The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1894-08-08
SOLDIERS COLUMN.
Daring Exploit at Donaidsoavillc.

Royal. fitting out at Philadelphia. She was
n captured blockade runner and had been
transformed into n man-of-war. She had a
very heavy armament. II consisted OF six
nine-inch guns. two sixty-pounder Parrott
rifles, aud four twenty-pound howitzcrs. We
were ordered TO the West Gulf ,sauadron.
commanded by Admiral David q. Farragut.
We had rather pleasant passage 10 New
| Orleans. shortly after our arrival there. we
were ordered down to the mouth OF tho Rio
Grande, to look after some vessels said to be
loading with cotton from Texas. We arrived
there and found large vessel, named the
Sir William Peel. Most Of us felt sure she
was in American waters, but our captain was
n very conservative man, and would not act
without being sure she was in our waters. SO
her position was laid down, and Lieutenant
| (now ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS retired)
g. f. Mckay and myself were landed at Boca
del Rio Grande, with orders TO 20 to
Matamoras, Mexico. and have the question
decided as to the position OF tho Sir william
Peel. The enemy from the Texas shore
watched all our movements closely and care
| fully. We were given little house TO sleep
| In for the night, by tho Alcaldc. We were In
formed by some Mexicans that tho last
Yankee officers who slept in that house wero
captured by the Texans, taken across the
| river and SHOT This was pleasant news to
go TO sleep on-qiite an opiate, indeed. We
co.cluded to stand watch and watch during
| the night, and to start bright and early next
morning for Matamoras. We were disturbed
Out once uuring ,ne n'ght: we tnougnt
party hau come over from Iexas, but were
driven pack Dy the mexican sentries. we
started next morning In coach drawn by
four wild mustangs A Mexican held each
one by the head until the order was given 10
let go, when they all jumped quickly aside,
and the mustangs bounded of on n wild run,
mo nau reiuys hpout every eight miles wnere
,ne same periormhnse TOOK place. AT last
we arrived saely IN Matamoras, having been
,onoweu On tno IeAi, Dank tne entire uis-
lance ,,,i, oy Ine enemy. we lound ,hat the Sir
Wiineu feei was ia our waters. put thehight
We ielt sne quie'y snppeu her canle ana
uroPPeu over into 'ieN'can waters mus we
.os. nlce sum 2I Prlzo money, which
ptompt acuoh Wouiu nave give u.s.
Ater nlockaoihg .ne river lor wnhe, we
Wcro oreerou W r'turn W view oriehhs. up
On On rehvhlns lnnt PInce, We were sent up tine
hlssi,s slpPl, Win oruers 70 at.aGk any pa'ter'
.es We might hnu anu snence tneu, anu I'M.
aly take our STATION on COMMISSIONING, NJ
ne mouth ol Bayou IA foutche, ior the pro,
,ecuVn OF srlnlier Iort we hau tnere, called
tot' bu,ier Inc garrison consisted OF 10
@ SIGN nhu cohvuiesceht soiulers, ana were SUP.
ec' 70 cons'unr ~, a.'acas py smaii PARTIES OF
M silo ehoihy. inuso u''aohs Were supposed 20
oo vhy prehih'naIy W sr'hu attack us soon
,he oheny coulu muster tne Iotee. we
m nau lively "eTt Iuss ociore we reacneu
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. a.. .s , me cy emoy inu ehprasures
sut III tho Ieveo u. ooncgo roln', anu they
sSr.nlh,y rhy Ra.o US 'ery warm recepton.
ineir suot eh.ereu ong s'uo ol US anu went
oul VI .no otner. he vessei Sues were
sonstIuc,eu ~ Vi ohe,lour.n-ihcn iron, ana TINS
Nus was az ~ .nJ pr, Pro'or.,In ,,a we % mau. we iough'
'heui ior aoou. .WI nours' when we succeed.
