andersonville-第114节

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OF　UNADULTERATED　HAPPINESS。

When　we　reached　the　mouth　of　Cape　Fear　River　the　wind　was　blowing　so　hard
that　our　Captain　did　not　think　it　best　to　venture　out；　so　he　cast　anchor。
The　cabin　of　the　vessel　was　filled　with　officers　who　had　been　released
from　prison　about　the　same　time　we　were。　　I　was　also　given　a　berth　in　the
cabin；　in　consideration　of　my　being　the　non…commissioned　officer　in
charge　of　the　men；　and　I　found　the　associations　quite　pleasant。　　A　party
was　made　up；　which　included　me；　to　visit　Fort　Fisher；　and　we　spent　the
larger　part　of　a　day　very　agreeably　in　wandering　over　that　great
stronghold。　　We　found　it　wonderful　in　its　strength；　and　were　prepared　to
accept　the　statement　of　those　who　had　seen　foreign　defensive　works；　that
it　was　much　more　powerful　than　the　famous　Malakoff；　which　so　long　defied
the　besiegers　of　Sebastopol。

The　situation　of　the　fort　was　on　a　narrow　and　low　spit　of　ground　between
Cape　Fear　River　and　the　ocean。　　On　this　the　Rebels　had　erected；　with
prodigious　labor；　an　embankment　over　a　mile　in　length；　twenty…five　feet
thick　and　twenty　feet　high。　　About　two…thirds　of　this　bank　faced　the　sea；
the　other　third　ran　across　the　spit　of　land　to　protect　the　fort　against
an　attack　from　the　land　side。　　Still　stronger　than　the　bank　forming　the
front　of　the　fort　were　the　traverses；　which　prevented　an　enfilading　fire
These　were　regular　hills；　twenty…five　to　forty　feet　high；　and　broad　and
long　in　proportion。　　There　were　fifteen　or　twenty　of　them　along　the　face
of　the　fort。　　Inside　of　them　were　capacious　bomb　proofs；　sufficiently
large　to　shelter　the　whole　garrison。　　It　seemed　as　if　a　whole　Township
had　been　dug　up；　carted　down　there　and　set　on　edge。　　In　front　of　the
works　was　a　strong　palisade。　　Between　each　pair　of　traverses　were　one　or
two　enormous　guns；　none　less　than　one…hundred…and…fifty　pounders。　　Among
these　we　saw　a　great　Armstrong　gun；　which　had　been　presented　to　the
Southern　Confederacy　by　its　manufacturer；　Sir　William　Armstrong；　who；
like　the　majority　of　the　English　nobility；　was　a　warm　admirer　of　the
Jeff。　Davis　crowd。　　It　was　the　finest　piece　of　ordnance　ever　seen　in　this
country。　　The　carriage　was　rosewood；　and　the　mountings　gilt　brass。　　The
breech　of　the　gun　had　five　reinforcements。

To　attack　this　place　our　Government　assembled　the　most　powerful　fleet
ever　sent　on　such　an　expedition。　　Over　seventy…five　men…of…war；　including
six　monitors；　and　carrying　six　hundred　guns；　assailed　it　with　a　storm　of
shot　and　shell　that　averaged　four　projectiles　per　second　for　several
hours；　the　parapet　was　battered；　and　the　large　guns　crushed　as　one
smashes　a　bottle　with　a　stone。　　The　garrison　fled　into　the　bomb…proofs
for　protection。　　The　troops；　who　had　landed　above　the　fort；　moved　up　to
assail　the　land　face；　while　a　brigade　of　sailors　and　marines　attacked　the
sea　face。

