The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1906-06-07
FROM FORTRESS MONROE TO SHIP
ISLAND.
The Experiences Of Buffers Mea In the
Beginning Of the Army Of the Gulf.

About March /, 1862, the 4th Wis.
9Th Mich. and 21st Ind and ! batter
were all crowded onto and into the Pa
cfflc Mail steamship Constitution, then
claimed to be the next largest ship to
the Great Eastern. We boarded her at
Newport News, two days before the
great naval battle between the Merri-
mac and Monitor. The men were so
crowded that it took me half a day to
60 from the cabin TO the hold, where
part of my company had been slowed,
and get back to the cabin. We were to
be landed on Ship Island, about 100
miles east of New Orleans, and about
ii miles south of the Mississippi coast.
AS the steamer came to Newport News,
she had to pass within one and a half
miles of the rebel rifled battery on Sew
ellis Point, on the south side of the
James River. This battery took several
shots at the steamer on her way to the
landing, and got her range.
AS we started for sea We all knew we
would be shot at again. with a strong
probability that some of US would be
hit. But our pilot played it on the
Johnnies thus: He took up moderate,
steady speed, so the Johnnies would
make their calculations for their aim on
our speed. But steam was up as strong
as the boilers would bear and the in
slant the smoke was seen to leave the
gun all the steam was let into the en-
gfnes, which in minute nearly doubled
our speed. This threw their calcula-
tons out of joint, and all the second
and third loading and firing fell behind
the ship; but the first shot passed over
Col. Payne's (4th Wis., head, who was
standing on the bridge between the
wheel houses. The second shot struck
about 800 yards before reaching the
ship, and the ricochet sent the ball
over the deck. Gen. Phelps (the old
m af.ff oEar h,fsy ,f-$h !,
muzzle of the first gun had been de-
pressed the eighth of an inch the ball
would have struck ship at the water
line. The second gun was depressed a
tribe too much So we got out of the
James with only a scare. But / here
remark that ii took more nerve to look
out or my state-room window through
good fieldglass, by means of which
could see the season cracks in the flag
stan and the rope, and into the dark
hole in the muzZle of the cannon, and
see it belch out the great cloud of white
smoke, thereby knowing the ball was
coming for US, than it did later to stand
In line of the enemy's fire at much
shorter range.
Our next trouble was seasickness. The
men in the hold were as helpless as
ba bies, and We're desperately seasick for
day and a half. We passed through
gale off Cape Hatteras where this
got near Florida the heat became OPP
preSsive, and the men below would
climb to the deck and up into the rig
ging. As the boilers consumed so tons
of coal each day, our ballast grew so
light that the ship would rock till the
mast seemed to lean half way to the
water at times After we passed Key
West the ship rocked over a wave and
tilted SO Tar that most of us on deck
were thrown on our knees. / was stand
Ing within 10 feet Of the Captain, and
never heard a man squall as he did
he was generally mild-mannered man,
out ne then looked like q hungry lion
let out of his cage. He ordered the men
down out of the rigging and below, with
a. voice that made them all skin down
like so many scared cats. Then he sent
e man to the cabin to tell Gen. Williams
10 come on deck at once. The General
was a stiff West Pointer and resented
the impertinence, as he thought il: be-
ing in the cabin, he had not realized
the danger. He replied: Tell Cant.
:" ii he wants to see me to come to
the cabin" The Captain sent word
back: Tell Gen. Williams to report to
me on deck at once or I'll put him in
irons. Williams came on deck looking
lake thundercloud, and demanded of
the Captain: What do you mean, sir?
! am In command Of this expedition
Yes, SIR" said the Captain. sYou are
In command of this expedition. You
can order me to any port in the world
and will CO. but you can't tell me how
to trim my ship while / am going In
that outrank you, sir. Now, put your
men below at once"
one OF the staff, who had been on
deck and knew the danger stepped up
and told the General the danger, and
ne somewhat reluctantly allowed the
captain to outrank him. The men went
below. Then the Captain called all the
company officers together and made this
little speech: Gentlemen, we are in
great danger of capsizng, and in a
rough sea We could not avoid It. NV
coal is well consumed, which makes me
short OF ballast. Should this ship be
disable no 10 ships in the world. IL
they should all appear at once eouId
relieve it, AS the blockade has driven
on the ships, 1t Is not likely We would
see ship in six months In case of
disaster. l and my sailors will take to
the rowboats, while you all go down
with the ship. Now, you must keep
your men below till We land"
Then some company Captain spoke
up, saying 1T would kin re men to con-
nne them below, and that there must
be some relief, or the ship might as
well sink. The Ships Captain said:
Pass down this rear stairway; stay as
long AZ you can; then go up the forward
TO the rear" This was done, and there
was solid stream OF men thus passing
till we landed on the island next fore
noon.
When we landed We found the 26th
Mass, who had been on the island sew
eral weeks, and had been on half ra-
tons for the last seven days; but they
were so glad to see us they divided ra-
tons with Us. Before our rations could
De got TO snore there came up a terrible
storm, which kept the sea so rough for
two days that nothing could be taken
on That made three days fasting for
me, for the ship didn't feed us after
they got In sight OF the landing Hunger
was no name for US. The storm was In
the night, and / thought the waves
would sweep US from the island. which
Us turtleback Of sand / stood out in
the rain and braced against my tent "a
mold 1t against the wind. Tents were
down everywhere, and We could see the
men by the lightning's flashes working
TO save and to mend the situation. Our
Lieutenant-Colonel came along and
asked me in an excited voice: Can
tain. what do you think OF this storm ?'
Il think 1t is darned big one" said /
holding onto my tent post Captain
This Is serious matter, and I don't want