Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1892-11-19
WAR "REMINISCENCES.
cuLN WAS NO COWARD.
A Black Mans Hcroisn Mt tho Chariesto
DInckadc.

| A Black Mans Hcroism Mt the Charleston
blockade.
Everybody knew Culn on board the
ship. Perhaps this was because no one
| had ever seen an uglier darkey or one
who was more obliging. have seen
Culn tumble out of his berth ut four
o'clock in the morning to sew a button
on for sailor who was mean enough
to pour water in his face at that early
hour by the way, that was the only
manner by which Culns terrifying
snoring could be stopped. He was Ill
ways afraid of not doing enough, and
| had the poorest opinion of himself
was talking with him once and he said:
"Ye know, Mahs'r Dale, de parson,
says de good Lord amt made muffin for
muffin, and guess Culn't got somefin'
| to do in the realm Of nature, but I'll
bress de lamb il kin find it out"
1t was the time of blockade.running
Mt Charleston. Our ship, the Wasp, had
four guns, and strict orders to use them
on any boat trying to break the block
ade. We had been cruising several
days on the coast near Charleston with
out any excitement The morning of
! August 12, 1868. dawned bright and
clear, and as the sun rose over the
| horizon the black lines of a ship were
distinctly marked on the golden disk.
! Our glass soon told us that it was fast
clipper, flying no colors, trying to run
the blockade. BY breakfast time the
clipper was only few miles to wind
ward, but we were ready with every
man at his post and every gun loaded
! to the muzzle. We could see the beauti-
| fully shaped black hull, its smooth ap-
| pearance only broken by few murder
| ous-looking cannon. If she had once
/ gone by us her speed was safe pass
port from pursuit.
"Show her what we're here for,
boys!" shouted our captain. One of
our cannon obeyed the order, the ball
purposely striking the water several
! hundl ed feet ahead of the sharp bow as
a fair warning.
A flash came from one of the ports of
the stranger, and piece of our second
mast toppled to the deck as kindling
! wood. Our cannon answered the insult
with but little perceptible harm to the
stranger.
Lieut.. Crisp was handling our best
six-inch gun. He was splendid marks
! man, but little liked by his men on ac-
count of his severity Culn had been
! ordered to position near Lieut.. Crisp's
! gun. The poor fellow was trembling.
Nearer and nearer the stranger enemy
! came, and it was evident that unless we
| disabled her in some way, Charleston
| that evening would again be cracking
jokes at the inetficiency of the "YaiS:ee
| boats" to keep the blockade.
Culn had crept as much as he could
| behind life boat, when Lieut.. Crisp
caught sight of him. Angered by his
lack of courage he cried: Come here,
| you coward, and stand by me-"
We were not two hundred yards away
| from the blockade runner when three
! flashes and three wreaths of smoke shot
from its hull with single report. a
second later twenty of our men lay
wounded on our decks. Our enemy's
cannon had been loaded with grape
| shot.
Lieut. Crisp had at that moment been
ready to fire his gun again, when a
bullet tore away his hand. Every gun.
ner near him was wounded and dis
abled-all but Culn. But was that the
| same Culn who but moment before had
stood trembling?
His eyes We're fixed on the passing
ship and every muscle stiffened by in.
tense, sudden courage. Snatching the
cord that had fallen from the hand OF
Lieut.. Crisp he gave it n pull thai
broke it in two, not, however until il
had fulfilled it's duty and sent the
spark of fire into the powder of the
| cannon.
The graceful ship twisted and tunret
like a wounded stag. Culn's shot hac
broken the rudder and left the ship a
our mercy. And Culn? He was bend
ing over Lieut.. Crisp, tying up hi:
wounds, regardless of the bullets hiss
ing about.
A few minutes later white flag hat
climbed up the mast of the blockad,
runner; she had surrendered.
With two pieces of cruel lead in hi
body Culn lay on folded sail, Will,
the surgeon told him that it was he
Culn, who by his shot had brought tn,
enemy to terms. The chaplain stoot
beside the surgeon. The surgeon hat
sent for him.
"Parson, you's right-de good Luz
never made nufiin-fo muffin" A prou,
smile lit up Culn's homely features a
the head fell to one side. With al
effort he raised it. Tell Mash'r Crisp
when he wakes-dat Culn died no COW
ard"
AS we stood with bowed heads Will
the chaplain read the funeral servic
that evening, the stars and stripes fiut
tered at half-mast-for Culn. IN.
Recorder.