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up until the arrival of Commodore Ridgely, in the flag-ship Shenandoah, when it was quickly put a stop to by the appearance of Lieutenant Skerritt, to whom it was reported. (Lieutenant Skerritt is an officer and gentleman of the old navy.) Not one of the officers of the capturing ship-the Niphon-belonged to this class of officers.

The ship was then plugged (having received forty-one shots in her hull), and sent to Beaufort, N. C., where we landed our passengers and wounded, and then proceeded north, destination Boston, having on board the two cooks, two stewards, and myself. The crew otherwise were sent north in the transport Newburn.

Thus ended the fate of the favorite ship Ella and Annie. A more cowardly and murderous fire a vessel was never subjected to, and the conduct of the boarding was the most unheard-of barbarity upon record. The officers of my ship behaved-as we all had a right to expect of them-cool, determined, and at their posts all of them, as they had often said if they were killed their bodies would be found at their stations in their engine-room. Strange as it may appear, her engine was not struck, although the balls are to be seen sticking in the wood-work of the gallery frame.

Had I been successful in the destruction of the Niphon, I presume I would have been considered deserving at least of a "well done;" but the reverse shows angry, false and calumnious opinions, which are generally heaped upon the heads of those who "try," by those who stay at home afraid to try, having heard even in this lonely prison that a voice had gone forth in "Dixie," condemning all of the captains of the vessels captured on the 8th and 9th of November.

I thought it proper to say, that for the discharge of my duty, and for the responsibility of all that occurred on that

day, I am responsible, and to none but my country and my conscience.

Rily, fireman, mortally wounded by grape; Joseph Jany, dangerously in groin; Barre, fireman, shot in shoulder; (name forgotten), fireman, shot in neck two of the cabin boys cut severely with cutlasses.

LUCKY MOMENT ON BOARD THE SUMTER.

ONE of the officers of the C. S. steamer Sumter, gives the following account, in his private journal, of an hour of trepidation on board that craft. Under date of August 18, 1861, he writes:

After leaving Cayenne the vessel's course was shaped for Paramaribo, Dutch Guiana, off which port she signalled for a pilot until sundown; none having arrived at that hour she came to anchor. About twilight a sail was seen in the distanco approaching the Sumter. It was soon apparent that she was a steam war-vessel. Steam was raised, the anchor hove up, all hands beat to quarters, the guns manned, the old charges drawn and fresh ones put in their places. By the time all these preliminaries had been arranged it was ascer tained by the aid of the night telescope, that the strange vessel had anchored. The Sumter followed suit, but a vigi. lent lookout was kept upon the movements of the supposed enemy.

Early on the morning of the 19th, the lookouts had reported that the steamer outside was under way. Slowly she steamed toward the Sumter, sceming to have made every preparation for attack. She had not yet hoisted her flag.

neither had the Sumter-each commander being apparently desirous of learning the nationality of the other first, and of letting him know, by a death-dealing broadside, that an enemy was at hand. The stranger looked like an Americanbuilt vessel, having long mast-heads and a sharp overhanging bow. Yes, there was no mistaking her-she must be one of the gunboats sent in search of the Sumter. When she was near enough for the number of her guns to be determined, we were glad to find that she carried but one gun more than the Sumter, and that the disparity was no greater. Slowly and cautiously the vessels neared each other. When not more thar. a cable's length off, our first lieutenant hailed her in a loud voice:

"Ship ahoy!"

"Hallo!" was promptly answered.

"This is the Confederate States steamer Sumter-what vessel is that?"

After waiting about half a minute, which seemed an age, the "enemy" replied:

"The French steamer Abbeville !"

Here was a disappointment-after all this preparation for mortal combat, to find at last that the supposed enemy was a friend! There was not a single man who would not freely have relinquished all the prize money then due to him, could he have transformed the Frenchman into a Yankee. She was nearer the equal of the Sumter than they ever expected to meet again, and the Sumter had captured so many merchantmen that it might be said she did not care to meet any other class of vessels.

PART V.

HOME LIFE IN DIXIE.

CONVEN.

SCENE IN THE SOUTH CAROLINA
TION-RATIFYING THE ORDINANCE; START.
LING SCENE.

ON the ratification of the South Carolina ordinance of secession, Rev. Dr. Bachman was selected by the convention to offer a prayer before them, in religious observance of the act. The scene was one that partook alike of the startling and the impressive. Most of the men there assembled to commit the highest and gravest act in the history of their State, were those upon whose heads the snows of sixty winters had been shed-patriarchs in age-the dignitaries of the land -the high priests of the church-reverend statesmen-and the judges of the law. In the midst of deep silence an old inan, with bowed form and hair as white as snow, the Rev. Dr. Bachman, advanced forward, with upraised hands, in prayer to Almighty God for his blessings and favor on the great act about to be consummated. The whole assembly at once arose to its feet, and with hats off, listened to the prayer At the close of this performance, the president advanced with the consecrated parchment upon which was inscribed the de

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cision of the State, with the great seal attached. Slowly and solemnly it was read until the last word-" dissolved;" when men could contain themselves no longer, and a shout that shook the very building, reverberating, long continued, rose up, and ceased only with the loss of breath.

PREPARED FOR IT THIS TIME.

THE late General Doles, of Georgia, used to relate the following story, with much relish :

While posted near Suffolk, a six-foot Georgian from the up country of his State, and a member of the "Fourth Georgia," attempted one morning to cross a little stream when the tide was in. Encumbered with his clothes, the poor fellow had to swim for his life, and narrowly escaped being drowned.

The regiment in the afternoon saw him sit down on the opposite bank of the creek, deliberately take off his shoes and socks, next his clothes, and tie them up carefully in a bundle for his back. All these preparations being made, he hesitated before proceeding any further; but at length having made up his mind like a gallant soldier, as he was, he plunged bollly into the water, which was nowhere more than two feet deep, the tide having gone out. The cheers with which he was received by his regiment, when his perilous feat was safely accomplished, were prolonged, enthusiastic, and somewhat vociferous.

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