Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 12.djvu/142

 132 Southern Historical Society Papers.

The three gun-boats engaged were the "Sachem," a canal-boat in appearance, and about as effective, selected, because of her light draft, to precede the " fleet." Her value was demonstrated by the fact that the first shot fired at her exploded her boiler and totally dis- abled her, scalding almost every man on board, and causing her to surrender without — if my memory serves me — firing a gun. The second gun -boat was a Staten Island ferry-boat, called the " Clifton," which grounded before reaching the earth-work, and at the third or fourth shot from the Confederates had her steam-chest struck, which not only disabled her, but was the cause of the scalding of many of her crew. The third gun-boat was the " Granite State," which drew too much water to get within effective distance, and she was not en- gaged. Distributed between the "Sachem" and "Clifton" were seventy-five infantry, who were blinded and scalded by the escaping steam, And did not fire a shot.

The balance of the Federal forces, owing to the heavy draft of the vessels, could not get within less than two miles of the fort ; the nearest point at which any other vessel, than those named, succeeded in getting during the entire engagement was the Mississippi-river steamer "Laurel Hill," which drew eight feet of water, and the "R. W. Thomas," another Mississippi-river steamer, drawing a little more water. These vessels had about two thousand men on board, who, if a landing could have been effected, would have made short work of the "forty bravest men of the Confederacy." But as the " Clifton," draw- ing less water, ran aground before reaching the earth-work, and was rendered a helpless wreck by about three shots from the Confederate guns, the chances were that the Mississippi- river boats, with their exposed boilers and machinery, would suffer a similar fate, and at no time were they within such a distance of the earth-work that they could be fairly said to be a menace to the heroic garrison. On the other hand, a force of Confederate infantry, estimated by the number and crowded condition of the boats, by us at four thousand, arrived during the engagement, to reinforce the forty braves. A storm com- ing on during the night, the fleet, mostly composed of cockle-shells, was forced to run for shelter, and thus ended the demonstration in which forty men won imperishable honors. Of course it was a defeat for the Federals, whose object was to capture Sabine Pass, a feat which would have occasioned no very great difficulty if there had been found any spot where the army could have effected a landing, or the navy could have got one respectably constructed and equipped ves- sel within range. Such was not, however, the case, and it is as unfair