"Ship ahoy!"

"Hallo!" was promptly answered. "This is the Confederate States steamer Sumter-what vessel is that?"

After waiting about half a minute, which seemed an age, the 'enemy' replied

Lucky Moment on Board the Sumter. One of the officers of the privateer Sumter gives the following account, in his private journal, of an hour of trepidation on board that craft,-with a little 'brag' to boot. Under date of August 18, 1861, he writes:-After leaving Cayenne the vessel's course was shaped for Paramaribo, "The French steamer Abbeville!" Dutch Guiana, off which port she signal- Here was a disappointment-after all ed for a pilot until sundown; none having this preparation for mortal combat, to find arrived at that hour she came to anchor. at last that the supposed enemy was a About twilight a sail was seen in the dis- friend! There was not a single man who tance approaching the Sumter. It was would not freely have relinquished all the soon apparent that she was a steam war- prize-money then due to him could he vessel. Steam was raised, the anchor have transformed the Frenchman into a hove up, all hands beat to quarters, the Yankee. She was nearer the equal of guns manned, the old charges drawn and fresh ones put in their places. By the time all these preliminaries had been arranged it was ascertained by the aid of the night telescope, that the strange vessel had anchored. The Sumter followed suit, but a vigilant look-out was kept upon the movements of the supposed enemy.

the Sumter than they ever expected to meet again, and the Sumter had captured so many merchantmen that it might be said she did not care to meet any other class of vessels."

The advantage to the Sumter of meeting one so nearly her equal' may be judged of by the good luck which befel the Alabama in her encounter with the Kearsarge, where the equality' was nearer still!

Early on the morning of the 19th, the look-outs had reported that the steamer outside was under way. Slowly she steamed toward the Sumter, seeming to have made every preparation for attack. Presentation to a Brave Woman. She had not yet hoisted her flag, neither On the evening of the fifth February, had the Sumter-each commander being 1862, at Cape Girardeau, Captain Ben apparently desirous of learning the nation- Sousley, in behalf of the Alton Packet ality of the other first, and of letting him Company, presented to the loyal and heknow, by a death-dealing broadside, that roic Mrs. Eversol, the sum of two hunan enemy was at hand. The stranger dred dollars, in acknowledgment of her looked like an American-built vessel, hav- courage, humanity and patriotism, in having long mast-heads and a sharp overhang- ing saved the passengers of the steamboat ing bow. Yes, there was no mistaking City of Alton from being captured by her she must be one of the gunboats Jeff. Thompson's marauding band of Consent in search of the Sumter. When she federates. As that boat was approaching was near enough for the number of her the shore where the secessionists waited guns to be determined, we were glad to to seize her, Mrs. Eversol ran to the lefind that she carried but one gun more vee, and by her shoutings and gesticulathan the Sumter, and that the disparity tions warned those on board of the danwas no greater. Slowly and cautiously ger, and enabled them to escape. The the vessels neared each other. When not handsome testimonial to her merit was more than a cable's length off, our first richly deserved, but a richer one is assurLieutenant hailed her in a loud voice- ed to her in the memories of her country

men and countrywomen, for such an un- following interesting incident is given, as usual, brave, hazardous, and fortunate act. we find it in the papers:-Almost the Captain Sousley subsequently received first men struck down were the gallant from Mrs. Eversol the following appropri- Captain Wainwright and Lieutenant Lee, who both fought with a desperation and valor no mortal could surpass. Though bleeding and prostrate upon the deck, they

ate note:

COMMERCE, Mo., February 5th. J. J. Mitchell, President Alton Packet Company: DEAR SIR; Permit me, through you, to tender to the members of your Company my thanks for the unmerited token of respect which they were pleased to convey to me through the hands of Captain Sousley, and received by me to-day. In reply to their earnest solicitations to visit St. Louis and Alton, allow me to say that I would be most happy to do so when the weather and traveling are pleasant; although I would again assure them, that, in any part I may have taken on the twenty-ninth day of December, in the preservation of the lives of my fellowbeings and their property, I only obeyed the impulse of a loyal heart.

