“Lay in quick!” shouts Colonel Roberts.
The oars bend in the row-locks. A stroke, and they are beside the parapet, climbing up the slippery bank. The sentinels run. There is a rattling fire from pistols and muskets; but the shots fall harmlessly in the forest. A moment,—and all the guns are spiked. There is a commotion in the woods. The sleeping Rebels are astir. They do not rally to drive back the invaders, but are fleeing in the darkness.
Colonel Roberts walks from gun to gun, to see if the work has been effectually accomplished.
“All right! All aboard! Push off!” He is the last to leave. The boats head up-stream. The rowers bend to their oars. In a minute they are beyond musket range. Their work is accomplished, and there will be no more firing from that six-gun battery. Now the gunboats can move nearer and begin their work upon the remaining batteries.
In the morning General Mackall was much chagrined when he found out what had been done by the Yankees. It is said he used some hard words. He flew into a rage, and grew red in the face, which did not help the matter in the least.
At midnight, on the night of the 3d of April, the Carondelet, commanded by Captain Walke, ran past the batteries and the island. It was a dark, stormy night. But the sentinels saw her coming down in the darkness, and every cannon was brought to bear upon the vessel. Shells burst around her; solid shot, grape, and canister swept over her; but she was not struck, although exposed to the terrific fire over thirty minutes. We who remained with the fleet waited in breathless suspense to hear her three signal-guns, which were to be fired if she passed safely. They came,—boom! boom! boom! She was safe. We cheered, hurrahed, and lay down to sleep, to dream it all over again.
The Carondelet reached New Madrid. The soldiers of General Pope’s army rushed to the bank, and gave way to the wildest enthusiasm.
“Three cheers for the Carondelet!” shouted one. Their caps went into the air, they swung their arms, and danced in ecstasy.
“Three more for Commodore Foote!”
“Now three more for Captain Walke!”