with uncovered heads, while he read the twenty-seventh Psalm. Beautiful and appropriate was that service:

Had no White Flag on Board. The Federal steamer Star was on her way up the James River, from Fort Wool, with military and political prisoners, the former to be left at Aikin's Landing. The Captain, pilot, and all hands of the crew

"The Lord is my light and my salvation; The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" After the Psalm, the prayer, "Our Fa- did not number fifteen, the prisoners one ther which art in heaven.”

hundred. Though none of the former How impressive! The uncovered group were armed, there was no feeling of fear standing around the open Bible, and the or thought of danger. Nothing whatlow voices of a hundred men in prayer. ever was apprehended of warlike peril. On the right hand, looking down the river, The matter of hoisting said 'snowy were the mortars in play, jarring the earth banner' proved, however, of some interwith their heavy thunders. The shells est. There was no such white flag on were sweeping in graceful curves through board. It had not occurred to Quarterthe air. Upon the left hand, the Benton master or Captain to procure one. Inand Carondelet were covering themselves deed, until they were half a dozen miles with white clouds, which slowly floated up river, nothing had been said or done away over the woodlands, fragrant with on the subject. Approaching the Union the early buds and blossoms of spring, fleet off Newport News, the Captain was The rebel batteries below were flaming inquired of why he did not run up the and smoking. Solid shot screamed past drapeau blanc, to avoid being hailed and shells exploded above. Away beyond the stopped, and called on to announce his island, beyond the dark green of the for- character and errand. "Besides," it was est, rose the cloud of another bombard- added, "Admiral Wilkes may wish to forment, where Commodore Hollins was ward letters by us to ships farther up, and vainly endeavoring to drive Colonel Plum- if he sees the white flag approaching he mer from his position. So the prayer was will send a barge to deliver them without mingled with the deep, wild thunders of delay,"-and he did, as the event proved; the cannonade. wished not only to forward such letters, but to deliver certain packages of gold and bills of exchange for several Union The wooden gunboat Paul Jones, com- officers imprisoned in Richmond,-" and manded by Captain Rhind, was one of the moreover, Captain, we may in less than vessels engaged in the attack on Charles- an hour, be within range of secesh rifles; ton. Captain Rhind steamed right up to and you had better get up your white Sumter, utterly regardless of fear. He pocket-handkerchief before giving those was implored to be careful, but as in the rascals a chance to mistake our character." Keokuk, he was determined to get nearest "the crater." Having delivered two or three effective broadsides, a rebel ball flew over the quarter deck, almost grazing the shoulders of the gallant Captain, who once more let fly vigorously at the fort, and then triumphantly steamed back with flying colors.

Sumter and the little Paul Jones.

"Gracious!" was his first exclamation, "I have not got any flag. What shall I do?"

"Have you any sheets?"

"Plenty; but they are very smallsingle berth sheets."

"Stitch four of them together; make the flag too large not to be seen a mile

The brave old salt was never nearer off; it is sometimes well to have more being a martyr in his life.

than three sheets in the wind.'"

It was done very promptly, and prob- around on the water, with the air of a ably no larger flag of truce, ("to use," as veritable river god. One summer day, Mr. Everett said, in his magnificent Get- while he was employed scraping the hull tysburg funeral oration, "the language of of a monitor, a negro from one of the upthe Confederate Secretary of War,") ever river plantations came along-side with a "flaunted the breeze," than that flaunted boat-load of water melons. While busy on this memorable occasion, and which selling his melons, the diver came up, and was kept displayed aloft, both day and rested himself on the side of the boat. night, until the steamer's return from The negro stared at the extraordinary apAikin's Landing to the cover of the Fed-pearance thus suddenly coming out of the eral gunboats in the lower and wider por- water, with alarmed wonder, but when the tion of James River.

diver, with gigantic motion, seized one of the plumpest melons in the boat and disRiver Devils for Carrying on War. appeared under the water, the gurgling The principal diver employed at Port of the air from the helmet mixing with Royal for cleaning the bottoms of the mon- his muffled laughter, the fright of the neitors, was named-and quite appropriately gro reached a climax. Hastily seizing his -Waters. A man of herculean strength oars, without a thought of being paid for and proportions, he became, when clad in his melons, he put off at his best speed, his submarine armor, positively monstrous nor was he ever seen in the vicinity of in size and appearance. A more singular Station Creek again. Believing that the sight than to see him roll or tumble into Yankees had brought river devils to aid the water and disappear from sight, or them in carrying on the war, no persuapopping up, blowing, as the air escaped sion could tempt him again beyond the from his helmet, like a young whale, could bounds of the plantation. scarcely be imagined. Remaining for five

Coffee for Jack.