As　the　fleet　had　to　cease　firing　to　allow　the　charge；　the　Rebels　ran　out
of　their　casemates　and；　manning　the　parapet；　opened　such　a　fire　of
musketry　that　the　brigade　from　the　fleet　was　driven　back；　but　the
soldiers　made　a　lodgment　on　the　land　face。　　Then　began　some　beautiful
cooperative　tactics　between　the　Army　and　Navy；　communication　being　kept
up　with　signal　flags。　　Our　men　were　on　one　side　of　the　parapets　and　the
Rebels　on　the　other；　with　the　fighting　almost　hand…to…hand。　　The　vessels
ranged　out　to　where　their　guns　would　rake　the　Rebel　line；　and　as　their
shot　tore　down　its　length；　the　Rebels　gave　way；　and　falling　back　to　the
next　traverse；　renewed　the　conflict　there。　　Guided　by　the　signals　our
vessels　changed　their　positions；　so　as　to　rake　this　line　also；　and　so　the
fight　went　on　until　twelve　traverses　had　been　carried；　one　after　the
other；　when　the　rebels　surrendered。

The　next　day　the　Rebels　abandoned　Fort　Caswell　and　other　fortifications
in　the　immediate　neighborhood；　surrendered　two　gunboats；　and　fell　back　to
the　lines　at　Fort　Anderson。　　After　Fort　Fisher　fell；　several　blockade…
runners　were　lured　inside　and　captured。

Never　before　had　there　been　such　a　demonstration　of　the　power　of　heavy
artillery。　　Huge　cannon　were　pounded　into　fragments；　hills　of　sand　ripped
open；　deep　crevasses　blown　in　the　ground　by　exploding　shells；　wooden
buildings　reduced　to　kindling…wood；　etc。　　The　ground　was　literally　paved
with　fragments　of　shot　and　shell；　which；　now　red　with　rust　from　the
corroding　salt　air；　made　the　interior　of　the　fort　resemble　what　one　of
our　party　likened　it　to　〃an　old　brickyard。〃

Whichever　way　we　looked　along　the　shores　we　saw　abundant　evidence　of　the
greatness　of　the　business　which　gave　the　place　its　importance。　　In　all
directions；　as　far　as　the　eye　could　reach；　the　beach　was　dotted　with　the
bleaching　skeletons　of　blockade…runnerssome　run　ashore　by　their
mistaking　the　channel；　more　beached　to　escape　the　hot　pursuit　of　our
blockaders。

Directly　in　front　of　the　sea　face　of　the　fort；　and　not　four　hundred　yards
from　the　savage　mouths　of　the　huge　guns；　the　blackened　timbers　of　a
burned　blockade…runner　showed　above　the　water　at　low　tide。　　Coming　in
from　Nassau　with　a　cargo　of　priceless　value　to　the　gasping　Confederacy；
she　was　observed　and　chased　by　one　of　our　vessels；　a　swifter　sailer；
even；　than　herself。　　The　war　ship　closed　rapidly　upon　her。　　She　sought
the　protection　of　the　guns　of　Fort　Fisher；　which　opened　venomously　on　the
chaser。　　They　did　not　stop　her；　though　they　were　less　than　half　a　mile
away。　　In　another　minute　she　would　have　sent　the　Rebel　vessel　to　the
bottom　of　the　sea；　by　a　broadside　from　her　heavy　guns；　but　the　Captain　of
the　latter　turned　her　suddenly；　and　ran　her　high　up　on　the　beach；
wrecking　his　vessel；　but　saving　the　much　more　valuable　cargo。　　Our　vessel
then　hauled　off；　and　as　night　fell；　quiet　was　restored。　　At　midnight　two
boat…loads　of　determined　men；　rowing　with　muffled　oars　moved　silently　out
from　the　blockader　towards　the　beached　vessel。　　In　their　boats　they　had
some　cans　of　turpentine；　and　several　large　shells。　　When　they　reached　the
blockade…runner　they　found　all　her　crew　gone　ashore；　save　one　watchman；
whom　they　overpowered　before　he　could　give　the　alarm。　　They　cautiously
felt　their　way　around；　with　the　aid　of　a　dark　lantern；　secured　the　ship's
chronometer；　her　papers　and　some　other　desired　objects。　　They　then
saturated　with　the　turpentine　piles　of　combustible　material；　placed　about
the　vessel　to　the　best　advantage；　and　finished　by　depositing　the　shells
where　their　explosion　would　ruin　the　machinery。　　All　this　was　done　so
near　to　the　fort　that　the　sentinels　on　the　parapets　could　be　heard　with
the　greatest　distinctness　as　they　repeated　their　half…hourly　cry　of
〃All's　well。〃　　Their　preparations　completed；　the　daring　fellows　touched
matches　to　the　doomed　vessel　in　a　dozen　places　at　once；　and　sprang　into
their　boats。　　The　flames　instantly　enveloped　the　ship；　and　showed　the
gunners　the　incendiaries　rowing　rapidly　away。　　A　hail　of　shot　beat　the
water　into　a　foam　around　the　boats；　but　their　good　fortune　still　attended
them；　and　they　got　back　without　losing　a　man。

