The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1894-12-13
through the alleys between the cabins


So rapid We're the movements in
forming line that our position was
taken in less then ten minutes after
the first exchange between the gun
boats aud the fort Here we stacked
arms to await a dreaded enemy that
never came-the land forces OF. .Gener
al Banks.
But still more terrible, though not
near so dIsatrOus to us as that enemy
could have been, was the grand yet
frightful spectacle of a midnight nav
al battle When the roar of the first
shots had died away there was silence
as If OF death. save the suppressed
voices of the officers giving commands
to the men as they made their final
preparations for action.
Then suddenly from down the river
came quick, sharp, rapid flashes. Then
high up in the air, more than a mile
away, were seen the little rolling balls
Of fire, one, owo, three, four, a half
dozen and more still following gone
after the other. Then boom. boom. !.
boom. boom! from the great Colum-
bias and mOrtars of the federal feet
broke the momentary quiet of that
wild night. Boom, boom. boom. boom.
answered our monster guns at the fort
and back came the crashing sound as
the solid iron balls struck the sides of
the gunboats or splashed the water
before and beyond. Up, up, up, went
the fickering torchlight procession of
the fiery furies. and down, down, down
they came with a swish and whiz:
nearer and lower they came with the
kissing and sputtering of a demon Of
ire; down they came until they nearly
reached the ground; then boom, boom
boom! came a dozen explosions. The
darkness was broken with vivid flash
es Of light, terrific peals Of thunder
rolled and reverberated, and the air
was thick with the death dealing
fragments of shell, howling and
screaming here and there, every
where seeking out their victims on
their mission of destruction.
1t was but the beginning OF a grand
but terrible-pyrotechnic display.
1t was the first breeze of a terrific
storm.
1t was an awful cyclone with its ter
Tfying accomplishments Of lightning
and thunder, and its dreadful realities
of death and destruction.
Shell upon shell came circling up
and circling down in ceasele5s success
sion, bursting here and there, raining
their steady shower of screaming iron
missiles among men and beasts with
deadly effect. The mammoth guns at
the fort answered shot for shot, and
salvo for broadside. Steadily and with
deadly aim; with cold and hot shot.
it sent the great iron missiles hurting
and crashing into the vessels of the
enemy.
Shot was answered with shot by the
gun boats. Many of them dealt des
tluction to the works Many flew
vide Of their aim burying into the
ground or cutting a swath through
the buildings or the ranks of soldiers,
some blowing their way through
groups Of animals within the breast
works or spending their force against
the forest trees peyond.
Thus for two hours unbroken, this
terrible storm grew in fury Beyond
and above was the incessant thun-
derous peal from firing cannon and
bursting bombs; in the midst and all
around, everywhere was the angry
bIssing, the dOlefui bowling, the wild,
urearthly screaming of the flying
fragments as they cleft the air on their
swift-winged missions of destruction
Against these assaults we were un-
protected and absolutely defenseless
There was no chance to resist, nc
place OF refuge or retreat Men brave
and strong trembled with terror and
there was -alOr on every cheek. Many
a soldier prayed aloud. Great Godn
Lord. Jesus Christi was the terrified
and frequent ejaculation of negro
attached as a servant to my company
when a bomb world burst dangerous
ly near. Mules brayed loud and long
the cattle beloved and lowed dis
NAL wall, the horses whinnied and ut
tered piteous cries; many of the ami
mails broke from their fastenings and
ran wildly about in the darkness. anC
above all the roar and din arose the
agonizing shrieks Of wounded soldiers
as they were torn and shattered 10y
the flying fragments Of the shells.
1t was a singular fact that amid al
this wild excitement and danger many
of the soldiers stole away from the
ranks into the cabins for fancieG
protection and went to sleep. Som,
slept the sleep of death, Others Wen
to sleep while lying upon the ground
beneath their guns. 1t was my OWL
experience that after a time | wa.
/ overcome with a drowsiness as if from
a powerful narcotic, whether stupefiec
! with terror or by reaction from In