Everybody admired Admiral Farragut's heroism in climbing the top-mast and fastening himself thereto, in order to direct the great battle before Mobile. But there was another little incident in that contest which no less forcibly illustrated his high, heroic character, as a man and officer, and exhibited the secret of his courage and self-command, no matter what the stress or pressure of circumstances around him. Admiral," said one of his officers, the night before the battle, "won't you consent to give Jack a glass of grog in the morning-not enough to make him drunk, but just enough to make him fight cheerfully?"

66

"Well," replied the Admiral, "I have or six hours at a time under water, he had been to sea considerable, and have seen a become almost amphibious. battle or two, but I have never found that Waters had his own ideas of a joke, I wanted rum to enable me to do my duty. and when he had a curious audience would I will order two cups of good coffee to wave his scraper about as he bobbed each man, at two o'clock, and at eight

o'clock I will pipe all hands to breakfast at the same time striking the gun itself, deeply indenting and cracking it.

in Mobile Bay."

And he did give Jack the coffee, and then went up to the mast-head and did the

rest.

Expensive Joke on Commander Bankhead

by a Southern Dame.

and sextant in hand, either practicing himself, or imparting instruction to any one who was willing to receive it.

The Captain of this gun was badly wounded by the splinters and by pieces of the man's head striking him in various parts of the body, bespattering him with blood and brains. But he experienced a most remarkable escape, similar instances While the gunboat Pembina was at of which have been occasionally recorded Beaufort, as one of the naval force sta- in the annals of war. His name was tioned there, a negro came one day, as James Sheridan-a quarter-master, and a the bearer of a package from his owner, man of far more intelligence than is usually a Mrs. Chisholm, to commander Bankhead. found among foremast men, being pretty Commander B. had been very active with well versed in navigation, understanding his vessel, performing many important the use of all the ordinary nautical instruservices in the conduct of the war, where ments, and was frequently to be seen on the naval arm of his country had been the forecastle of the vessel with watch brought into requisition. Some of these services, indeed, had been more than usually painful, as it had been necessary for him to take up arms against personal The watch Sheridan always wore in friends, and even relatives, living in that the left breast pocket of his blue shirt, vicinity. But for all that, he did not flinch consequently directly over the region of the from the paramount duty he owed to his heart, and when the shot struck the macountry, as one of its sworn officers, in-rine's head off, it carried with it one of the trusted with its honor and defence. Among brass buttons of his cap. This button, his acquaintances in that region was a striking Sheridan's watch, produced a deep Mrs. Chisholm, wife of a planter, who indentation on the outer edge or rim of it; now wished to express her appreciation imparting a brassy hue to the furrow it of his patriotism by sending him-what? made in its passage; and there were also —a set of expensive coffin-handles! with two other marks of blows on the back the intimation that the box they were in- of the watch, which reached to the inner tended to adorn was ready for his recep- case. tion, as soon as he should come that way. Had it not been for the watch, there is In order to play this unique joke, the fair no doubt but that button would have rebel actually sacrificed one of her trusty caused another deep and painful wound, slaves as the messenger, and who, finding himself thus conveniently among the candidates for funeral honors, was contented to remain with them.

Place for the Watch in Battle.

In the fight in Mobile Bay, under Farragut, a piece of a rebel shell struck the after 11-inch gun carriage of one of the Union vessels, embedding itself in it, and a solid shot struck a marine, taking off his head as clean as though with a large sabre,

if not his death. But although severely wounded and bleeding, he would not leave his gun, and even though the gun had been struck, and rendered unsafe, if not unfit for use, he fired two more rounds of solid shot from it, and then went up on the poop to assist at the signals. The escape of Sheridan, by his watch being worn in the left breast pocket, shows that to be the right place for that instrument, instead of lower down on the right side—at least in battle.

Fight with the Iron Monster Tennessee. and expended their force in the water beWhen it was reported to Admiral Far-yond.

ragut that the monster iron ram Tennessee The Tennessee immediately put on was bearing down upon him, he hastened steam again, and started to try her on deck with the remark, strength with some other of the wooden “He is after me; let him come on if it vessels. The Brooklyn lay nearest, and must be so; admiral for admiral-flagship for that ship she headed. Here she was for flagship-I'll fight him!"

met with almost precisely the same recepThe enemy was close at hand, and com- tion as with the Hartford. Instead of ing with all speed directly at the Hartford, butting, she received a butt-both vessels evidently with the intention of running came together, broadside to broadside; her down. The Admiral mounted to the both broadsides were discharged, and the maintop and surveyed his ground, arrang- ram went on her way to try another, anä ing hastily his plan of battle. This set- another, and all of them, but with no bet

managed each to get a position in a different direction from each other, and whichever way the ram turned he met these ugly and yet invincible foes. At first he was shy, and seemed irresolute as to what course to pursue, but finally seemed determined to get out of the bad scrape by running through the flect back to the friendly protection of Fort Morgan.

