The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-10-31
A BIBLE FROM A BLooKApER.
Col. Testers Capture OF "a GOOD Book
From q Yankaa Xessel

Col. Testers Capture OF Good BOOK
From q Yankee Vessel
Col. Rufus E. Lester has an old Bible that
has history attached TO it. On its 'front.'
cover in small gilt letters are the words,
Steamer Columbia" Thinking this a
rather strange title for a Bible, MORNING
News reporter asked the meaning Of it.
81 took that Bible from the cabin of a
yauksa blockader, y said Col Lester, land
what is more she was captured by infantry.
In the winter Of 1862 Wilson's brigade Of
Georgia troops was seat from Savannah to
Wilmington to meet a force which was I'M
derstood to be preparing to raid the New
bern railroad. For some reason we were
stopped at Wilmington and after awhile we
were sent short distance down the coast.
| was adjutaut Of the Twenty-ffth Georgia
infantry at the time and was made brigade
adlutant. When we got to our
post what did we behold but the YANKEE
blockader the 0teamer Columbia. aground
in shoal water about two miles from the
coast and about the same distance from and
just opposite Fort Fisher We had no
boats, but we proposed to capture the yes
sell. We trained cannon ON her, but &c
was long range and she did not seem to
mind it. The officers hoped to hold out
until high tide with favorable wind should
carry them off again. We sent off and got
with a range of three miles, and
placing one at sthe fort and one
at our position we trained them ON the YES
sci and began cross fire. This brought
them TO terms in snort order and they soon
struck their flag.
THE next question was how to get at
them. 1t was bitterly colo, but Gen. VIII
son and staff, under the direction of some
OF the coast wreckerS, rode out on horse
back along shallow point to within 500
yards Of the vessel, from which point they
received the swords of the officers, who
came out in boat. 1hs officers
were taken ashore and l was detailed
with four men to go back TO the boat
and bring OFF the sailors and marines. 1t
was late when | started out in small boat
and storm was coming up. l took with
me the sailing master of the Columbia,
Lieut. Howell. When we got to the sidesof
the vessel, which was pitching terribly,
they threw rope overheard to U.s. Howell
caught hold Of the rope and ran uimbly up.
He then called pleasantly to me to come up.
There didn't appear to me to be much choice
between a leap overheard snd climbing up
the side of the vessel by that rope,
but l caught hold and climbed up
baud over hand by main force aud
awkwardness. My four men followed me.
There we're about sixty soldiers and sailors
on the Columbia and a number had already
escaped. l found quantity of small arms
on board already loaded and st once put
my men on guard over them.
ut was impossible TO get off that night,
go we remained on guard all night. We
were only five to sixty, but we had no
trouble In the morning the storm was
raging with all fury. To make matters
worse the steamship Cumberland came
steamtng in toward us and proceeded to fire
into us without any ado whatever.
1T hardly looked as il the boats could live
in such a storm, but we had the men hustle
into them with all the stuff they could carry.
The Cumberland kept firing right along on
the union sailors in the boats The boat
containing the officers who had remained
on board was struck and capsizsd. They
lost their stuff, but escaped with their lives
We managed 10 get the whole crowd safely
to shore with most Of the stuff and then set
fire to the vessel. She burned nicely for
awhile aud then all of sudden the blaze
vent down. The vessel was built in four
compartments and | had only set fire to
one of them. The vessel atterward bat
tered herself to pieces on the rocks. took
that Bible from the cabin, and have pres
served it ever siuce as a relic"
On the inside Of the top cover is pasted a
little sheet, which states that the Bible
was presented by the New York Bible
Society for use In the cabin OF the Column
bta, followed by some appropriate admoni-
lions. There was sequel to Col. Testers
story.
Last year Mr.. Howell, the lieutenant who
preceded him up the sides of the captured
vessel passed through Savannah on his way
to Florida, and stopped TO see Col Lester
He received q warm greeting, aud
together they rehearred old times with
great pleasure. Mr.. Howell is now a we'll
to~do citizen Of Massachusetts