poradsnnrilIa va ," yvare inSorwnd tta, tha, ,h u,
DonHusoh i' ''i hs",e, w VIZ ini"iinSu tnat tne
chulhy wus nus Hlus''ps .roops, anu ihe com
nanuunl sn VI ro.s pus,yr, nayor puiihru, IN
,orhlcu out G"Ptu'n .mm' no was au,iy cNpect-
,s ,hs az as'"oHi spens ,nI9. I1.,, VI 'hy uthe on
.no 5 suo9' t n, nnu a spests n..,o u,ach morse,
anu ISL w. Is, 80, , no nua, i sne Piuke.s
as poss'oie. ior .ne purPcse %, sottihg inior-
Sai,un. ... younS o,,i.eI, Ae.ng Ens,gn Snow
,I @ ie.IeuJ 4; Miiler'
NJ NJ mas .nen ,',.,J oos, ou' u''erS ieariess'
hv no, ,ow Wd, ,h,t ,"Uub. ,,,,,a th, onor ,.,
nou. ,na' u,,,J Wy ~, seh. III nag VI
truSe anu uerlahueu r'a .ne SURRENDER OF tne Ior!
nnu sown; ;,ad' ms ua"uu wn , m"s ns n'a'.er VI
loursu ~ 'e,hSoh 'h,oh we melo ineh gwen tnree
anHJ .n Sran, ,ha ,nn , .au % %mIinen .i ahu
~. a. 'o,., ~ Nm usnoio wltu,
Ss oue S,saHs t ahsp'' vhen uthon n0h Us 20 wnnt
pp"iS ~ a9S.,~o,, So. ~ u,ss u'sou
nysei, a9 ,o.1sIo ~ av,h % W." G'ieahs anu
P,isohoi Pt ay'".u ~ III Mu'ohou my
~ 1naiiVo plu IN 'aiouSn oul own pIckets.
lmey p,9nP,ty MI ha.u Dm Th nie, anu l harrowly
esuaPeu pe,ns sno.' ine one,"y Plckets re-
esit.u ,, ny Nv, m,', ai,na &c - a. ,u NY s.oiy
lnu "ao 'ntn a., ,h.' go as U 'uo huIer VI nien'
Guns e,c. III ,,,, .nS ,ot, amu on uoaru the gun
M Mpon.. Mus p.i,u.uy nwaru I'll thn, tno enemy
hhtw , ,no ,h ..,,' "1 TIa a. uiu; 80
.o,u .nv,n .no p'a,n .'u,,i III ~ .me lnnuer ms,
nu.uia'y, sa,o ,nJl ,,.,,i, III H. iuii m Ionhuehce W
nv. IN, ,',,,h, "''i ho,.a u" u"y unu par.
oi .ne nuA. si n,Sni, Uiosan W ahcy thsy
% VIZ io,,aS , , ond hom, ,ho,, naa aireau
,ounu 9tt m 'u i, J n" my moro ~ a.iack
US, an, an '..,.i ~ s,i, " So' paen' ~
poss,p'e MN .,a "mWo nn os sA H., ray uoWh 70
sleep M t"p,, anu us , aOon a7 ery,nlhg
wa1 q,, qu.e, e'sv1 mMas p r,una ute p,"e Slowly
On ran,ainod III nornin, 7 would ho ,onnd 90,
Temaincn w ,U,nS anT r,di, MHIu % po ,ound ou..
~. s"s %ras,,nn aws " 90 pIao,y,i Ioa,su uy
p"n paco h,,h,ant ~ ,h. ,rhan shariS ,,'5 on1ruy
.h u.rr os ,rn, ,ha ,,rsr Juasu, auou;
.ha ~ nu' ,,,raanh,,,, ,r,n, 90 Pa,y y,
.he enemy appao".miS ~ '.,,iaL ,'o" p Up ,nJ river.
,ha ri,,n a no,v tbat dison,ar,, ,rns a.,
WV .nI rtyo' ~, ,"ost ,h"n,,h was ~,
oNNao.., y, ,.,,,i, a. inia,S 81, oaauuehiy
.no pa.y ',. n,.haiaso aa a,, ,;,. a s",o iof
honleh. put nuNea.nVas ,"n I'M ucer iot
sne tn arI tho on,,,,,, With ~ ,,,u,,i, r'io u
wheh Il. nIa ,a,,aa snr,o sn ,,ood ,n pursuit
reaem'u y, ,ho ,h.n, and mv bsart WINS o5 ~ hu
MrI" ,ha al siaht ~; n cun6oat 70" mada % 9rsn,tn s"