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strous torpedoes, and the desperation of the en- | diately upon arriving off the bar the latter vessel, emy, were only additional fuel to the fire; so that it was without regret we started on our mission. The general outline of that memorable engagement is, perhaps, familiar to every one; yet an account of it, as those on the ironclads saw it, may not be uninteresting.

Certain inventions called "devils," for blowing up obstructions, being merely triangular rafts with torpedoes suspended underneath and designed to be pushed ahead of the ships, were towed up by the steamer "Ericsson." These affairs were christened "boot-jacks" from their peculiar shape, yet only one captain was found willing to risk his vessel by having such a dangerous instrument attached. It was, therefore, arranged that he should take the lead, not only to avoid getting entangled with the rest (for the infernal machine exploded by percussion), but to clear up any sunken obstructions that might be in the way. Life-rafts, capable of holding a ship's crew, had been provided for every ironclad, and after arriving at North Edisto they were rigged and tried. Imagine four enormous lifepreservers, eighteen or twenty feet long by four in diameter, lashed firmly to each other, with two or three boards as seats and for attachment of mast and row-locks thrown across, the whole affair inflated by bellows, and you may realize some idea of the character of one of them. They sailed remarkably well.

drawing only seven or eight feet of water, went in to sound out a channel, and lay buoys for the rest. Not a gun was fired at her, the enemy not seeming interested in the subject, or else willing to give that small advantage. Several hours were thus occupied, and rough weather coming on, the bar was not crossed until the following morning. In every direction there seemed to be nothing but batteries and guns, while Fort Sumter's walls were crowded with pieces of every description.

The moment had come. Every one looked anxiously toward the Ironsides, on which the Admiral had taken quarters, for the signal to start. Thirty guns against four hundred! How hopeless seemed the task! No wooden gunboats or men-of-war crossed the bar, and no mortar-schooners took up position to shell the batteries. The former would soon have been riddled with shot; the latter rendered inefficient by the roughness of the sea, even inside the bar. The iron ships were alone to undertake the work. They were each and all thoroughly smeared with grease to glance shot, and their smoke-stacks painted of various colors, as distinguishing marks. Shortly after noon, April 7, 1863, the signal was raised, and the battle so long anticipated was to begin.

No one looking from this side the battle can realize the feelings of the participants just on its eve. Slowly we steamed along in single file, and gradually there settled down a solemn hush almost death-like. The moments seemed

A day or two was consumed in a few final arrangements at North Edisto, and on Sunday, the 5th of April, the iron-clad fleet steamed away for Charleston-nine all told, seven Moni- lengthened to hours; and not a sound save the tors, the Ironsides, and the Keokuk. Imme-plash of the propeller broke the terrible silence.

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Passed one battery after another, and not a gun | rary retirement on the crews was most damag

was fired. A torpedo blowing the ship into the air would almost have been welcomed, when suddenly, like the crash of thunder, every battery opened, and for a few long moments the roar of guns, the hiss and scream of shells, the quivering of the ship, and the tremendous explosions from our own heavy pieces, drowned the loud voices of command and the painful feelings of suspense alike. Our first shot was at Moultrie, and then undivided attention was given to the northeast angle of Sumter, within 500 yards of which we already were. In a very few moments not a thing could be seen for the smoke, and both sides slackened their fire, only to recommence with redoubled fury.

ing, so thoroughly resigned had every one become to the belief that the forts must be taken or the ships sunk. There was, however, no help for what necessity required; and out again from under fire we all steamed to anchorage, opposite Cummings's Point Battery.

The Ironsides had grounded for a time off Cummings's Point, the Keokuk had been pierced in several places, the Nahant was injured in much the same way as the Passaic, and the whole fleet somewhat seriously battered. Not one of the Monitors, however, was permanently disabled. The Keokuk, about whose sinking

no fears were then entertained, anchored near the channel by which we had entered. All the others lay still within range, although the enemy kept silence. The damage to Fort Sumter could be plainly seen, and numerous immense holes showed the power of 15-inch shell. By the morning the rebels were at work mounting new guns, and throwing up a new parapet of sand-bags on the northern wall of the fort.

Piles could be seen driven across the channel from Sumter to the end of Sullivan's Island; and in front of them a row of barrels, sustaining probably some sort of infernal machines, only a few hundred yards ahead; and farther in a triple row (behind which were the rebel rams), running from Fort Johnson to Mount Pleasant. The preceding diagram, drawn by Damages to the fleet were soon repaired, sufour pilot, a Charleston man, may perhaps better ficiently to renew engagement. But that day explain the condition of the harbor than any de- passed, and the next, and next, yet no movescription. In less than half an hour, so furious ment was again made. Murmurs, dissatisfacwas the fire, our turret was temporarily disa- tion, and hard names were frequently heard bled, the top of the pilot-house blown off, the among the officers and crew, who naturally 11-inch gun disabled, smoke-stack riddled, boat could not and would not see any reason for not smashed, and various other lighter injuries in- going in again. For five days we lay thus, our flicted. Signal was made to that effect, and it discomfort growing almost unbearable. The happening that four others made the same at turret was necessarily kept raised for action, the time, the whole fleet was ordered to retire. and the sea constantly breaking over the decks, The effect of even what was believed a tempo- a constant stream of water was poured under

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however, the Nantucket accidentally took fire; but though some alarm was created, no serious damage resulted, beyond the burning of a few stores and bulk-heads below.

neath it upon the blower belts, thus almost stop-] battle started for Port Royal. Before starting, ping the blowers and our supply of air, added to this, the hatches were necessarily kept down, and the tracking of grease down below, the darkness, the intensely foul air from the congregation of eighty men into so narrow a space, and the rolling of the ship, could not fail to enervate and sicken the healthiest crew.

