Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1898-12-09
11WES:s
1551AT[E f2|lE$!41Ry
SANK IN DARKNESS.
The Mysterious Fate OF Federal
Monitor That Approached
Fort Sumter.


People who have been feeling lit
.le shaky about our coast defenses and
| their possible efficacy in case of an at
tack by the Spaniards may gain cour-
age By hearing how the Patapsco went
down in Charleston harbor in the ear
| ly dawn of January Is, 1865.
During the last seven months of the
siege of Charleston Fort Sumter was
in charge of Maj. I. a. Huguenin, a
typical young officer given to the
southern confederacy by the South
Carolina military academy. 1t may
be remembered that the winter of
tS64-65 was particularly cold and rainy
| and the consequent sea fogs made the
difficulties of the situation at Fort
Sumter extremely hard and guard
duty q ceaseless and most imperative
necessity. 1t was the young command
er's custom to rise every morning at
four, with each man at his post from
that hour until sunrise, for he felt con-
fident that if an assault were to be
| made it would occur during the dark
hours just before dawn.
Zone misty night" quoting Maj.
Huguenin's own account, Il was
aroused by the officer on duty and in
formed that lowlying craft was ap-
preaching Fort Sumter from seaward.
Hearing this I Immediately assembled
the watch tower, and after looking
steadily through my field glass, OBJ
served what might have been taken for
a phantom ship slowly and silently
creeping up toward US. This stealthy
visitor, I surmised. was nothing less
than a monitor, and I presumed that,
coming in so unusually close, she must
have some evil intention. l thought
that she would either open fire at short
range to attract our attention while
an attack of some kind woeld be made
upon the rear of the fort, or that she
was bringing in men to make a sudden
dash by barges upon the sea face.
! where the debris made by the bonn
bardment shelved down toward the
waters edge, inviting assault. We
| were prepared to meet either attempt
| and got ready TO meet whatever might
ensue as silently as herself, for 1
| wished to induce her to come as near
| as possible to the fort, hoping to sur
prise ner by very warm welcome.
Capt. Hal Lesesne's company of the
First South Carolina regular artillery
was doing guard duty at Fort Sumter
just then and I knew that our only gIln
battery, which was mounted on a
bomb proof below. would do effective
work in he hands Of these experienced
artillerymen.
"a speaking tube ran from the ram
parts to this embrasure where the
guns lay. quietly waiting to be used.
| therefore called through this tube to
Capt. Lesesne and said: Look toward
The sea at an approaching object;
train your guns upon it, and at the
word of command fire, aiming the 1arg-
est one in the battery yourself
Every well, sir replied Lesesne. I
viii open fire on her as soon as you
are ready
''Returning to the watch tower I
waited several minutes to let the mon
itor get within range; then, hasten
ing to the tube, gave the order: 'Fire!'
Holding my breath. stood motion
less, expecting to hear the quick, re-
sponsive roar of the guns; but, to my
intense surprise, the silence remained
unbroken. Surprising that Capt. Lee
sesne had not heGrd my voice I repeat
ed the command in louder tones, burn
ing with impatieSce at this delay, fear