Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-05-23

the freroom and entangling the ram
with her victim. So far did the ram =
PROV enter the side of the Southfield
that her forward chain plates caught
on the ends of broken timbers. and the
sinking bont carried the monster down
until water flowed into her ports like
a sea.
Fortunately for Captain Cooke. the
river was not so deep but that the
sinking Southtield soon touched on the
bottom and. turning her top toward
shore. wrenched herself loose from the
rams chains. As soon as the Abe
marie was free from the embrace OF
her sinking victim she came to an even
keel and found herself alongside the
Miami. whose rapidly delivered mis-
siles produced barely a dent in the two
inch iron plates.
Fatal Rebound of a Shell.
FIusscr thought that he had the ram
Just where he wanted her in spite OF
the fact that he had lost one ship In
the encounter. The vessels were so
close that he fred a shell with a ten
second fuse against the straight iron
shield confronting the muzzle or his
gun. Pulling the lanyard himself. he
was torn to pieces by his own shell be-
fore he had time to drop the string. for
the shot. striking the iron plate at
straight angle. rebounded to the start
ing point and burst over the gun which
fired it
Even the death OF the heroic com
mander and the loss of a consort did
not crush the fighting spirit Of the
Miami's crew. Boarders were called
away instantly, and the eager men
rushed to the rail to jump to the broad
decks of the ram, but the Confederate
tars We're equally alert With muskets
loaded below and handed up they
poured n fearful storm OF bullets upon
the gallant fellows of the Miami
With the repulse of the boarders fur
Their fighting on the part of the Miami
was hopeless. Being a swift side
wheeler. she turned easily and sue
ceeded in lodging the beak OF the ram.
As she sped down the river she fired
with every gun that would bear on the
victorious ram.
Storming and Fall of Plymouth.
At last the Roanoke river was clear
ed of Federal vessels, and General
Hoke promptly put new vigor into his
operations on land. His troops had
assailed Fort Warren on the 18th. The
Bombshell came to the assistance of |
the garrison, but was soon disabled by |
a shell and fell into the hands OF the |
enemy.
Fort Warren held out. and Hoke |
next attacked Fort Vessels. Al |
though charge after charge was re- |
pulsed. the Confederates were able to
the work with superior num-
bers. and on the 10Th that work sur
rendered Abreast of the town along
the river was a long line of breast
works connected by redoubts. the
strongest of which was Fort Williams.
Hoke brought his batteries to within
] 100 yards of the works. Sending
General Matthew Ransom. with his
NORTH Carolina brigade. to assail the
Federal left. he led in person two bri-
Eades against the Federal right.
Both the assault and the defense
were desperate IN the extreme. The
onsederates pressed on in face of n
nurderOus fire and finally carried two
Of the redoubts in the line. capturing
he defenders and eight guns. Confed-
rates now entered the town. but Fort
WIS able TO enflade their
ines with grape and canister
RalIyinG with superb bravery. the
soon enveloped Fort Will
Jams and sileGced its fire with their
batteries. Ii was compelled to yield. |
Then the breaStwOrkS were untenable. !
md all the remaining forces surren- |
Tered. making the total prisoners about
800. Vessels casualties in fighting
we're about hundred. and Hoke lost
100 or 600 I'm sustaining the attacks ,
Pursuant TO rlan. he promptly march ,