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came back soon with a man with more straw； and a colored soldier whom he
stationed by the horses； saying：
〃Now； look here。 You musn't let anybody take anything sway from these
stalls； d'you understand me？ not a thing。〃
He then went out。 Andrews and I had just finished cooking dinner； and
were sitting down to eat it。 Wishing to lend our frying…pan to another
mess； I looked around for something to lay our meat upon。 Near the
horses I saw a book cover； which would answer the purpose admirably。
Springing up； I skipped across to where it was； snatched it up； and ran
back to my place。 As I reached it a yell from the boys made me look
around。 The darky was coming at me 〃full tilt；〃 with his gun at a
〃charge bayonets。〃 As I turned he said：
〃Put dat right back dah！〃
I said：
〃Why； this don't amount to anything； this is only an old book cover。
It hasn't anything in the world to do with the horses。
He only replied：
〃Put dat right back dah！〃
I tried another appeal：
〃Now； you woolly…headed son of thunder； haven't you got sense enough to
know that the officer who posted you didn't mean such a thing as this！
He only meant that we should not be allowed to take any of the horses'
bedding or equipments； don't you see？〃
I might as well have reasoned with a cigar store Indian。 He set his
teeth； his eyes showed a dangerous amount of white； and foreshortening
his musket for a lunge； he hissed out again 〃Put dat right back dah； I
tell you！〃
I looked at the bayonet； it was very long； very bright； and very sharp。
It gleamed cold and chilly like； as if it had not run through a man for a
long time； and yearned for another opportunity。 Nothing but the whites
of the darky's eyes could now be seen。 I did not want to perish there in
the fresh bloom of my youth and loveliness； it seemed to me as if it was
my duty to reserve myself for fields of future usefulness； so I walked
back and laid the book cover precisely on the spot whence I had obtained
it； while the thousand boys in the house set up a yell of sarcastic
laughter。
We staid in Wilmington a few days； days of almost purely animal
enjoymentthe joy of having just as much to eat as we could possibly
swallow； and no one to molest or make us afraid in any way。 How we did
eat and fill up。 The wrinkles in our skin smoothed out under the
stretching； and we began to feel as if we were returning to our old
plumpness； though so far the plumpness was wholly abdominal。
One morning we were told that the transports would begin going back with
us that afternoon； the first that left taking the sick。 Andrews and I；
true to our old prison practices； resolved to be among those on the first
boat。 We slipped through the guards and going up town； went straight to
Major General Schofield's headquarters and solicited a pass to go on the
first boatthe steamer 〃Thorn。〃 General Schofield treated us very
kindly； but declined to let anybody but the helplessly sick go on the
〃Thorn。〃 Defeated here we went down to where the vessel was lying at the
dock； and tried to smuggle ourselves aboard； but the guard was too strong
and too vigilant； and we were driven away。 Going along the dock； angry
and discouraged by our failure； we saw a Surgeon； at a little distance；
who was examining and sending the sick who could walk aboard another
vesselthe 〃General Lyon。〃 We took our cue； and a little shamming
secured from him tickets which permitted us to take our passage in her。
The larger portion of those on board were in the hold； and a few were on
deck。 Andrews and I found a snug place under the forecastle； by the
anchor chains。
Both vessels speedily received their complement； and leaving their docks；
started down the river。 The 〃Thorn〃 steamed ahead of us； and
disappeared。 Shortly after we got under way； the Colonel who was put in
command of the boathimself a released prisonercame around on a tour
of inspection。 He found about one thousand of us aboard； and singling me
out made me the non…commissioned officer in command。 I was put in
charge； of issuing the rations and of a barrel of milk punch which the
Sanitary Commission had sent down to be dealt out on the voyage to such
as needed it。 I went to work and arranged the boys in the best way I
could； and returned to the deck to view the scenery。
Wilmington is thirty…four miles from the sea； and the river for that
distance is a calm； broad estuary。 At this time the resources of Rebel
engineering were exhausted in defense against its passage by a hostile
fleet； and undoubtedly the best work of the kind in the Southern
