The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1909-06-07
IN THE TRENCHES AT
FORT HUDSON WHEN SHE
WAS SUNK.
Tells an Unbiased and Historic Story
of An Event Which Has Gotten
Into Somewhat of a Con-
troVersy.

In the Official Register of the state,
1903, compiled by Hon. Dunbar Row
land, page S74, says the Crystal
Springs, (Miss) Meteor, is found the
official roster of the Seven Star Ar
tillery This roster does not mention
G. w. Miller as being a lieutenant.
The statement of Sergeant Pierce is
verified in every respect with the eX-
ception of the omission of the name of
Lieut.. f. C. w. Coleman and this is
explained by the fact that Lieut. Wade
died at Port Hudson and was succeed
ed by Lieut.. Coleman. The historical
record places the Seven Stars Artil-
lery in the trenches at Port Hudson
and not on the river front and this
fact confirms the statement made by
both gentlemen-that the secvtion to
which G. w. Miller was attached was
not in action when the Mississippi at
tempted to pass the forts.
The Meteor is indebted to Mrs. Eve
Ign Dabney Mitchell, of Jackson,
daughter of the late Capt. F. Y. Dab
ney, a resident of Crystal Springs, for
an account of the destruction of the
Mississippi at Port Hudson. Capt.
Dabney at the time of his death was
engaged in writing an autobiography
and the account he gives of the his
torical incident differs materially from
the accepted versions and refers the
destruction of the vessel to the con-
centrated fire of all the shore batter
les which caused her to sheer off and
in doing so became grounded Capt.
Dabney was Captain of Engineers in
the Confederate army and planned the
Notifications of Port Hudson. He
writes of the event as follows;
The event of the night, however
was the destruction of the sloop of
war Mississippi. On account of her
superior size, carrying, | think q
heavy guns, she became a target for
every one of our guns, and as she APP
preached the bend in the river, where
our batteries were most heavily con-
centrated the quantity of iron hurled
upon her sides was enormous. In
steering off toward the opposite bank
she went aground on the bar and
her officers and men soon realized the
of
under the heavy fire which was being
concentrated upon her from all quart
ers. She was accordingly abandoned,
her complement of men taking to their
boats and landing on the opposite
shore. In a short time flames began
to make their appearance and before
long she was a sheet of fire from stem
to stern. Our hot shot battery boys
set up the claim that they had set
her on fire, but ! believe that it was
generally admitted afterwards, as
claimed by them, that her own officers
had started the fires before abandon
ing her.
When she was fully aiire from end
to end, and the flames had enveloped
her rigging she presented one of the
grandest pyrotechnic displays | have
ever witnessed. As r. upper works
were consumed. she gradually tighten
ed and finally floated off down the
river, her guns. many of which had
been left loaded, firing to right and
left into the banks of the river, amidst
the cheers Of our boys who lined eth
er side. About daylight, or shortly
before, she passed Prophets Island, at
the bend below, and became lost to
view. Shortly after which the fire
reached the magazine and the explos-
ion which followed scattered her to
the four winds of heaven, and bestrew-
ed the surface of the river with her
many fragments
1t will be seen from this description
of the engagement, that no mention is
made individual of skill prowess or
conspicuousness, but that the glory
was inferntially bestowed upon all the
batteries engaged, whose concentrated
fire was so heavy as to force the YES
sci to sheer off and ground.