St. Landry democrat., 1894-02-24
WAR 2IEMORIES.
A 81 800 Meal That Was Spoiled by
an IncOnsiderate Missile

an AHtOlSlNtidtc AiSSllt.
Connected with the Tobacco Ex-
change at Richmond, NH, is Il gentle
man who, according to the Detroit Free
Press, was living "undcr the hilI' in
Petersburg during the prriIous days.
After several shot and shell had passed
over his house, his family left it for
safer quarters, but one evening decided
to return. Everything was quiet for an
hour and then a Shot came booming
over. This was enough for wife and
children, but the husband got mad and
! declared he would stay there that night
if every gun in the Federal ntrcnrh-
ments was turned loose upon him. Half
an hour went by, and he was patting
himsolt on the back over his grit, when
the FcdcraIs suddenly opened i've or six
heavy guns at the HILL Shot and shell
rOarod and hissed and screamed, and the
| mans hAlr began to crawl. lie stuck
there, however, until boom! biSh crash!
came a cannon ball as biz as his head
plump through one side of the house and
out Of the other, and then he flew out
doors and struck a gait just little faster
than CREASED lightning. SingularIy
enough, that was the only shot which
ever hit the house, though dozens fell
around it.
After Grant had his guns in position,
and more c>pccIa!y after he began
reaching out for the Weldon railroad,
he could have knocked Petersburg to
pieces in twcnty-four hours. He would
probably have done so had there been
any excuse for it, but there was none.
The Confederate lines were mile and a
half away, and Petersburg was only
held by non combatants. Nevertheless,
Grant did not propose that any enc in
reach Of his guns should sleep soundly or
forget his presence. Occasionally shots
were therefore pitched into the city to
check any enthusiasm, and if ANYBODY
got over an hours sleep at a time it was
considered something to beast of. One
night during a heavy firing to the left of
the crater, the Fedora! guns were for II
time SO elevated tha, every missile cleared
the Confederate lines, howlel over
Petersburg and fell among the houses
undcr the hill. One shell entered the
window of house and exploded in the
pari"r. 4 pa1t of the front Of the house
Was blown out, one side demolished, the
chamber floors driven through the roof
and the whole Ju;IIin@ weakened The
people had moved out, but left all |
their goods and a dog to watch them. |
No one could say iu,t where the dog was
when the explosion took place, but he |
was not killed.
During the same fire, and five minutes |
after family had taken up their quarters
in bomb proof of the back yard, IA she'll
drove in the front door, penetrated the
floor and exploded under the house.
There were five rooms below and four
above, and the explosion shook off every
bit 0! plaster ard knocked down every
partition in the lower part. The family
well was at the back of the house, and
so much debris was driven into it that
no water could be got for days
In the winter Of 1864 citizen who
lad Unexpectedly y received 50 @; 0 in Con-
cderate currency Oh an old debt, deter
mined to have good square dinner ard
company to help t. eat it. Rye, coffee,
)acon, meal, rice and molaescs were
'bout the only provisions in Market but
It cost of 81, $50 the citizen scrancl
ogcthcr enough to justify him in invit-
ng company of six friends. The guests
we're in the parlor, the table set, and the
ook was over the stove, when shell
ntcrcd the dining room through the
lde Of the house. The explosion 50
wrecked the room that no one could
nter it. The table, pieces of which I
aW, could no, have been demolished !
ny better with all AK, and the plaster in
Wo or three rooms WAS shaken down.