The two breastworks were strong enough to resist infantry-fire, but not artillery. Composed of two and two and one-half inch planking laid one upon the other, two planks deep, so that the faces were composed of the edges only, they were some thirty inches in thickness, built shoulder high. On this last work the entrance port was protected by a cotton bale. Not satisfied with this, a raft lying at the wharf, such as is used by caulkers in working on vessels’ seams near the water line, was raised from the water by hard labor, and securely placed in position on the right of the second breastwork, to protect as far as it would a fire from the next wharf on that flank, one-eighth of a mile distant. The storehouse protected the left flank from infantry-fire from the wharf on that side, also about one-eighth of a mile distant.
That night a false alarm, about ten o’clock, brought the entire force to arms behind the breastworks, and gunboats took positions near the wharf as agreed—one on the left and one on the right.
While the city was apparently deserted for some days after landing, on the thirtieth and thirty-first of December it was noticed that many men in citizen’s attire had returned and were strolling around. It was believed then, by the officers of the Forty-Second, that these men were in the Confederate service. No attempt was made to interfere with them so long as they remained civil, committing no overt wrong. With the small force on hand, no decisive measures concerning the inhabitants could be adopted, or any attempt made to govern the city.
During the day of the thirty-first, in company with Commander Wainwright, Colonel Burrell with a guard patroled some of the streets, and noticed many of these strange faces, who seemed to shun them. From the lookout station the enemy were seen assembling on the plain near Eagle Grove, horse, foot and artillery. Wainwright remarked: “Active operations going on, colonel; things look squally, and we had better not remain here. I will go up to-morrow and feel of them.” He intended to go up in his vessel as far as the channel would permit, and endeavor to shell them from the island.
Between these two officers a friendship for each other existed from their first meeting. They were frequently together, strollers around the city and suburbs, consulting the STATUS of affairs. Many of the other naval officers were frequent visitors, very courteous and obliging, but none appeared to take the same interest in matters that Wainwright did. The Forty-Second officers thought he was the only live man in the fleet.
In none of their perambulations and confidential talks did Wainwright breathe a word against his superior officer, although the colonel, after a few days on shore, could not remain quiet with the conviction forced upon his mind that Renshaw was not acting in such a manner as to warrant confidence, and bluntly told Wainwright only a day or two before the final events took place he thought Renshaw was a traitor. To this plain and straightforward expression of opinion the naval captain made no reply. Not so with the sailors; they, coming in contact with the enlisted men, frequently expressed their suspicion of the “commodore.”
On the morning of the thirty-first of December the Owasco went down to the coal bark Arthur, lying in the channel near the harbor entrance, about a mile and one-half from the wharf, for a supply of coal. Contrary to her usual custom she did not return to her position near the wharf when night came. The Westfield lay near Pelican Spit, on guard at the harbor entrance, and covering the Bolivar channel of the bay. She had lately received a new heavy gun, brought by the Tennessee to replace one disabled while on the coast some time previous. Up to midnight the balance of the fleet were distributed along the water front of Galveston, in the channel, which averaged at any point only a little less than two hundred and twenty yards in width. The Clifton was at the right of Kuhn’s Wharf, about one hundred yards distant; then came the Sachem, still at work on repairs to her boilers; then the small schooner Corypheus; and up the channel, a mile away, nearly opposite the depot wharf, was stationed the Harriet Lane.
At night a conference was held by officers of the Forty-Second. Positions were assigned for the companies in case of attack. Companies D and I remained upon the wharf, in the building, to snatch what sleep they could, while Company G, Captain Proctor in command, was on picket during the night. The three companies had been held in readiness every night since landing. Those not on duty slept on their arms. On the thirtieth and thirty-first only one company at a time was allowed to sleep. The men were informed of what was expected, their courage and manhood appealed to, with every point emphasized, that would naturally tend to inspire them with confidence. Not a word was uttered that could possibly convey any idea foreign to the fact, that fight was a duty they were to perform.
Burrell did not like the outlook, nor his position upon the wharf. Commodore Renshaw had failed to inspire him with any confidence in his integrity. Seated in his quarters that evening to muse over his situation, without allowing his officers or men to know his thoughts for fear of disheartening them, the colonel fully determined to order the Saxon up to the wharf next morning, embark his men, and remain on board in the harbor until reënforcements arrived.
About midnight Colonel Burrell, Captain Sherive, and Chaplain Sanger, visited the picket sentinel posts in the city, finding the men were drawn in from their original positions, and did not occupy the usual ground. The original posts were reëstablished. Rumbling noise of artillery wheels was heard distinctly through the night, together with the sound of moving railroad cars accompanied by the locomotive whistles. Captain Proctor had reported in person to inform Colonel Burrell, “there was trouble ahead”; so when the Harriet Lane, in the moonlight, discovered black smoke from smoke-stacks of Confederate vessels across the bay, some two miles away, and signaled with rockets, Lieutenant Stowell, placed in charge of the fireworks signals, burned some lights for the purpose of giving information to the navy that the military force was wide awake and ready. Every man on the wharf was ordered to man the breastworks.