Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1895-01-04

w HXXYNAAW ~ SAA0 &1oA41O4VVs
IInI@ story appeared in
~NA. the newspapers at the
0NJAAO Atime but has long
u~stEs since boon forgotten.
a '"I'''ASE The Ashuelot was a
e. = : i: IS; ; i: ); q. ; :; So;
armed with.twelye rifled guns in bat
terry and two carronades. Her COM
mandcr was Adam Barrett, q worthy
but somewhas narrow-minded seaman.
The Ashuelot had been sent q few
miles up the James to put . stop to
some Notifications which the Confed-
crates had begun upon o long narrow
| spit of land running we'll out into the
stream and commanding the channel
for q considerable distance. An hours
| vigorous shclling had accomplished
the work. The enemy were dislodged,
the guns spiked, and, the lookout re-
steamers around the bend of the river
two miles above. the Ashuelot was head
ed down stream. At this point the Jumes
is full OF dangerous shoals and the
channel is %tortuous. Sailing vessels
drawing us much water as tho Ashue-
lot Mt full speed was a task of infinite
difficulty, Capt" Leo Jordan, who was
in charge of the ship on this expedi-
ton, had been an old James River
pilot. Capt" Jordan knew every
sand-bar, spit, snag, rock, curve and
turn in the river and no nj better,
except, perhaps. John Drummond,
likewise n James River pilot in the old
days before tho war.
Drummond, however, was also an
experienced engineer and when the
Ashuelot was put in commission he had
been given. charge of her engines.
With his two assistants he was now in
the engine of the ship and when
the bell rang for "full speed" he took
the starting bar in his own stalwart
hands. No soone had the Ashuelot
opened the point above than three ves-
sells came stcaming around the curve
in full view. They were the three
most powerful members of the Confed.
crate fleet OF the James-the York
town, the Potomac and the iron-clad
ram Virginia-the latter destined, u
few days later, to work such terrible
havoc among the Federal vessels at
Hampton Roads. The Ashuelot was
not q match for the smallest of her
pursuers in men and metal. Her only
hope WAS in her heels. As the pur-
suers came sweeping around the bend
two puTs of smoke arose from the bow
guns OF the Yorktown and the Poto.
a A solid shot sang far over the
mainmast of the Ashuclot; then O
heavy she'll crashed into the port bat.
terss. and, exploding, killed and wound.
ed half the gnn's crew. The Ashuelot
replied with her stern guns and the
forward smokestack of the Potomac
disappeared.
For the next fifteen minutes O rapid
exchange of iron salutations took place
between pl,rs,lers and pursued with.
out noticeable effect. By this time
the slower moving but much NOR
heavily armed Virginia had rounded
the point and now took n hand in the
duel by d%ischarging both of her ten.
inch bow-guns. Both shots took effect.
One. a solid shot, struck the pilot
house, carried it overheard and killed
Capt. Jordan; the other, a shell, ex.
plodod at the mainmast, o fragment
-severely wounding Commander Bar.
ret; another one, entering the engine
room. took off John Drummond's left
arm and broke his left leg.
The second officer, q young man, who
happened to be in the engine room al
the time, Immediately gave orders tc
strike the colors. With the pilot
killed, the captain insensible and the
chief engineer apparently dying, M
one aboard to carry the ship through
the intricacies of the channel, what
indeed was left for him to do? But
as the order to strike was about to be
transmitted to the deck, John Drum
mond struggled feebly to his feet, and
while n of his assistants knotted 9
piece of waste about his bleeding
stump to check the blood lie said:
mo. no. Don't give her up, lieu.
tenant! I can pull her through"
And pull her through he did by on
exhibition of grit, skill, experience
and fortitude probably never excelled
in the history Of our navy. Propped
up on his seat by the valve rods
ghastly. sick. and racked with agony
he c ursed the ship from the engin,
room. His firemen, stimulated by hi.
superhuman courage, worked like de
mons. Coal, resin, hams, fat, grease,
waste were poured upon the furnaces
The drafts were wide agape and til.
blowers working like cyclones. Cloud,
of smoke poured from the chimneys
every pound of steam which til,
boilers would generate was admitted
to the valves. And the Ashelot es
capped, albeit badly hurt in man,
places and with twenty-one of hel
crew dead or wounded, among til,
former her pilot. her commander bad
~ injured and her chief engineel
MANNED for life.-New York World.
l%,efriendlng IN Enemy.
thine snem!