The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-02-29
no STF plNKFRTON.
BOMBS FULL OF WHISKY.
Why Shells Fired at Corpus Christi Did
Not Explode
L---- = ~


Perhaps the most. amusing part of the
+. b0mbardment Of Corpus Christi affair was
the way in which many Of the Confederates
obtained a good drink Of whisky. Numbers
Of the shells did not explode. One falling
in a field belonging TO an old German he
looked at it long and generously. Game was
plenty, powder was scarce. ana the shell
must have many pounds in its capaciOus
sphere. how to POSSESS il was the question.
II he trl ed 10 drill out the fUSe the bomb
might explode, aud he would lose not only
the powder but his life. Seeing an old
daTkeY approaching be hailed him and
with few cents induced him to undertake
the job. Giving him implements and yes
sci TO hold the powder, he retired to his
HOUSEKEEPING an accident and not wishing
70 be held accountable. In a short time the
negro appeared: "Dey ain no powder dere,
sab; dis am whisky"
The German could hardly believe his
eyes. but It certainly looked Ike whisky
and il certainly smelt like whisky-but
taste. it he would not. for It might be
. poisoned still, II was too rare 10 lose and
old Joe would not cOunt-he would try IL on
him. He poured out q good curful and
gave il with the money 10 The negro. The
man drank and smacked his lips. Oats
fine ticker, bOss-Pss 'bIjge0 TO yOu.
/. nightly" snd he went off feeling the bet
was soon drunk as d lord" After ii sleep
he aW6ke 10 tell the story Of his discovery,
with the effect that there was an immediate
search for bombs ten we're opened, and the
contents helped to make conYivial the cele-
+ bratiOn Of the woTSGug Of the fleet
Later events brought the explanation Of
how the United States came TO use whisky
as ammunition instead OK powder.
Flower Bluff. fifteen miles from Cor
pus, as the town Is called Tor short, Is a
great hunting ground, and during tie war;
as now, people reSOrted here for Oh al puT-
pOse-notably Captain kitreGge Of the
Emitted states navy. Southern troops were
too feW TO spare theE for unimpOrtaut
points, So he could with impunl.y sail
I aEounl tie bay at pleasure, land at the
bluff. and there hunt and buy butter, milk
and eggs from al old farmer who lived
there. Ibis he did nearly every other day.
until at last the man came u town Tor sup
plies and told how tie captain IaIrouiZed
p him Wares Cavalry at once proceeded
there. hid their horses In the SaBdhIlS aud
themselves in the house. and when kilyedse
and seven men landed they took them pris-
OnerS. They also attempted 10 capture the
steam launch and three men who manned
is ban these escaped back to the fleet with
sthepews. The prisoners were taken 10 Cor
pus Christi and given the freedom OF the
town. Colonel Hobby allowed CAPTAIN Kit
Z redge 10 send boat 10 his flagship and pro-
cure all tie iuXUTips lie desired Once when
these two were taking dinner together and
enjoying some Of the Northeruer's fine
liquor, the Southern commander told tie tale
OF the whisky in the bombs
Kitredge listened atteutiyely and then
laughed long and meTiy. Il can ac-
count" said be. "for the milk in the cocoa
nut--or. rather, the whisky in the shell
Seme1ittle time before the bonn bardment a
barrel Of my best Bourbon disappeared. l
ceuld Hnd no trace Of it, vet regularly after
watch the men we're found to be smelling Of
LIQUOR. No one knew where it came from,
how they got 1t, where they kept it, but
LIQUOR they had, that was sure. Yen have
given me the explanation; they must have
dawn the charges from the shells that were
pHed en- deck and filed them with the stuff
drinking it when on watch. Evidently
their. store was rot exhausted when | used
: the shells i now comprehend why they
would not expIOde-a fact which puzzled NE
ttle time"
There is stll one OF these shells in Corpus
Christi, aud tire gentleman through whose
house it fell keeps Il, unopened, as a relic
OF the days when the Town vas under fire.