The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-08-10


volunteer fire department would be
called out to eXtinguish the flames.
AS soon as these fiery tongues shot
into the air, illuminating the sky, the
shelling would be redoubled. Fight
ing fire Is In no circumstances
pleasant or easy undertaking, but it
was made doubly perilous at such
time as that Members of the signal
corps occupied st. Michaers steeple,
as well as the old Bathing House, off
the South Battery. From their eleva-
ton the whole harbor lay like
panorama before them. The block
aiding fleet in the offing, the grim and
and Sullivan's Island, with the white
tents of the opposing armies, and,
nearer, Castle Pickney and Fort Rip
ley. with James Island and it's nu-
merous batteries to the south, were
all visible. Next the sea wall of the
Battery was an immense gun carry
ing a shot weighing seven hundred
pounds, the largest missile then in
use, I presume. 1t was much admir-
ed and it was thought no vessel Of
any sort could withstand the impact
of such a shot. This gun burst at
the first shot, and the conclusion
damaged the houses near 1t more
than did the great earthquake Of
August 81, 1886. The reason for this
was that there was an air chamber
in the breech by the powder. This
fact was not known to those loading
the gun and the powder was rammed
against the breech by them. When
it was fired the gun burst.
The monotony Of the siege was
occasionally relieved by the arrival
and departure Of the blockade run
ners. The wary fellows were caught
more than once by the vigilant fleet.
One was beached on Sullivan's Island
nearly in front Of Fort Moultrie. The
soldiers relieved her Of most Of her
freight during the night. Next morn
ing she was soon battered to pieces
by the fire from -1orris Island. A
quantity Of liquor being part of the
cargo, the garrisons Of the several
forts on Sullivan's Island were in
state Of helplessness during that
night and the day following.
Academic exercises went on unin-
terruptedly during the earlier months
Of 1854. One became accustomed to
the regular boom Of the big guns in
the harbor, and it was difficult to
realize that we were living in q be-
leaguered city. But early one morn
ing a rumor gained currency that the
battalion was about to be ordered
into service. Great enthusiasm pre-
vailed among the cadets. and when
1t was ascertained to be true that We
were really going to James Island to
resist the advance of the FederaIs
from the Stono River the military
ardor was immense. We embarked
in light marching order on a dilapi-
dated transport steamer and were
landed on James Island near the
noted Hundred Pines"-a group of
tall trees that were well known land
mark for many years. but at this
writing not a single one remains. 1t
was springtime and the dewberries
were in the greatest abundance. We
noted this as we marched along, and
mentally decided to feast upon them
when we should pitch our camp. By
the time we neared Secessionville
there was many footsore cadet, and
one man had tainted on the march,
We were finally taken to the rear of
large earthwork not far from the
Stono, and there went into camp. We
did not then or at any time during
our fortnight on the island encounter
the enemy, but the sandflies and mos
quitoes and fleas! How they waxed
fat upon us! The boys bathed and
sugar, served ont as rations, drank
daily a vile compound termed
'prophylactic," supposed to be a pre-
ventive Of fever, and did picket duty
on Outposts where they were not al
lowed to light fire, but had to en-
dure the assaults Of the unterrified
sandhy throughout the long hours Of
the night. We used to gather arms
full of broom-grass roll them into
a tight ball, light them and sit in
the smoke to escape the plague of
fles and mosquitoes. Pipes were
plentiful among the cadets, and we
were served ratiOns Of tobacco. These
helped to drive away the pertinacious