Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1901-04-18
Kun was moving at the rate Of 13 knors


an hour.
For deadly execution the best shot Of
the civil war and perhaps in all the
annals of naval warfare was fired in
an action scarcely known to history.
The gun was a 80 FOUNDER naval rife
which had been landed on the bluffs OF
White river, Arkansas, to repel the ad-
vance of Federal gunbOats up stream.
The United States ironclad Mound
City attacked the land battery and
moved up within 600 yards. Lieuten-
ant Huntington directed the firing of
the guns of his own ship, which were
on land, and after the Mound City
came into unobstructed view by round
ing a point in the bluffs he fired shot
which entered the port casemate for
ward Of the armor and went straight
through the steam drum. AT the gun
where the shell entered men were
killed. BY the explosion of the steam
drum "A We're scalded to death or suf-
focated in the caSemate, 43 who jump
ed into the water to relieve their pain
met death there, and % were wounded.
Veterans of the second attack upon
Fort Fisher often recall a, famous shot
made by Gun Captain King of the
United States armOrclad Ironsides. Aft
er the Federal infantry had preached
the walls of the fort and were fighting
from traverse to traverse it became a
very delicate operation to fire from the
ships and not drop shells among
friends. But the practice was splen-
did, and finally the commander Of the
Ironsides directed King to try a shot up
on the fifth traverse of the fort, where
the Confederates were holding out
against the assailants, fighting almost
at arms length. 1t was near dark, ana
If the traverse did not soon give in the
whole position might have to be given
up by the Federal troops. King fired,
and the shell exploded In the center OF
the traverse, completely demoralizing
It's defenders. With rush the assall-
ing troops went forward, and the
bloody struggle Of an hour and a halr
was crowned with victory.
At the siege Of Petersburg artillery
duels were so frequent that they came
to be looked upon as pastime for the
gunners and idle troops in the trenches.
AS the opposing lines were close the
temptation to see what well posted
gun could do In a crisis was very
great. The artillerists in Fort Dam
nation" as the Confederate Fort Ma
hone was popularity called, and the
Federals In Fort He'll" just opposite
were solely responsible for the nick
names Of sulphurous suggestion at
taching to their batteries. A favorite
trick with the gunners in Fort Hell
was to shoot down the Flagstaff OF
famous New UrTsans 4 dbsfftttfSgfX6hf dbfftttfSgfX hf5a 5arthi"e I'll"
lery manned the guns in Fort Dam
nation" and its captain learned from
q deserting bounty jumper that a party
Of general officers frequently met for
consultation in the tents which could
be seen on the parade grounds Of Fort
He'll" The exact hour of the meet
ing could be determined by group Of
saddle horses hitched in the shelter Of
the parapet back Of the fort. Two
guns were trained on the target and
the best marksman in the battery Sc
lected to demolish the tents. A crowd
Of interested spectators looked on
through the embrasures and ports Of
Fort Damnation," and when the tents
few into the air like feathers under
the force Of the exploding shells there
was a wild cheer, which brought the
gunners Of Fort He'll to their pieces,
and savage fire was kept up the rest
OF the day. The fun and glory cost the
lives Of five officers, and another was
disabled for life.