The Keokuk sank the day following the battle, although at low tide the tops of her turrets could be seen. She was so nearly inshore that the enemy erected a battery to prevent our raising her. Attempts were made to blow her up without success, the devils being considered too dangerous to employ for the purpose. She was left to bury herself in the sand, or be destroyed by time, and her iron-clad companions in the

The

Thus ended, in this attack so briefly described, the incidents of the cruise; for after returning to Port Royal (though the ship was supposed to be destined for the Mississippi) orders were received ere long to proceed to New York. voyage, so tedious when outward-bound, was fair and pleasant, and consumed only a few days. As I close this record orders are received directing the Passaic to proceed again to the South, to take part in the renewed attack which is now being made upon Charleston, and in fourand-twenty hours we shall be on our way.

ABIDE IN FAITH.

PORTALS of the Future, .open unto me;
Unveil your hidden mysteries to my sight;
Let me with prophet eyes behold the dim To Be,
And read the signs of coming times aright.

Roll back your shrouding folds and let me enter in;
With flashing visions light those aisles of gloom,
Until from thence I rend the secret that shalt win
A nation's triumph or a nation's doom.

O let mine eyes prophetic read the scroll of fate,
Thou sacred guardian of the things to be:
Here at thy portals I, with feet impatient, wait;
Their mystic bolts and bars unlock to me.

For I would reach beyond the knowledge of to-day,
Would stand with thee upon the heights afar,
And forward glancing o'er the dark, uncertain way,
See where shall end the flaming trail of war.

And more: I fain would know if Freedom's flag unfurled
Answers triumphant every scorn and sneer

Flung on it from that haughty, proud Old World
Who thought to see it lying on her bier;

If holy benedictions rest their healing spell
Upon the land so late in travail sore;
If millions have exultant heard the knell
Proclaiming error's long dominion o'er.

O grim, relentless keeper of the things to be!
No welcome hast thou, and I plead in vain;
Thy black and frowning gates look coldly down on me.
I turn with restless heart and cry of pain.

But, hark! a voice:-serene and clear it speaks to me.
"O heart rebellious, let thy murmurings cease;
Know that within the shadow of the great To Be
Thy land lies smiling 'neath its crown of peace.

"In patience wait. Ye may not know the day or hour,
Whether it draweth near or yet is far.

Abide in this: beyond where storm-clouds lower
There rises, ne'er to set, fair Freedom's star."

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THE

SCENES IN THE WAR OF 1812.

IV. THE NIAGARA FRONTIER. THE chief feature in the plan of the first campaign in 1812 was the invasion of Canada at three points simultaneously, namely, at Detroit, on the Niagara frontier, and on the St. Lawrence frontier. The invasions at Detroit and vicinity, by Hull and Harrison, have already been treated of in the first and third series of these papers; we will now consider the operations toward the same end on the Niagara River, from the attack on Queenston in the autumn of 1812 to the desolation of that frontier by the British at the close of 1813.

Immediately after war was declared the belligerents commenced active hostile movements at the eastern end of Lake Ontario and on the banks of the St. Lawrence River. While these operations were attracting much attention, and Northern New York was seriously threatened with invasion, important events were transpiring toward the western end of the lake and on the Niagara frontier. That frontier, extending along the Niagara River from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario, a distance of thirty-five miles, was the theatre of many stirring scenes at almost every period of the war. The Niagara River is the grand outlet of the waters of the vast upper lakes into Ontario, and divides a portion of the State of New York from that of Canada. Halfway between the two lakes that immense body of water pours over a limestone precipice in two mighty cataracts, unequaled in sublimity by any other on the surface of the globe.

At the time we are considering that frontier was sparsely settled. Buffalo was a little scattered village of about a hundred houses, but was a military post of sufficient consequence to invite the invader during the second year of the war. Only fifty years ago the tiny seed was planted of that now immense mart of inland commerce containing eighty thousand inhabitants. Where now are long lines of wharves with forests of masts and stately warehouses was then seen a sinuous creek, navigable only for small vessels, winding its way through marshy ground into the lake, its low banks fringed with trees and tangled shrubbery. Two miles below Buffalo was Black Rock, a hamlet at the foot of Lake Erie and of powerful rapids, where there was a ferry; and almost opposite was Fort Erie, a British post of considerable strength. miles below, at the falls of Elliott's Creek, was the village of Williamsville; and at the head of the rapids above Niagara Falls were the remains of old Fort Schlosser, about a mile below Schlosser Landing, near which is yet standing an immense chimney that belonged to the English "mess-house," or dining-hall, of the garrison stationed there several years before the Revolution. Opposite Schlosser, at the mouth of Chippewa Creek, on the Canada side, was the village of Chippewa, inhabited by Canadians and Indians. At the Falls, on the American side, was the hamlet of Manchester; and seven miles below was the village of Lewiston, with a convenient landing at the base of a bluff. Opposite Lewiston was Queenston, overlooked by lofty

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