The National tribune., 1899-01-12

part OF the great frowning mountain OF
darkness that lay ahead OF them.
! 81 here goes the Carondelet. but Walter 5
eyes couli recognize none Of the outlines
! OF ms ola Fort I.onelson acquaintance.
| That's the l'ittsburg.
! he inky shadows absorbed her
There goes the 1uscumhia. It's oui
turn after her Let her get her distance,
and then wc'll swing out and follow.
| The two pilots graSped the wheel firmly,
Walter and the Captain threw off their
! oycrcoats, and a subGued shuttle OF pep
| aration rose from the lower decks as the
| command TO get ready was passed along.
| ne muffled bells IN the engine room
| tInkicd duly, tine escape pipes gave a
few slIb6ucd puffs, the wheels beat the
water, and the boat started of i'll the
wake Of the 1uscumbia.
| The swift current hurried her along,
and taey were nearing the bend when
| they passed I, boat upon which lights
were visible
That's the Headquarters boat" said
| the Captain. coli Grants come down
| to see how we do this thing"
Strange, nc began again the next
minute, speaking rather to himself than
to Walter or the pilots; "the Benton
must have got past the upper batteries,
anyhow, by this time, and they haven t
discovered her. Perhaps they're going TO
let us go by without Il shot"
Don't fiatter yourself" said Walter;
they'll let us have it not and heavy be-
fore long"
1t had been AN hour now since they
had Started-an hour OF intense suspense
and still no shots.
Then it began Two great guns on
the hill Ll1zed out with a roar thu shook
the very armament, and then all OF the
100 cannon lining the long reach joined
in the chorus.
The gunboats did not waste an instant
before replying. Each became thunder
ing volcano, to answer the other VOLCANOES
on tue hilltcps.
From a number of tall irar c houses
lining the upper edge OF the wharf shot
lIp ruddy flames. he wooden buildings
of tne village of De Soto, on the opPo-
site side of the river, began blazing sImul-
taneously. They were set on fire by the
rebels by preconcerted arrangement
to light up the surface of the river. In
a few minutes they made the whole race
Of the water as visible as by daylight.
The scene was sublime, but it was ter
r;hle II was as if all the lightniflgs and
all the thunders Of the skies and all the
Sulplurous fires of the bowels oil the
earth had been gathered together and lei
| pose to consume the night and shatter
thu lard.
The light was so bright that the people |
and garrison of Vicksburg could be seer |
as they rushed out of their houses and
hurried to such points on the bank as
wouli afford them the best views OF the |
wonderful spectacle.
The boat upon which Walter was |
seemed to become the special object OF
the rebels fury. Every instant great
iron bolt either struck her or near to her.
They tore through her great smokcstac ks,
making dismal. hollow sourd. They |
smashed the yaWls upon her decks and
cut the iron rods that strengthened her
frame. 1t seemed that she could not help |
being torn TO pieces.
Then came u shot that crashed through /
the pilot house, and covered Walter, wht |
happened TO be passing behind, with g |
hover Of stinging splnters from the |
light wood of the houses sides As IL |
brushed the sLlinters from his f9ce lie |
saw that il had cut one o. the pilots II .
two, and the body had f. Hen so That il |
ID rged the wheel.
The other pilot did not rel1x muscle al !
ne fearful spectacle. but with his face set !
in the desperation of death, reached his |
land over to grasp the wheel where lis |
comrades hand had re leased its Gras T. |
ie pushed the interfering part oi TIC I
body away with his foot, and held TIC |
BOAT firmly in her course.
Walter and the Captain ran TO the pilot |
'ousc and pulled the remains out upof /
ne roof OF the Texas.
Then another shot rlurged through tire !
ecks Of the boat, and it's passage was
instantly followed by fearful rush an' |
cream OF escaTing steam. An aEOrizing
hout rose from the toiier-deck. The |
wheels stopped revolving. The mate ran