thought I, and we were not more than half | Soon the boats found bottom. Out jumped way. The men pulled like good fellows, the men and marines; and we officers, we keeping near the shore to avoid the mounted on the shoulders of some of the strength of the current. Near, yet just boat's crew, landed, the surf overtaking without easy rifle range; for the chaparral and wetting us all. The men drew up on afforded excellent cover for riflemen. It the beach. Surely, thought I, now McRae was so light now that I could see my will open upon us. Now's their chance. hands, and morning was coming on more We started to lead the men across the sand rapidly than I ever knew it to break be- to the sally-port of the fortress. Bang! fore. "Who fired that musket?" said the

"Give way, lads!-whose oar is that Captain, at whose side I stood. out of water?"

"It's the ould Docther, Sir," said Pri

"Smith's, Sir; he's a haulin' off his pea- vate Brennan; "he's filled my muskit wid

jacket, Sir."

"Give way!"

tebacky cuds, an' I'm afther emptyin' it, Sir. Och! but he's a powerful man wid the tebacky, ony way."

The Captain had been searching with his glass for the fort. At length he said: "Keep silence there," said the Captain “AH, THERE IT IS!" An opaline light by "come on, men! Here you are! Tumthis time pervaded the eastern sky, reveal-ble in! Sailor men, back to the boats?” ing our boats to any watchful eye. I was Into the fort went the marines, led by my gazing into the distance to catch a glimpse friend, the surgeon, while the Captain and of the fort. I soon made out its dark out- I made for the boats, and started to return line, and almost at the same moment I, to our ships, with the Lieutenant, who had Bob Harding, saw another sight, which to staid on the beach to guard our flotilla. me was of particular interest. It was the As we passed McRae I said to myself, white mass of the hostile Fort McRae, on "Now it's coming, Bob!" I watched the the side of the harbor opposite to Pickens, embrasures. They looked twice as ugly as and, like Pickens, commanding the en- a ship's port-holes, and every gun seemed trance. The white mass of masonry, pointed to my devoted head. I knew that dotted regularly with dark embrasures, I would be the only one hit, for at me they occupied my attention exceedingly as our aimed. The men pulled cheerily, and boats pulled right for it; for our Captain had, it seems, determined to land in front of Pickens, on a beach that McRae might have swept with a storm of shot and shell. It was quite light enough by this time for the enemy to distinguish every boat, nay, every man. "Give way!" As we rounded a sandy point right under the hostile guns, I kept my eyes fixed on four embrasures in McRae. By Jove! how big and black they seemed! I watched them; for I felt assured that before we should have pulled much farther one or more sheets of red flame would burst forth, and then those who lived would be swimming for it. No one spoke. Bright, brighter, grew the east. The oars buckled and the waters hissed as we dashed toward the beach. the morning of the thirteenth of April,

after a while I made up my mind that we were to get back to our floating homes with unbroken limbs. The east was glowing with a warm, rosy light; the morning was lovely.

"Are you one of those who admire sunrise?" said the Captain.

66

No, Sir, I am not; and I must say that this morning it was especially unwelcome. A few minutes since I would have been glad of an hour more of darkness.” The Captain laughed.

"Did not you expect McRae to open on us?" asked I.

"Most certainly," replied he.

That is the way that Fort Pickens was reinforced from the Federal squadron on

1861, by daylight, in face of a fully armed was standing with his speaking-trumpet in fort and other batteries-reinforced while his hand cheering the men, with Alden by a large body of men held the opposite his side, when there was a simultaneous shore. flash and roar, and a storm of shot came crashing through the bulwarks from a rebel Willing to part with his other Leg. battery, which they could almost touch The river at Port Hudson makes a ma- with their ramrods. Both of the officers jestic curve. At the memorable siege, re- fell as if struck by lightning. The Capsulting in the capture of that stronghold, tain was simply struck down by the windrebel cannon were planted along the con- age, and escaped unharmed. The speakcave brow of the crescent-shaped bluffs of ing-trumpet in Commander Cummings' the eastern shore, while beneath the bluff, hand was battered flat, and his left leg near the water's edge, there was another was torn off just below the knee. As he series of what were called water-batteries fell heavily upon the deck, in his gushing blood, he exclaimed

"Put a tourniquet on my leg, boys. Send my letters to my wife. Tell her that I fell in doing my duty!"

As they took him below, and into the surgeon's room, already filled with the wounded, he looked around upon the unfortunate group, and said

"If there are any here hurt worse than I am, let them be attended to first! His shattered limb was immediately amputated. Soon after, as he lay upon his couch, exhausted by the operation and faint from the loss of blood, he heard the noise of the escape of steam as a rebel shot penetrated the boiler. Inquiring the cause, and learning that the ship had become disabled, he exclaimed, with fer

vor

"I would willingly give my other leg, if we could but pass those batteries!" The hero died of his wound a few days after.

lining the bank. As the Federal ships entered this curve, following the channel which swept close to the eastern shore, they were, one after the other, exposed to the most terrible enfilading fire from all Daring Attack upon a Paymaster's Boat. the batteries following the line of the The following record is only one among curve. This was the most desperate point very many which illustrate the skill and of the conflict; for here it was almost lit-valor exhibited by our officers, whether erally fighting muzzle to muzzle. The duty called them to the performance of rebels discharged an incessant cross-fire of gallant deeds on the land or on the sea. grape and canister, to which the heroic Captain Spencer, aid to General Wool, squadron replied with double-shotted guns. received information one day, from two Never did ships pass a more fiery ordeal. ladies who went from Norfolk to Fortress Lieutenant-Commander Cummings, the Monroe with a flag of truce, that near executive officer of the ship Richmond, midnight a six-oared boat was to leave

1

Norfolk for Richmond with money for the two, and the latter were scattered in all payment of the rebel soldiers. He re- directions in the water, though not before quested permission of General Wool to at- discharging their pistols at him, two balls tempt their capture, but was told not to going through his cap, and three perforatplace too much confidence in the informa- ing his coat. The men were then told that tion thus received. Nevertheless, permis- if they submitted quietly, they would be sion was given, and selecting two good saved, otherwise he would leave them to oarsmen on whom he could rely, he started their fate. at dark, with oars muffled, and awaited the coming of the enemy's boat. He had previously given direction to his men to pull directly for the boat, and, on the moment of striking, to back water' instantly.

They preferred to submit, and, arming himself with his pistol in one hand and a dirk (taken by him at the battle of Bull Run from a secesh) in the other, he took them into his boat, one by one, handcuffing About midnight the boat was heard, and them as they were pulled in. In addition ⚫ taking his station in the bows, with a 9-inch to which, from the stern of the enemy's shell in his hands, he gave the order to boat, which floated, he took eleven hun'give way.' The moment his bows struck dred dollars in gold, and five thousand dolthe rebel boat, he threw the shell into the lars in their worthless It paper money. middle of it, and was himself drawn back, was with difficulty that he reached the luckily receiving no injury from the explo- fort, the gunwale of the boat being almost sion. Not so the boat and occupants, how-level with the water, on account of its inever, the former of which was broken increased freight.