With my kindest wishes for the prosperity and happiness of the members of your Company and yourself, I remain yours, respectfully,

SARAH L. EVERSOL.

were seen to still continue to deal death
among
their enemies. One young son of

Captain Wainwright-only ten years old! -stood at the cabin door, a revolver in each hand, and never ceased firing until he had expended every shot. One of his Laconic Hint to a Pilot by General Butler. poor little hands became disabled by a General Butler one day sent a man of ball, shattering his four fingers, and then the name of Curtis, who had been a pilot his infantile soul gave way: he burst into on the James river, and who professed to tears, and cried-"Do you want to kill know the position of the torpedoes, to Ad- me?" Blessed young hero-may his miral Lee, with the characteristic sugges-country never forget him! And where tion: "If he faithfully and truly performs is the Hemans to wed his name to immorhis duty, and answers all queries, return tal verse, like another Cassabianca, or the him to me at Bermuda Landing; if not, artist to portray the scene on historic canhang him at the yard-arm." This was vas? dictated in the presence of Curtis, to whom the General then remarked: "Now, my Devotion of Farragut's Men to their Adgood man, go; you have your life in your own hands." The individual certainly seemed to realize the fact as thus laconically stated.

Another Cassabianca.

In an account, by a Confederate prisoner who participated in the affair, of the capture of the U. S. ship Harriet Lane, the

miral.

After the flagship Hartford, with the brave Farragut, had hauled off from her first fierce assault upon the rebel flagship Tennessee, in Mobile Bay, and as she was again pointed fair for her, and thunderingly coming down upon her to dash into her a second time-suddenly, to the surprise of all, she was herself tremendously struck

little ragged fellow, who, after steadily looking at me for some time, suddenly exclaimed, "I'll stand! I've seen that chap's

by one of our own heavy vessels, also heavily coming down upon the rebel Admiral, and it was thought for a brief moment, so fearful was the blow, she must picter in Harper!" The boy's face was go down. Immediately, and high above washed and my boots cleaned.

the din of battle, hoarse, anxious voices

were heard crying,

"The Admiral! the Admiral! save the Admiral! Get the Admiral out of the ship!"

The brave men utterly forgot themselves-thought not a moment of their own safety, but only of their glorious old Admiral, who was all in all to them! Nothing could better illustrate the love and devotion of the whole squadron for their Admiral than this. When they themselves were in imminent peril of death, they only cared for him! Finding the vessel would float, notwithstanding the possible ultimate serious results, the brave old Admiral turned to his gallant fleet Captain with the order

"Go on with speed! Ram her again!" Onward the Hartford sped, determined to 'do and die,' if need be; but just before she reached her the white flag of surrender was hoisted above the discomfited Tennessee, and soon all the victory was with Farragut and his noble men.

Pictorial Humors of the War.

The beauty, accuracy and profusion of pictorial illustrations of the scenes and heroes of the war, afforded in the pages of the above named and kindred serials, have constituted one of the most marked facts in its history.

Seeking a Naval Appointment.

Mr. was an applicant for an official berth in the navy, and, as usual, permission was granted by the Secretary of the Navy to him to be examined for the position to which he aspired. He presented himself in due form before the Examining Board, and was duly "put through" by the venerable members. At last the final question was put:

The benefit of having one's picture in Harper is thus illustrated in an amusing account given by a naval officer: A few days ago I was standing on the steps of one of the hotels of this city, (New York,) when several boys applied to black my boots, with the well-known cry of "Black yer boots, Sir? Shine them up!" etc. One "Now, Sir, your vessel being anchored little fellow had a very dirty face, and I in New York harbor, how would you told him if he would wash it he should proceed if ordered to take her to Key black my boots. "What will you give me West?" to do it?" was the prompt reply. "Five cents," I said. He hesitated for a moment, and then asked, "Who will stand your security?" I applied to each boy, and all refused with the exception of one

The aspirant proceeded, by aid of chart, rule, and compass, to show to the attentive Board the courses he would steer, etc., and, at the end of a long (imaginary) voyage, brought his charge safely into Key

West harbor. The member who had asked they were in imminent danger. Colonel the question astonished the would-be En- Bailey, believing that their capture or design by requesting him to recommence his struction would involve the destruction of voyage, as he would never get to Key the Union army, the blockade of the MisWest in the manner he had just tried. sissippi, and even greater disaster, proThe long description was again gone posed to Major-General Franklin, on the through with, the same as before, and at 9th of April, 1864, previous to the battle of Pleasant Hill, to increase the depth of the water by means of a dam, and submitted to him a plan of the same, which was approved.

