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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。