The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1901-08-01

who had been in the fort during the day,
who was telling the others of the occur
rCnccs.
Never seed a Yankee gunboat ack as
sassy as thatn today" he was telling
them. AT least, not since they burnt
the Nashville, over our neads, last Spring
year. She jes' circled round an round.
comm nearer every time, an whenever
she got right in front shed give us one
thatd rip up the fort an send things
fyin every which way. Maj. Anderson
he held the men from firm back, wantfn'
t toll her nearer Finally, when he
thought he done had her jes' right he let
fly at her with the hull sea-battery ter
wunst, eXpectin' t blow her clean inter
the middle o next month. Golly, but
you'ns jes' oughter've seed the water fly
UP all over her. Hit went clean over her
masts an smckcStacks, an | thought for
sure she was sunk. But when the water
fell back agin, thar she wuz, paddlin'
away like raft-duck, an Loot Wood
yard, who wuz watchin' her through a tel
cScOpe, said as how he seed them Yankee
sailors putin their thumbs t their noses
an turnin' round, an slappin' their
selves ut we'uns. Hits jes plum scan
daious the way them Yankees do ack."
That's so, for a fack,' accorded the
others.
The orders ] brung over tonight" con-
tiEued the voice, lis to keep brighter
lookout than we'uns ever did t keep the
Yankees from up-cOuntry from gittin'
word t the Yankees on the gunboats. Ole
Hardce says that if they uns kin be held
apart, they'unS ii soon Starve t death in
the rice-swamps. He'll do his sheer o
hOldin' they'Uns hack. an they uns kin
never git him from behinc his works. Maj
Anderson he says that if they ns kin be
KEEP from jumpin' him both ter-wunst,
ha Stu hoy off IN, che
He's done licked the ships slathcrs O
times, an kin do hit agin. An he kin
jos shoot the life Outeu anybody that
tries to git through them 'tanglements
an over them thar torpedoes. But he
wants they uns [ come ut him one side
ut a time, so he kin have a far show So,
we've got to smash every boat along the
shore an keep monty peart lookout
that nobody gifts to the gunbOats in any
way"
But we've already done smashed every
boat along here" said another voice.
Thar hain't n skift, a canoe, or even
holler-loS anywhar round hyah, 'ceptin'
the boat you come over in"
An the same" replied the first voice,
as it passed out of range, ''we'uns We
got to-
The rest was lost in the distance.
Hum" said 81, refectiveIy. If all
the boats are destroyed that they can
find, there's little use for us looking
around for one. If they can't find one
were not likely to-"
The only one around here said
Shorty, continuing Sis line of thought,
is the one that sardine came over in
That's so,' unused 81. land that's the
one we'd better try to get. It's up there
by the fort, somewhere, and probably I'M
der guard
We've seen things under guard be-
fore" suggested Shorty.
Yes, agreed 81, land it seems the
only thing to do, if we're going 10 reach
that ship tonight, and reach her we must,
if We're going TO beat the cavalry; and
beat the cavalry we must, if we're going
to 20 back and report to the Colonel; and
90 back and report to the Colonel we
must, if were going to stay in the army,
and we're going to stay in the army"
God hates Il coward" said Shorty,
Come on. We can find
that boat by taking these fclcrs' back
track. I'm going to fOllcr it if it takes
me right into Fort McAliiStcr but what
get that boat. Pete and Sandy, you little
whelps, put gags on yourselves. No alli-
gator or sharl-hunting tonight. Come
on"
Yes. keep mum as them oysters you
were AFTER said 81, land everybody
move lively. We don't know how far
that patrols got to go, and we want to
get that boat and get away before they
come back. Silence in ranks. Forward"
\ strong and increasing breeze was
blowing onto the land from the southwest,
rolling up the waves into breakers which
broke upon the wide beach. The half
moon would occasionally shine out very
brightly, and then be obscured By the
dark clouds. Once when she shone out
they caught full view of the war-ship. |
blowing along. slowly now, over the fleav-
ing pillows. Then the clouds shut hcrJ
from view.
They had little difficulty in following |
the path when the moon shone, and after
IL sharp walk came to where it led i'll |
snuous trail through the entanglcments |
The fort doomed up, dark. sullen and |
beyond. They could see. against |
the sky, the sentinels pacing the ram
parts, and near them call around the |
half-hOur.
That tOrmcnted boat must be right I'M
der them" murmurcd 81, as he stopped |
for a moment. leaned against a live-oak !
lbatis and studied the situation. They're
Jhicker'n bees in there, and they'll all |
swarm out at the least alarm. It's going
to be ticklish job, and's got to be man