, 1889-11-29
THRILLING STORY.
How Powder Marks Came on Com
modore Trufant's Face.
He was a Naval officer on Hazard.
Gus Special Duty.
Raising Rebel Torpedoes When one
ofthem Exploded.

Wnlcn the most exalted nero might De
proud. He did gallant service in the
navy and was several times assigned to
duty in the nature of a forlorn hope.
During the commodore's long residence
in Cheyenne everyone noticed the powder
marks on his face-emblems of a spirit of
self-sacrI6ce born of patriotism. Few
know the story OF the wounds and modest
as he is brave Mr.. Trufant seldom refers
to his battle experiences, but a Denver
daily recently secured a paper read by the
commodore at a G. A. R. gathering
twenty years ago and printed tine entire
story, it making several columns of small
type. Here is an interesting extract from
the thrilling narrative:
He was in command of a picket squad
detailed to raise rebel torpedoes placed to
prevent the approach Of a Union fleet to
Fort Anderson. These water demons
contained nearly 100 pounds of powder
each. They were destroyed by perforat-
ing the case with rifle balls. holding the
torpedo under water until the powder was
soaked and knocking the cap off with an
axe. After they had made away with a
dozen of these mines a big one exploded.
Mr.. Trufant gives a graphic description
of this and says: That is all l knew
until l regained consciousness two hours
later. | was then stretched out on a table
and five surgeons were examining me and
probing my wounds. The first thing l
said, was there anybody else hurt? The
doctor said yes. | asked how many and
if anyone was killed? He said two killed
and one wounded, besides all the rest
more or less hurt and bruised. The doc
tors examined me and found that my
skull was slightly fractured, my lower Jaw
bone broken, my nose broken, and the
hand l held the lantern in was badly shat
tered, my arm was broken and the mus
cles laid bare and badly bruised, besides
being totally blind in both eyes.
Before the doctors got through | was
insensible, and when | came to | was in
my berth in my stateroom.
The doctors, after examining me, said
that it was merely a question of time for
me, they did not think l would ever re-
cover, and one of my brother officers.
Mr.. Chase. was requested by the doctor
to tell me to prepare for the worst, and if
| had any message to send to my people l
had better do so. l found this man sit
ting alongside of me when | revived, and
he commenced to speak to me. With my
good hand l pulled him down and asked
him who was killed. He said the cox
swain, and they did not get his body; the
after oarsman, and his head was blown
entirely off, his body was saved; one man
was wounded and all the others badly
bruised and thrown up in the air, one Of
them coming down in another boat some
distance away from us.
He said | was thrown up in the air, but
came down and struck on the bow of the
boat, and that is where they found me half
under water.
He then commenced to tell me what
the doctors had told him to say, and
asked me if knew how badly | was hurt.
| said no. and he said the doctors were
doubtful if | ever got over this. l pulled
him down, and as well as l could said.
Chase, the doctors may be mistaken, |
am going to get well. Alter that 1 was
In a stupor and continued so most of the
time for a week.
The next morning l was sent with 9th,
ers who were wounded to the ship Fort
Donelson, which was acting as guard and
hospital vessel off Fort Fisher. When /
reached the Fort Donelson and was laid
down on deck in my stretcher, they saw
| was the only officer among the wounded
and the captain said, Doctor, you had
better lower him down in my cabin
through the skylight," which they did.
The doctor examined me and said to the
captain, Il don't see what those doctors
wanted to send this man here for me to
make out his certificate for, h never
will get well, if he does he will b. totally
blind" l reached out my good hand,
which he took. and l pulled him down
and said, doctor, do the best you can. ]
am going to live. He said all right, my
boy, | will try and see what | can do, and
he saved my life.
The captain and the doctor then had a
talk and they both went to the flag ship.
The doctor told Admiral Porter if he
would give orders attaching me to the
Fort Donelson and let me stay there unit
he said l could be moved, he thought he
could save my life. The admiral gave
the order and also an order for the doctor
to go to the supply vessel and get what
ever lie wanted for me and spare nothing.
Everything was done and done well. The
The torpedo that blew me up contained
about %seventy-five pounds of powder and
the explosion was heard at Wilmington, &
distance Of six miles. Although | was a
at least $50 feet astern of my ship, tn,
concussion was so great that it threw
every man down on deck, besides break