Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1891-11-07

sacola that no reply should he given to
the rebel batteries. 1t was The mission
of that ship to pass through the FIRE of
the enemy as swiftly and as safely as
possible. Think of being under the fire
of an encmy's guns for one hour or
longer and forbidden to fire back. The
grand old pilot, Walters understood his
business. The throttles of the engines
were opened wide; the tugs were only
to keep speed with the ship and to give
neither sight nor sound to the enemy;
and, by fine, shrewd trick of seaman
ship and plotting the Pensacola was
near to the very edge of the channel
| nearest the batteries, on the right bank
of the river, and every shot passed just
over ''the smolle-stack," and plunged
| in the mid-channel water not the
| length of the ship from the hull. There
were times when the Pensacola's keel
had not an inch of water under it and
a lump of sand or a big stone lying
there would have insured the ground
ing of the ship under the confederate
batteries and her certain destruction.
1t was bold seainanship for nightwork,
but it saved the ship.
AT early daylight the Pensacola re-
ceived the last shot from the enemy off
Aqua creek, which fell short and spent
itself in the water, but it was the last
shot received by her without a fierce
reply The batteries were passed and
the ship was safe.
But, though no shot was fred from
the ship, what a victory this was for
the union cause! The confederate gov
ernment at Richmond, in its ignorance
and wrath, blamed the men and officers
of the batteries and accused them OF
palpable neglect of duty. The best
men in its service were dismissed, de-
graded, court-martialed and the gun
ners distributed to the four quarters of
the confederacy dishonored. Nothing
could have been better calculated to
demoralize the confederate army at this
early period of the war. The batteries,
erected at great expense and labor
were abandoned and the blockade of
the Potomac was utterly broken. The
federal capital was once more free and
the pathway to the ocean was clear.
On the morn ng after the passage of
the ship, u lady of Alexandria has told
me, she was on the streets of that city,
and on the sidewalk met group of
colored boys in animated discussion
over the great event. Through the
night they had heard the distant thun-
der of the confederate guns. Armed
with broom stick, she heard one of
them say: "Doan yer see? Thar's the
rebel guns, and thar's the river, and
thar's whar she's got to go!" and he
brought his stick down on what he sup
posed was the channel of the Potomac
river. For all that the seaman's wit
and courage saved the ship, and on the
24th day of April, 1862, she led the ad-
vance column of Farragut's fleet in the
tremendous battles of Forts jackson
and st. Phillip and the Chalmette be-
low New Orleans During that night
of one of the greatest naval engage
ments known to history the Pensacola
led the 'forlorn hope of that magnif-
cent conflict.
Capt. Henry w. Morris, of New York,
one of the ''old-time navy captains, 7"
commanded the Pensacola, and Lieut.
+. A. Roe, also of New York, and the
writer of this paper, was the executive
officer. Rear Admiral L. A. Roe, in
United Service.