CHAPTER XVI.
The Rival Sharp-Shooters.
About half-past four o'clock, on the succeeding morning, just afterFrank had come off watch, and was dozing in his berth, he was awakenedby a loud crash. Starting up, he discovered his looking-glass infragments, and the pieces scattered about over the floor. While he waswondering what could have been the cause of the accident, he happened todiscover that the bulk-head behind the looking-glass was splintered,which looked very much as though it had been done by a musket-shot; and,at the same instant, he heard a shrill whistle, with which he wasperfectly familiar. He also heard a rustling in the bunk above him, andMr. Williams, his room-mate, sprang suddenly upon the floor,exclaiming:
"My goodness, Mr. Nelson! the rebels are shooting at _us_."
"I see they are," answered Frank, coolly, as he slowly arose from hisberth and commenced drawing on his pants; "just see our looking-glass!But where are you going?" he asked, finding that his room-mate wasfrantically gathering up his clothing.
"I'm going to get below as soon as I can," was the answer. "Don't youknow that this room isn't iron-clad?"
"Yes, I know that. But what's your hurry?"
Mr. Williams did not stop to reply, but, having collected all hisclothing, opened the door and sprang out on deck. One bound carried himto the gangway that led to the main-deck, and in a moment more he haddisappeared. Frank was laughing heartily at the comical figure his timidroom-mate had cut, when another shot came crashing through thebulk-head, and lodged in the mattress in the berth above him, showinghow narrow had been Mr. Williams's escape. This made him think that healso had better be getting below. He waited, however, until he wasentirely dressed, and then walked slowly out on the quarter-deck, andtook refuge behind the wheel-house, intending to make himself acquaintedwith the nature of the attack before going below. The officer of thedeck and the quarter-master on watch were the only persons in sight, andthey, too, were standing behind the wheel-house for protection.
"What seems to be the matter, Mr. Martin? Are we likely to have abrush?"
"O no," answered the latter; "a few rebels have taken possession of thebattery from which we drove them yesterday, and are trying to pick someof us off. Did you see 'Nuisance' when he came out of his room? He ranlike a streak, but came very near being winged, for a ball struck thedeck not six inches from him."
At this moment the captain appeared, and went into the pilot-house, thathe might investigate matters without running the risk of being struck bythe bullets. He had scarcely closed the door, when a ball carried awaythe latch. Had he been a moment later, he would certainly have beenkilled.
"A close shave," said he, with a laugh. Then raising one of the windowsof the pilot-house, he shouted, "On deck, there!"
"Ay, ay, sir," answered Mr. Martin.
"Get under cover as quickly as possible; and, Mr. Nelson, see if you canthrow a few shells among those fellows, and drive them out of there."
It was not an easy task to get under cover, for, the moment they showedthemselves, the bullets whistled about them like hail-stones. But, afterdodging from one stanchion to another, using even the sky-lights forconcealment, they succeeded in reaching the main-deck, where they weresafe. Frank ran into the turret, while Mr. Martin and the quarter-masterdived down the hatchway, and ran up into the pilot-house.
"Turn out, you first division, and cast loose that No. 2 gun," shoutedFrank, as he reached the gun-deck, where the crew were still sleepingsoundly in their hammocks. "Turn out lively, lads."
The men at once sprang out of their comfortable beds, and, as soon asthe deck was cleared of the hammocks, the gun was cast loose. A momentafterward, a hundred-pound shot plunged into the battery, raising acloud of dust; but the rebels had seen the flash of the gun in time tothrow themselves behind the embankment and escape.
"On deck, there," shouted the captain, through the trumpet. "That wasvery well done. Try them again, and fire a little higher, and a triflefurther to the left."
"Very good, sir," shouted Frank, in reply; and the gun was againpointed, and another breach was made in the battery, but a loud,derisive shout was sent back in reply, showing that the shot had beenwithout effect.
For nearly an hour the fight was kept up, Frank using his gun as rapidlyas possible, and the rebels replying with their bullets, which rattledharmlessly against the Trenton's iron mail, until the captain, findingthat it was impossible to dislodge them, gave the order to cease firing.
As soon as Frank had seen the gun secured, he left the deck and wentinto the ward-room. It was filled with officers, who had been awakenedby the firing, and were engaged in an animated conversation on theprobabilities of having breakfast.
"If the rebels continue to shoot at us, I don't know what you can do,gentlemen," said the caterer. "You know that the galley is on deck, andI can't send the cook up there, where he will be in danger of his life.When you get hungry you will find plenty of hard-tack and pickles inthe paymaster's store-rooms."
"O no," said the executive officer, "I am not going without mybreakfast. There's no danger."
"If you will go on deck, and remain there five minutes," said thecaterer, "I'll agree to cook some breakfast for you."
The proposition was accepted by the executive officer, and the two menwent on deck, and walked toward the galley. They reached it in safety,when the executive said, triumphantly:
"What do you think now? I told you there was no danger."
