch, and we were soon out ut range
Of the enemy's fire. While battling ON the
Judah's decks the crew of one Of the cut
l.. 4
efcctunlly spiked llftccn-inch Dahl
gren pivot gun, which had mcnuced
Fort Pickens and Billy Wilson'S camp
for many months on the opposite
side, The flames were soon in the rigging Of
the doomed vessel, and by the ilickcring light
we were enabled to see the movements of
the cunlcdcratcs on shore. Two rounds of
grape and canister were fired into them
from our boat howitzcrs Us we moved to-
ward the Santa Rosa beach With three