tled quietly in his own mind, he awaited ter success. the approach of the monster. Buchanan She now started to run back through must have fancied that he had caught his the fleet, but here a new combination adversary napping, from the apparent awaited her. The Monitors had come up, quiet that prevailed on Farragut's flagship. the appearance of which seemed for a Not a gun was fired; no crew was to be moment to disconcert the rebel. From seen; her broadside lay plumply exposed the first he had shown a wholesome dread to the tremendous blow he was hastening of them, and by skillful manoeuvring and to give. But suddenly there was a change. his greater speed had managed to avoid When the rebel had approached near them. Now they hammered him to the enough to make these observations and utmost of their ability. The three had fully appreciate them, the helm of the Hartford was put hard a port, her machinery started, she described a segment of a circle, and, just as Buchanan had thought to strike her squarely amidship and cut her in two, as he was capable of doing, the towering brow of the noble old ship struck him a tremendous blow on his port quarter forward, that knocked every man aboard his craft off his feet. The force of the collision checked the headway ble tactics developed themselves, and of both vessels. The blow given by the which he signaled to the whole fleet. The Hartford was a glancing one, and the two little Monitor Manhattan appeared directly vessels came up broadside to broadside. in front of the ram to head him off. The At this moment a full broadside from the rest of the fleet formed a circle about the Hartford was let go at her antagonist, but rebel craft, and all commenced paying it was like throwing rubber balls against him their heaviest compliments. It was a brick wall,-nine-inch solid shot, though a terrible fire-every rebel ball that struck they were, and fired from the muzzles of the Union vessels did execution, making her guns scarcely ten feet distant. Simul- great holes in their sides and reddening taneously, Buchanan also discharged his their decks with blood; but every shot broadside of four Brookes' rifles, which that struck the monster ram, glanced away passed completely through the Hartford, like a rubber ball. To meet the exigency

Now, then, Admiral Farragut's admira

at this critical state of affairs, Farragut's | Irishman called Jerry, who would eat vessels were put in motion, describing a more souse, chew more tobacco, and do circle about the rebel, the sloops and moni- more growling than any two men in the tors being directed to ram her every time ship. Jerry had had no previous expethey came around, which was done with rience in his duties, having been rated to deadly effect. Each vessel chased its the position a day or two after he came leader about, throwing a broadside into aboard; and great was the merriment, fore the enemy at every opportunity, and at and aft, at the dismal squeaks he elicited every chance getting a ball at her. In from his boatswain's-whistle, when ordered this way the plucky fellow was terribly to call away a boat or pipe "all hands up used. Every time one of the sloops came anchor;" or, in the richest brogue, bawl on to him the concussion was such as to out, "D'ye hear, there, forre an' aft, the throw the crew of the monster off their meal-bag will lave to-morrow mornin', an' feet. The frequency with which she was thar'll be an opportunity to sind away thus rammed, and the continuous artillery | letthers!" Jerry, however, was good-nafire that was rained upon her, so demoral-tured, and generally bore all the fun at his ized her men, that they are said to have expense without remonstrance; but on begged to surrender, fearing, at every one occasion the laugh was so uproarious new shock, that they would be sent to the against him, that, if possible, he would bottom. The course pursued by the ves- never permit any allusion to it. Some sels was such that the ram was unable to men of his watch were at work down in get range upon any of them so as to run the fore-hold breaking out provisions, when them down, thus compelling the ram to duty on deck required a few more hands. remain passive. Or, if she attempted to Jerry went to the fore-hatch and sung escape the tormentors, an unlooked for out: enemy would come and strike her on the quarter, and throw her out of her course. During this melee, the Manhattan got one good shot in directly at the ram's broadside. The huge ball of iron struck fairly at the lower angle of the heavy casemates and penetrated into the inside, spending its force in the effort. This was the only shot that ever passed through her iron.

Against such odds in number, such cannonading and punching and entanglement. the ram could not continue, and the formidable craft finally succumbed, after a fight of something more than an hour. Buchanan directed his flag to be struck, the Chickasaw having the honor of receiving the surrender of the ship.

"Forre-hould, there!"

"Hallo!" came up from the depths. "How many of yez is there down there!"

"Three of us."

"Come up the half o' yez!"

Rigging up a "Long Tom" out of Billy Luly. A vessel which went from New York bound for St. Thomas, one morning found herself being pursued by a Confederate privateer off King's Channels. The villain was close in under land, in a small sloop, with about twenty-five men, and when he discovered his prey, the latter was nearly becalmed. He gave chase, and bore down very fast upon his supposed prize. There appeared to be no chance for the vessel to effect her escape, under these circumstances, except by stratagem ; One of the gunboats which was em- and there happening to be on board a man ployed in blockading the port of Wilming- who could he metamorphosed into almost ton, North Carolina, had for second boat- anything, some one proposed to the Capswain's-mate a comical little carroty-haired [tain of the seemingly fated craft that he

Good Natured Jerry.