The National tribune., 1890-08-14

~ a seNA Ii \ Lin 4 AELN4 laE4AAs San .
At o'clock the feet came TO anchor about
is miles below New Berne. The bands on the
transports played tattoO.n all the lights were
oTdcTcd out. except the few necessary ones on
each sin which were carefully hidden, and we
crawied into our hRmmOcks TO rest for the
labors oi the next day.
Toward evening dark clouds rising in the
west had overcast the brilliant sunshine,
Rud now We were having a regular Hatteras
downpauF Il had the soporifc effect upon me
that TaIn beating upon the roof always had al
home. ] tried 20 fix my mind on the awful
rroha titles of the morrow, and think as |
should think were il my last night on earth
IS ] iet il must be for many Of those around
me Around me all was silence save the foot
falls Of the guards pacing the decks, the half
hourly strokes Of the bells on the en-Of-war,
whose grim shapes were momentsrily revealed
by lightning flashes. and the swish and dash OF
tie rain. Before ] knew il was asleep.
When reyeslle aWOke as the next morning the
rain was still pouring down. but all was hustle
and preparation. Three days rations, cooked
were srrved out 70 Us, and every man took as
many cartridges as he conld carry.
Daylight showed us = broad stream-if any
thing q these sluggish waters can be called a
Etresm-named "SiOcEms Creek" which
entered the Sense River to orr left.
A al Roanoke Island. the water Swallowed
evervu here bOrdered the l0w-lying mainland.
This was heavily wooded with ye-oak cedar
pine and cypress. all Waeathcd and bearded
with .oHg wre4ths Of gloomy Spanish moss.
GtTaed and belted, with heavy knapsack
tBEglHE g. my shoulders. sagging hayersack
eafPigg on one side eanteeu banging against
Tie Oh 2. caTtr.dge-boZ cTammed full pulling
down behind, my head through the slit in my
1aaia-ruDoer pOnchO, and my hat-rim turned
csS@t iAe better 10 shed the rain, / leaned
On ng gun, on the sloppy deck, and waited FOR
TIE cgssiH 20 rise on the great drama.
% Laii' / asked, do you suppose the gallant
warrior We read 50 much aboat had 90 20 into
battle 81 Ee dO-l0aded down like pack horses,
Enc z,rart up IS stiby IS murnmiesy"
fEup9se," Ian answered, 3" that they were
men, tie same a. we are, and that they had %
eat s.eep and carry arms with which 70 fight. As
tie Lorl did not shower down mama for them
e. estf tIey probably had 70 carry their victnaIs
Will item OF 20 hungry. As they didn't like
r. sleep On the bare ground. they probably
carried their bed-cl0thes with them-those that
bad any, aud a. for arms I'd rather carry a
Ia5Ket aud 90 cartridges than the spears, lances,
laFelils. shields, swords, bows and arrows that
tAcv must 're lugged around with them"
Ircy's been studying 50 many battle
picture" laughed Job, that hes got the idea
that = warriors fellow dressed up ia some
sort y circus clothes, and who does nothing
wits batile-aEes aud run lOng-swords through
ZEN. without stopping 20 eat or sleep. o, yes
there WIS just lots q that kind o. fellers-iI
picture
Tie rain ceased; the blue sky appeared
tAr0ugh the clouds.
There goes the signal to prepare for land
Ing" called out someone
Everybody get ready now % get int,
the boats commanded our officers. "Moye 81
quickly IS possible, but no crowding. no slipping
and falling and no tumbing overheard. Hav,
your CARS ready tO row the instant the sigma
A. given - cast of, and then row for every cen
that goa re worth until you strike the shore
Then pick up your guns Jump ont form thi
mlnuie you reach dry ground aud load YOU
guns The men for the first boat, get in now.
Job handed his gun % the Lieutensn
stationed a. the head Of the ladder, climbe,
la5Or0Bsiy down into the boat. his muske
being passed 70 him rs he took his seat in tia
stern. The re2t Of US did the same II wa
exceedingly clumsy work loaded down As W
were. with everything 1s had on soggy witt
rain and everything slippery that our fee
t0uched. u seemed zs If the whole forenoon
would Je speut getting into the boats
The war ships swung into line parallel wit
tie shore, and opened terrible fire Of shell
into the woods whittier we were going
The black -mouthed guns thundered ant
EOarcd great sheets Of fire leaped from thei
muzzles. the shells shFieked through the Al
and burst with ear-EplittiHg crash in th
timber tearing limbs from the trees and NAL
ing the earth quake.
We sat iH the boats grimly taking tho dash
ing rain, which had begun again, and watchin
tbe terrific spectacle.
IAereu be no use loading our guns. fo
theTc'll be nothing left alive in them woods b
tie time we reach EN- f" said Job
After this shelliBg had gone Oh for two hour
81 the boats were filed aud ranged in lon
lines behind the transports, which at a sign:
began steaming for the shore.
We laid our muskets beside us, Rrasped Cd
oars, aud waited the signal % pull for land.
Each regiment was burning with emuIatio
% have It's flag the first placed on the shor
Each bad its cOlors and its best rowers In IN
foremost Of its string of boats, its band VIZ
mustered On the deck Of the towing transpoI
90 play inspiring airs during the race and ID
men who could not be carried on the first tri
Ewarned on the decks and yards 10 watch the
comrades, and shout encouragement to them.
The transports swept onward for several mir
utes, until their bows plowed deep into the sol