The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1904-02-11

WARTIME VIEW OF
West Point. Majs. Howard and Eaton.
of the Signal Service, Department of the
], Gulf, conceived the very sensible idea of
selecting about 40 officers from the en-
listed men, and applications for advance
ment were accordingly solicited. Exam
ina ton in the common branches and
higher mathematics was provided for.
AS | remember SO were chosen for adj
yancement, and / was one Of the number.
These selections were made about July Is,
1864 and we were at once put in posses
sion of part Of the secret work, and
with diligence we conned our lessons. Ii
was soon discovered that men not chosen
were inclined to pry into the secrets of
the code, and prudence required that the
instructed men should be sent away to
themselves. Accordingly, on July - VIC
were marched, with all Of our aceouter-
ments. about nine miles below the city, to
Camp Chalmette, Jacksons old battle
ground, il part OF which was then dedica ted
~ National Cemetery. A heavy rain
drenehed us on the way, and made the low
level plain Of Chalmette, with its rank
!. heritage, an uninviting place to eneamH
To add 10 our discomfort, myriads of mus
ketoes. with worse than LOuisiaIia Tiger
appetites for blood, awaited our coming.
and after our arrival, they never rested
from their annoying labors, but kept Them
selves busy and us in torture.
Prior TO this time Admiral Farragut' 5
Gulf squadron had been making prepare.
tons TO force its way into Mobile Bay.
which was guarded by the rebel fleet tor
pedoes and the 100 guns OF Fort Morgan
and its surroundings.
The city of Mobile is located at the
!, mouth of Mobile River, at the northern eX-
tremity of Mobile Bay, and about 80 miles
from the Gulf of Mexico. The bay grad
ualiy widens from the city southwark un-
:. til very near the Gulf, where long, mar
now strip of land extends from the main
:, land. on the east side of Bon Secor Bay.
=. westward. several miles, between Bon
: Secor and Mobile Bays, on the north, and
the Gulf of Mexico on the South, termina-
ting i'm Mobile Point, upon which was and
= still stands Fort Morgan, one OF the
=, strongest f0rtresses on our southern coast.
About three miles west of Fort Morgan.
:, across the main channel to the Gulf, on
the east end of DaHphin Island, is located
Fort Gaines. TO the northward of Fort
Gaines. on Sand Island. about the middle
of Grant Channel, leading from Mobile
Bay into Mississippi Sound, was Fort
Powell
The Confederate feet i'm Mobile Bay
consisted Of fenrs vessels: The Gaines, the
Morgan. the Selma, and the great iron
7ieiad ram Tennessee, presumed by the
rebels and many others to be the most
powerfully destructive vessel in the world.
She was built by. Admiral Buchanan. who
had first experimental in this sttbe of
j naval architecture with the famous Mer-
rimac. that was beaten in HAMPTON
Roads. Va, by Ericsson's first little
About the time that our instructed men
Were taken to Camp Chalmette, Gen.
Granger was removing about 5000 men OF
the Thirteenth Corps toward the western,
: end of Dauphin Island, TO operate par
.ticulariy against Fort Gaines; and those in
'saepmniand- of the land and naval forces
as.Yisely concluded to distribute Signal men
throughout the feet, to put each vessel. il
+ sieed he, in direct signal communicate
with GraBger's army. Pursuant TO. this ar
faBgeInent orders We're issued for 30 Of us
to report, with alf announcements, at one
of the steamboat landings in New Orleans
but our destination was TO US unknown
After numerous disappeintments we moved
away from the wharf on the steam tug
!, America ON the morning of Aug 2. and
then learned that We were destined foI
IS FsrEagnt's Gulf squadron, anchored some
where off the southern coast of Alabama
The weather was delightful, the near flu
ltpre was full Of inspiration, the boys W :.
in excellent health, and as we sped awH
down the broad bosom of the File 4.
Waters. sentiments OF Amerieha Jats#ay
ism found loud and frequspf XII tsasi9a
The day was happily spePt uBtE - 20 -
ing sunset found us p an ~ Is,
Southwest Pass into -. pia1k EIua. z.F
bound. turbulent 81 ass Bur j
Z Mexico. ~ - jeae 81 siteses az
des;r'ls5 e,A - n.siss 81
Iae ecasa Na saiGsF. 10 focke,
- esE - -, fae aesp. ON
IT, vas ! sssY thau 80 feet II
IetsEh ,sssSeat ssosement of tn
Nsts1S aid Caastll The rocking pro
eeA Esge Erw eies Matters generall
ueias gea iii ..yout 4 o'clock a. m, whel
fa9e wave broke over the low bulwark
and completely drenched the deck tina
WAS. our common bed! | will not attemp
10 describe the amusing scene but boo
would scarcely contain all OF the auain
and naughty and curious things that wer
said. until, one after another of the boy
became sea-sick, when O marked and grow
ing vein OF piety toned the conversation
About 10 o'clock a. m. Aug. g. W
reached Farragut's fleet, off Mobile Pon
about seven miles from Fort Morgan. A
= this time all Of as were sea-siek, excef
my Signal companion, VIM. s. HurIbut,
iiard-sifeil Baptist from Vermont. BY I
o'clock We We're ON board the Hartford, tn
Admirafs flagship, and its vast dimension
enabled it to ride the troubled waters 1
steadily that our sickness rapidly val
ished, so that we were reduced in piet