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

all the operations that were going on
up to the bombardment of the forts on
the Patterns Capc-she was in the
revenue service up 10 that time. but In
going in to receive the surrender Of the
forts she got aground III the channel,
and received such damage that she was
turned over to the Navy Department
and was eventually captured by the
Confeds in Galveston Bay.
At the time. and before the lombard
ment of Sumter. ! was a seaman in this
vessel She was commanded by a we'll
known New Yorker, Capt. France, who
had a fancy of having none but old
man-of-wars men make up his crew.
The crew were well treated. had
abundant food. regular leave of absence
on shore. and good wages. Their
duties were light, and the discipline OF
the navy was carried ont in every detail.
a few days before the attack on Fort
Sumter, the steamer Bait C received a
full load of troops from the different
fortresses in the bay and the Harriet
Lane was detailed to convey them south.
1t soon became known that the destina-
ton of the troops was Charleston har-
Dor. and bv the time the Harriet Lane
was ready TO trip %herdnchor the battery
was crowded with people, who gave
her CHI er after cheer rs she swung
around and got under way.
The passage down TO Charleston vas
rather rough. but the two ships arrived
of that p ace in the early hours OF
Friday morning, and the rebs opened
fire on Fort sumter at daybreak. For
awhile the can nading was fast and
furious. but in the our G Of afew hours
ii settled down TO regular hammering.
The fort replied rather deliberately. and
it never entered into the Imagination OF
the sailors in the harbor at the banner
that floatcd SO CALAMITY Over it would
be hauled down so oon During the
day the Pawnee and the Pocahontas,
both new gunboats, arrived, so that
there was quite a respectable little force
to look on, and, if re, uired, to lend q
hand in any occasion that might turn
up. During the day the flag on Fort
Sumter was run up and down for a
considerable time, carrying the impress
sion to those on the bar that Anderson,
the major commanding. wanted to com
municate. ] here was no code of sig
mails at that time for both arms of the
service, and SO those on the bar could
not make out the meaning of the signals
beyond that he wanted TO attract atten-
ton. Towards night arrangements
were made to communicate with the
fort and agree on the best way to throw
the re- endorsements that were in the
Baltic into it. Volunteers offered them
selves for the boat service. and the
boats were prepared TO slip in after
dark. The night however, proved very
stormy. and the attempt was put off un-
til the next night, but before the next
night came the fort had been surrender
ed. and the following Sunday morning
witnessed the evacuation of the fort,
and the transfer of its garrison 10 the
faltic. The ceremony of receiving the
garrison, and then the hosting of the
tattered flag TO the foremost head of the
Baltic being ended. the little squadron
steamed north TO tell the sal, sad story.
Thus YOU see the Harriet Lane was
present when the first gun Of the new
order of affairs Numbered defiance TO
the government, and from that time
until her desperate struggle with a
"cutting out party" i'm Galveston she
was a constant theme for the papers.
There wa one affair. however, that
has never been told, and IL will certain
ly be worth while to give it to your
readers, as it is a true story of one of
the most exciting races that occurred on
the blockade.
After the surrender of Sumter. and
the call for troops the Harriet
! me was rendered 10 the govern