General Banks placed at the disposal of Colonel Bailey all the force he required, consisting of some three thousand men and two or three hundred wagons. All the neighboring steam-mills were torn down for material-two or three regiments of Maine men were set at work felling trees, teams were moving in all directions bringing in brick and stone, quarries were opened, flat-boats were built to bring stone down from above, and every man seemed to be working with unequaled vigor, probably not one in fifty believed in the success of the undertaking,-the falls being

rocks, and over which at the existing stage of water it seemed impossible to make a channel.

the retreat commenced, Colonel Bailey, about a mile in length, filled with ragged engineer of the Nineteenth Corps, learned that the Red River was rapidly falling, and became assured that by the time Admiral Porter's fleet could reach Alexan- The work was commenced by running dria, there would not be sufficient water out from the left bank of the river a tree to float the gunboats over the Alexandria dam, made of the bodies of very large Falls. It was evident, therefore, that trees, brush, brick, and stone, cross-tied

The Neosho followed next-all her hatches battened down, and every precaution taken against accident. She did not fare so well as the Lexington, her pilot having become frightened as he approached the abyss, and stopped her engine, when a full head of steam had been particularly

with heavy timber, and strengthened in every way which ingenuity could devise. This was run out about three hundred feet into the river; four large coal barges were then fitted with brick and sunk at the end of it. From the right bank of the river, cribs filled with stone were built out to meet the barges, all of which was success- ordered. The result was that for a mofully accomplished, notwithstanding there was a current running of nine miles an hour, threatening to sweep everything before it.

ment her hull disappeared from sight, under the water. Every one thought she was lost. She rose, however, swept along over the rocks with the current, and fortunately escaped with only one hole in her bottom, which was stopped in the course of an hour. The Hindman and Osage

touching a thing, and the Admiral thought that if he was only fortunate to get the large vessels as well over the falls, his fleet would once more do good service on the Mississippi.

After eight days of hard labor it was found that one day more would raise the water sufficiently to enable all the vessels to pass the upper falls. Unfortunately, both came through beautifully without the pressure of the water became so great that it swept away two of the stone barges which swung in below the dam on one side. Seeing this, Admiral Porter jumped on a horse and rode up to where the upper vessels were anchored, and ordered the Lexington to pass the upper falls if possible, and immediately attempt to go through the dam,-thinking to save the four vessels below, and not knowing whether the persons employed on the work would ever have the heart to renew the enterprise.

The Lexington succeeded in getting over the upper falls just in time, the water rapidly falling as she was passing over. She then steered directly for the opening in the dam, through which the water was rushing so furiously that it seemed as if nothing but destruction awaited her. Thousands of beating hearts looked on, anxious for the result. The silence was so great as the Lexington approached the dam that a pin might almost have been heard to fall. She entered the gap with a full head of steam on, pitched down the roaring torrent, made two or three spasmodic rolls, hung for a moment on the rocks below, was then swept into deep water by the current, and rounded to safely into the bank.

Thirty thousand voices rose in one deafening cheer, and universal joy seemed to pervade the sea of faces there present.

Colonel Bailey and his men set cheerfully to work to repair the damage, although they had been working for eight days and nights, up to their necks in water, in the broiling sun, cutting trees and wheeling bricks. The Admiral also made the best of the mishap, saying that it was on the whole very fortunate, as the two barges that were swept away from the centre swung around against some rocks on the left and made a fine cushion for the vessels, preventing them, as it afterward appeared, from running on certain destruction.

The force of the water and the current being too great to construct a continuous dam of six hundred feet across the river in so short a time, Colonel Bailey determined to leave a gap of fifty-five feet in the dam, and build a series of wing dams on the Upper Falls. This was accomplished in three days' time, and the Mound City, the Carondelet and Pittsburgh, came over the Upper Falls, a good deal of labor being necessary, however, to haul them through, the channel being very crooked, and scarcely wide enough for them. Other vessels followed these in safety. The pas