Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-08-06
A DARING LANDING PARTY.
Expedition from United States Ship
Oneida Which Secured Much
Useful Information.

In the latter part of July, 1864, Ad-
miral Farragut wanted some Informal
ton in regard to the rebel preparations
for his reception in August, and the only
way for him to get it was 20 go after it.
as there were no confederate deserters
or intelligent contrabands coming off
to the feet. He aasked for volunteers
to go after the information and get It
The sloop-of-war Oneida, Capt. Thomas
H. Stevens, was called on to furnish the
volunteers. Two officers and ten men
were selected out of the number that Of
fered, as the service was perilous in the
extreme. The men made their wills and
wrote their farewell letters. Yet no
dozen more determined men ever stood
on shipboard than those II men. re-
member the names of but four-Lieut.
Charles S. Cotton (now admirar and a
voluteer officer Acting Engineer John
Hall; Thomas Glance, chief boatswain's
mate, and Charles Southland, master at
arms. The dry facts of this exploit can
be obtained from the log Of the Oneida
In the bureau of navigation in the navy
department. A dark night was selected
the men were armed with Sharpe's
rifle with sword bayonet. 40 round of
ammunition and Colt navy revolvers
The officers wore their swords and re-
volvers and all were prepared TO fight IL
they had to, for they did not land TO
surrender. The second cutter was
manned by her regular crew, AIMED with
revolvers. The oars were muflled. and
they showed off i'm the darkness for Fort
Morgan. The surf was running pretty
high when the boat came within sight
of the beach. which was of white sand.
She was turned around and backed into
the surf with about four feet of water
under her keel. This landing stern-on
was for good reasons. Had she been
pulled upon the beach IL would have
been impossible to get her of quickly.
mad that been necessary. Overheard the
officers and men went. holding their &C
coutrements over their heads. They
reached the sandy beach and lay fiat for
awhile. looking the ground over; they
took to the tall grass. about 100 feet
from the water. The men were then
divided into squads Of two. Clancy and
Southland on the extreme right. Lieut..
Cotton in the center, Mr.. Hall on the
left. The two men on the right could
have walked into Fort Morgan il there
had been no sentry. The orders were
not to fire shot, but to use the sword
bayonet, unless things became I'M
usually hot. Shortly after the men had
reached their stations a mounted pa
troll was seen to leave the fort, and
when he reached Lieut. Cotton's station
the men were onto him. Never was
there more surprised confederate. He
gave the countersign, which was AT
lanta," and of course became a prisoner.
Upon pain OF instant death he was or
dered to pilot the party to the videts'
camp, which he did, and the party cap
tured Lieut. Brown and two other men
all four being from the Seventh AL
ALBANIA cavalry. BY the time this was
accomplished the men were pretty well
tired out, with their heavy arms, wet
clothes and about five pounds of Ala
bama sandcock; and every man would
have given months pay for a drink
of water. After the prisoners were Sc