The National tribune., 1889-10-10
THE FoRECASTLE.
A Pathetic Incident Of the Charleston Blocta

Pathetic Incident or the Charleston Blockaue.
EDITOR NATIONAL Tribune: Some Of you
shipmates will remember tho Ottawa gunboat,
aud the second attack on the forts in Charles
ton Harbor in which she took part, Lieuten-
ant Commander w. ID. Whiting commanded
her, as brave and, witbal, as gentle and kind
commander as crew could get tlfany of his
crew see this they will be panied 10 learn that
ho has lost his eyesight) We made almost
daily some demonstration against Forts Wag-
ner or Gregg, and occasionally against that pile
of bricks npon which fluttered In the breeze
that handsome white rag with red and blue
starry cross daring US 10 como and retake
what they compelled Maj. Anderson to snrren-
der. At night we were outside watching for
blockade runners.
Ono Saturday night about q. m. gun was
fred from the blockader; next "A salute of our
station, and rocket shot up into the dark sky,
showing the direction in which the feet was 10
be on tho lookout. The ratio called "All
hands 10 quarters" at once, and Cast loose
your guns aud prepare for boarders WAS the
order given. A murky night little wind;
clouds Discerning the setting NOON some
thing approaching us In the haze that we could
not make out, the shape seeming TO be similar
10 the Confederate style of ironclads. Consid-
cring the fact that but q few months before the
Chicora aud tho Palmetto State had come out
of Charleston one night and played the deuce
Mercedita aud the Keystone State, 10 can be
imagined that We made sure We were in for 1t
this time. ] will acknowledge that as | ran 20
the arm chest and buckied on my sword and
revolver thought there's as good u chance now
Of going TO Davy Jones's locker "a To Libby
Prison. Meanwhile the nondcscript had come
nearer and finally within hail. Our 200 pound
Parrot was trained 10 tho port-side, but the
nde-tacklo fall had gotten damned under the
carriage, and wa could not get IL cleared as
quick as usual because of the darkness Capt
Whiting hailed the stranger, aud tho answer
which her officer of the deck vonehsafed was ::
"All right; we will be aboard of you directly -;
almost the identical answer the Chocura had
given to the Mercedta's halt.
This equivocal answer, and the fact OF her
not recognizing or answering any of our night
signals made il certain that she was an enemy
ship. The command was given 10 give her n
broadside, aud Tom Brady fred off the 2-pOund
howitzer loaded with shTapnel. How lucky
that the big pivot or the 3O-pound foreeastle
gun couldn't be trained in time An agoniz-
ing shrek was heard aud the officers request
" foF Gods sake TO stop firing" Tho shrapnel
had torn away the chest of tho man at the
wheel, struck the steamers walking beam,
| disabling IL, and then burst. It proved 10 be "A
| blockade runner loaded with cotton, captured
| at Mobile Bay, and sent home for adj indication
| as prize, with lot of men whose time was out,
| aud the poor fellow that was killed, the only
| support of widow in Boston, was, after "A two
| years service, going home to be- discharged
She had lost her anchors, and fooled around the
whole blockading feet all night awaiting day
| light. Being now entirely disabled and drift
| ing, she was towed by our second cutter TO the
next ship IN line, and there secured by a haw-
ser With sincere pity we buried the victim OF
| tho sad mistake. A court of inquiry was held
but as Capt. Whiting only did his duty. he was
of course honorably acquitted.-A. j.. LOWE
Secretary, Admiral Dupont Naval Veteran Az
ISOLATION, Kansas City, Mo.