New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-06-20
THE SURPRISE PARTY.
,,.oDr or THE MISSISSIPPI.
AN EPISODE OF The mtoohooh n
y,. IA, MOO York Weekly Trbunss Ne~ Seo'e' /" VIZ
ITO" INC War-CopyIohL 1885.

-, ~, orond old sea hon Farragut from the
time we reached Ship Island in March, haa pasSc"
through the storm of shot and shell on the lnoin-
ING of the Goth OF April, when we ran past Ioi''
Jackson and st. Phillip, clearing away tue en''i
distractions, meeting and sinking inc hIo snip
made of barges filed with pine wood roslh auu '"i'
blazing high above our topmast crosstrees mus
nar;nr either DESTROYED or captured the Confed-
crate eunboats and rams, we sailed pro"uH
nm the Father of Waters with the
oio,;ops hammer of the Nation noa'lng
in triumph from our mizzen peak. . o,,roh
Iremember well the attempt maze 10 cap'" ""
snnpIv shin Houghton. She was a small saiii"s
bark nurchased by the Government OF apou'
three hundred TONS She had been nt'eu up ny
the Government with battery OF hve guns ioui
ionc tb;rtv-twos in broadsdc and one eleven-inch
Hodman pivot gun on the forecastle. Her cle"
consisted of an acting master, three masters anu
80 , surceon and sixty men. had been de-
toiled nv CAPTAIN Renshaw from the gunDoat
wes,feld 70 take the place of one of the master
,ootes who was on the sick list. We had on board
q full cargo of provisions, clothing and ordnance
stores for the fleet above, and IN addition had Tue
feet Paymaser on board with over Sloo'ooo III
oo,d for the crews of the different ships in the
feet then living just below Nicksburg III was
known in New-Orleans when we lett that we hau
q very valuahe cargo, besides the money on ooaro'
and the news of our departure was no doubt sent
nv the Confederates in the city to all the points
above urging our capture if possible
We left the city early IN July, and beng sail
ing vessel we had TO take an old river steamer
called the Empire Parrish to tow us up She made
fast ON the port side and took the precautlon 10
nile bales of cotton both forward and aft OF her
ho,er and engines. and also took the mems ham,
Knocks and hung them around the pllot-house as Il
nro,ection against the bullets of the sharpshooterS
who lined the banks on both sides OF the river All
the way up We had passed Baton Rouge without
molestation. except an occasional rifle sho' from
some one on the shore as reminder thal
ro were in an enemy's country, when
orr steamer was disabled by the breaking
Of some portion of her machinery and we came TO
anchor about 100 yards from the east bank OF the
river After endeavoriug for some hours 10 make
tbe necessary repairs 1t found that tney coulu
moi he made without sending tn steamer pack 10
Baton Rouge, and SO after some temporary repairs,
enabling her TO make the short distance, she
stno,ned away eypccting to return by noon of the
next day But il required longer tine IMAM We
eXpccted TO put the machinery III proper cOhul'lon
10 make the trlp. and il was the afternoon Oh ne
second day before she returned. IL was during neI
absence that The attempt was mace TO take u Nv
surprise. , .bo ot,or,oon
and night after we were left, but the next mornlng,
soon after eight bells had struck, we noticed an OLD
negro on the east bank who seemed by MS actions
TO wish 10 communicate with us for some reason,
and II was finally decided TO send the second cut,er
ashore and zee what the old fellow wanted. lie
stood near the river bank and the moment the cut
ter reached the shore, seeming very mucu IIlHul-
eued he huITedly told us that there had Deeh
large gathering the night before AT the mousse OF
lls master, who was colonel Ill uhe
Confederate service. then at home on turlough ana
the old fellow had overheard the whole plan 1ol
our captnrc discussed and agreed upon ny the men
assembled. They had full information as TO what
Ilud OF a prize they would secure If they succeeded
IN making The capture Their plan was TO get as
l.,tf nd al me
be al a point on the TNeI above us anu nave lheii
manned with as many people as c0uid be mustered
for the service headed by the colonel and some ten
o. more Confederate soldiers who had seen service
and were then IN the VICINITY, some on
furlough and some on detached service me
oboat ONE mile above and as the night would be
dirk. there beng no moon TIL late. they could
float with the current almost nOseessly down upon
usd,vidng heir force part taking the port and
part the starboarG side. The bark lying very low,
ler plank shears not over three 1eet aboEe, me
water they could climb right on BOARD ana nave
u captured before were aware OF any danger.
The plan was doubt admirable III then estma-
watchfuiness and discipline on a man-oi-
war IN war times and III an enemys country
10 know all about 1t, or the l0o mlgnI
not have seemed SO easy. ne old
darkev after giving lis this information seemed
badly frightened for fear he would be 1Ouhd out
We offered to take HIM on board tue sap WIN US
lut ne did not dare 90. lie said "SpOse dey does
come and Kill you all an take de ship and ind old
niggah dar dey burn hlm alve shnag an cet Germ.
match, Eime-by Massa Lnkum come hlsselt and dc
ole mggah be free nlggah den we toid nm \, an
night. his old master should never KNOW ABOUT III III
any event aud went back to our ship.
Ne lay there all that hot July day and
from our topgailant crOsslrees we
could see over the point of land
above and during the day deserted a number OF
bateaux and other boats cross the river above ana
20 behind the point of land, all hlled. with men;
and occasionally we could see the CLINT of a mus
ket or carbine as some one III the boat would
change his position. Everything passed on quii,,
"a 10, .fahV T.
hands were called to quarters and the ship stripped
TO action and the necessary preparations maze 10
give the surprise parry di1erenI reception iioif
the one they anticipated. The charges OF
and double stand of grape, and
canister were rainnIed home Our buiWarks
were hung on hinges which let them drop ont
board and left a clear flush deck from the HE ran
around the maInmaSt to the heel of the bowsPilt ;
So un css we objected. all the boarding partN had
10 do 10 leap out OF tnelr pau eauN square OH
deck. We trained the Droadslde guns as Tar Tor
ward as possible with muzzies depIessed SO the
charge would strike the water INSIDE ol MY yaIus
from the ship. Each man was armed with biace
Of eghtlnch navy reviewers, cutIaSs ana belt. Inc
entire battery wa, at full cock. primes III place,
and We were ordered to stations and to keepslence.
We had what seemed a long wait one Two,
three four and five bells struck, and stu the silence
was uubroken. save by the wash OF the RAPID cur
rent a. ii passed our cable or me suuuci pIo" oi
some heavy piece of drlitwOod against our cut
wafer The strain on the nerves while aawaitlhe
the attack IN perfect silence was intense but soon
after six bells had struck The click OF oars was heard
up the river and we knew then that the struggle
was near We had no means OF knowing the
force OF the attacking party, but we knew If any
number OF them reached our deck unharmcd 1t
would be "a desperate hand-to-hand fight Tor life.
On they came, floating now with the current as
silent as the grave until within fifty wards of our
bows when they separated, about one-haif of them
gong each side or starting for those points,
when with the Rebel yell that was afteTward so
familiar 10 our boys. they made their grand rush
for us. But suddenly, as if by magic, our battle
lanterns were nghted fore and ait, making
the whole scene as bright MONDAY,
and disclosing 20 what seemed to be
legion of shouting Gends filled with the
spiIIt OF the evil one, each man armed with what
ever weapon had been most Convenient -muSkets,
rifles shot guns. pistols, old cavalry sabres, sh0r
cutiasscs-some with pieces of scytheS, WIN Sucks
of wood Tor handles others with long, ugly bowie
knives: In ahOrt. II was an cXpedlllOn OTganlZed