The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1885-02-05

the occupants, and if they refused relief, de-
mand what we wanted. We got to the house
| without being seen by any of the negroes,
and found the man and his wife to be rebels
but with humane hearts. They slowed us
away up stairs. The man, his wife, and col
ored servant girl were all that knew of our
being there. They gave me bed and Ike and
Andy some comfortables on the floor, and the
colored girl brought us bacon, corn bread, mo-
lasses, and milk-the best there WAS IN the
house. One of the boys kept a constant look
out. The rebel cavalry came up in the yard
and talked to the old man twice during the
day, and went away again. About o'clock
a. m. we heard boat; the boys fixed flag on
stick, and when the boats neared us, Andy
ran for the river, waving the flag. He was
fired upon, but kept straight ahead until he
reached the shore
TALK ABOUT THE DINNER BELL
being a welcome sound, that is nothing to COM
pare with the Engineers bell when the Pilot
rang him to stop her." We could hear it
plainly in the garnet. 1t was the steamer John
Warner, with the seth Ohio on board, bound
for home on veteran furlough. Nos. s, "a, and
q (Musquito Fleetl, and an ronclad with the
irons left above the falls. / am not positive
| about the numbers on the gunboats. They
| lowered a yawl and sent it ashore with or III
men, who talked to the boys, and the John
| Warner rounded to- and Col. Raynor, of the
seth Ohio, inquired into matters. The boat
landed, and four men came up with the barber
chair and carried me aboard. The gunboats
had passed, and stopped from signal whistle
from the John Warner. The Surgeon OF the
56th probed my wound and dressed 1.-THE ball
| being lodged in the body nothing could be
done then. Some of the officers from the gum
boats came aboard the John Warner, and we
| described as well as we could the situation OF
| the rebels and the number of men and guns
= hat acfit tod nf ri
Marines smiled smile that was bland, and
evidently thought us not capable of judging
the strength of the enemy. They lntlmated
WE WERE SCARED,
and didn't know how quick they (the MariDes)
could shell the Johnnes out; besides, they
had heard so often that the rebs were just ahead
in force. ana with battery, that they took not
much stock in it, Of course, we resented the
accusation that ave were scared, and swore
we could stand it if the Marines could, and go
ahead if they thought best. They decided to
drop down the river few miles and lie-to over
night: that on the following morning one of
the gunboats would run down the river, fol-
lowed by the other boats (the John Warner i'll
| the rear), the gunboats TO engage the batteries
while the John Warner ran the blockade !;
which plan they attempted to carry out.
About o'clock the next morning one of the
gunboats blew the signal, and we all steamed
down the river. We were then about five
miles above Shaggy Point. As soon as we
started, Ike and Andy took me out of the
cabin to the same position we occupied on the
City Belle, only we were on the opposite side
of the boat, as we were now going down the
river and we were well protected by bales of
cotton piled two deep all around the boat. The
boys had procured guns and full supply of
cartridges of the seth. There we waited to see
the marines shell them Johnnies out" As
the first gunboat came within range of the two
80 pound guns the rebs opened fire on it, and
then the gunboat gave them a broadsde,
which was answered by all the rebel guns As
fast as our boats came in position they drifted
with the current, and an incesSant fire was
kept up pieces of timber flying from the gum
boats every time they were struck; it being
at short range, not more than one-fourth mile,
very few shots missed.
THE INFANTRY GO IN.
Now the time had come for the John Warner
to run the blockade. Every preparation had
been made, and with the timbers quvering
under her immense power of steam, the gallant
steamer shot by the first gunboat. Then the
seth opened fire. There they stood, the brave
Col. R.tynor and his war-scarred veterans, look
ing as if they could conquer fate itself; and
that they fought desperately need not be told,
Tor who ever knew them to finch in the hour
of danger? The Colonel rushed back and forth
waving his sword; the officers, with sword in
opS hand and shooting from revolyers with the
oti&r, cheerei and urged on their men-which
was useless, as every man was doing his level
best TO down Johnny. Then came yell
fro,si the rebs, and they mounted the leyee.
We locked back and saw the boat we had
passed all abaze. Then came the explosion of
hex magazine. We passed another boat which
was firing very slowly, the rebel infantry and
cavalry filing its portholes, when open. so full
of shot that they could not use their guns.
Then as1p ann. har -ell from tho rniaiS and
looking ahead We saw another boat floating
disabled down the stream. 1t had swung
crossways in the river, and they were shooting
through her lengthwise This was stern
wheel boat. Then came a crash, and a solid
shot went through the wheel house of the
John Warner, disabling her engines and caus-
| ing her to drift with the current. The noble
Captain was then heard calling. Help! Tow
ME outn We had not reached the point of the
bend, consequently our boat almost ran ashore
on the rebel side. Cheer after cheer went I'D
from them, that suppose sounded to us as our
cheers did to them at Arkansas Post, Magnolia
Hill. Champions Hill, Black River and Vicks-
burg, and was just beginning to appreciate
HOW DEMoNIACAL
and loud victorious shout sounded to de-
feated soldier. By this time we had passed
the bend and were nearing the opposite shore,
the Captain all the time calling to the gun
boat, Tow me out" Our cotton bales had
proved good protection until now. The boat
swinging around, they got an enflading fire OH
us. and then the boys carried me below and
laid me by the pumps, aft of the boiler. The
boat struck the shore, and the seth made their
escape, we had done from the City Belle.
Not many were shot. as they made their
escape under cover of the boat, the cotton fur
nishing good protection to them in going up
the bank. Col. Raynor received severe wound
through the thigh, and was unable to make his
escape. All the gunboats were disabled. Some
were set on fire by shells and burnt. The 9TH
ers were compelled to surrender to the rebels
with all on board. The men were leaving the
boat, and here | gave my good-by to Ike and
Andy. L had been urging them to go, but they
refused to leave me. | knew j would be sent
to hospital and they would be driven off to
Tyler. Seeing they could do no good by re-
naming they consented. They carried me to
the edge of the boat to see if they got safely up
the bank. Then came the handshaking. The
tears rolled kown their cheeks, and | know
mine were no better. They said "Don't lose
your courage Johnnie. and you will be all
right" can't forget those words. They
leaped ashore and ran the gantlct again. /
heard the thud of the bullets in the dirt as they
assembled and saw them raise their hands to me
as they disappeared over the bank, and then
what
FEELING OF LONELINESS AND DEsoLATION
came over me! No one was near me, nor soul
on board had known till the day before. NV
wound panied me, and / little cared at that
moment what my fate might be. white flag
was run up Oh the John Warner, and the firing
ceased. Some Of the men that belonged to the