The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-01-13
weep IN. rigging and decks Of occu-

~ 800
sweep the rigging and decks Of occu-
pants.
Here, in almost absolue safety--for the
enemy would not waste their great guns
upon a mark so unsa tisfactory as sk'f-
mish llne--we enjoyed an hour or Two Oh
exciting target practice. and Kept the sea-
men pretty we'll under matches. Iherc
WAS an exception though, In one brave
fellow on the Galena, who maintained ms
lofty perch. In seeming contempt OF tne
persistent Workmanship OF our best rine-
men. / believe every man In the oe-
tachment drew a bead on him, without
result though on the water the range
appeared 20 be point-blank. and there
was nothing more than undue eagerness
to disturb their aim.
From this position on the beach we
could no longer see the fort, but had the
advantage OF marking every SHOT from II.
me service OF the Confederate guns was
remarkably rapid and effective. The
ships were struck repeatedly ana OFTEN
I'm vulnerable parts. and after the first
few rounds. none OF them, except the
t;aIena, kept mp the action with spirit.
In fact, tho situation was such that II was
difficult for more than one ship to bring
a direct fire TO bear upon the Confed-
crate battery ~ length. weii-directed
shot from the hill entered the bow-port
OF the GaIena, cOprsed through her fore
and aft, piercing the boiler, and exploded
In the after gun-deck, wreaking havoc
among the crew. This terminated the
engagement, so far az the fleet was con-
cerned. Lake a sentient thing. the great
black hulk recoiied from further pun
ishment, and swung felplessly TO the cur
rent. Her consorts came TO her assist
ance. and amid the parting salutes OF the
victorious garrison and the cheers OF the
t,onfederates along the shore, RoseFs
sought safety in retreat His experience
satisfied all successive naval commanders
of the impregnability OF the fort they
christencd Darling" NO SUBSEQUENT 81
fort was undertaken to reach Richmoho
by water. -,
During the ensuing months OF cary
surnmer the lanes was patrolled by Fed
oral c1Inboats as high as Trents keach'
PREDATORY excursions TO the plantations
beloy were made by an amphioious ciea-
ture named Graham. who, uhder t'e ny
of General commanded an arfheo hotti'o'
I'm Eastern Virginia. ana dlsetaceu 'ne
uniform he wore by despoiiins tne histor-
e.. mansions AT Brandon ana eise" ne,c.
II was this same horse marine "ho AZ "''
delight IN safe warfare upon hon-com~
ha:ants. subsequently raided the Rap
nsbsnnock country and burned the Sed-
don house. But the legitimate opera
lions Of war we're transferred by Nc
,uellan to York river his base OF opera
lions being on the Pamunkey, at Rooney
Lees plantation. the Nv mite HOUSE,
Tne place was part OF the thstn piop'
crtv. which descended from Mrs. "ash-
irgton 10 Mrs. Lee. The name was ue-
rived from the color Of the original nall-
sion. but that was demolished ABOUT H'o
and the dwelling which stood there III
1862 was OF modern erection ana moueia'e
d,mensions. 1t was spared. by General
NcC1epan's express orders. during the
time of occupancy. but was fired by some
lawless hand in the confusion attendant
upon the Federal retirement after the
seven days battles around Richmohd'
For the march OF events in few snort
weeks transferred the scene OF naval ac-
tivity again to the lordly James. Lee
and Jackson had united TO drive McCiei-
Ian from the seige Of Richmond, ana lne
Fourth of July found the commander SICK
win nervous depression on board the VA
lena. while his army lay huddled IN Inuu-
DIV environments on the plains OF "esl-
over and Berkeley. And now again the
hosom of the ancient Powhatan was
alive with shipping. War steamers, IRON
ciads. TRANSPORTS. supply ships. and, above
all hospital boats came to convey away
the thousands OF sick and wounded. Inc
reach from Jordan'G Point to the Narro"S
presented the appearance OF some great
mort of commerce, so black was IL win
the smoke, and so white with the SANS
of various craft. incoming or outgoing,
so crowded with the stacks ana inasls ol
vessels lying at anchor.
A departing dispatch boat carried 10
washington q wall from the young Ma
noeon that left with their coiofs In the
Army of the Potomac were not my
thousand men," The swift paddles
brought straightway back the perpleXed
President his homely good sense us
traught between it's own pam dcta :
and n desire to think well OF ms cboA~h
general. Even his sense OF humor was
stified when he sat in the cabin OF ms
Yacht and heard McClellan's conflicting
statements-as varying as the currents OF
John smiths pleasant river" which
lapped the vessels sides as they talked.
"l,hat" said the tail, grave man,
.Wbat has become of the. one hundred
and sixty thousand men / have sent 10
the Virginia peninsula within the past
one hundred days? You report the loss
in battle at fifteen thousand. There IL
q discrepancy of ninety-ilVe thousand
men How do you account for IL This
was a problem too deep for the military
mathematician who had found ii so easy
lie was, however. modest enough TO
assure Mr. Lincoln that with one hun
drod thousand fresh men, rather more
than less, he could take Richmond and
suppress the rebellion" Then the almost
unbounded patience gave way. and the
President steamed back to Washington,
Impressed for the first time, but finally,
with the total inefiiciency OF Mcclellan.
80 ne left the la tier vaporing and the
oTizing in his malarial fastness, while he
set about forming another army for the
defence of Washington.
During this period General Lee made
several efforts 10 annoy the fleet anchor
ed or Harrson's Landing. More than
one artillery expedition was sent from Pc
tel sburg down the south side OF the river
and some CONSERVATION was created
when in the dead of night the guns open
ed fire upOn the Gro Tded anchorage. But
the distance was found to be too great for
effective work by any ordnance light
enough to be transported over land, ana
this method of attack was abandoned
In the interval Of inaction which lasted
until Jackson's guns at Cedar Noun
tain gave signal for Lees movement
northward, there occurred. however. one
episode which widely disturbed the Sc
curity OF the Union shippers. and which,
while unimportant I'm results, was bril-
liant enough In daring to be perpetuated
In more enduring form than that OF
fugitive contribution.
Directly across the river from Berke-
ley is Torbay, the. ancestral seat Of the
Cookies and here. during those summer
Gays a younger son OF The family. Henry
Keller, came to spend brief furlough
from his command uhe Thirteenth Nir-
ginia Cavalry. in removing the portraits
and other vaMabies out OF reach of such