Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1891-03-26

NEw YORK, Feb. 16.-Passing Gen. Sher-
man In Fifth avenue one day some weeks
ago thought under how many circum-
stances | had met him in the last twenty
eight or thirty years. My acquaintance with
him began during the civil war, when |, still
in the twenties was military correspondent
of The New York Tribune. | inwardly
smiled that day as / recalled the pithy re
mark attributed to him nearly twenty
eight years ago: "Now | suppose, we shall
have dispatche5 from hell, before break
fast, from those blank Tribune correspond
ents"
The occasion was the report circulated
the morning of May T. 1868, among the
Union forces gathering to besiege Vicks-
burg, that our expedition, fitted out to run
the batteries of that strongly fortified
point, had been destroyed, with every soul
on board
The expedition had, indeed, been de
stroyed totally, but it had survivors Other
wise this account would not and could not
have been written The expedition, con
sisting of two barges loaded with provisions
and bales of hay for the army, and dashed
to a tug, carried some thirty four men, in
Guiding officers Of the tug, twenty private
soldiers, commanded by Capt. Ward, of an
Ohio regiment, and three military CORE
spondents, Richard T. Colburn, of The
New York World; the late Albert d. Rich
ardson, my associate on The Tribune, and
myself The officers of the tug, as well as
the soldiers, had volunteered for the serv-
ice, as it was considered particularly dan
gerous | knew that running batteries in
unarmed vessels was and is still, regarded
as a test Of nerve, because the runners can
do nothing offensive or defensive; they
have TO remain passive under fire. The
soldiers were merely intended to repel
boarders, in case we should be boarded,
which was altogether improbable.
Several transports, protected by cotton
bales, had already run the batteries on
dark nights, and one or two had got past
them with small damage, which was &C
counted rare luck. DESTROYS of expert
ence, as youth always is, | had been anx-
ious to DO the thing for the sake Of doing
It, That being the third year Of the war,
had smelt gunpowder. Of course; had heard
at various times the stirring music Of fly
ing shot and bursting shell; had even been
wouuded-properly scratched (the exact
number OF drops Of blood lost had never
determined) but had not 1oated by great
guns and heavy batteries, all trained at
one object, belching forth destruction on
every hand. The idea seemed romantic
immensely picturesque. 1t had, CON
fess, IA strange fascination The more
thought OF it the more irresistible IL be-
came. | should never have forgiven my
self il | had neglected any chance to try
what appeared TO be "A glorious experiment,
by which | might satisfy my own mind as
to the possession Of nerve.
The enterprise did not impress me as
very daring-if it had so impressed me
perhaps | should not have attempted it
but / was aware that il so impressed many
OF my army friends, especially as It was not
in the line Of my duty. They even called
IL, under the circumstances, reckless and
foolhardy Several old Mississippi pilots,
who in those days were noted for GOODNESS
and courage, kindly came to me on learn
ing my purpose to advise me against it,
They told me that the previous expeditions
II had applied in vain 10 each Of these for
permission 10 accompany it) had gone
down on favorable nights, when the river
was high, and before the gunners had got
the range. Then the moon was full; the
river had fallen; the Confederates had
crossed the Mississippi and cut down the
trees on the small peninsula formed by the
sharp bend Of the stream, 50 that the bat
teries would have a clear sweep at any YES
sci venturing to defy them. Our expe-
dition, the pilots said, would, from its
necessary unwieldiness be almost certain
TO get aground on turning the bend, and
be shot to pieces. They declared the at
tempt extremely rash, and that the mill
tary authorities should not allow il to be
made. Don't you go, anyhow, Junius,"
they added. IF you get killed you'll only
h. If.I g. q.
often said, you're in the army and not of
it. There's no glory for you, whatever the
outcome Of this mad folly"
WAS wholly conscious Of this, and said
so. 81 want the experience, and Pm bent
on running the batteries. Thank you for
the interest you take in me, but" in sport
i've tone, ''the gods take care OF Cato. /" may
have imagined at the time that | seemed
somewhat heroic-though | knew that
heroism forms no part Of my composition
in withstanding the prudent advice of
men so much older, 50 much more expert
enced than myself
We were TO start from the spot where
our army was eucamped, on the Louisiana
shore, some six miles above Vicksburg,
Saturday evening. | had written few
private letters, made such preparations as
1 thought necessary, aud was on board
soon after dark The expedition was most
earelessly fitted out. The hay from the
bales was scattered loosely about the
barges, so that a bursting shell might, and
probably would, ignite it, and cause our
destruction by fire. Aud there was not a
bucket on board, il such an emergency
should arise. This neglect may be partial
ly explained by the fact that the man who
had equipped the expedition had no idea
of accompanying t. After waiting for
several hours, an army officer appeared to
announce that we should not 20 until the
next night, inasmuch as a number Of Con
federate sharpshooters had occupied the
peninsula with the intent TO pick us of as
we should steam by. They wore to be
driven away the next morning. Whether
they were or not am unable to say, but |
can say that the condition Of the barges
was unchanged. They constituted YER
table death trap; they could scarcely have
been improved In this respect IL they had
been provided by the enemy made no
complaint; | entered no protest Why
should ~ The greater the peril the greater
the experience.
Sunday afternoon my friends, Richard
son and Colburn, arrived from Memphis.
informed them Of my decision, but heed.
fully refrained from asking them to Join
me. They. TO my pleasure, invited them
selves after consultation with one another.
and after examining the expedition thor.
oughly.
We slip our cable at II O'Clock. The
night is delightful, soft, warm, still; not a
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