The Boy Soldier; Or, Garibaldi's Young Captain — page 360: what you’re looking at

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

354 THE BOY SOLDIER; OR, GARIBALDI’S YOUNG CAPTAIN. i “When finished and ready for service, I visited her, and from the use of much indifferent material in structure, supposed she would be sent to the bottom in quick time, when opposed to the magni- ficent rams and iron-clads watching for her at the mouth, or drawn up in parallel lines to receive her when passing the channel of the river. “She was large, rough, strong, and ungainly— vulnerable in many places, and the top imperfectly covered, ‘So that, should a stray shell drop through the roof, her destruction was almost certain, as the magazine was somewhat exposed. ‘““Many were desirous of commanding, as it was hoped she might eclipse the doings of all others ; but after a little reflection Captain Parker gave her in charge of a Mexican. This officer grumbled much at the deficiencies apparent in the craft, and particularly of the engines, which were old, and of doubtful capacity. “*To you refuse to command, sir ?’ asked the captain. ‘If there is anything you object to in her, state it, and I will go myself—either you or I must command !’ . “<¢T do not object, sir,’ was the quick reply. ‘If you take command, I only ask to be captain of a gun, for I’m bound to go in her, one capacity or other.’ ““< Very well, sir,’ said the captain, going ashore in his quiet manner, ‘make things ship-shape im- mediately, and wait for orders !’ “Things were soon prepared, and orders re- ceived. “It was deemed advisable to keep the hour of her departure a secret. ‘Yet it became known in some way to the enemy at the mouth, who steamed off and on all the time, “At night the raft was unexpectedly opened by a few volunteers, and the ‘Juarez’ slowly and noiselessly floated several miles down stream, and was perfectly lost in the dense fogs which fall at evening. ‘*Next morning, at the first rays of the sun, steam was raised, and by keeping close to the heavily- timbered banks, she cautiously proceeded, and as the fog lifted, espied three of the enemy’s finest gunboats in the river, near the mouth. ““Two of them backed down, while the largest opened fire immediately, and very briskly. “The ‘Juarez’ was moving slowly from defec- tive engines, but fired deliberately and with telling effect, crippling the enemy at the first broadside, who ran the magnificent craft upon the bank, and struck colours at the moment our boat was passing, “The captain, finding his engines to be useless, depended solely upon the stream, and could not stop to take the splendid prize. “For he knew many boats would soon appear to oppose his exit from the mouth. “So that, although using more steam than could be generated, boldly pushed into the broad stream, rapidly firing at the two gunboats retreating before him. “Tt was at this point of the action that we could discern all that transpired from batteries on the bluffs. ‘As soon as the ‘Juarez’ rounded, the whole Imperial fleet hoisted anchor, and were in two lines—one each side of the channel at the sea mouth, ‘Frigates, trams, gunboats—all were ready to annihilate that iron-clad mass of timber slowly floating towards them. ‘Presently an iron-clad left her position, and boldly steaming up between the lines of dark hulls opened fire at a considerable distance, : “The ‘ Juarez’ was silent. ‘And nought was seen but a rush of steam as the monster slowly entered the channel, which seemed to please the single enemy, who steamed up nearer and fired again. “Tn an instant the bow gun of the rebel replied, smashed the boiler and machinery of the enemy— men jumped overboard, and the vessel sank imme- diately. © “This exasperated the fleet, which now opened with a terrific roar from both squadrons until the side of the ‘Juarez’ looked like a mass of sparks floating between parallel lines of curling smoke, ‘‘Rew dared approach, however, and those so timorous received such fearful handling that they immediately put back, and were content to fire at a distance, “To us, on the bluff, spectators of the scene, the slowness of the ‘Juarez’ was unaccountable, for she seemed encircled with fire and doomed to de- struction ere emerging from the ordeal. ‘*¢ What's the matter with her?’ '¢ Why don’t she clap on steam and rush through them ?’ “¢They’ll sink her in three minutes!’ &c. were the remarks of all. ‘“Yet onward she went, slowly picking her way, the enemy believing she was only enticing them in her way by apparent slowness ! “?>T was not the case. * Her engines were worthless, and audacity alone was carrying her through. “ Still fighting at long range, the Imperial fleet slowly followed, and the nearer she approached the bluff the quicker the ‘ Juarez’ fought, until finding her safely under our gums at Bagdad, the enemy gave up the chase, and amid our cheers on the bluff, and 4 salvo of guns, fhe ‘Juarez’ slowly turned the points ard was moored before the city ! ‘‘From commotion visible among the enemy’s vessels of all classes, the activity of small boats passing to and fro, and succession of signals ex- changed between commanders, it was evident that many of them were badly crippled, for several were towed to the banks and run upon the sand. ** One vessel had sunk, several were towed away, while the vigorous working of pumps among them testified that shots had penetrated in different quarters, and that they felt infinite relief in her escape, ‘Various fragments of wreck soon floated down from the scene of conflict, which proved that chance shot had visited more than one unlucky transport, while with glasses we could perceive two powerful gunboats, which, like ants, were dragging their crippled companion out of further danger. “°-Twas vexatious to think that all the spoil was escaping us, and all felt particularly annoyed that the gunboat which had struck her colours to the ‘Juarez’ should thus easily escape, for it was the finest in the fleet. “Tt could not be helped, however, and when the truth became known, regarding the utter failure of our engines, and the danger to which she had been exposed every moment during her passage, all felt surprised she had done so well, and inflicted such loss upon the enemy ; for had the fleets known the true cause of her slow progress, not a fragment of her would ever have floated down so majestically and triumphantly. ‘‘ rom preparations visible among the fleets, it was conjectured some important undertaking was afoot among them, and every precaution taken to prevent oe eee aaa een eee ee a ———— <SriGO) GEomicboo