Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-03-06
IN MOBILE BAY.


Fought the Confederate Fleet.
BY A SAILOR ON THE HARrFoRp-scESrs on
BOARD sHIP-How FARRAGUr WENT ALoFr
10 SEE THE FIGHT
"After the Hartford took the lead" continued
the narrative of the fghtin Mobile bay from the
diary of a sailor on the Hartford, which was be-
gun In last Saturdays STAR, "Fort Morgan on
our right, Fort Gaines on our LETT Fort
Powell and the enemy's fleet ahead, all
seemed TO concentrate their fire upon her
and made 1t warm work for us ON board.
We now changed our charges from shot and
shell to grape and canister, with which we
showered Fort Morgan. The smoke became SO
thick that little could be seen from our decks.
The admiral, who had remained about the
poop-deck and lower mizzen rigging now came
forward, with about four fathoms of small rope
eoiled In his left hand. Springing from gun
70 the hammock netting, he started slowly up
watching the battle With his glasses than in III, 10
own movements. He fingered for awhile ALI
way. way up but as the smoke thickened he con-
the top. Here he passed end OF the
rope over one OF the puttock shrouds, and get
ioop esmn DS.n par s wse Ia hd long
at his breast with his left hand, while he used
MS glasses with his right He remained in this
position through most OF the battle, but just as
we entered the bay he went into the top with
the pilot The above is all there was to tho his
torlc and interesting story about his being
Iashed TO the mast. In the meantime the old
familiar scene of wild activity was enacted on
the deck. but without the slightest confusion.
every man upon his his own WORK. The well wi
trained guns seemed imbued with life and
were Is restless as their crews. The captain
woulo aim them as they were run out, throw
Ing up bis left arm as a signal to stand clear,
and firing as they reached the port The guns
would then bound back, recoilfng from the dis
charge. The hurried run OF powder boys and
sheilmen from the magazines at the steerage
aaa nre matches, with supplies for their guns,
aoocu 10 the apparent confusion. The noise
from the cannon was 50 great and so continuous
that It was impossible TO distinguish single
scream OF shot passing over US, the bursting OF
shell st, and the quick swapping crash OF those
f sGat n struck The Gu, rigging swung aioI Q,
and begrimed with burnt powder, and the
smell OF 1t was almost sunocating.
THE DEAD AND WOUNDED
were hurried from all parts OF the ship TO the
main hatchway, when they were placed in
swinging cot and lowered to the temporary
hospital in the main hold. One poor fellow,
when placed in the cot, attempted to turn in
his agony and fell nearly thirty feet, and ended
killed wounded nine men at No. gun.
Guns 1 and were disabled by the loss OF fif-
teen men until REINFORCED from other guns.
Men were dropping ali over the ship. A man
working at one side would the next moment
be hurried TO the main hatch i'm his last agonies.
with blood, which ran in crooked streams TO
the scuppers. Mangled portions of the human
body We're showed into out-of-the-way places or
STUCK 10 The sides, ropes and masts These were
some oil the sights on the Hartford during her
passage through the deadly storm OF shot. shell
and torpedoes between Fort Morgan and Fort
Gaines. During this time Capt. Drayton re-
manned about the poop-deck, glasses in hand,
nearly always accompanied by Lieut. J. {.
the same agreeable smile, whether lighting or
conversing.
Commander Kimberly, speaking trumpet in
hand, slowly walked fore and aft the main
deck, always the first To be present at any mis-
hap and experimenting the care Of the killed
and wounded. Alter one hour of this IA urder-
GUS work we cleared the iron hail Of the ports
and entered the bay, where the enemy s fleet
awaited us. They were formed in line on the
right or east side OF the channel. The monster
ram Tennessee, the nearest, advanced TO meet
US. We now loaded with solid shot and the
guns were trained sharp forward. Neglecting
All else Tor the moment, We gave her the benefit
OF our whole broadsides until We had passed
her. Much TO our SURPRISE she gave more
attention than TO return our lire, and then con-
tinued In the direction OF the engagements at
the forts. We We're now more than a mile in
side the bay, but the rest of the feet seemed
not to have recovered nom the confusion caused
by the Brooklyn, AS none oil them had yet ap-
peared inside the forts. The Hartford was now
beset py the whole OF the enemys fleet the
Selma ahead and raking US, the Gaines on our
stSIOoard bow, the Morgan on our sLarboard
beam and the Tennessee astern, all keeping up q
rapid and destructive fire. Inc Selma did the
greatest damage and raked fore and ait.
Tier position ahead Was such that We could
bring only the one iorecastie gun to bear on
her, ana u shot from her disabled that, killing
nall It's crew. One OF them was literally
BLOWN To ATOMS,
nothing remaining but his boots which were
found in different parts of the ship. Com
mander Jouett hailed the admiral Tor permits
sion TO go forward and engage the Selma and
the request was granted. Ihe Hartford and the
Metacomet, which up to this time had been
dashed together, were now hurriedly cut loose,
Commander Jouett himself cutting many OF
the faslenings with Ratchet. The Metacomet
was the fastest vessel In the fleet, and, in "A few
moments, was spinning ahead, receiving a
hearty cheer rs she lett the Hartford. We now
gave our whole attention to the Morgan and
Gaines. The Tennessee either thought US too
Insignificant or that the other three gunboats
would take care of us, for she continued in the
direction OF the forts. Our broadsides soon
proved LOO much for the Morgan and the
Gaines, for the former hauled of in the direc-
ton OF Fort Morgan and the latter ran for the
beach In a sinking condition and grounded to
avOiS sinking about hall mile from Fort Nor
gan, where she was fired and abandoned by
her crew. After the Metacomet cast of from
the Hartford she gradually gained on the
Selma. They were equal in the number
OF guns and men and a desperate running
1gIt followed TOR nearly an hour, when the
Metacomet boarded and captured the selma
bringing her back in tow, with those OF her OIL
GERS and crew not killed. AS prisoners OF war
The Hartford anchored about six miles inside
the forts, and the balance of our fleet soon ap-
peared coming up the bay and surrounded US.
All hands were at once engaged in clearing the
wreck, washing the blood from the decks and
making the wounded comfortable. The ship's
boilers were relieved from the high pressure of
steam and the tires were banked. Just then il
was reported that the ram Tennessee was COM
ing up from the forts to attack the fleet This
was agreeable surprise, for were well
aware that we would have no rest while the
Tennessee foated in the bay. Admiral Farra-
gut and Admiral Buchanan were Of equal rank
IN the navy from boys up. Both were captains
at the beginning or the war, when FarraRut
commanded the Norfolk navy yard, and
though q southern man by birth, Joined the
Union cause and came north. Buchanan COM
time, Joined the Secessionists ana went south.
Both had been most active and had attained
the highest rank in their respective navies, and
now met for the first time in the war. Admiral
Buchanan's previous experience with wooden
vessels, when he commanded the Merrimac in
Hampton Roads, encouraged him, Tor the Ten
nessee was much superior vessel; but be did
not have Farragut TO deal with in Hampton
Roads. FarraRut watched her approach from
within range the vessels nearest her opened
fire, to which she paid little attention, continu-
ing in q straight line for the Hartford. The
MOnongaheia, which had had her bow strength
ened and an iron Prov fitted, struck her at full
speed, without the slightest effect on
THE MONSTER,
but had her iron prov carried away and her
stem crushed and splintered. The Lackawanna
next struck her with the same result. Each
vessel, after striking, poured q broadside
against her iron sides with no more effect than
to dent them. The Tennessee kept up . muir
derous fire on the vessels that struck her, but
continued her course toward the Hartford. |
When all was clear between the two fiagships,