The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1888-04-05
A Ex-Cesf.aerste's Aoeeuns Of the
siege Of Fort Jsckses.

Federa,s fred their first attacking gun,
writes an er Confederate 10 the Detroit I
Frer Press To ns on the Confederate side
the position seemed absolutely impregna'
bile Forts jackson and Phillip were al
most opposite each other with the river
40 obstructed as TO prevent any vessel pas
sing up and 10 bold feet under IRE. aud
the ouly fear that We bad was that fafra-
GU, would not send vessel near enough
10 try our cannon. Above the raft and
iorts Law Confederate fleet Of 10 or Is
vessels, including a ram and floating bat
terry, and il was the general talk among
the soldiers that we had overedone The
business and scared the Yankees away be-
fore a shot was fred. We had. all told,
l70 guns, nine Of them Of the heaviest cal
iber, and IN case Of fsst coming up We
should have them at almost pistol range
About the 18th OF the month our sconts
reported that large Federal fleet had
come up and anchored in the bend below
which was shut of from our view by q
heavy forest. The fleet had not only come
up. but the Yankees were towing mortar
schooners to position, and it Was evident
that they were going to give us display
Of fireworks. The first mortar was fired
a, us on the morning OF the 10th. l Was
on sentry duty at the time, and l plainly
saw the bomb as it came IL fell upon the
parade ground, and went down or feet
into the soft soil. and the explosion threw
ou, dozen wagon loads OF wet dirt.
was spattered from head to foot with the
muck, and piece OF the shell struck my
bayonet, bent it double and flung the gun
20 feet away. 1t was scarcely known whs'
had happened when the second bomb
came. This fell into the ditch, and the
eI plosiop scattered mud for 800 feet.
We were now called to the guns to re
turn the fire, aud our heaviest ordnance
was soon directed at the enemy. Outside
of his mortars he had some ii inch guns,
which sent their shells at the fort, but
these We had little care for, The shells
struck the walls OF the fort and did little
or no damage. 1t was the monster bombs
which filed us with dismay. From the
time the fourth or fifth one dropped and
the Federals found they had the range
the fire increased until shell was drop
ming upon us every two seconds The air
vss alive with their Kissing and groanipg
and sputtering, and the explosions came
so fast that the ear could detect no interval
between them. No man in the fort had
ever been under bomb fire before. There
woulj have been no finching from the
fire of batteries or gunboats. but the rain
Of bombs had not continued quarter OF
An hour when the men were thoroughly
i demoralizsd. In this short space OF time
saw 20 or 80 men killed, and the destruc
tion to property was great. We were or
dered to the bomb proofs, and oil those
not working the guns were soon hidden
away from the shells
Just imagine a monster shell falling
every two seconds, to explode and scatter
its fire and fragments for 20 yards around
to fling up wagon load OF earth with
each explosion to start q fire where there
was anything combustble-- to deaien the
ears and almost deaden the body by the
conc ncussions, and you will realize some-
thing Of our situation. Such men as were
: not wanted Of the guns we're obliged TO ac'
} "a FIRE brigade before noon, and the
bnildinQs in tho rear Of the citadel we're
fred and the flames extinguished dozel
lines up to o'clock in the afternoon
when everything burned to the ground
During the day bad several narrow es
, canes. as did all the others. II WAS no use
looking for bombs ia hopes to dodge them
They we're falling too thick for that. ont
, came down within feet OF where stood
Q bnried itself 5 or feet in the soft soil, anc
when tue ex plosion came three OF us were
J lifted up aud fnng distance OF ~ iee'
One man had leg broken, but the othel
two of us we're hardly bruised ] saw
bomb descend square upon the head Of
. Corporal who was crossing the parade
. ground, WAS looking full at HIM, pu
could never realiz Just what occurred III
6 seemed to disappear 10 cloud OF smoke
. and the only remnant ever found oil hin
J was a shattered haud.
From the 10th to the Oath, without al
: hours intermission, we we're subjected u
this terrible fire, aud during the last wv
. DAYS the men were nearer revolt than
ever saw them alterward 10 the Confeder
ate service. Three or four times our mag
azipe was in imminent danger, and wa
saved only at grea, risk and by bard work
and great share OF our provisions wer
destroyed after the frst day. The shell
: cut the levee 10 front OF the works, an
the water came 10 from the river 70 add !
our discomforts, and the men shut up !
= the bomb-proois soon learned that the
ware not out Of danger. But for our heap
:" ,uq on fresh ssnj.bags not one OF th
y proofs wouli have stood the fire. Durn
'" " the passage Of Fsrraguts fleet every ma
= in the fort was called TO the guns, an
:. then we not only had the fire Of the yes
. aels but the raiu OF bombs as we'll. Whe
= the fort surrendered the Federal Officer
= seemed disappointed at finding any Of
y alive. Isdeed, IL was a wonder to us th'
/" enough men were left to mao gun. fro'
'e l5 900 10 10000 bombs. each one bent
killing at leas, one man, bad alighsed
10 the works, snd We had received from 2 ,U
10 3. 600 missiles Of other sorts, aud yet u
a, garrison had no, lost fourth OF its nun