Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1898-08-04

| ouhC 20 ADOuJ lou u NtI.
severe rain-storm passed over us to tn
westward. The thought of an engage
ment at that early dawn was not in ou
minds, when all of sudden, the sweep
ing on OF the storm to the westward
lett the large form OF "A ship standing
out like silhouette against the DARK
receding rain clouds At that time W,
were ten miles north and two miles
east OF MORO, ut the entrance to the
harbor. The stranger must have beer
thirteen or fourteen miles west Of Nor
ro and was coming down the coast just
as fast as her boilers would push her
immediately the fun began. We put
on all reserve speed and went dashing
| down across our course at about IL
knots an hour to head her off. In or
der TO accomplish this we had TO run
in under range of the fort. When the
vessel was six miles from the mouth
of the harbor we came within range,
about four miles, and fired a shot across
her bow. She kept right on evidently
and "a moment later another was fired
in the same direction. Instead OF com
ing to she Immediately headed for
shore. We then opened fire on her
with our bow guns using them slowly
as the range was great, After few
shots We're let 90 the fort brought its
guns to bear on us and began to drop
cold steel around us. They had gotten
our range finely, each shot seeming to
come "a little closer than the preceding
one, when good fortune brought an
other storm down over the fort and
completely shut US from their view,
allowing us time to change our posi-
tion and get out of their reach. AS
soon as the storm raised enough we be-
gan again to throw shell into the ship
which now stood high on the beach.
At this juncture two gunboats and
and came down to the rescue of the
prize, which had been abandoned by
all ON board mt as soon as she touched
bottom. One OF these gunboats had at
least one 9-inch gun and the balance
five or six inch. She could throw her
projectile farther than we could ours
so the only thing to do was to close in.
Our ship was manouyered and after
them we went at full speed, giving first
one ship and then another broadside |
as we went. The boys worked like |
Trojans serving the guns and hosting
from the magazines. The |
way our batteries poured out their rain |
Of shells was something terrific. In |
spite of the guns Of all three ships and |
-he battery Of the fort we forced those
.hree ships back TO the mouth of the
1arbor. We then swung out to the
north and westward out of reach of the
Dig fellows whom we could not hope to
nJure and who were playing on US all
.he time. BY this time it was o'clock
lnd all hands were sent below to break
asst. As left the bridge the captain
aid TO me, "Go below and get your
breakfast, now, my lad and eat all you
IAN for it may be your last, we are GO
ng in again in few minutes. :" /
vent down and had "A plate of beans
md a cup Of coffee. We all sat around
wherever we could rest for the time,
or there were no tables. My place
vas on top of a pile OF 5-inch shells
hat had been hoisted ready for use.
he boys below decks certainly pre-
ented determined picture. They
7ere dirty and grimmy from powder,
moke and greasy shells, and had not
lad the time To wash. A great many
j them were stripped TO the waist,
othing on but pants and shoes. Thir-
Y minutes later the men were again
allied to the guns and we went in to
till further disable the ship on the
each. Just as soon as we opened fire
he fort again opened and our friends
rom the harbor came out so that they
ould reach us with their big guns but
'e could not reach them. Again we
1ade sweep down on them and scat
cred them. Two went back into the
arbor and the third, the small tor
edo boat, made a scud and ran behind
he wreck. We could not withstand
he fire of the fort so withdrew out of {
er range. From that time no further
hots were exchanged. We lay around
here for the next three weeks keeping
n the alert every minute OF the long
lights to guard against torpedo boat .
ttacks, but fearing nothing during
le day. We do not know how many
mes we hit them but know we hit
hem quite a good many times out of
II the shots we fired, about $50 in all.
hey fired perhaps so less. We could q
lrow more steel than all Of them to- .
ether, and the awful rapidity and
accuracy of our fire Just v
.ruck CONSERVATION TO their souls. d
low did IL happen we did not get hit? I
cd only knows; Just one OF his mira. n