Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 12.djvu/351

 3Iorris Island. 341

was also dreadful. Just then a boat, which was apparently going out to sea, swept by. He hailed it, and was informed, to his joy, that it was a ten-oared Confederate barge, which had turned back to avoid capture, and was going round by Sullivan's Island. The officer in charge, in reply to his earnest appeal, " For God's sake take me with you !" replied, "The Yankees are too near to stop, but wade out, and we will take you in." So the last Confederate soldier who left Morris Island waded out breast-high in the water and was hauled aboard as the boat shot by. They reached Fort Johnston at about 3 o'clock in the morning, and found that Colonel Yates and a de- tachment of Regulars were about to set off for Morris Island, to make an attempt to rescue him, but the effort would probably have failed.

A report that Captain Huguenin had been killed preceded him to the city, and when he reported himself, at about 8 o'clock, at Gene- ral Ripley's headquarters, the greeting given him by the General was very characteristic. In his bluff, military manner he said: "Is that you? Why, I thought you were dead. I am glad to see you." It appears, therefore, that in South Carolina, as well as Scotland, "short greeting serves in times of war."

General Beauregard was much disappointed at Batteries Gregg and Wagner not having been blown up. Why the zealous and reliable officers who were deputed to do this failed in accomplishing their design was because the fuses they were ordered to use were defec- tive. As soon as Captain Huguenin was told that the duty of blow- ing up Battery Gregg was assigned to him, he cut off several pieces of the fuse and touched them off, to ascertain if this important factor was in good order; but he soon found that it was worth nothing. In some parts the fire died out after being kindled, and in others the powder flared up so quickly that it was anything but a slow match. He therefore went to Colonel Keitt and said: "This fuse will never explode the magazine. It was brought here in an open row-boat, and probably got wet, for it is useless; but if you will allow me to use my discretion I will guarantee such an explosion that where Bat- tery Wagner now stands there will soon be only a creek. We have two barrels of resin. I will put them into the hospital, which adjoins the powder-magazine, set them on fire, and open the doors of the magazine, so that the flames may soon ignite the powder, and if the Yankees take possession of the fort one minute after I leave it, no man will be found bold enough to venture to go in and try to extin- guish the fire." Colonel Keitt called a council of officers to con-