The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-08-06
Veteran Eyewitness
Writes Of the Famous
Battle Of Mobile Bay

time was on 80 days furlough from his
command-Gracie's Alabama brigade.
Sixtieth regiment, and under the care of
DR.. Grigg at Montgomery from a wound
received at Drewrys Bluff. near Rich
mond.
| Newspaper news those days Travelled
slow, but the fact that Farragut intended
to attack Buchanan reached Montgomery,
and this fact with scare" headlines was
published.
Having had a little experience on the
James river. below Richmond with fed
eral gunboats, where they tossed shells as
large as the average nail key at Gracies
/ Alabama soldiers, | decided, though then
wounded and quite young man, to go
down to mobile on the bay be wis
itor," and witness the affair.
/ 1t was grand.
Farraguts fleet, according to arrange
ments. opened fire the fort about
o'clock in the morning. A large force of
Infantry QederaD had been landed. and
they, too, commenced to make a noise
| like a bunch OF Kansas farmers on a
coyote hunt During Farragut's attack on
the forts and fleet of Confsderates one
of his vessels in the advance struck the
little Confederate ram Tennessee" and
in the engagement the Tennessee" sunk
the federal boat, and it is recorded in
Washington, SO Archibal Oracle. son of
| General Oracle. writes me. that 140 of the
100 aboard of that war vessel went down
with her This statement l do not doubt,
for recently met Mr. David Bishop who
is now "a years old. and living on 40
acres near Lucedate a few miles north of
Mobile Mr.. Bishop was only 6 years
old at the time referred to, but he re-
members the engagement very WELL as he
was out with his father-now dead-on
a fishing trip when the fight took place.
He said, on being asked, what did
you and your father do when you wit
messed the commencement" do? We
pulled for the nearest shore and sought
seclusion in the well timbered lands
| Mr.. Bishop and the writer were in
vited by Mr.. Charles Cook, superintend-
ent of the Gill Printing company, to
accompany him aboard his yacht and
go down the bay" and over the
course of the naval engagement. We
accepted this kindness and on Sunday
morning with a picked crew" this lit
tie vessel Evictes. just as streaks of
the rising sun We're visible in the east,
4
and ride down to where Farragut and
Buchanan fought the battle referred to-
-, Sea gulls followed our little craft
land uttered their familiar notes at our
Intrusion. But none of the spirits Of
the Confederate or Federal naval men
who were sent to watery graves on that
leventful day even added an extra rip
lple to the waves. They are 'out there"
waiting the arrival of the few who
! followed Grant and Lee, Davis and Lin
coin to come and join the last re-
union, never to separate again where
He will direct all sentiment and move
ment In the. one congenial way
The Federals were successful
Mobile, one of the best fortified
southern ports. was "in the hands of the
enemy" and the writer, with a number
of other Confederates, turned their
eyes eastward again to join their com
rades in the struggle there between
Lee and Grant
There is no use these late days for
an old Confederate veteran to attempt
fine writing" the bare facts are
enough; what I stated in the com
mencement of this. That the battle of
Mobile bay was grand" / can truthful
ly say over again.
H After following Lee and participating
in the engagements around Richmond
naval on the James river; field with
Gracfe's brigade. one ought to know
when visiting and Witnessing an en-
gagement under what caption to class
lit Permit me. then, in closing this
naval engagement to say II was one OF
the m.st Spectacular" killings and cap
lures ! ever witnessed.
Today, Monday. August g. 1912,
T. Iarpe pt1rn1er of veteran COnfederateS
and few Federals are visiting, on in
lvitation of the commandant at Fort
Morgan, the odd place"
To the writer, the remembrance of the
eventful day is too sacred for hilarity-
when we had "tho key to dear ''old
Mobile wrenched from us, and, 1t in
the hands of the enemy, is an occur
lrence that we would consign, If we
could so deep and dark in the past
'hpt reference to 1t would never bs
made.