Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1902-04-06
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. FIGHT fMe
sWARSHIP
. MOORE

o o o o o o o

" federate ships riddled by Fed
eral shells. driven ashore Of
blown up constitute the whole picture
In nearly all the accepted and popular
stories OF Farragut's attack on New
Orleans. But was Il In fact one sidct
affair? The Confederate steamer Gov
ernor Moore shared the fate OF all IN,
others in the end. but there was an ex
citing interval which lasted Longer
''than Il takes to tell H."
The Moore was paddle wheel steam
ship OF 900 tons. rugged out for n fight
or. She carried two thirty.two pound
ers and nlnety-three men. Her stem
had been faced lengthwise with dat
railroad iron. bolted on. she had nc
rammlng beak. yet was called ram
Her machinery was protected by cotton
bales packed along the bulwarks from
the hold TO the upper deck. The morn
Ing OF April -. when Farragut's ships
dashed past the Confederate forts on
the Mississippi below New Orleans. the
Moore lay near Fort Philip. Her com
mander. Lieutenant Beverly Kennon.
had learned his trade In Uncle Sans
navy and. feeling a fight In the air. did
not close his eyes in sleep. but paced
the deck and about $3.50 a. IN. noted a
bit o. stir down the river.
Steam was up on the Moore In about
| three minutes. and Kennon slowly
backed her away from Farragut's adj.
vancing ships. which already filled the
channel between the two forts. lie
wanted 10 reach a bend up the river
where he hoped TO turn with sufficient
room and Roadway to ram the fore
most ships OF Farragut's feet. by the
time the Moore had turned there were
two OF Farraguts war sloops close at
hand-the Oneida. ten guns. and the
Cayuga. four guns. Kennon's ship was
hailed from the enemy's deck. and he
quickly replied. 1.-The United States
steamer Mississippi The Mississippi
was also n paddle wheel steamer but
tine distinguishing lights on the Con.
federate masts defeated the ruse. and
the Oneida raked the mysterious black
gunboat with n full broadside at close
range.
one OF the companion rams OF the
Moore. the General Quitman. lay burn
ing on the opposite side OF the chan
mel. and I'm the glare OF her flames
Kennon saw a Federal gunboat rush.
Ing. as he described II, "up stream Ike
an ocean racer. belching black smoke
and firing on each burning Confederate
vessel as she passed" This proved 10
be the United States war sloop Varuna
OF ten guns and zoo scamen. Without
stopping % single out antagonists she
delivered fire from both port and star.
board guns at once on everything
afoat bearing Confederate lights. Ken
non knew that that madly racing ship !
would carry destruction up the river
and also that the Moore I'm her crippled /
state would be no match for the fleet
steadily forging up from below. The /
smoke OF the Naruna's brOadsldes and /
or the burning ships she had set In |
flames. together with the darkness. en-
abled him 10 slip away unseen OF the /
foe In the wake OF the Varuna. His /
distinguishing blue light still cleaned 1
from the masthead, and. not daring 10
lower II the usual way for fear Of az.
tracing attention. he seized n musket
from sailor and shattered II 10 atoms
with well aimed bullet.
In the race up the river the Varuna
gained for a time and took no notice OF
her saucy adversary. In fact the Moore
was completely yelled I'm the smoke and
the shadows OF the trees lining the
bank. which she Rugged purposely 20
battle pursuit. by using oil In the fur.
mace KennOn soon made enough steam
10 get within range OF the Varuna. IL
was nearing dawn. and the Moore
raked the Varuna along both her port
and starboard gangways until she got
80 close her guns would not bear The
Yaruna opened on her pursuer and in
the savage running fight had the ad-
vantage. Her guns raked the Confeder.
ate with horrible carnage. Kennon.
finding that his bow gun was too far
hbaft to admit OF depression necessary
TO strike the Varuna's hull. ran his YES.
sci close upon her aud fired through the
bulwarks OF his own bow. This shot
was aimed at the varuna's engine room.
but Il landed I'm hawse pipe. glancing
upward and putting a hole In the
smokestack. However II left clear
port for firing through. and n second
shot struck the Varunas pivot gun.
exploded and destroyed nearly all the
guns crew.
Now IL came 10 a fight 20 a finish
The Varuna put her helm TO port and
fred into the Moore's port bow The
Moore turned 10 meet the Varuna's
move. took the fire and then. under COW
n OF the smoke. quickly put the helm
over sharply and crashed Into the Va.
-una near the starbOard gangway. re-
,eiving her broadside az the moment OF
The Varuna's engines stop
ped. and the Moore backed clear. gath
cred Roadway aud rammed a second
lime In the same place. Before separat-
ng the vessels drifted alongside. and
he crews fought with muskets and pis-
lois. Kennon expected 10 be boarded
ana loaded his single after gun with
canister 10 meet the emergency. He
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