Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1904-11-22
Exciting incident Recalled.

The recent extraordinary and appar.
emily inexcusable event that occurred in
the North Sea, when a powerful Russian
feet fired into number of peaceful fish
ing boats with serious injury to life and
property, astonished the world and came
near bringing on war between two of the
greatest powers of so-calied Christendom
1t illustrates the spirit of an old saying
and shows how great results little thing
may lead to.
| In time of war and the excitement and
suspicion incident thereto it happens
that parties are fired into even by theil
own friends who suppose them to be en-
emies. recall one or two cases of this
kind.
When Louis Napolean had set up the
unfortunate Macmillan in Mexico as a
figure head. it was reported that he in.
tended to attempt to take possession oil
San Francisco. So much importance
was given to this expectation that at the
request of the State department two
officers of the Corps of Engineers of the
Army were sent by the War Department
to San Francisco to make new study oil
the defenses of that important locality.
both on the side of the ocean where there
were already some guns in position, and
also on the land side. for which there
were no plans then in existence. hap
pened to be one of the officers so detailed
We sailed FROM New York early in
September on an old side-wheeler ship
called the North Star. which was already
famous IN way from having been once.
not long before, captured by the Confed-
crate Admiral Semmes, off the eastern
point of Cuba. Cape Mast. The ship es.
capped destruction by Semmes on her Cap
tain giving bond that ransom of $50
900 would be paid on the acknowledge.
| ment of thelndependence of the Southern
Confederacy, and it was also stated tina,
mutual friendly feeling between the
Admiral and the Captain had as much to
do with the safety on the North Star as
the bond given by the latter.
On this trip of the North Star we had
the escort of United States gunboat tc
protect us from Confederate cruisers.
She was with us all the way to Aspip.
wall, (now Colon,) on the Isthmus Of
Panama.
We were carrying dispatches for the
United States fleet IN the West Indies Of
which the Flag Ship, the sailing frigate
Cyane, was at Cat Island. We arrived
there in the night and in the effort to de-
liver the papers in the darkness the North
Star approached the flag ship in a way
that led the outlook on the Cyane to sup
pose we might be an enemy. The signals
from the flagship were not clearly under
stood on the North Star, and the frigate
was about to fire upon us when the situa-
ton was cleared up.
As our ship on the Pacific side was O.
ing up the coast. after leaving Panama,
she raE into Acapulco for supplies, and
there we found the Mexican troops evac-
uating the town. and the French entering
to take possession. On our return voyage
some months later. after the performance
of our special duty in and near San Fran
cisco, we were gratfed to find the tide
had turned, our Secretary of State had
automatically informed Mr.. Louis Napo-
lean to get out of Mexico or be driven
out. The French troops were moving
out of Acapulco. and the Mexicans again
taking possession OF their own.
On another occasion, in 1862, when
was engaged in constructing the defences
of Cumberland Gap, detachment was
sent out by the Commanding General to
lie in ambush for force of Confederates
who were. known to be approaching.
On the same night scouting party of
United States troops was returning and
was fired into by the other United States
troops IN ambush who mistook them for
Confederates in the darkness. The de-
tachment that was fired into by its own
friends suffered severely in killed and
wounded. VIM. P. CRAIGHILL.