The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1903-03-30
A MYSTERY OF
FORT FISHER


VIZ ~ 49, @4Asf9atNa EANulcA1s - AIG
stOrming OF Fort Fisher related 10
Commander Eervgy. It win be re-
membered that there was a naval at
tack by bluejackets which was repuIs-
ed with considerable loss. Hervey's
body was found IN a depression n the
sand In the extreme advanced position
reached By his men Of the Junlata. A
handkerchief (not Hervey's) had been
used for 4 tourniquel to stop the DOW
OF blood from the commanders left
ankle, which had been shattered and
the artery cut by a ride ball The
wounded man must have been killed
subsequently by fragment OF shell
which had struck him In the head.
Who had saved the captain In The mrs:
instance? It must have been some one
who had been killed in the action, for
no one claimed the credit.
Some time before the Juniata. which
Herey commanded, Joined the fleet
she was rehtted at the Portsmouth
navy yard. Commander uervey's fam
fly we're there in one OF the officers
residences, including his daughter,
Irene, girl OF seventeen. There was
petty oficer-not commissioned. but
an enlisted man-named Edgar Fori-
stall who was cockswaln OF the cap-
tain's dingey. BE used to carry Irene
In the dingey to and from the Juniata.
On such occasions she sat in the stern
OF the boat beside the cockswain.
Though very young. she knew well the
difference In station between enlisted
men and officers and that it was not
becoming TO have anything 10 say 10
the cOckswain. When any OF her fam
lily, associates or officers were in the
dIngey, she never made a remark 70
young ForistaIl. but when none OF
these was present she waSed quite
friendly. Later Foristan was in the
action ut Fort Fisher, was severely
wounded and was promoted for BRAY.
cry.
Ten years passed. One day Irene
Hervey was present at the launching
Of a United States cruiser. A su-
perintendent OF one Of the depart
ments OF the works that had built
the vessel stepped up to her and
asked her II she remembered him. She
did not and he informed her that he
was the cockswain who used 10 carry
her in her fathers dineey TO and from
the Juniata. Irene's face lighted up
at once. She was especially pleased at
meeting Foristall as citizen and not
as an enlisted sailor.
Il have never seen you" she said.
"since the Juniata left US for the at
tack on Fort Fisher. l saw the notice
Of your promotion for bravery, how
ever"
"oh. everybody was brave on that
occasion" said the young shipbuIlder.
But IT is pleasant to be singled out
from the throng."
At that moment the ship was
launched and the remarks were inter
rupted. Nevertheless they were the be
ginning OF a renewed acquaintance or
different basis from that Of blue
jacket and captains daughter. Irene
had treasured a remembrance OF the
black eyed boy who used TO sing out
the orders to his oarsmen so Justify.
though lie had changed so much in
appearance that she had not recos-
nized him. The new man proved so
attractive TO her that her heart slipped
into his possession. Then she was
pleased that he offered her his own in
exchange. But what was her delight
when he opened the case Of his wo;ch
and showed her little lock OF her
hair that he had surrepdtiously cut
from her "pigtail' one morning when
she was on his dinEey.
They were engaged. and in time the
day was set for the wedding. but. I'M
fortunately, one evening when Irene
was in a bad humor she let fall a re
mark indicating that she still had some
OF the feeling that 4 captains daughter
might have for n bluejacket Foristall
at once broke the engagement Irene
when she had cooled lonGed TO recall
him, but It Is not an easy thing for
woman thus TO humble herself. SO she
pIned ard mopcd till her mother found
something for her 10 do in getting up
material for biography Of her father
to be published with those Of other
naval Officers who had fallen in the
civil war.
She was thus engaged when she came
upon a packet marked Papers found
On Commander Hervey's body" Open
ing It. she took out several letters.
shuddering that they had been drench-
ed in her fathers blood. and examined
them in turn. suddenly she came upon
few scarcely legible words on the
back OF one Of the letters scrawled with
some blunt Instrument, possibly a fin
ger tip:
"cOckswaln saved me. They win hit
me yet"
Like 4 fash from heaven the secret
attending her fathers death burst up
on her. For years she had wondered
who was the man who had carried her
father to a less exposed position and
had bound up his wound. Was he
young or past middle life? Was he
dark or fairl Why had fate deprived
her OF the satisfaction OF taking his
hand and expressing somethiHgof what
she felt with her lips and her eyes?
And now she knew that this man was