The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1889-03-28
were to have unheIu 4 fort,

"AiN W tist>N " '.is AZ - IVA ~
The effect of the motor bomb was fully
observed with glasses from the various
fortiiications of the port and from many
points OF the city and harbcr; and those
familiar with the effects Of explosives
were not long in making up their minds
what had happened. They felt sure that
mine had been sprung beneath Fort
Pitcher, and they were row equally con-
iident tha: in the morning a torpedo Of
novel and terrible power had been cx-
piodcd in the harbor. They now disbe-
lievei in the earthquake and treated
with contempt the pretense that shots
had been fired from the syndicatcs YES
sci. This was merely q trick Of the
enemy. It was not even likely that the
nli,ie CT the torpedo had been operated
from the ship. These were in all proba-
Eility under the control Of confedcratcs
Oh shore, and had been exploded at
times agreed upon beforehand. All this
was perfectly plain to the military au-
t.,Oritics.
Dut tho people of the city derived no
comfort from the announcement Of these
conclusions. For all that yhoGy knew
LIZ " AiOiS Ai;y w sAitiSi
and at any moment might ascend in {
cloud Of minute particles. They felt that
they were III region Of hidden traitors
and bombs. and III consequence of this
belief thousands Of citizens left their
homes.
That afternoon a truce boat again
went out from Repcllcr No. l and rowed
to the fort, where letter to the con-
mandant was delivered. This, like the
other, demanded no answer, aad the boat
returned. Later in the afternoon the
two repcllers, accompanied by the crabs
and leaving the steel net still anchored
in its place. retired few miles seaward,
where they prepared to lay to for the
night.
Tie letter brought by the truce beat
was read by the commandment, surrounded
by his officers. 1t stated that in twenty
four hours from time of writingit, which
would be at or about 4 O'Clock on the
next afternoon, bomb would be thrown
into the garrisoned fort under the com,
lnand of the officer addressed. AS this
would result in TIE entire destruction 0!
the fertilization, the commandant was
earnestly co,!nselcd to evacuate the fort
before the hour specified.
Ordinarily; the conllnanuant Of the
fort WAS Of /; calm and unexcitabie tenn
permanent. During the astounding events
of that day and the day before he had
kept his head cool; his Judgment, if not
est consideration. But now he lost his
temper. The unparalleled etfrontery anC
impertinence of this demand Of tht
American syndicate was too much fol
his self possession He stormed in an
ger.
Here was the elimination CT he knay
ish trichery of these conscicnceiess pi
rates who had attacked the port. A tor
pedo had been exploded in the harbor
an unfinished fort had been mined anC
blown up, and all this had been done t,
frighten him-a British soldier-in com
Eland of a strong fort, well garrisonet
and fully supplied with all the muni
tions Of war. In the fear that his for
would be destroyed by mystical boml
he was expected to march to place q
safety with all his forces. If this shoule
be done it would not be long before these
crafty fellows would occupy the fort
and with its great guns turned inland
would hold the city at their mercy
There could be no greater insult to sol
der than to suppose that he could b'
gulled ty trick like this.
No thought Of actual danger entered
the mind of the colnmandant. It hae
been easy enough to sink great torpedo
in the harbor. and the unguarded bluff
of Fort Pitcher offered every oppo:tu
nifty to the scoundrels, who may have
worked at their mines through the night!
of several months. But mine under
the fort Which he commanded was ar
iHpossibiity; its guarded outposts pre-
vented any such method Of attack. 4
bomb, or a dozen. or hundred of th'
syndicate's bombs, he snapped bis fin
gers lie could throw bombs as we'll.
Nothing would please him better thar
that those ark like shios in the offin:
shoul: come near enouS:l for an artiiler,