The Boy Soldier; Or, Garibaldi's Young Captain — page 369: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE BOY SOLDIER; OR, GARIBALDI’S YOUNG CAPTAIN. 363°. oe aut “A day or two after an answer had been returned the Imperial commodore, one of his iron-clads was signalled from below, and, soon after appearing round the southern bend, put on steam, and ad- vanced rapidly and boldly towards us, evidently bent on running the gauntlet of our guns. “Coming within distanee, it was perceived she carried numerous and heavy guns, was shot-proof, and had no one visible on deck, “When nearing the town, under full head of steam, one of her ports opened, and a head thrust out, shouted to pickets on the bank, **Oh, you republican raseals !’ and a torrett of such-like compliments. ‘He was instantly answered by a volley of small arms, and quickly dropped the port screen. -“ When abreast of the city, and steaming boldly to round the point, three or four white puffs were visible on the bludis, and simultaneous roars accom- panied, while round shot plunged about the gun- aes spurting up jets and columns of water around i “Still pushing forward, her helm answered readily, and when rounding the point and abreast of the bluffs, a quick succession of bright flashes glanced from her dark sides, and, amid deafening roars, the ground was ploughed up in all directions round our guns, while quick answers from our side made the water spout around her, as if a thousand whales were blowing. ‘Thus it continued for some time, without inter- mission. ‘The gunboat was throwing shells, and our bat- teries vomiting round shot. “Though not disabled, it was clear she had been repeatedly struck. ‘Yet, when rounding the point and getting out of danger, she gallantly presented her larboard to the batteries, and giving a parting broadside, was soon from view behind the trees, safely anchored. ‘It was now apparent that we could do but little with the enemy’s ships, for our shot glanced from their sides in showers of sparks, and damaged them but slightly. ‘So that it was deemed necessary to erect a- strong battery south of the town for the better re- ception of other visitors. ‘They were not long in coming. “Being informed of the inefficiency or in- sufficiency of our batteries, several others ran past, inflicting no injury, but, in many cases receiving much, ‘The fleets having now formed a junction, pre- pared to bombard the town. “ And, by way of preliminary, to get the range, sent several dozen eleyen-inch shell across the peninsula, which, save a horrible screaming noise, did little harm more than throw up tremendous Fouds of dust and sand wherever they chanced to all, “Their transports now began to assemble rapidly, until a truly formidable fleet was gathered, and all imagined them heavily freighted with troops, destined to co-operate on land. : ‘‘ Had the peninsula been less thickly timbered, our batteries could have played sad havoc among them, for the distance was not more than a mile in a direct line. “Yet every shell thrown by us was weste of ammunition, since the vessels were so close in shore that it required more skill than our gunners possessed to clear the woods with nicety, and drop shell among them, drawn up as they were in single line, broadside to the beach. . “But while the enemy in early morning or cool of evening would favour the city with afew hundred shells and even amuse themSelves long after starlight with such pastime, a few young naval officers were up a branch of the Rio, and having blockaded the passage to the enemy with immense rafts, cut in and floated down from extensive forests in that vast region of swamps, were actively engaged in build- ing a huge iron-clad, which was destined to sally out and drive off the enemy. ‘The enemy were fully aware of our activity up that river, and correctly informed of all our doings ee the ships and craft which had taken refuge there. “To keep fully informed of our mysterious doings up that branch of the Rio, three of the finest boats were detached from the fleet to carefully watch the mouth of the tributary. ‘‘ And for this purpose they always kept up steam both night and day for fear of any sudden moye- ment. “ Yet the fleet daily maintained a hot and vigorous cannonade upon Bagdad at all hours, save during the intense heat of mid-day. *‘ Their troops were landed from transports, but never came within view. ““Yet from scouts and spies we ascertained the enemy had seized hundreds of poor Mexicans in that part, and were actually digging a canal across the peninsula, which it was hoped would divert the waters of the river from its proper bed, and leave Bagdad high and dry as an inland city, “ The idea was a bold one. “The present undertaking, however, did not promise good results. “The stream was too strong, and could not be diverted. “So that although numbers of their men sunk and died under their labour—being several miles long— it was not prosecuted, hundreds having found early graves iu that low, marshy, and deathly climate. Yet still the bombardment continued daily, and thousands of shell, round shot, and other missiles were hurled at our city. ‘But strange to say, except in some half-dozen instances, I know not one house which was more than slightly injured. * One shell enterea the church on the hill, and made a large hole above the great window, but passed out through a window, and buried itself in a sandhill, ‘‘ Another struck the school house on the south- west corner, ranged through the building, and made the interior like a basket of chips, subse- quently exploding in an engine house hard by, carrying off the roof to parts unknown. ‘© A small frame building was fired near the ferry landing, and, being old, was allowed to burn to the ground. © “Yet, considering the number of shells thrown, and the streets of wooden houses towards the river, it is extraordinary how any escaped, or how the city was saved from daily conflagrations. Three shells entered the hotel, and upset the dinner things—slightly. « A hundred shot were fired at the court-house, many fcet above the level of the river. “ From its position on a hill, with a large banner continually floating there, was a conspicuous mark for the enemy. ‘«‘ They made some capital shots at it, truly, and one entered the dome, two feet below the flag-staff, ranged downwards to the entrance hall, and— fizzled ! ee ee — ——————————————— ae oO CoMmicboooks.c©