The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-11-12

sllpped out and retreated across tho
neck of land separating Fort Henry and
Fort Donelson. twelve miles away on
tho west bank of the Cumberland Riv-
cr.
The shot and she'll from the Federal
vessels ploughed through the earthen
battlements with ease. disabling guns
snd killing cannoneers with every shot
After half hours engagement not n
single gun was serviceable within the
fort. But while the Confederate can.
non did roar out their defiance. the mis-
siles performed great carnage on some
OF the gunboats. One the Essex. car
reened under a shot that passed
through her port side. through tho
middle boiler. killing an officer in its
flight and opening an avenue OF es-
cape for the live steam.
Scenes of Hcroism mt Cannon's Mouth.
The scene on that gun deck was in
describe. Two pilots, in the pilot
house. were scalded to death: a seaman
was found deaG still on his knees
where he was lifting ammunition from
box. Many others were seriously
burned before they had been able to
leap through the portfolios into the
river, among them was the commander
of the ship, Captain Porter.
In the midst of this scene of horror.
shout went up from the other ves-
sells:
They have surrendered"
seaman, mortally scalded raised hi.
head. and feebly cried: "Surrendcr?'
must see that with by own ewes he
fore die" He dragged himself nm two
Nights of stairs to the deck, and as he
coilasred. he shouted Glory to Cod"
Fort Henry had surrendered. but not
until every gun had been disabled
General Tilghman had remained with
Taylor. and he saw the uselessnes OF
prolonging the bloodshcd. He ordered
Taylor to strike the Confederate flag
This was perilous task for the young
captain. The tiag-staff had been shat
tered many times. Tho topmast leaned
toward the river, seemingly about to
| rail- at any moment. Tho flag -halyards
were "foulcd," which prevented the en-
sign from huttering to the ground.
Gallantry OF Captain Taylor on the
Flagstaff.
Taylor and an old man O. wars man
climbed the trembling flags staff BY
their united efforts they unravelled the
tangle. and the flag WAS lowered The
vessels were still pouring their missiles
into the fort with a regularity that
seemed like target practice. For a mo-
| ment Taylor hung In his dangerous no
| isition and viewed the scene. Two
hundred yards away was the Federal
! fleet, its guns sweeping the face of the
! tort and hurting Its shell into Fort
f. Henry. OF in the north and west he
could see the toilinE columns of Grant.
which were straining to reach Fort
Henry In time to cut off the retreat
! In the distance in the east Taylor
could see his Confederate troops
pioughing through the ankle deep mud
/ TO Fort Donelson. The interior of the
I fort was n mass OF wrcckage. Wound.
/ ed soldiers lay underneath him. a dea d
man lay across a disabled cannon The
, turSid waters of the Tennessee over
! flowed the bank, and washed the blood
: strains from the eurthen floor of the
| fort.
| When the Federal naval officers came
to receive the surrender their entrance
was made convenient by tho river. which
, carried their boat through the sally
port into the fort. Had the attack been
! delayed forty-cight hours, Il lombard
ment of Fort Henry would have been
made unnecessary, for the rising river
: would have made the position unten-
able
| Celebration of Fort Pulaski Next
! April.
! Next April these anniversaries Will
centre about Fort Pulaski at the mouth
of the Savannah River. 1t was one OF
inc Sen!ederac"'s most important
guards for blockade runners These
blockade with impunity, as long as
/ Pulaskfs guns pointed out over the
harbor The obstacles overcome by the
engineering ability marked an epoch
In military science. Pulaski was iive-
faced, brick fort. whose walls were
seven and half feet thick and twenty
I'VE high. 1t was situated on a marshy
island half concealed by a rank grow tn
! or meadow grass and cost s9SSS59
[ General Gilmore wnA Srnt wien ~
regiments and mortars and rifled guns
/ 10 reduce Fort Pulaski He found the
| nearest land OH which he could plant
his batteries nearly two miles away.
on Tybee Island, which was nothing
more than hummock of mud, weeds
| ana drifting sand--apd this was in
| range of the guns of Pulaski He also
| round that he would have 10 construct
his own landing wharf. and that from
! this point to the only available sound
| ground on which he could plant his
heavy guns 1t was two and a half
miles. The ground that he must ira :
| verse was swamp.
| The cannon were lightered to the
landing from the gunboats, and at low
| tide, hauled to the beach. In the mean
time, the soldiers. like so many ants,
! swarmed over the marsh, and when
the guns had arrived the passaEeway
consisted of two-milc causeway
stretched invitingly across to the sound
| ground.
Two timbers, twenty feet long and
ten inches square were fastened to-
| gether at suitable distance apart,
and then one end of the improvised
skid placed on the axle of huge sling
cart heavy mortar was then hauled
! up the incline and fastened, while the
skid raised and placed on second
sling cart. Thus the ingenious men
created four wheeled cart. But when
II came time to start the vehicle 1t was
found that IT required $50 men to move
1.-THE mortar alone weighing 1900
pounds.
Remarkable Ingenuity in Overcoming
! t' Obstacles. f.a
| Night after night they toiled against
| the greatest OF difficulties, often with
the rain beating down upon them and
| turning the MUD the lndIec 10