The National tribune., 1898-05-26
FIGHTING THEM OVER
What the Veterans Have to Say
About Their Campaigns.
ON THE MISSISSIPPI.
A Blue Jackets Story of Operations Around
Fort Morgan.

N biue Jackets story oil operations Around
Fort Morgan.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: The u. S.
monitor Winnebago arrived at Sand Island,
outside of Fort Morgan, Ala. early in the
morning of Aug. s. 1864, from New Orleans.
Commander Thomas Stephens came on board
with Pilot Rotten, who lived at Pilot Cove,
Mobile Bay, three miles from Fort Morgan.
He had been n refugee from early Spring.
and when Admiral Farrigut got ready to
make the attack Rotten offered to pilot a ship
into the bay. SO he and Commander Ste
phens, of the Onida, came and took charge of
the Winnebago as soon as we anchored.
The first thing Commander Stephens did
was to clear decks of all movables, and to
feel our way in as close to Fort Gaines as we
| could. There was boat landing troops
there. We got in reach Of them soon and
| our 11-inch Dahlgrens awakened the john
MES with shells that made the waters fly
around the boat. She left in hurry. Twas
ordered to send she'll into Fort Gaines, and
did So 1t burst beautifully, and they did
not answer it. So we went back to our an
cbOrage.
The following morning we were in line
early to enter the bay. The line was formed,
as near as / could see over my gun, No. /,
after turret, this way: The monitors Te-
cumseh. Winnebago, and Chickasaw in line
| next to the fort and the wooden ships on the
outside
We started, and when we opened the fight
we had to drive the men from the water
batteries on the beach. l was firing directly
over the Tecumseh's quarterback. She sat
low in the water so that it was easy to do so.
We had just driven the men in from the
| water-batteries when the Tecumseh went
I oh !,
We proceeded up by the port and after
getting inside beyond the range of the port
we rounded to, after passing the ram Tennes-
see, which we captured, while the Metacomet
captured the Selma. The Morgan ran away
up to Mobile City. The Gaines, small gun
| boat. was burnt.
1t was, | believe a solid shot fired from
one of the bow guns of the Winnebago by
| one William Thompson, who was deserter
| from Richmond, Va, Captain of the gun,
which was sighted by gunner Sherman, that
was the Cause of the surrender of the Tennes-
see. Capt. Perkins, of the Chickasaw, was
the first Oh board of her, and received the
surrender ! shall always think that Com
mander Stephens should have had that honor
That night was sent for by Admiral Far
ragut, on board the Hartford The Admiral
asked me if | could 90 and cut the telegraph
wires, so as to destroy communication to and
from Fort Morgan / told him that if it
could be done | would do it. He told me
that it would be great pleasure to him TO
see piece of that wire ia the morning.
Pilot Rotten was to show me where | could
find it.
took Thomas Jones, of Baltimore, Captain
OF the Forecastle; ROter, and the first cutters
crew, eight in number. We went to bayou
a little way up from Pilot Cove. The water
was waist-deep, with here and there knoll;
On the knobs pine trees grew, and the wire
was strung on them.
/ went to the first tree. in sight of rebel
regiment not 40 rods away; the wind was
blowing fresh from them toward US, so they
could not hear u.s. / climbed 20 feet or so and
found the wire, but could not unfasten it,
So came down and Jones went up and cut
it with timers shears. / coiled up about
100 feet of it and took it to the Admiral in
the mOrning.-JosEPH K. LYNN, ex-Cox-
vain First Cutter, U. S. S. Winnebago, Ma
tional Home, Milwaukee, Wiz.