The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1907-01-31
IAf VOLUNTEER NAVY.
aim 0. Johnson Continues His
"reminiscences.

,lo Aseing for the mouth of the
River. the two ships the
{ and the Wyalusing with sig.
sr That they were sinking, and
~ the fleet inactive with no
ram, tbe flag ship as to what to
Sfter some fifteen minutes
Ans way the flag officer SEEM
,,,s IA himself and signaled the
nI4.h had a long pole attached
G,o on the cupboard end of
.s a torpedo, to go in and at
boA the ram up. and for near
Eour the rest of the fleet lay
and watched the futile efforts
Miami TO approach the ram.
srs II viii perhaps be proper to
81, neither the Sassacus nor the
mo- we're in sinking condition,
Hath ships we're badly cut up
.nrl,,zed, and the action of the
i.j not improve the situation
nv for she either could not or
ny approach tile ram near
n, EXPLODE the torpedo. She
" a large ship and was known
Wr. Iy and did not answer her
...rr Add to this the democrat
.H.r.Jn of her commander,
s- cut French, who had been
i of the Southfield which
III -gnk by the ram at Plymouth
~ .eurs before, and who evil
md mot gotten over his fright.
. ram was slow she answered
m promptly and when the
,u. attempt to approach she
as If about to ram and the
I'd cowardly stink away.
.4m would again get on her
..e Roanoke river, and not
- fire. While the Miami
.- se ioop and had approach
lam the latter had made
rrogress toward her goal,
River. These manouvers
.- ,-l several times with like
the Miami, finding her
-ss III that direction, began
,ides into the ram and
Id utId helm going in a circle
y firing at the port side of
A 46vement that should have
BE. the whole fleet at the be-
lie engagement, as pre-
.tioned. But the Miami
d ---usctable distance from the
- -ame. At this time the
- Han and the Whitehead,
r ay very conspicuous part in
ut up to this time, with
- If planting several shots
1T while firing at the ram
several shots from them
m. ..rL. and seeing the ram
.. -~cape without any efforts
. 10 our port, concluded to
yhe fight at short range.
+ IN orders from the flag
aau up alongside the ram
oppressed endeav0red to
IS firing at her propeller
lieh we did do, but &C
Confederate report the
of give out until the ram
the river and the flag
t5 allied US off.
.a-I- reported that the most Sc
. .eg got during the engage
II. }n0t from 100-pounder
pm The Whitehead; and here
pecullar episode in naval
{ refer to the running of a
sele around the Albermarle
..peof disabling the rams pro-
l. attempt failed only be-
IT, seine was too short. This
,.d-red of such Importance that
9fN5er claimed that the seine
9Lt from the flagship, but
As moi the case, for this seine
out from the Commodore Hull
.uI-Is. 1t will be remembered
. i-vlOus article l mentioned
lrr If some fishing boats and
e-s Oh the Meheren river the
1.l. One of the seines we
uad the Commodore Hull, and
81. . OCCASIONALLY for catching
-a ships company. During
al- seine, which was 800 feet
u been triced up on the port
urricane deck just abaft
I.s TX, ready to pay out into
.s rnted. AS we approach
-- W- noticed that the top of
.-.HF ladies came out of water
.u'ion and the signal quar-
"0o stood by my side, sug-
. was possible to foul the
M nat seine. | immediate
.0 Nls suggestion, reported to
a W he ordered me to pay
nuested him to put the ship
H.. HH as possible and he sheer
'U The ram that as we pass
3D. d nave tossed a biscuit
We had twenty men Oh the
Fl I"rk with muskets, who kept
aluUous fire, and the 24-pound
rs ut sweeping her decks
'1e and canister, which made it
fps Tor her crew to use small
'.e ram was not pierced for
49, We did not then know this,
tnd took our chances all the
Every man on the ship was at
Nn. and /, as executive officer,
posed to be in all parts of the
lue time. | could not get there
body, but l had a voice that
Ht those who could not see me
4al me cheering them on and
4lug them to stand to their
he captain was differently con-
Tough as brave a man as l
" and we were in many fights
during two years and a half
Il he appeared to lose command
'lee and could not speak above
If Jut this not through fear.
time | had lungs and voice
loF two and | used them on this
Ter occasions. | fear some of
-aS / used in an engagement
on .ook we'll in a Sunday school
The captain of the ship was
Master Francis Josslyn, a ma
tnien, Maine. and he and |
u't anne rank in the navy, but
ui} senior was in command. He
.'' 'n0ut ten years older than |
I'Iend of old Bill Conway, in
iaor a memorial tablet was
anden last summer, and