The National tribune., 1886-09-02
THE "HORIZON."
Graphic Account or How She Went Down While
Running the blockade at Hieksburg.

Running the Blockade at Nicksburg.
To THE EDITOR: In the issue of The Ma
TIoNAL TRIBUNE Of July % Comrade J. V. Nc
Medley, of Topeka, Kan, gives very good and
interesting description of how the gunboats
successfully ran the blockade at Vicksburg, and
at the close of this Renaissance of his he men,
tons the sinking of the steamer Horizon just
below Grand Gulf. and that he got of the sink
ing boat and saved his horse by the same gang
plank the men got off by. The part Of his get
ting of / don't remember; but do wildly re-
member the sinking Of the steamer and the
circumstances connected Herewith. l wish
first 10 correct Comrade McNeeley on the state
ment that it was the Sth Ill. battery that was
on the steamer. lt was Stolbrand's battery of
the I'd Ill. l.. A. / don't think there were any
other troops on board; if there were have for
gotten il. AS he says we were on our way down
the river TO get landing below Grand Gulf
when the accident occurred. i, with one of onr
battery boys, Jesse Davis had taken refuge
from the chilly air down near the great boiler.
When just about midnight, perhaps a little
past, the monotony of the splash of the steam
er's paddles and the humping of the two great
engines was suddenly broken by terrific crash,
as L supposed TO be a shot through our side, for
we were running close TO the enemy's side of the
river; aud / turned 10 Jesse and said, That's
a shell, let's get out of this, aud We made our
way 10 the rail nearest where we were hit, and
-
and cart in. IL looked TO us as though the
whole side of the boat was stove in, and IL was
evident we would sink in very few moments.
The horses had stampeded near US, and We had
10 mount the top of the inside rail and work
our way forward as best we could. As soon as
got well clear OF the horses and where could
hang on / reached well forward, and, clinging
10 one of the large tenders, sounded boots aud
saddles! And don't think ever heard my
bugle sound clearer than il did that night; il
seemed as though the neighboring woods took
in the situation aud echoed and re-echoed il
until all had heard the summons and was on
the forward deck ready to jump the moment
she struck the shore, for the pilot had headed
for shore the instant we were struck. We were
making for il with full head Of steam, and we
did strike, but with such force as TO recoil back
quite a ways, and before We could regain the
shore we sank, stern first, in perhaps 80 feet of
water In the meantime the boys had sue
ceeded in getting the large gang plank out and
line TO shore. The plank just reached to the
edge of the bank Of the river, which was quite
steep.
First Serg't Edward Webster and myself had
in the meantime gone back TO see what show
there was 10 save the battery records aud to
get the boys out of the upper cabin, who, We
were told, had gone there 10 sleep, and got cut
of by the rush Of water When we got back
land il seemed 10 me that we had been gone
but a moment) we found that TO save ourselves
we must jump and swim for the shore. We
ran down the plank and made the best jump
of our lives, and landed close TO the edge of the
steep embankment, and then We chung 10 some
overhaDging vines until rescued by those who
had already made a safe landing. When we
had partially recovered from the shock and
excitement, and kind of got ourselves together,
the saddest part Of our experience was then en-
acted. Webster said he would call the roll aud
see if all were saved. and shall never, while
life lasts, forget that roll-call in the dead of
night. When he had finished il was found
that we had lost two of our best boys-Carlson
and Lindiman-and that the two volunteer
engineers had sacrificed their lives for US;
they died the death of true her0es-died at
| their posts. 1t was also rumored that some of
| the steamers crew was lost, but of this | am
unable 10 say. Yes, Comrade McNeeley, We
lost our guns and horses and everything else
We had in the shape of camp and garrison
equipage; but the greatest loss in this line was
| the army stores and we had on board u good
share of the rations that was 10 feed Grants
army through TO VicksbuFg. Il have since the
war closed seen where the owner of the steamer
Horizon received heavy award for the loss OF
| his boat, but not a word about the loss every
individual on that boat sustained in personal
effects, etc. When daylight came We made our
way TO HaTdtime Landing. and Gfter getting
something to eat and an order for a new outfit
| we walked back b Milliken's Bend aud very
soon reached Memphis. where We found new
| guns and equpage waiting for us, aud We
made the best of our time getting back 10 the
old Third Brigade Third Division, Seventeenth
| Corps; and this sinking of the steamer Hori
ron was one of the events Of our four-years
seryice.-GUY L. GOULD, Chicago, Ill.