The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-06-08

NhN'' up. III al fIllIulc lHt
place was cleared with the exception
OF one soldier who was cool headed
enough or idiot enough to be putting
on legeings and every other unneces-
sary article Imaginable. know
called him some uncomplimentary
names CT hope to be forgiven), but
l was in hurry to get up on deck
and see what was going on. He final
ly finished his elaborate toilet and we
went up. We were zigzagging and
running to beat Patty. didn't
know we could make such speed. One
of the firemen has told me since that
they were making steam faster than
the engineers could use it. Our lit
tie protectors, the destroyers, were
running around us like fures and just
as / got up on deck the first depth
bomb which they turned loose (they
loosed about 20 altogether) exploded.
iarring everything within two miles
radius. From this time on for an
hour we were being shaken by an ex-
plosOn from n bomb. After our one
shot nothing was seen for a while and
things quieted down. One of the de-
stroyers ran past us and sgnalled
over the following message Think
we gave them a pretty warm recep-
tion." Mess call Blew and we went
10 dinner. / had gotten my meat on
my plate before the second alarm
came. Everyone dashed for the top
deck. Now where / eat is i'm the for
ward part of the ship and the sich
bay and my abandon ship station
are about as far i'm the after part.
When l got on deck it was crowded
with soldiers and cursing sailors.
could not have gone up one of the
ladders without breaking a line so
waited patiently for the lines to pass
and incidentally helped in preventing
stampede. When the line passed }
biauC III NY otdtIOIl I<NcIy yOuc Wdi
looking for periscopes. but none were
seen and nothing other than depth
bombs were loosed. The third time is
generally successful. l managed to
get my last mOuthful of dinner down
(but just did before the third arc
last alarm was given. The jam was
as bad as ever so l waited again.
was on the forward we'll deck just un
der one Of the big muzzles. ! cOul'
see but little part Of the water a
one time but knew from the excite
ment on the deck above that some
thing was doing and that sOmethin.
was going to happen real soon. l
wasn't long waiting either. An Off
Clear that we'll deck down there"
We got most of the soldiers off befOr
the old grey mouth spat fire. Tn
shot was fired almost directly owe
our heads and if ] hadn't rammed m.
fingers into my ears and opened my
mouth wide enough to swallow
camel l would have been deaf till yet
AT best it was n deafening roar; N,
iron railing raised up as If 1t VIII
about to leave the ship; but the rOa'
Of the old sea lion was followed b.
a victorious shout from the men OF
the upper deck telling me that on
fangs had found their way home am
that the Hun numbered one less sub
marine. The destroyer force elaine
a victim also and / see no reason t.
doubt their veracity. After an hou
and a half Of this excitement w
reached the mouth of the G.. river an(
ran over the boundary line into safe
~ anchoring several miles from tn
mouth. Expect to go to b. in a. m
April 5. Friday-DOck ut small pOr
at mouth OF river. Burch and / have
Job of embalmng other body. Mic
job, but not enough money in it.
april y-pUlO;iu troops
Go on liberty. The small place seem:
to be made Of wine. We come i'm earl,
md sober.
April z, Sunday-Leave dock at 1 =
a. m., going down river. Cast an
chOr just inside Of mouth.
April 8, MOnday-Out in mid stream
ON night watch.
April 9, Tuesday-Sleop most
DAY, getting up at p. m. and dOinl
some painting.
April 10, Wednesday-Still at an
chor I'm midstream. A year ago, tn,
beginning of my service.
April II, Thursday-Pull out from
G. i'm company with one other trans
port