The　wind　at　length　calmed　sufficiently　to　encourage　our　Captain　to
venture　out；　and　we　were　soon　battling　with　the　rolling　waves；　far　out　of
sight　of　land。　　For　awhile　the　novelty　of　the　scene　fascinated　me。　　I　was
at　last　on　the　ocean；　of　which　I　had　heard；　read　and　imagined　so　much。
The　creaking　cordage；　the　straining　engine；　the　plunging　ship；　the　wild
waste　of　tumbling　billows；　everyone　apparently　racing　to　where　our
tossing　bark　was　struggling　to　maintain　herself；　all　had　an　entrancing
interest　for　me；　and　I　tried　to　recall　Byron's　sublime　apostrophe　to　the
ocean：

　　　　　　　　　　Thou　glorious　mirror；　where　the　Almighty's　form
　　　　　　　　　　Classes　itself　in　tempest：　in　all　time；
　　　　　　　　　　Calm　or　convulsed…in　breeze；　or　gale；　or　storm；
　　　　　　　　　　Icing　the　pole；　or　in　the　torrid　clime
　　　　　　　　　　Dark…heavingboundless；　endless；　and　sublime
　　　　　　　　　　The　image　of　eternitythe　throne
　　　　　　　　　　Of　the　invisible；　even　from　out　thy　slime
　　　　　　　　　　The　monsters　of　the　deep　are　made；　each　zone
　　　　　　　　　　Obey　thee：　thou　goest　forth；　dread；　fathomless；　alone；

Just　then；　my　reverie　was　broken　by　the　strong　hand　of　the　gruff　Captain
of；　the　vessel　descending　upon　my　shoulder；　and　he　said：

〃See；　here；　youngster！　　Ain't　you　the　fellow　that　was　put　in　command　of
these　men？〃

I　acknowledged　such　to　be　the　case。

〃Well；〃　said　the　Captain；　〃I　want　you　to　'tend　to　your　business　and
straighten　them　around；　so　that　we　can　clean　off　the　decks。〃

I　turned　from　the　bulwark　over　which　I　had　been　contemplating　the　vasty
deep；　and　saw　the　sorriest；　most　woe…begone　lot　that　the　imagination　can
conceive。　　Every　mother's　son　was　wretchedly　sea…sick。　　They　were　paying
the　penalty　of　their　overfeeding　in　Wilmington；　and　every　face　looked　as
if　its　owner　was　discovering　for　the　first　time　what　the　real　lower
depths　of　human　misery　was。　　They　all　seemed　afraid　they　would　not　die；
as　if　they　were　praying　for　death；　but　feeling　certain　that　he　was　going
back　on　them　in　a　most　shameful　way。

We　straightened　them　around　a　little；　washed　them　and　the　decks　off　with
a　hose；　and　then　I　started　down　in　the　hold　to　see　how　matters　were　with
the　six　hundred　down　there。