The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1911-02-16
THE REPUBLICAN, JOURNAL THURSDAY FEBRUARY 1e 1911

yards of the sterns of the vessels next
ahead, and little on their starboard
quarter. The feet was now heading
about point to the left of Fort Morgan,
with its rear past Sand Island, and the
van within half mile of the water bat
terry whose calling fire, as well as that
of the Confederate squadron, could only
be replied to by the bow chasers of the
leading vessels. At half past seven the
Tecumseh, still leading the Brooklyn, was
well up with the fort and drawing slowly
by the Tennessee, leaving her on the
port beam. At this moment, when all
eyes were united on the ironclads, ex-
pecting to see them holly engaged as
soon as the Tecumseh had passed the
line of torpedoes intervening between
them, the Brooklyn and the Hartford
poured a broadside into Fort Morgan,
driving the enemy heller SHELTER from
their barbette and their water batteries.
The sight was an inspiring one and in
the enthusiasm of the moment the gal
liant Craven, who was in command of
the Tecumsch and who thirsted for the
honor of engaging the ram singly, gave
the fatal order lizard a starboard.
quartermaster, and dashed directly for
her. 1t was his last order, for in less
than five minutes time Captain Craven
was in eternity and the Tecumseh was in
fragments and at the bottom Of Mobile
Bay. She had not gone more than twice
her length after changing her course be-
fore those on the Brooklyn were Mortified
to see the Tecumseh lifted bodily out of
the water, saw her propeller in full mo-
ton in mid air and then saw her plunge
beneath the waves, there to remain for
ever. 1t all took place in less time than
it takes me to write this. The pilot and
only eight men were left to tell the tale,
and they had nothing to tell with the ex-
ception Of their marvellous escape.
Right here | propose to digress for a
little and give some of the unwritten
history of that event. 1t is known by
most of us that were in the navy at that
time that Captain Craven sacrificed
noble ship and nearly all on board by
disobedience of orders Admiral Farra-
gut had too big heart to report it other
than to call attention to general order
No. 10, but had Captain Craven come
out of it alive he would have been held
to strict accountability by a naval
court martial. He knew, or should have
known, that torpedoes had been laid from
Fort Gaines in the direction of Fort Nor
gan as far as possible and leave good
channel between them and Fort Morgan
to enable blockade runners to pass in and
out. At the eastern terminus of these
torpedoes was placed large red buoy to
enable the blockade runners to keep clear
Of the torpedoes when passing between
Fort Morgan and the city of Mobile,
thirty miles away. and it may be pos
sible that Capt. Craven was deceived by
this red buoy; but there were many of us
that would not have been so deceived.
Though it has been forty years since |
left the sea l think that can tell the
rules of the road, and how to find my
way into port by the buoys as they then
were, although suppose they may have
all been changed by this time. In eros
sing bar Or entering a port, leave all
red buoys on the starboard hand, and all
black ones on the port hand, going in. A
channel buoy was painted red with hori-
zontal stripes. This buoy was placed
where the best water was, and danger
buoy was placed on a shoal or near a
ledge and was painted black with white
perpendicular stripes.
At the beginning of the rebellion the
rebels put out all the lights along the
NA Al