Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-01-01
Gales and Sketthes.
A Gun.Boat Running the Gauntlet.

miral Wake, in tine Operations of the
Western Flotilla" in the January Century,
we quote the following:
"Having received written orders from
fiag-officer, under date of March 3Oth, at
once began to prepare the Carondelet for
the ordeal. All the loose material al hand
was collected. and on the 4th of April the
decks were covered with it. to protect
them against plunging shot. Hawser S
and chain cables were placed around the
pilot-house and other vulnerable parts of
the vessel, and every precaution was
adopted to prevent disaster. A coal-barge
laden with hay and coal was dashed to the
part of the port side on which there was
no iron plating. to protect the magazine.
And it was truly said that the old Caron
delet at that time resembled farmers
wagon prepared for market. The engi-
neers led the escape-steam, through the
pipes aft, into the wheel-house, to avoid
the putting sound it made when blown
through the smoke-stacks.
"All the necessary preparations having
been made. informed the flag-otficer OF
nv intention to run the gauntlet that
night, and received his approval. Colonel
Buford, who commanded the land forces
temporarily with the tlotilla, assisted me
in preparing for the trip, and on the night
of the 4th brought on board Captain Hol-
lenstein of the Forty second Illinois, and
twenty-three sharp-shoOters OF his COM
mand, who volunteered their services,
which were gratefully accepted. Colonel
Buford remained on board until the last
moment to encourage us. informed the
officers and crew OF the character OF the
undertaking, and all expressed readi-
ness to make the venture. In order to
resist boarding parties in case we should
be disabled, the sailors were well-armed,
and pistols. cutlasses, muskets, boarding.
pixies, and hand-grenades were within
reach. Hose was attached to the boilers
to throw scalding water over any who
might attempt to board. If it should be
found impossible to save the vessel, 1t
was designed to sink rather than burn her,
as the loss of life would probably be
greater in the latter case by the explosion
of her magazine. During the afternoon
there was promise of a clear. moonlight
night, and it was determined to wait until
the moon was down, and then to make the
attempt, whatever the chances. Having
gone so far, we could not abandon the
project without bad effect on the men.
equal almost to failure.
AT 10 O'Clock the moon had gone down
and the sky, the earth. and the river were
alike hidden in the black shadow of thun-
der-stJrm, which had now spread itself
over all the heavens. AS the time seemed
favorable, | ordered the first master to
cast off. Dark clouds now rose rapidly
over us, and enveloped us in almost total
darkness, except when the sky was light
ed up bv the welcome flashes OF vivid
lightning, to show us the perilous way we
were to take. Now and then the dim out
line of the landscape could be seen, and
the forest bending under the roaring
storm that came rushing up the river.
with our bow pointing to the island,
we passed the lowest point of land with
out being observed, it appears, by the
enemy All speed was given to the ves-
sci to drive her through the tempest. The
flashes of lightning continued with fright
full brllancy, and almost every second
wrote a correspondent, every brace, post,
dstinctness, enshrouded by blush white
glare of light, and then her fern for the
next minute would become merged in the
intense darkness When opposite Bat
terry No. 2. on the mainland. the smoke
stack blazed up. but the fire was soon
subdued. 1t was caused by the SCOT be-
coming dry, as the escape steam, which
usually kept the stacks wet, had been sent
to the wheel-house. as already mentioned,
to prevent noise. With such vivid light
ming as prevailed during the whole pas
sage there was no prospect of escaping
the vigilance of the enemy, but there was
good reason to hope that he would be I'M
able to point his guns accurately. Again
the smoke stacks took fire, and were soon
put out and then the roar of the enemy's
guns began, and from Batteries No. 2. 3,
and 4 came almost necessarily the sharp
crack and screaming sound Of their rifle
shells, which seemed to unite with the
electric batteries of the clouds TO ann!hl-
late us.
while nearing the island. or some
shoal point, during few minutes OF total
darkness, we were startled by the loud,
sharp order, Hard a-port,' from our brave
and skillful pilot. First Master Hoel. We
almost grazed the island, and it appears
we were not observed through the storm
until we were close in, and the enemy
having no time to point his guns, fired at
random. In fact, we ran so near, that the
enemy did not, probably could not, de-
press his guns sufficiently. While close
under the lee of the island, and during a
lull in the storm and in the firing, one of
our pilots heard a confederate officer shout
elevate your gunsn Yes, confound you,
said the pilot, in much lower key. 'ele-
vate' 1t is probable that the muzzles of
those guns had been depressed to keep
the rain out of them. and the officers, not
expecting another night attack in such a
storm, and arriving late, ordered the guns
elevated Just in time to save us from the
direct fire of the enemys heaviest fort !;
and this, no doubt, was the cause of our
remarkable escape. Nearly all the enc
my's shot went over us.
Having passed the principal batteries,
we were greatly relieved from suspense,
patiently endured, however, by the officers
and crew. But there was another formid-
able obstacle in the way-a floating bat
terry. which was the great war elephant
OF the confederates, built to blockade the
! Mississippi permanently. AS we passed
her she fired six or eight shots at us. but
without effect One ball struck the coal
barge and was found in a bale of hay; we
found also. one or two musket bullets.
We arrived at New Madrid about mid