The National tribune., 1889-05-16

Reybourn, of Portsmouth, O., or near there.
He was the First Loader of No. 2 gun, bow bat
terry, and for nearly year had stood just oppo-
site myself as / was First Sponger of the same
gun. He was killed or died the same night, by
effects of receiving about five pounds of an
Is Founder percussion shell, which was the
third one that had came into our portfolio.
Poor Nc, how / missed the hum of the only
tune, and the one he almost continually hum
med, while we stood at quarters" Kitty
Wells" while / was reading or taking surveys
of the landscapes that we were passing. We
buried him next day on the bank opposite
Trinity.
Harrisonburg had been rendezvous for the
rebels to fit out expeditions to run over TO the
Mississippi River and fire upon unarmed trans
ports, which often had women and children on
board, and this was warning to them to check
it.
In July. 1868 after capitulation of Vicksburg
an expedition was dispatched up the Red River
tributaries, especially the Black Tensas and
Ouichita Rivers under the command of Lieut.
Commander T. o. Selfridge. The vessels were the
Manitou (afterward name changed to the Fort
Hindman) Rather, Petrol and Forest Rose. On
July II. 1868 Commander Selfridge divided his
forces, sending the Manitou and Rather up the
Ouchta River. The night was dark and
rainy, and the vessels had to grope their way
carefully III those narrow, crooked streams and
musketo-infested districts of rebellious Louisi-
ana. Suddenly the Manitou and Rather came
upon a very large steamer, the fiuest of those
now remaining ahoat which had been the
pride of the Mississippi River befo' the wah."
This was the Louisville; and, Shpmate Schmelz,
she was afterwards converted into the formid-
able 0uichita, which you subsequently
served and, furthermore, [ have the honor
of informing you that | was the first Union
man to board her when we ran upon her,
scaling her cattle guards on fantail, and never
cto
then her texas and pilot-house, when l was
her first Union commander. | also remem-
Der several days and very lonely nights
that l, with IL other seamen, under the
command of Masters Mate G. +. A. MeCord,
of Cincinnati, passed aboard her, tied up to the
banks, helpless, defenseless monster, with
not full mess of men or boys; with prize
worth to these United States 100000 at that
time; and there we lay July II, 10 and IA all
alone, for our feet had gone foraging for more
rebel hidden treasures, WHILE we were left to
stand guard four to IL hours each night in the
middle of July, 1868. mention the year, for
several other boys remember it was hot over
varoas portions of the South about the same
time, but l am quite we'll satisfied that our
situation was the hottest of any in fact, the
river water was so hot that the fish would jump
up out from the water to see II they could not
find cooler CLINE than their native element
and even those Louisiana screech or boot owls
good, healthy boot, but brought forth lone
some medley-a something, methinks, that
would be perfect interlude to the tune that
"Grover" would now whistle.
In conclusion, Mr.. Editor, we implore you
not to veto the Forecastle yarns. You may
have been, and no doubt was, good soldier
but you never spent dogs watch " in the
fox'al, or pulled holy-stone on the gun-deck,
or you would never have opened your sanctum
to lot of jolly tars.
Now, as ali my present ships crew have
turned in. without leaving man from either
watch on deck and my favorite shipmate
wants to know how long l am going to stay up
| will close. l wish to say if any of my old
shipmates see this, l hope they viii write to
me personally, and if you sail alongside, be
sure ana come aboard SO long,. K. L.
DUNCAN, NJ D., late o. s., U. S. S. Conestoga,
Manitou Fort Hindman and Lafayette, Missis-
sippi Squadron, and Fearnot, Pampero and
Potomac, Gulf Squadron and Apothecary, Ma
val Hospital, Pensacola, Fla, 1865 to 1868,
Dewitt, Neb.