YORKTOWN SHELLED BY THE TOBAGO.
About noon on the 21st the gunboat Tobago ran up to within three miles of Yorktown and opened fire on the town with one of her 100 pound 8 inch Parrott guns. We were sitting upon the river bank, about a mile and a half this side of Yorktown, and could see every shot fired by her, and the replies. The first fell short and exploded in the air; the next two fell in the water near Yorktown; the fourth exploded right over the flag staff in Yorktown, and was a splendid shot, considering there was a hazy mist all around, making it very difficult for them to see such a distance; the next went over their fort and exploded in their barracks. Immediately there was a hurrying to and fro, their long gun was [run] out, a flash was seen, a pillar of spoke arose, and whiz went a shell within half a mile of the Tobago. It was a good line shot. There was a pause here for a few minutes, when both fired at once. Secesh again made a miss of it, and our shell exploded right over their water battery.
The gunboat now ran down to the mouth of the York River, and turning round came up and running half a mile nearer than before fired again. Her first shell exploded with a loud noise in front of their land battery; and the next two fell short; the next fell within fifty feet of the water battery; the next two exploded on shore near their fort; two then exploded over their water battery, which is bomb proof. All the [illegible] rebels were now lying in their rat holes and disdained to reply, and the fog growing so thick that Yorktown was rapidly being enveloped and the tide running out rapidly, the gunboat ran back to the mouth of the river.
CAPTURING A GUN.
There is an old chap in the Berdan Sharpshooters known as “Old Seth.” He is quite a character, and a crack shot – one of the best in the regiment. His “instrument” as he terms it, is one of the heaviest telescopic rifles. The other night, at roll call, “Old Seth” was non ex. This was somewhat unusual, as the old chap was always up to time. A sergeant went out to hunt him up, he being somewhat fearful that the old man had been hit. After perambulating around in the advance of the picket line he heard a low “hallo.” “Who’s there?” inquired the Sergeant. “It’s me,” responded Seth; “and I’ve captured a secesh gun.” “Bring it in,” said the Sergeant. “Can’t do it” exclaimed Seth.
It soon became apparent to the sergeant that “Old Seth” had the exact range of one of the enemy’s heaviest guns, and they could not load it for being picked off by him. Again the old man shouted – “Fetch me a couple of haversacks full of grub, as this is my gun, and the cussed varmints shan’t fire it again while the scrimmage lasts. This was done, and the old patriot has kept a good watch over that gun. In fact it is a “captured gun.”
– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday , May 3, 1862, p. 2
About noon on the 21st the gunboat Tobago ran up to within three miles of Yorktown and opened fire on the town with one of her 100 pound 8 inch Parrott guns. We were sitting upon the river bank, about a mile and a half this side of Yorktown, and could see every shot fired by her, and the replies. The first fell short and exploded in the air; the next two fell in the water near Yorktown; the fourth exploded right over the flag staff in Yorktown, and was a splendid shot, considering there was a hazy mist all around, making it very difficult for them to see such a distance; the next went over their fort and exploded in their barracks. Immediately there was a hurrying to and fro, their long gun was [run] out, a flash was seen, a pillar of spoke arose, and whiz went a shell within half a mile of the Tobago. It was a good line shot. There was a pause here for a few minutes, when both fired at once. Secesh again made a miss of it, and our shell exploded right over their water battery.
The gunboat now ran down to the mouth of the York River, and turning round came up and running half a mile nearer than before fired again. Her first shell exploded with a loud noise in front of their land battery; and the next two fell short; the next fell within fifty feet of the water battery; the next two exploded on shore near their fort; two then exploded over their water battery, which is bomb proof. All the [illegible] rebels were now lying in their rat holes and disdained to reply, and the fog growing so thick that Yorktown was rapidly being enveloped and the tide running out rapidly, the gunboat ran back to the mouth of the river.
CAPTURING A GUN.
There is an old chap in the Berdan Sharpshooters known as “Old Seth.” He is quite a character, and a crack shot – one of the best in the regiment. His “instrument” as he terms it, is one of the heaviest telescopic rifles. The other night, at roll call, “Old Seth” was non ex. This was somewhat unusual, as the old chap was always up to time. A sergeant went out to hunt him up, he being somewhat fearful that the old man had been hit. After perambulating around in the advance of the picket line he heard a low “hallo.” “Who’s there?” inquired the Sergeant. “It’s me,” responded Seth; “and I’ve captured a secesh gun.” “Bring it in,” said the Sergeant. “Can’t do it” exclaimed Seth.
It soon became apparent to the sergeant that “Old Seth” had the exact range of one of the enemy’s heaviest guns, and they could not load it for being picked off by him. Again the old man shouted – “Fetch me a couple of haversacks full of grub, as this is my gun, and the cussed varmints shan’t fire it again while the scrimmage lasts. This was done, and the old patriot has kept a good watch over that gun. In fact it is a “captured gun.”
– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday , May 3, 1862, p. 2
