Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1905-06-17

ed on to furnish the volunteers. Two
ofncers and ten men We're selected out
of the number that offered, as the ser
vice was perilous in the extreme. The
men made their wills and wrote their
farewell letters. Yet no dozen more
determined men ever stood on shin
board than those twelve men. | re-
member the names of but four-Iieu-
tenant Chas. s. Cotton now admiraD
and a volunteer officer Acting En-
gineer John Hall, Thomas Glance chief
boatswain's mate, and Charles South
ard, master-at-arms. The dry facts
of this exploit can be obtained from
the log of the Oneida in the Bureau
or Navigation In the Navy Departs
ment. A dark night was selected. the
men were armed with the Sharpe's
rifle with sword bayonet. forty rounds
of ammunition and Colt navy revolv-
ers. The officers were prepared TO
fight IL they had 10. for they did not
land TO surrender. The second cutter
was manned by her regular crew
armed with revolvers The oars were
mutiied, and they showed off in the
dark fer Fort Morgan. The surf was
running pretty high when the boat
came within sight of the beach. which
was 90 white sand She was turned
| around and backed into the surf with
about four feet 0f water under her
keel. This hH0ng stern-on was for
good reasoLe sad she been pulled
upon the beach Ii would have been
impossible to get her off quickly had
that been necessary. Overheard the
officers and men went, holding their
accouterments over their heads. They
reached the sandy beach and lay fiat
for a while, looking the ground over:
then took to the tall grass, about 100
feet from the water The men We're
then divided into squads of two, Clan
cy and Southland on the extreme right,
Lieutenant Cotton IN the center, Mr..
Hall on the left. The two men on the
right could have walked into Fort Nor
gan if there had been no sentry The
orders were not TO fire shot but to
use the sword bayonet unless things
became unusually hot. Shortly after
the men had reached their stations a
mounted patrol was seen TO leave the
fort, and when he reached Lieutenant
Cotton's station the men were onto
him, Never was there more sur
prised rebel. He gave the counter
sign, which was Atlanta" ard OF
course became prisoner. Upon the
~, J.
TO pilot the party to the videttes,
camp, which he did, and the party cap
tured Lieutenant Brown and two other
men-all four being from the Seventh
Alabama cavalry. BY the time this
was accomplished the men were pretty
wet clothes and about five pounds of
Alabama sandcock; and every maE
would have given months pay for a
drink OF water. After the prisoners
were secured one Of the men asked
them If they had any water. Not be-
ing In very good humor they answered
no. The master-at-arms discovered
| two muskmelons and one watermelon
in their tent, and they were quickly
consumed by the thirsty men. The
| prisoners relented and pointed out
cool spring not ten feet from the tent
! The party started up the beach ON
their return. The rebels did not like
| TO take to the salt water TO reach the
boat, but they did ali the same The
party reached the ship tired sleepy
and worn out, for sailors do not have
much of that kind of work to do At
the time the party were taking TO their
| boat the fort had become alarmed; but
| they were too late. The prisoners
| were turned over to Admiral Farragut
| the next morning, aud ! presume that
| he obtained all the information that
he desired from them That expedition
was as daring as was done by any
party of sailors during the Civil War.
with the one exception Of Lieutenant
| Gushing and the ram AIbermarle If
there had been newspaper CORE
spondent in the feet that enterprise
would have made as much noise as
CushinRs explOit-yet no man Of that
party has ever received the least con
sideratlon except Lieutenant Cotton,
who has reached the height Of his am
bltion-a rear admiral in command Of
the European squadron-and his pro
motion was won by other services.
The navy captured cavalry, and Adj
miral Farragut got his information
and on Aug. 3 the battle Of Mobile Bay
was fought.-Eugene Orr, 4 s. s.
Oneida. National Mil Home, ohio, in
! National Tribune.
Recollection of Grant.
1 saT 49,. ~ h. alt man goid