Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1899-02-17

The great numbers of guns constantly
In use. Many shots and shells struck
the ship. but did very little damage.
We were exceedingly fortunate.
Then a new difficulty arose. The
Smoke became so thick and hung SO
low over the ship that The pilot could
not see ahead. even from his post in
the mizZentOp, where lac had gone for
a better view, aud from whore he was
communicating with the deck by
means of speaking tube. The firing
was instantly stopped, and II was
found 10 our horror, that the current
had turned the ships bow toward the
east bank until we We're almost
aground under the batteries. The next
ship. the Richmond, was dangerously
near us, too. | don't know just how
near we came TO running ashore; some
said thar we touched bottom once, but
| know thar the overhanging banks.
with their trees ana vines, loom
ed up fearfully close in front OF us. 10
was critical moment Then we had
reason TO be thankful for the gunboat
AlbatrosS alongside us Her engines
backed vigorously and finally succeed
ed in turning us around with our head
mp the river again. This happened just
NlltIf lllf Slltdlll ludhtS Il oudlp Dtuu
and the current is especially strong
~ few minutes after we were well
started again it was reported that
there was a ram on the port bow"
This announcement. usually without
foundation, of rams bearing down up
on Us, was continual bugbear while
the fleet was I'm the river II used 10
vcX the admiral greatly. because Il
tended 10 disturb the men unneces-
Sarily Reports of the rams, alleged
to be of terrible power, were often
brought by the negroes who found
their way 10 the river banks. The adj
miral often said that every one seemed
10 have the ram fever and be wished
he could break IL up. In this instance,
however, no chances could be taken,
and the order was given TO Call away
the boarders" My father intended 10
have n hand in this fight himself, IL
there was 10 be any. and he seized his
own CutlaSs and started forward He
was at that time nearly 81 years old,
but wonderfully active and energetic.
This ram rumor failed 10 materaliZe,
however. like most Of the others, and
We went ahead without bindrance.
We came to anchor above the bend
in the river. out of range Of the batteries
1t was remarkable. considering that we
/ had been under fire over an hour, per-
haps nearly two hours that we had
only one man killed and two wounded.
The Spars and parts of the deck were
pretty we'll splintered up from the
shell which had struck them.
"As we waited in our safer position,
in great anxiety for the other ships. OF
whose fate we knew nothing. we saw
n bright light in the sky. which we
I could tell must come from a ship burn
ing We did not know then which one
il was. but we learned later from mem
berS Of its crew, who made their way
to land and up to our position. that 10
was the Mississippi. 1t had run hard
aground on the >hoal AT tho western
bank of the bend and il was found i'm
possible TO get her off Bv that time
the confederates had got the range
much better and their well directed
shots cut it up badly. Its commander
ordered il 10 be- sci on fire and man
! aged to get most Of his men ashore in
boats The other vessels had met with
various accidents To their machinery
or had run aground on the treachcr-
Gus shoals. and our two, the Hartford
| and the Albatross. were thus the only
| ones TO pass the batteries. OF course
| two vessels could not DO the same
| work for which the admiral had dcs-
tined seven. but IL is a matter OF record
| that by lowering around the Red river
| district they kept the enemy pretty
short Of supplies in that ncighborhood.
"As for me. | had 10 GO home when
we got mp 10 NickSburg. My father
and some Of the officers held a sort Of
| council of war over me and the de
cision was that had better 60 70 some
safer place So that was my last naval
| battle. went 10 West Point later and
became a member Of the other branch
of the service"