Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-01-15
STORIES OF THE WAR.
Prep lred Exclusively for the
Burlington Free Press from
Entirely Or. ginal Sources.
No. "reminiscences of Service I'm
der Dupont.

various lnlets of the coast, north to BupS
Bay, and south to Ossabaw Sound. The
stone fleet mad been prepared TO obstruct
the Charleston channels, and a weak at
tempt had been made to turn Fort Pulaski
by running the light draft vessels through
Mud River. Another expedition made "A
reconnaissance up the Wilmington and
actually turned the fort. | have always
thought that if this last opportunity had
been improved it would have resulted in
the capture of savannah, as there was
nothing in the way but Il few rusty guns
and rotten piles
The commanding officer of the eXpedi-
ton Consisting of some six or eight gun
boats and Il considerable army force,
when urged to make the attempt, replied
that his orders were simply to make re-
connoissancc that he had done this, and
was not justified in doing more.
was one of many who felt that great
opportunity had been wasted. and it was
with much regret that we returned to
Port Royal under cover of the night.
After this much larger force, compris-
ing great part of Gen. Il. w. Sherman
troops, most of the heavy ships, and the
light draft vessels, was organized for an
attack on Fort Clnch. The smaller ships
were collulinutu ny Capu. IerceNill Dray-
ton, man hlgh-bred, brave, and second
to none in professional requirements. He
was to enter st. Andrews Sound and pro
coed by the inland passage to the objeC-
tive point, while the heavy ships, under
the immediate command of Dupont were
to use the outside route. The shallow
ness of the wafer and abrupt turns of the
channel made the inland navigation most
difficult, and Notwithstanding the vigil
lance of their commanders the vessels
grounded one after the other, until at >
o'clock of the 3D. of March, 1862, my COM
mand, the Ottawa, was the only one which
had reached clear water Perceving this,
| anchored about three miles from the
fort and IL mile from the Pawnee, then
aground, as there were evident signs that
the enemy were about to evacuate their
stronghold. With all haste | manned the
gig and proceeded to the Pawnee, my OBJ
ject being to ask permission to push on at
once to the fort. If this could be done
the destruction of property would he pre-
vented and the Confederate retreat cut
off. On reaching the Pawnee | was met
by Captain Drayton and G. X. p. Rodgers
Both of these gentlemen entered into my
views, as soon as the situation was eX-
planned, and accompanied me back to the
Ottawa, first giving orders for the armed
launches of the Wabash to follow. As
soon as they came alongside and We're
taken in tow, we steamed for the fort
sighted the heavy ships at anchor and
showed our number. shortly after. my
executive officer, George b. W hite, often
tried ami never found wanting, was sent
in the 4ir IA hOISt the old flag over the
now ala dONcd Fort Clinch, the first of
and repuSSpsSed' While this was done,
we moved un past Fernandina toward the
railroad bridge just beyond. On our way
thither Nc saw Il train of cars loaded with
troops rushing at fun speed on course
parallel to our own. We threw few
shells over it then, as it did not stop, cut
it in two by Il well-directed shot, when
the occupants "stampeded' for the ad ia
cent woods. About the same time we
made ont good-sized river steamer en-
deavoriug to escape through one of the
inland passages. \ shell thrown over her
from the Ottawa brought her to, when
Capt Rodgers, in the launch, took posses
sion of Lcr. She was full of passengers,
some of whom We're of the Confederate
army learning that other vessels had
fled M the river we pursued at once.
Capt Rodgers i'll one Of the armed launch
es remaining with me. About II o'clock
that night we arrived without warning at
the town of st. Mary's. Capt. Rodgers,
with the crew of the launch and some of
the OttaWa'S men, Immediately landed
and surprised number of the enemyss
cavalry. Our presence was so unexpected
that the enemy fled in CONSERVATION, leav-
ing their horses and camp equipments be
hind. There was no time for boots and
saddles
On the morning Of March 4th the Isaac
Smith steamed into st. Mary'S with in
structions for the Ottawa to rcconnoitre
St. Marys River. In obedience to the or
der we started up the river and reached
without difficulty Woodstock Mills, Il
place about fifty miles above, landing al
many points on the way to communicate
with and reassure the inhabitants. The
river at this point Woodstock Mills was
so narrow as to make it necessary to an
Choir the Ottawa by the stern, in order tC
point her fair for our return. About Z
mile and IA half below, our vessel ground
ed on hump in the channel. At st.
Mary'S we had taken on board Il river
pilot, but at this crisis he was nowhere tC
be found. Mr.. Frederick Pearson, tn,
officer in command of the armed launch
was sent back to the mills in search of thu
missing man, but was unsuccessful. On
his return to the Ottawa, he reported tina
negro had signaled to communicate will
him aud had told him that Albert 9TH,
owner of the mild had dispatched messen
gers in every direction to notify the Con
federates in the neighborhood of on
whereabouts. This timely warning proved
the salvation of our party, as it enabled II
TO make all necessary preparations for de
Tense, The hammOCkS were secured III
and down the bulWarks to protect tn
men from the fire of the sharp-shooters
and the wheel was effectually guarded ii
the same way. Our situation was tn
more trying, because we learned that
large camp of the enemy was situate,
within ten miles of us. BY diligent effort
we floated our gunboat about daybrea
and got under way again with guns load
ed, decks clear, and everything ready TO
action. We pursued our course unintei
ruptedly until near Il place called tn
Brick Yard, when the look -Out at tn
masthead shouted Here the damned ras
Gals come ~ Immediately followed tn
sharp, quick fire of the Mississippi rifle
men from both sides of the river. Sin
ultaneously we opened destructive fir
upon them with our battery. using crap
and canister in addition to the sma
arms.
The enemy lined both sides of the rive
for mile, and kept up so hot and effectiv
a fire from the cover of dense undergrowt
and forest trees that the crews of tn
eleven-inch and Parrot rifles. which wer
without protection, were ordered to she
ter themselves under the bulwarks an
make use Of the small arms. In the mean
while the howitZers in the waist we're dc
inc good work The river at this DOin