The National tribune., 1910-07-07

made at the time.
Winnebago and I to the Chickasaw
There were four double-turreted moni-
tors built at Carondelet, Mo. "a suburb
of st. Louis), by the Government, in
tended for Farragut's feet in Mobile
Bay-the Winnebago, Chickasaw, Mil
waukee and Kickapoo. Each turret
contained two 11-inch smoothbore
guns.
I'VE went up the Ohio River to
Mound City, H., where the contractors
delivered the vessel to Admiral Porter,
of the Mississippi Squadron. There we
were sworn into the naval service. We
steamed down the Mississippi River,
stopping at Helena, Ark, at the mouth
of the Red River, where we were sta
toned to protect the retreat of Gen.
Banks and New Orleans. After about
10 days at New Orleans we went to
Mobile Bay tJuly 25, 1860, and Joined
Farraguts Fleet Farragut was wait
ing for the Tecumseh to arrive from
Pensacola, Fla, and at midnight of
Aug. 4 she reported.
AT 6:10 a. m. of Aug. 5 the signal
came from the Hartford to attack the
forts. The Tecumseh led the fleet and
the wooden vessels were lashed togeth-
er. The double-turreted monitors VIM
nebago. Chickasaw, Milwaukee and
Kickapoo took up positions next the
fort to protect the wooden vessels. The
flagship Hartford came last, lashed to
the Metacomet. The Admiral was
lashed to the cross trees of the Hart
ford in order to get a better view of
the position of his own ships and the
Confederate fleet. Shortly after the
fight commenced and we had exchanged
shots with Forts Morgan and Gaines
the Confederate fleet appeared, led by
the ram Tennessee, the flagship of the
Confederate Admiral, Buchanan. Far
ragut signaled: 'Tecumseh attack the
RAM The Tecumseh started, and
struck a submerged torpedo, which sent
her to the bottom. Out of a crew of
about 1S0 officers and men but two
escaped, the pilot and the Third Assist
ant Engineer. The flagship Hartford
now shot ahead of the rieet with guns
firing, and the signal displayed Follow
me-
"Of the Confederate feet we captured
the Tennessee and Selma, the Gaines
was run ashore cher crew escaped after
setting fire and burning her to the wa
ter's edge), and the gunboats Morgan
and Powell and ram Baltic esc,p ped to
Mobile, where they were afterw ard
captured.
THE Chickasaw went up the Tom
bigbee River about 40 miles to a place
called Mamma Euba Bluff to ger the
ram Baltic, which had been taken there
by her Confederate commander. We
took the Baltic in tow, but struck
sandbar. and Capt. Charles Perkins
abandoned her and returned to Mobile
We remained at Mobile from about
April 80, 1865, to July 8, 1865, when
we went back to New Orleans At one
time during the war the Government
encouraged enlistments from the army
into the navy, and our vessel received
some from a Michigan regiment. A
first-class fireman by the name of Tan
ner assisted me when on watch. If
this meets his eye or that of any of
his relatives or anyone who knew him,
would be glad to hear. Why can't we
old fellows of Farragut's Fleet have a
Reunion?"
Fired On the Forest Rose.
s. ]. Capps, Boatswain's Mate, U. s.
gunboat Forest Rose No. 8, La Veta,
Colo, writes:
Some time in October, 1863, the u
S. gunboat Forest Rose No. was lying
at anchor off Hurricane Island, on the
Mississippi River. Three bells in the
| forenoon watch had just struck, and
the crew, Just relieved from big gun
drill, had thrown themselves down on
the forecastle deck, when little Arthur
Morrison, the ships painter, sprang up
the forward hatch, shouting: "Firei
Fire in the hold" Right after him
came big Charley Smith, the Boat
swain's Mate, with his whiskers, eve
brows and hair nearly all burned off.
Some one else took up the cry, but
changed II to: Fire! Fire in the maya
zine!" The first was bad enough, but
the last just froze the blood in our
veins, and for moment it looked as
tho we had lost our grip One man
| jumped overheard, but the rest of us
jumped for the fire buckets, hose and
pumps. 1t seemed as if the fire would
surely reach the magazine. The bulk
| head between the forward hold and tn.
magazine caught fire several times. but
wet blankets were spread over the DOW
| der and kept the sparks from getting
| to IL. Every one of US expected each
minute to be our last. as we all knew
the amount of powder we had on board
was sufficient to blow up a mountain.
After what seemed an age we succeeded
| in putting out the fire and saving the
ship and ourselves. When we had time
to look around we found Pat Curry.
who had jumped overheard, on the
stern wheel He was brought on board
and at once put down in the brig, where
he stayed for 80 days, besides losing
] two months pay. a very light sentence
for so grave an offense. Boatswain's s