Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1903-08-21

tention to strike her square in the
middle, which, it was thcnght, would
split her open. When within about
one hundred yards of the gun boa,
she threw out q search light and thu,
discovered the torpedo boat. The
Yauks immediately commenced fir
ing on her and instead of striking
Ironsides in the middle she struck
her little slanting and glided along
her side. This, with the commotion
in the water, caused by the shot and
shell which fell all around her, cap
sized the torpedo boat and every man
was drowned but "long Tom," who
swain ashore, @ distance of abou,
three miles. The torpedo boat did
not succeed in splitting the Ironsidel
open, but she wass SO disabled thai
the Federals had to haul her of and
she never made her appearance in
Charleston harbor again.
The Yanks seemed to take great
delight in shelIing Sullivan's Island
to which we seldom replied, but when
we did open upon them somebody
was sure to be 10 badly hurt thai
they soon ceased from that sport.
Our officers, the most of whom
were young men and graduates Of
the South Carolina Military Acad.
emy, were perfect martinets, and
Col. Rhett was the worst and most
relentless of them ell. They seemed
to take delight in punisbing the
men under them, which they did fol
the most trivial offense. The punish.
ishments for the most part were
bucking and gagging the men and
laying them out in the hot sun, with
their faces upward strapping men
on cannons In the same position
standing them on the top of barrel
in the sun; tying them up by the
the thumbs, and putting them in the
''sweat box" This latter was one OF
the most cruel punishments that
they could infiict. The "sweat bog
was 9 small box about three feet
high and about three feet square
from which all the air was excluded
A man could not stay in one more
than ten or fifteen minutes withou,
being snothered almost or quite tc
death. i have seen men taken out
of the ''sweat box" so exhausted that
they they could not stand up for an
hour or more.
On one occasion Col. Rhett, wish.
ing to take his niece out to steamer
for the purpose of sending her to
England to school, asked for flag
of truce for that purpose. The flag
of truce was granted and he started
out in asmall boat, but had not pro.
ceeded more than q mile when the
flag of truce was broken and the
Yankees commenced firing on him
tie proceeded out to sea, placed his
niece on the steamer and returned
AS soon as he came ashore he ordered
every gun on the Island to be opened
on Morris Island and every Ysnkee
steamer In reach, which coon caused
the Federals to hunt for their bomb.
proofs.
Sullivan's Island is in the shape
of crescent. or half moon, and in
addition to Fort Moultrie, forts had
been put up in every available spo,
where they could be of any service
so that it consisted of continuous
line of forts or breastworks for 9
distance of over two miles. From
these we could "rake" Morris Island
as we'll as all of the steamers that
came anywhere within range of ouI
guns. Most of the citizens had
abandoned the Island and those tina,
remained were Irish and Germans
but by far the larger portion wer,
Irish. The only Irish wake that
ever attended was on this Island. All
Irishman having died, that night the,
had wake to which all who wishet
to attend were welcome. They laid
in good supply of the "over joyful,
and nearly every one present, mel
and women, got gloriously drunk
and then such time as they hat
quarrelling and lighting, using thei
shiIlalahs in regular Irish style. Th,
next morning. however, the most O
them were sober enough to attent
the burial. There was an old Irisl
woman on the Island who was s.hol,
terror" She was a very tall, stou
woman, aud feared nobody. / tav
seen her 60 down to the beach an,
bring up almost cart load of drift
wood on her shoulders. ssCock fight
ing" was the principal amnse men
and abe always had game rooste
and was ready for fight at an
time.
We had some gsy times durin,
our stay on Sullivan's Island. Ever
Sunday night there was "Dutcl
Ball" to which all were invited. Th
men and women, old and youns
would gather together aud drink an.
dance until daylight One night |
attended one Of these balls given .
the house of Sergeant Grunschwis
As soon as ! arrived Mrs. Grunsch
wig asked me to take 0 drink witt
her, which / politely refused, tellin
her ! never drank. She then aske
me to dance with her. i told he
that / could not dance as L did nc
know the fret step. Nothing NOR
was said that night, but the mex
morning Granschwig came into th
Office here ! was, cursing and swear
ing. He said that / had grossly il
suited his wife In refusing to drin
and dance with her. aud that he VIC
going to Lave my life's blood for !
After listening to him for awhile,
told him that he knew that di
not dare to resent it while he ha
on his shoulder straps, bat that if
!, would take of his shoulder straE
. and 60 ont in the yard / would ss
who got the life blood. This pr
quietns to his cursiLg and SO I'll