The National tribune., 1902-05-22

lower battery, which were being engaged
by the Essex. Seeing her helpless condi-
ton, the Essex steamed up to her relief,
but nothing could be done to save her
On her bridge stood her grand old Captain,
MelangthOn Smith, with his Executive Of
ficer, Lieut.. Geo. Dewey, presenting as
magnificent a picture of sublime courage
as was ever seen. Every particle Of her
decks and rigging was lighted up by the
blaze of the signal fires, and the dead and
wounded could be counted as they lay on
her deck. Every movement made on her
decks could be seen by the enemy on shore,
and Capt. Smith, finding it impossible TO
work her off, reluctantly gave the order
for her destruction, and having lighted a
fuse that was laid to her magazine and
| setting fire TO the berth deck at three
| points, she was abandoned.
With as much deliberation as though
the ships company were at Sunday morn
ing inspection, the boats pulled away from
her port side, and her wounded were soon
on board the Essex. She carried Il large
ships company, but those who had sur
vived were soon taken out of her. The
dead were left on board, and the flames
having spread caused her sides to warp,
which threw her head off the reef where
she had grounded, and being caught by
the current, she turned her head down
1
her entire lower rigging a blaze of fire
passed down with the current. Her port
| broadside, which had not been engaged in
| the action, was now being discharged right
| and left into the Essex and the. mortar
| fotila, the fire having reached the vents
OF her guns. Drifting slowly down the
| river, she soon reached the foot of Profits
| Island. where the fuse trained to her mag
| azine did its work, and with II terrible ex-
| n IN n W
grand old ship, and it was strange
! combination Of circumstances that should
have brought her into the river after which
she was named TO find her grave.
She was Perry's flagship in the Japan
expedition, and was first put into commits
sion after the Mexican war.
The loss on board the Mississippi was
severe. Out of a ships company OF 297
she had in killed and missing a. She
made a gallant fight as she lay helpless
on the reef, having expended 2,0iT
pounds Of powder and 275 shot, shell, and
grape.
| DEATH OF LIEUT.-COMMANDER CUMMINGS.
On the Richmond Lieut. Commander
Cummings, the. Executive Officer, had a
leg torn off by a shot, which threw him
from the bridge to the deck. AS he was
being raised up he exclaimed, Quick,
boys, pick me up; put 4 tourniquet on my
leg, send my letters to my wife. and tell
them | fell in doing my duty" When told
that the noise he heard was the escape of
steam, and that the ship could no longer
stem the current, he said: II would rather
lose the other leg than go back Can moth
ing be done? There is a south wind.
| Where are the sailsY He died on the
18th of March, four days after the battle,
universally regretted.
| Nothing was seen Of the Admiral after
the casualties before mentioned had Oc-
| CURED, he having succeeded in running
the gauntlet of fire. and with the Hartford
and Albatross had come to anchor above
Port Hudson. For the first time in his
career he had met with disaster. He
started with eight ships, and carried only
two through, but it was enough to accom-
plsh his purpose, as he closed the mouth
of Red River and thus cut off the enc
my's source of supplies. He was, of course.
now above the batteries, and could have
no positive information as to the fate of
the ships that failed to get through It
was here that his greatness of character
showed itself, and the following extract
from his report of the engagement is per-
haps without a parallel in the annals of
| war:
I'm conclusion. can only say that |
| know not how far | am responsible for
this sad affair. but take it for granted
that as the flagship came safely through
and saw the others following, the disaster
must have been caused by All accidental
shot disabling vessel, and that the 9TH
ers stopped to assist her. instead of COM
ing through and letting one of the gun
boats take her down; but / have too high
| an estimation Of each and every one of
the officers commanding these vessels to
imagine for single instant that every