Perth Amboy evening news., 1905-12-29

toNA III liz PilOb hOhoC w
prevent the sharpshooter from pick
ing off our pilot. l worked with the
men of the engineer department I'M
til 2 A. M. before we completed the
work.
Tuesday, 18th, A. NJ.
We got under way 6 A. NJ; passed
a dismantled rebel battery known as
Fort Powatan, it being one of the
relics of the war of 1912. At $50
A. M. the Naugatuck again took the
lead of the squadron, making sound
ing for the channel and moving OBJ
structions that might be in the chan
mel, as all the buoys had been remov-
ed by the rebels. We were partly
submerged and when we ran upon a
bar, we would pump out and hunt for
the channel. The Naugatuck being
fitted on the submerged principle,
was well adapted for this particular
duty.
The two rebel steamers had passed
down the day before with the union
prisoners, going to Fortress Monroe.
They carried a flag of truce, and we
allowed them to pass on the return.
AS they were going to Fortress Mon
roe, the Commander of the Monitor
stopped. them. After learning their
mission, he allowed them to proceed.
Shortly after this we picked up two
negroes in a skiff and sent them
aboard the flagship. At 10 A. M. the
Aroostook went aground, and they
signalled us to return and assist in
getting her atloat. At 10 A. M. we
the channel for the fleet. At 11.45
we sighted a rebel steamer leaving
City Point, going up the river. At 1
p. M. we came to anchor off City
Point, and from City Point a flag of
truce came off with a young lady, ac-
companied by a negro. She boarded
the flagship, and shortly after Cap
tain Rodgers sent her ashore in his
gig. The object of her visit was to
ask us not to shell the City Point. At
this point we found a large tobacco
warehouse in flames. Here the Com
modore had another council of war
and it was decided that as soon as the
fleet should silence Fort Darling we
should leave. We had learned,
through one of the negroes we had
picked up, that the river had been
piled under the fort. The Nauga-
tuck was then to take the shackle
chains that had been put on board
of us from the flagship, to pull suffi-
cient of these pilings for the fleet to
pass through and proceed to Rich
mond. Fort Darling was some ten
miles below Richmond. 1t was
planned that we submerge the bow of
the Naugatuck, then shackle on a
pile, and pump the water out of the
forward apartment and into the after
apartment, and in this method draw
the piling. They also sent on board
tie Naugatuck graphing irons, to
make fast to fire RATS or floating tor
pedoes, that they might send down
the river. At $50 P. M. the signal
vas sent up to get under way. At
the same time the flagship signalled
the Naugatuck to take the advance
for detecting concealed batteries or
other dangers. At 6 p. M. we saw
two schooners getting under way and
the captain ordered to crowd on all
steam in order to catch them. On
reaching them a boat was lowered
and one of the schooners boarded,
and the cutter from the Port Royal
was ordered to board the other. The
erly been Captain Morris, of the Cum
berland, which was sunk off Newport
News by the rebel gungoat Merrimac,
going down with the stars and stripes
at her masthead.
At 7.45 we came to anchor some
nineteen miles below Richmond,
abreast of a large schooner that was
fire and still burning. Shortly af-
ter we arrived Captain Constable
went on board the flagship, and on
his return brought eighteen sheets of
boiler-pfate, and with the engineer
and part of the crew |
secured them to the outside of the
cabin to prevent the sharpshooters
from picking off the officers of the
ship. At daylight we had completed
the work. At 8 A. M. we were on
in advance of the fleet, and
Rodgers ordered an Off
GER and a gun crew On board.
Wednesday the 18th.
AT 5:10 a. m. we got under way
and still in the advance, at Z a. m. we
hailed by a negro, whom we
took off and sent aboard the flag ship.
At $3.50 the flagship got aground
and we laid by her and pulled her
off. At 8 a. m. we saw a lot of rebel
While the Galena was
aground they annoyed us by firing at
is, and the commodore ordered us to
she'll them, with our parrot gun 1t
was loaded with a hundred pound
she'll. This with a solid shot from
he same gun shattered them. So
see we had not only the honor of
eading the fleet some forty miles
through the enemy country, but fred
he two first shots from the fleet, be-
we fired a number Of shot and