The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1893-08-09
CLEVER SHOOTING.
RESULT OF TWO SHOTS LEARNED
AFTER TWENTY-NINE YEARS.

AFTER TWENTY-NlNE YEARS.
An Incident In the Practice Work of
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 strik-
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 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 was fred, and the
spectators were applauding the excellent
craftsmanship, and the colonel stepped
up to the gun to commend the gunner,
when without cause or without knowing
why the memory of similar shot which
had been fred 90 years ago almost to the
very day flashed into his mind when he
had stepped up to gunner and compl-
mented him in much the same style.
1t was when he was at Fort Malone at
the siege of Petersburg, which was
known as Fort "Damnation," when the
shot 30 years before had been fired, and
the Fourth of July was almost the ami
versary of the very day. Instead OF
white targets for mark it had been the
tops of two Sibley tents which peeped
over the ramparts of Fort "Hell,p just
opposite Fort Domination" They were
the tents of the Federal officers. He knew
that from deserter who had informed
him, also that the officers of the whole
command held 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 cap
tain in the Washington artillery, and he
conceived the idea Of scoring 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
to do, and that was to load and prepare
the guns for special shot which he was
going to direct them to make the ensu-
ing day. The young captain was sure
that he had gunners he could depend up
on, and to make his triumph complete
he asked General Malone to be present
when the shots were to be fired.
1t was noon the next day when the
horses of the Federal officers were seen
collected around the two tents. The
! gunners were told to train their guns
upon them and to be certain to make
/ their shots tell. Those two shots were
made the center of the interest of those
in Fort "Damnation" for that day, fol-
the word was passed around that the de-
struction Of the officers tents was to be
attempted.
After deal of preliminary arrange
ments the two shots were fired, and the
tops of the two Sibley tents disappeared
| like cardhouses in gale of wind. The
success Of the shots was the signal for
cheering on the part of the Confederates.
General Malone complimented the ac-
curacy Of the artillerymen, and it was
then that the captain stepped to 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 that was that
he had never ascertained whether any
one had been hurt in the tents, and for
the 80 intervening years that one thought
had pervaded the whole incident.
With these thoughts in his mind Colo
mel Richardson turned away from the
gunner at Morgan City, and at that mo-
ment one OF Morgan City's prominent
citizens, Mr.. Gray, stepped to the colo
nel's side and said:
"Isn't this Colonel Richardson"
eyes"
"Well, 1 have been wanting to meet
you for many years, ever since heard
you had been in Fort 'Damnation' at
the same time that was in Fort Hell. ,"
"YesT' said the colonel, land when
were you in Fort 'Hellr"
Gin July, 1854. In fact, just 20 years
ago today" answered Mr.. Gray.
The colonel instantly thought of those
two shots and wondered IL his curiosity
was to be satisfied. ''Do you remember
day while you were opposite me in
Fort He'll when the tents Of the officers
were taken down by two shots which
were almost simultaneous"
The stranger did not reply for full
minute. A shadow seemed to fall ovei
him, his eyes grew dark, and he stepped
back and surveyed the colonel from heat
to foot Then he broke out feelingly
Oh you'll shall never forget those
shots. They swept away the flower Of
my corps. My first lieutenant was killed
and the leg of my second lieutenant was
shot off, and five others were killed. And
did you fire that shotf
The deep feeling of the man was evil
dent. but moment later he said, "Well,
colonel, you are now teaching your young
soldiers to serve the flag for which my
officers laid down their lives. New
| Orleans Times-Democrat