The Durham daily globe. (Durham, N.C.) 1889-1894, 1893-11-02
CLEVER SHOOTING.
RESULT OF TWO SHOTS LEARNED
AFTER TWENTY-FIVE YEARS.

Southern Field Day-How Colonel Rich
ardson Came to Know That He Had Done
Some Damage to His Enemies.
When the Washington artillery was
at Morgan City, there were many trik-
ing incidents that sprang out of the GER
emonies Of dedicating Fort Star and Of
practicing with the solid shot. The
whole day the war and its memories
were kept before the people, but it was
not a ~reawakening in which the bloody
shirt had any play, but more of a
thoughtful retrospection, in which the
recalling of battles was not with bitter
ness, but with an impartial sadness.
Among the happenings of the day none
was more singular and noteworthy than
one which occurred to Colonel Richard
son, the commander of the battalion.
1t was during the time when the bat
teries were firing shell at the two tar
gets, which looked like tiny handker-
chiefs on the water, they were so far
away. A good shot vas fired, and the
spectators were applauding the excellent
craftsmanship, and the colonel stepped
up to the gun to commend the gunner,
when without or without knowing
why the memory of a similar shot which
had been fired 20 years ago almost to the
very day flashed into his mind when he
had stepped up to a gunner and compli-
mented him in much the same style.
It was when he was at Fort Malone at
the siege Of Petersburg, which was
known as Fort "Damnation," when the
shot 90 years before had been fired, and
the Fourth of July was almost the ami
versary Of the very day. Instead Of
white targets for a mark it had been the
tops of two Sibley tents which peeped
over the ramparts Of Fort "Eell," just
opposite Fort "Damnation." They We're
the tents of the Federal officers. He knew
that from a deserter who had AlfOrmed
him, also that the officers Of the whole
command held a daily consultation there,
and that he could tell the time from the
fact that they hitched their horses around
the tents.
Colonel Richardson was then a cap
tain in the Washington artillery, and he
conceived the idea Of scoring a point on
the Federals by firing on the tents just
at the time Of the daily consultation.
He selected the best gunner in his COM
mand and told him what he wanted him
t. do, and that was to load and prepare
the guns for a special shot which he was
going to direct them to make the ensu-
ing day. The young captain was sure
that he had gunneT5 he could depend up
on, and to make his triumph complete
he asked General Malone to be present
when the shots were to be fred.
It was moor the next day when the
horses Of the Federal officers were seen
collected around the two tents. The
gunners We're told to train their guns
upon them and to be certain to make
their shots tel. Those two shots were
made the center Of the interest of those
in Fort ILLUMINATION" for that day, for
the word was passed around that-the de-
structiOn Of the officers tents was to be
attempted.
After a deal Of preliminary arrange
ments the two shots We're fired, and the
tops Of the two Sibley tents disappeared
like cardhOuse5 IN a gale Of wind. The
success Of the shots was the signal for
cheering on tie part of the C~0nfederatcs.
General Malone cOmplimented the ac-
curacy of the ar~tillerymen, and it w&s
then that the captain stepped 10 the gun
ner and expressed his appreciation in
much the same way that he used to the
one that had made the good shot at Nor
gan City. But there had always been a
tinge of dissatisfaction about that shot
at the Federal tents, and hat was that
he had lever a5ceTCainad whether any
one had been hurt in the tents, and for
the 20 intervening years that one thought
had pervadeI the whole incident.
With these thoughts in his mind Colo
mel Richardson turned away from tie
gunner at Morgan City, and at that mo-
ment n Of Morgan City's prominent
citizens, Mr.. Gray, stepped to the colo
nel's side and said:
isn't this Colonel Richardson?:'
Yes"
well, have been wanting to meet
you for many years, ever since [ heard
you had been in Fort 'Damnation' at
the same time that WASH Fort HE'LL"
Yes said the colonel, land when
were you III Fort >IIell::'"
In July, 1854. Il fact, just 80 years
ago today answered lIr. Gray.
The colonel instantly thought Of those
two shots and wondered if his cgri.h
was to be satisfied. Do you.'na' Hoslty
a day while you were remember
Fort He'll when they opposite me III
were taken ,&oe~ II, tents OF the officers
were a~lpo!d.-y-vA by Two shots which
.Knall &.nOSt simultaneously