Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-04-10

u. II,
and the soldiers entered and took possession of
the work. The raising Of the flag on an impro-
vised staff was the signal that this act was ac-
complished, and the yell was the applause OF
the audience, If such howl may be misnamed
applause. 1t is really difficult to describe the
| wolf, shrek of agony, and a whine of misery
| blended into one.
| SCENES ON sHIP-BoARD
We were not expected on board the Isabel; at
least, no preparations had been made for our
reception Many, perhaps most, of the crew
were absent from the ship, and the boilers were
| absolutely cold. 1t would be impossible to get
up steam so as to take to the feet then lying
| outside the bar before dark; and after dark the
| distractions in the channel and the absence of
| all lights and beacOns made navigation in that
harbor impossible. There was no help for 1t.
morning. This piece of news hardly raised a
complaint, but the next almost raised mu-
no danger OF that 1t was the officers of the Isa-
pei that were in danger, and the news that
created d, it was, There is nothing to eat on
10 men who had not been living very sump-
tuousy for some time-in fact, had not had
indeed, and created a profound sensation But
1t was disbeieved. "It's lie!' shouted the
spokesman of a party. "They mean to starve
cause they couldn't kill us like soldiers. Let us
ma out II there is anything to eat on board"
| men who had assembled near the galley. and
as the speaker finished he picked up an axe,
with which some one had been splitting kim
dnng,wood, and struck it into the head of a
barrel standing near The barrel contained
potatoes, not few OF which found their way
lnlO soldiers pockets and were eaten raw soon
afterwards with great gusto
Meantime, our own officers had learned of the
anair, and one appeared upon the scene, and
These were listened to with respectful atten-
tion, and as the speaker wound up his lee
ture with, "Ill see what can be done for
you, ana IL there Is anything to eat on
board this ship you shall have it," smiles OF
satisfaction spread over the half dozen hungry
faces which constituted his audience. and the
group quietly dispersed. And the men did
get not Coffee aud, think, boiled potatoes
that night.
1t is perhaps unnecessary to add that the of.
ncers OF the Isabel had no intention of starving
the soldiers OF Sumter. The remark, There
ply OF The steward to the order OF the captain
" prepare supper for the men; and 1t only
meant that he could not prepare supper for SO
many passengers without going to market. AS
the steward looked at it there was wide diff
ference between a sailors supper and pas
sengers, and he had classed the soldiers as pas
sengers, that was all. What troubles may arise
out OF mere misunderstanding! What dangers
may De averted by little discipline! What
sweetness q little kindness can impart to COM
mand!
The night on board the Isabel was misera-
pie one. The men, poorly clad and blanket.
less,-their under-clothing had been used as
cartrldge-bags, and many of their blankets had
peen Durned,-Slept about the deck wherever
tney could lind warmth shelter The lee
side OF the smoke-stack was the favorite place.
mere the raw, fog laden wind was warded Off
and the grateful heat radiated from the funnel
oitne steamer seemed solid comfort to the half
cad men, but only few could enjoy it at a
time. The remainder huddled up in hooks, or,
against the ship, or futile wishes to be back
again In Sumter. 1t was long and dreary
h h,gh IT. put dawn appeared at last and by and
Ole behind the drifting fog, and the galley-fires
were lighted up anew, and whiffs of fragrance
whispered through the door that coffee would
De served in course of time, and soldiers layed
thelr grimy faces at the pump, and seemed
surprised because the water wasn't fresh and
useu their sleeves or anything that came to
hand as towels, and maybe felt refreshed but
hardly looked improved. And then, When
coHee mad been served and drunk, and the
fog had cleared away, the winch began to click
the anchor up, and everybody frightened at
Lne SOUND, and men shook hands with men
without apparent cause, and all felt that they
now were going home
!. The palmetto flag was flying at the peak as
the steamer started down the bay, and at the
lore the stars and stripes, fouled in the hal
yards, seemed ashamed to show itself in such a
place. And Sumter, changed past recognition,
Gently, frowned her farewell upon us as we
passed, and MOultrie, with a queer distorted
sand-Dags, seemed to say, "Forget me not" and
everybody stood apart, and silence was main
tained until we neared the bar. Then the
soldler-faces, saddened for a moment bright
ened up as they turned towards the fleet and
saw SO many sailor-faces watching their ap-
proach, ana waiting to give them right royal
the last gun was fired a crowd OF sailors scram-
pied up aloft and gave three hearty cheers for
MAJOR Anderson and his men. By this time
we had passed the Powhatan, pleased with orr
greeting, when fresh salute, fired by the Paw
nee, began, and ended as on board the Powha.
tan Ana then tue saucy Harriet Lane, stand
Ing 'of and on as Captain Cutie would have
SAID, took up the tale and rounded off the three
fold royal welcome.
We now approached the largest vessel of the
Meet, which proved to be the Baltic chartered
transport OF light royal dimensions, and to her
foGf nd N,.i<.r
passed on board, and then the officers one bv
one The sailors then took charge of eyery-
Lille ano seemed TO know exactly what to do
hammock was prepared and swung from the |
yard-arm. and before the soldier men could
guess its purpose it was lowered away until it
rested on the deck of the Isabel, and our wound
cd, one by one, were lifted on it, and hoisted up
ana hauled in, and slowed away in hospital
with SUCH gentleness that, had they slept When
Tue WorK began, they never would have known
how 1t occurred.
QUEER FORTUNES OF WAR.
One OF our seriously wounded men-in fact |
the only one wounded during the lombard
ment-was John Swearer, a citizen of Balti-
more. He had been master bricklaver in tho
engineer department, and working in Sumter
before the soldiers arrived. He was soldier
by instinct, and elected to remain with and
as a bricklayer were Invaluable in prenarino
the work for defense, and when the lombard,
ment began he was found to be as handy at the
was too venturesOme. He seemed to despise
danger, and during the first days fight led a
kind of charmed life. Shells burst in his inme-
diate vicinity without hurting hair of his
head and shot seemed to avoid him, On the
second day, however, the charm was broken.
and fragment OF shell, at least u quarter of a
pound OF iron, irregular in shape struck him
about mid, Thigh on the inner side, and, tearing
lodged behind the knee, whence it was
extracted by the surgeon. 1t was q horrible
wound. but, strange as it may seem, the bone
was uninjured. OF course he had the precedence
when the wounded were transferred to the
Baltic. he was the first sent up in the ham
mock-sling: But the interesting part of the
story Is yet to be told. The sailor who rugged
the Misunderstanding, and helped to lit The
wounded man. and tied the knots, and gave
the word tn ''hoist away" was his brother.
How strange is fate! The brother who learned
a peaceful trade, and never dreamt of wars
alarms, was the one TO tall in battle. while he
who had adopted the profession of arms went
scOt-free. ~
a feast of good things awaited us on the
Baltic. No raw potatoes on the sly now but
rich, delicious soups administered sparinrIy at
nrst, but often, and wine and each astate-room
10 himself. Why, it was difficult to imagine
that we ever could be hungry again.
JAMES CHESTER,
in, \