The naval history of the United States (1896) (14784104422)

Identifier: navalhistoryofun02abbo (find matches)
Title: The naval history of the United States
Year: 1896 (1890s)
Authors: Abbot, Willis J. (Willis John), 1863-1934
Subjects: United States -- History, Naval To 1900
Publisher: New York, Dodd, Mead and company
Contributing Library: University of Massachusetts, Boston
Digitizing Sponsor: University of Massachusetts, Boston



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e vessels were placed so that a wholebroadside could be discharged at once. Thousands of pounds of iron ballswere thrown into the forts. Under cover of the cannonading, the disem-barkation of the troops began. But the opposition of the enemy was not the only difficulty to be met.During the time consumed in getting ready to land, heavy banks of cloudsnad been crawling up from the horizon, and the soft wind of morning hadgrown into a steady blow. Cape Hatteras was true to its reputation. Onthe shelving beach, where the troops must land, the great rollers werebreaking in torrents of foam. The first life-boats that attempted thelanding were swamped, and the soldiers reached the land wet and chilled 602 BLUE-JACKETS OF 61. through. The surf-boats were stove in. The barges, which had beenrelied upon to land men in large numbers, proved unmanageable, and weretowed away by the Harriet Lane. When the attempt to land the troopswas given up, it was found that but three hundred and twenty men had
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ATTACK ON THE HATTERAS FORTS. been landed. This was too small a party to storm the forts, and the issueof the battle depended upoi the great guns of the navy. By this time the gunners on the ships had calculated the exact range,and were firing with fearful effect. Broadside followed broadside, with BLUE-JACKETS OF 6i. 603 the regularity of machinery. It was war without its horrors for theblue-jackets, since bad marksmanship or poor powder prevented the Con-federate gunners doing any damage. On the gun-deck of the superb frigateMinnesota, the jackies were working their guns as coolly as though theywere on drill. The operations of loading and firing were gone throughwith like clock-work. The officers could watch the course of the shellsuntil they struck, and instruct the men, without undergoing any danger. But in the forts the scene was one of terror. As soon as the gunnersof the fleet had secured the range, the shells began crashing into the fort,bewildering the untried soldiers, and d