Confederacy was done upon it。 At its mouth were Forts Fisher and
Caswell； the strongest sea coast forts in the Confederacy。 Fort Caswell
was an old United States fort； much enlarged and strengthened。 Fort
Fisher was a new work； begun immediately after the beginning of the war；
and labored at incessantly until captured。 Behind these every one of the
thirty…four miles to Wilmington was covered with the fire of the best
guns the English arsenals could produce； mounted on forts built at every
advantageous spot。 Lines of piles running out into the water； forced
incoming vessels to wind back and forth across the stream under the
point…blank range of massive Armstrong rifles。 As if this were not
sufficient； the channel was thickly studded with torpedoes that would
explode at the touch of the keel of a passing vessel。 These abundant
precautions； and the telegram from General Lee； found in Fort Fisher；
stating that unless that stronghold and Fort Caswell were held he could
not hold Richmond； give some idea of the importance of the place to the
Rebels。
We passed groups of hundreds of sailors fishing for torpedos； and saw
many of these dangerous monsters； which they had hauled up out of the
water。 We caught up with the 〃Thorn；〃 when about half way to the sea；
passed her； to our great delight； and soon left a gap between us of
nearly half…a…mile。 We ran through an opening in the piling； holding up
close to the left side； and she apparently followed our course exactly。
Suddenly there was a dull roar； a column of water； bearing with it
fragments of timbers； planking and human bodies； rose up through one side
of the vessel； and； as it fell； she lurched forward and sank。 She had
struck a torpedo。 I never learned the number lost； but it must have been
very great。
Some little time after this happened we approached Fort Anderson； the
most powerful of the works between Wilmington and the forts at the mouth
of the sea。 It was built on the ruins of the little Town of Brunswick；
destroyed by Cornwallis during the Revolutionary War。 We saw a monitor
lying near it； and sought good positions to view this specimen of the
redoubtable ironclads of which we had heard and read so much。 It looked
precisely as it did in pictures； as black； as grim； and as uncompromising
as the impregnable floating fortress which had brought the 〃Merrimac〃 to
terms。
But as we approached closely we noticed a limpness about the smoke stack
that seemed very inconsistent with the customary rigidity of cylindrical
iron。 Then the escape pipe seemed scarcely able to maintain itself
upright。 A few minutes later we discovered that our terrible Cyclops of
the sea was a flimsy humbug； a theatrical imitation； made by stretching
blackened canvas over a wooden frame。
One of the officers on board told us its story。 After the fall of Fort
Fisher the Rebels retired to Fort Anderson； and offered a desperate
resistance to our army and fleet。 Owing to the shallowness of the water
the latter could not come into close enough range to do effective work。
Then the happy idea of this sham monitor suggested itself to some one。
It was prepared； and one morning before daybreak it was sent floating in
on the tide。 The other monitors opened up a heavy fire from their
position。 The Rebels manned their guns and replied vigorously； by
concentrating a terrible cannonade on the sham monitor； which sailed
grandly on； undisturbed by the heavy rifled bolts tearing through her
canvas turret。 Almost frantic with apprehension of the result if she
could not be checked； every gun that would bear was turned upon her； and
torpedos were exploded in her pathway by electricity。 All these she
treated with the silent contempt they merited from so invulnerable a
monster。 At length； as she reached a good easy range of the fort； her
bow struck something； and she swung around as if to open fire。 That was
enough for the Rebels。 With Schofield's army reaching out to cut off
their retreat； and this dreadful thing about to tear the insides out of
their fort with four…hundred…pound shot at quarter…mile range； there was
nothing for them to do but consult their own safety； which they did with
such haste that they did not spike a gun； or destroy a pound of stores。
CHAPTER LXXX
VISIT TO FORT FISHER； AND INSPECTION OF THAT STRONGHOLDTHE WAY IT WAS
CAPTUREDOUT ON THE OCEAN SAILINGTERRIBLY SEASICKRAPID RECOVERY
ARRIVAL AT ANNAPOLISWASHED； CLOTHED AND FEDUNBOUNDED LUXURY； AND DAYS
OF UNADULTERATED HAPPINESS。
When we reached the mouth of Cape Fear River the wind was blowing so har