The National tribune., 1890-12-18
Read Better than a Pension . on page !.
SOLDIERS AND SEAMEN !;
Or, Who Actually Did Spike the Guns at Island No.
IOl

Or. Who Actually Did Spike the Guns at Island No.
IOI
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: notice in a
recent issue OF your paper comrade asking
who spiked the guns at Island No. 10? Now
will say, that l had the honor Of being one Of
that crowd, and that there were no guns
spiked on Island No 10, but they were spiked
in the upper, or No. l fort, on the main
land, on the night Of April /, 1862. Commodore
A. III. Foote's report 10 the Secretary of the
Navy is here given in detail: " Last night an
armed boat expedition was fitted out from this
squadron and the land forces at this point. under
the command Of Col. Roberts, of the 42d Ill.
Tho five boats comprising the expedition were
in charge Of First Master John V. Johnson, Of
the st. Louis, assisted by Fourth Master u. T..
Lord. of the Benton, Fourth Master Pierce. of
the Cincinnati, Fourth Master Morgan. of the
Pittsburg, and Masters Mate Scoyille, OF the
Mound City. each with boats crew of 10 men
from their respective vessels, carrying in all
100 men. exclusive Of officers, under the COM
mand of Col. Roberts. At midnight the boats
reached the upper, or No. fort, and pulling di-
TecIly in ITS face, carried it, receiving only the
harmless fire of two rebel sentineis who ran
discharging their muskcts, while the rebel
troops IN the vicinity rapidly TetTeated; where
upon Col. Roberts spiked the guns, six in num-
Der, mounted in the fort, and retired with the
boats, uninjured. The commanding officer
represents all under his command for their cool
ness and determination rs being ready to per-
form more hazardous service had il been re-
quirod Of them to the fulll!mcut Of the object
OF the expedition"
And here is Col. IOberts's report to Flag OIL
cor FOote: In obedience TO your orders, have
the honor to report that last evening at go
o'clock / took command Of an expedition de-
signed against the rebel battery No. I, on the
Tennessee shore. Ny forces consisted Of five
boats furnished by the gunbOat5 Benton, st.
Louis, Cincinnati, Pittsburg, aud Mound City,
manned by crews Of those boats respectively,
aud transporting detachment OF 30 men from
Co. A, I'D I'D. MY first endeayOr was 10 pro-
coed through tie OVERLOOKED woodland on the
Kentucky shore, and thus escape observation.
This proved TO le impractieable. as well because
of the fall of the river Of the large amount OF
drift accumulated amongst the trees. We then
dropped down to the first mOrtaT-b boat aud layed
by until ii p. m, wheu all oTthe boats were got
under way and proceeded, one after the other.
keeping close under the shadow Of the shore.
The BentOn's boat led until tho outlines Of bat
terry No. ! were well defined, when the order
Of attack, the suggestion Of First Master John
Y. Johnson. was taken up as follows: The boats
of the -. Louis. Benton and PittsbuTg adj
vanced in line. the BentOn's boat in the center,
the remaining boats followed few yards be-
hind. We approached the battery with muilled
oars, in such silence that We were less than 10
yards distant when the sentinels at the guns
discovered us. They cried out in great sur
prise, fired twice on our boats, and then ran
away We landed IN good order and with
great expedition. tho rear boats falling 10 the
right aud left of the center boat of the adj
yaHccd line, aud AZ once commenced spikiug
the guns. Lieut. Church with 30 men adj
vauced towards the supposed rebel camp to-an1
ticipate an attack, aud, &c the same time. pro-
tect the men engaged in spiking the guns. No
such attack was made. The work was all done
with perfect GOODNESS on the part OF our men,
but NJ rapidly rs possible, for the rebel gunhoat
GTampus had taken alarm at the ssntiuels' fire,
and was standing toward US. did not 90 on
board TO return until inspected every gun. and
j report, sir. that every gun in the battery, ex-
eept one Idismountsd and lying in the waterl
was spiked by our party. | believe the spik
ing will prove efectual Tho object OF the ex.
petition being thus accomplished, we took 20
our boats aud returned without any loss what
ever. To the naval officers in command Of the
boats great praise is due for the admirable man
ner in which our approach was conducted. The
officers of the detaehmeuts were prompt and
efficient. while the men of both land forces aud
marines, by their implicit obedience Of orders,
have proved themselves worthy of any service.
The kindness of Capt. Phelps Of the Benton, in
giving personal attention 10 the outfit of the
petition. is kindly remembered. "-A.H. BOYLE,
Gunboat ST. Louis, Blue Knob, Pa.