Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1888-02-17

of South Carolina, and capture all
vessels entering into any OF those
ports on the coast. She proceeded
down to Charleston, and made it a
point to watch that place especially.
At that time the blockade was n mere
paper one. and the Harriet Lane was
the only vessel of wal at that point
One morning, after IA rough and dis
agreeable night spent in beating about
the entrance to Charleston Bay, a
large, full-rigged ship was seen to the
southland. beating up, and clear in
shore. The Harriet Lane being hid in
"a thick bank of a fog, the ship did not
of the fog and was distant about three
miles, and then she at once wore ship
and began to pack on the muslin.
IL was beautiful to see how promptly
the fellow in command of the ship got
her before the wind and began to
.'crack on" The wind was blowing
fresh from the nor'west just enough
to carry a main-to'-gallant sail; but,
while we were looking, we saw his
three ROYALS drop, and before they had
time to %tlutter, they We're sheeted home
and hoisted.
.'Hook her on" shouted the COM
mander of the Harriet Lane; ''that fell
low is full of war material, and he
must be a fast n who gets away from
the Harriet. Come, Harriet old gal,
do your level best this morning, for |
do want to range alongside Of hat ship
ahead"
''Oh, we can heave nm to pretty
soon with the long t~hirty-two forward.
Shall | clear away and send him Il
complments?" put in the executive,
who had Just made his appearance.
Yes, sir; but you need not hit him.
Just let him knew that we want him to
shorten sail
The executive went forward 10 super
intend the operation OF sighting and
firing the big gun on the forecastle.
At that time our navy q q not carry
the effective and accurate Parrot guns
that afterwards became noted for their
long range and fighting DUAL ties.
Eight and eleven-incn Dahlgren guns
were then the most formidable weapons
on our ships of war. They were clumsy
things, and on "a light vessel like the
Harriet ane were u%nserviceable. She
carried at that time a battery of four
/ III ~ bl' ttNAA nv
wheel house. a long thirtv-two on her
forecastle, and two brass underground
ers on her quarterback, working on
%carronade slides. 1t was called a heavy
battery i'm those DAYS, and il was rs far
as weight went; but a vessel with a
! thirtv-pound PARROT gun could keep
out of her range and sink her with ease.
Meanwhile the chase hoisied the
! Spanish flag and ran ut fore and ma n
top mast studding sails. With the glass
we could see her crew swaying at the
halliard- and checking the yards. The
enormous pressure on her masts canted
them over her bows, and in the smooth
water close in shore she was going
through the water faster than an aver
age steamer.
Presently the long ~thirty-two blazed
away and the round shot went hum
ming away towards the ship. Rising
higher and h CHER it at last reached Is
highest speed, and then began to de-
scend in a graceful curve. 1t vas n
good line shot but il fell short, taking
the water half a mi'e from the chase.
The chase lowered his Spanish ensign,
and in its place the meteor flag was
run up and dipped three times as an
acknowledgement of the honor, but he
did not mean to stop by the way, for
presently we saw something white go
tluttering aloft and in a~twinkling a tiny
top gallant studding sail was set. A
round shot or two was not going TO
scare this British seaman with the nim-
bic legs. and so a blue cartridge was
slipped into the %forecastle M and "A
round shot, carefully grummeted,
was rammcd on top of it. Then the
gun was elevated a rifle. carefully
trained. and the lock-string pulled.
The gun recoiled the whole length of
the slide. and the shot went roaring up
in the air, and presently took the water
a little to the right OF the ship and a
considerable distance beyond her.
Again the meteor flag acknowledged
''honors easy but aeclined TO ''heave
to-
Both ships were now passing North
Edisto Inlet. and the Harriet Lane, a
little to seward, was slowly gaining.
Every sail that could pull was set, and
down below the tiremen we're vorking
like beavers TO keep a steady pressure
of steam no. Every little while the
long thirty-two roared out to stop, and
though the shots fell all about him he
seemed to be one f the lucky chaps
that never are hit.
As the morning wore along Stone
inlet was passed, The chase still bowl
ing along at the rate of fourteen miles
an hour. and the two vessels about two
miles apart. She could not very well
get outside the Harriet Lane, because
that vessel was outside of her. but she
Rugged the shore pretty close and
seemed to know the bottom better than
those on the cruiser.
Towards noon the chase was a mile
and "A half ahead and we could hear
the voice of the seamep in her chains
calling the depth of water. The wind
had freshened and il ga a n advantage
to the chase, who was keen enough to
know it. Every little while we could
see her crew make the rounds of the
sheets and halliards. and when they
had nothing else to do they would clus-
ter aft and watch us. there was
no regular dinner in the Harriet Lane,
but the men drew on the scuttle-butt to
keep calm. Already some of them
.u~. I.sll.-- Il. a. III