A loud crash cut short his words, and a bullet entered the galley, andglancing from the stove, struck the opposite bulk-head, where itremained firmly embedded in the wood.
"That will do, I guess," said the executive, hastily retreating towardthe hatchway. "You needn't mind about sending the boys up here to cookbreakfast."
The two officers made the best of their way back to the ward-room, wherethey enjoyed a very good meal on some provisions that had been broughtup out of the paymaster's store-rooms. They then went into thepilot-house to watch the movements of the rebels in the battery. Thelatter, finding that their fire was no longer returned, took noprecautions to conceal themselves, but arose to their full height whenthey fired their muskets, and even stood on the battery, waving theirhats, as if inviting a shot. Frank watched them until he could stand itno longer, and then ran down below, to ask the captain's permission toreturn the fire.
"Look out there!" exclaimed that gentleman, as Frank entered the cabin."The first thing you know"----
He was interrupted by the report of a musket, so loud that it seemedscarcely a stone's throw distant. A bullet came whistling into one ofthe ports, barely missing Frank, and lodged in the captain's pantry,where a crashing among the crockery told that the ball had not beenaltogether thrown away. Another shot followed close after it, but Frankhad dodged behind the bulk-head, and was safe.
The captain was emphatically in a state of siege. His cabin was in theextreme after-part of the vessel, and in it were two port-holes, whichwere open. Two sharp-shooters had taken up a position on the bank, wherethey could see into the cabin, and had compelled the captain to leavethe desk where he had been writing, and take refuge behind thebulk-head. He was taking matters very coolly, however, being stretchedout on a sofa, engaged in reading a newspaper.
"Mr. Nelson," said he, with a laugh, "if many more of you officers enterthis cabin, I shall be a ruined man. Every shot that comes in here goesslap into that pantry, and I don't suppose I have a whole piece ofcrockery left. What did you wish?"
"I came, sir, to ask permission to take one of your Spencer rifles,"answered Frank. "I believe I can drive those rascals away from there,"he added, glancing through the port.
"Very well, you may try. But I don't bother my head about them. Theycan't shoot through this bulk head, that's certain. However, it makes mefeel rather uncomfortable to know that I can't get out of here withoutrunning the risk of being shot;" and the captain stretched himself onthe sofa again, and resumed his reading.
After considerable dodging, during whi
ch two more bullets were lodgedin the captain's pantry, to the no small disgust of that gentleman,Frank succeeded in securing a rifle and cartridge-box from one of theracks in the cabin, and concealing himself behind the bulk-head, thrusthis gun carefully out of the port, and waited for a shot.
The bank was scarcely fifty feet distant, but for a long time not arebel showed himself, and Frank had about come to the conclusion thatthey had given up the fight, when he noticed a small gully, scarcely afoot wide, that ran down to the water's edge, and in that gully he sawthe top of a head, and afterward discerned a pair of eyes that werelooking straight into the port. It was a small mark to shoot at, butFrank had killed squirrels at that distance many a time; so, carefullyraising his rifle, he took a quick aim, and fired, confident that therewas one rebel less in the world. The ball landed in the bank, and raiseda cloud of dust that for a moment concealed the effect of the shot; butit had scarcely cleared away, when a puff of smoke arose from the gully,and another bullet whizzed past Frank's head, and landed among thecaptain's crockery, showing that the rebel still maintained hisposition. Frank cautiously looked out, and saw the rebel hastilyreloading his gun; but, before he could give him another shot, thedeadly rifle was thrust over the bank, in readiness for another trial.
"O, I'm here yet, Yank!" shouted the rebel, as he saw Frank regardinghim as if he could scarcely believe his eyes. "I'm here! and you want tokeep close, or down comes your meat-house. This 'ere rifle shoots rightsmart."
As he ceased speaking, Frank again fired at him, but with no bettersuccess than before, for the rebel answered the shot, and dodged backinto the gully to reload. For two hours this singular contest wasmaintained, and Frank was both astonished and provoked at his poorworkmanship; still he would have continued the fight, had not the rebelcoolly announced--"It's grub-time, Yank. We'll try it again thisafternoon."
The fellow's impudence was a source of a great deal of merriment on thepart of the captain, who laughed heartily at his remarks, and forgot theloss he had sustained in his crockery.
"Captain," said Frank, as soon as he was certain that the rebel hadgone, "it's a good time to close those ports now."
"Don't go near them. I won't trust the villains. Tell the officers thatthey are at liberty to return the fire, but that they must not waste toomuch ammunition."
Frank went into the ward-room, and, after delivering the captain'sorder, deposited his gun in the corner. While making a hearty dinner onhard-tack and salt pork, he related the incidents of his fight with therebel, which was listened to with interest by all the officers present.After finishing his meal he went on deck to get a letter which he hadcommenced writing to his cousin, intending, as soon as the firingrecommenced, to renew the battle. Not a shot had been fired since therebel left the gully, and when Frank walked across the deck and enteredhis room, not a rebel was in sight. He took the letter from his trunk,and was preparing to return below, when a bullet crashed through thebulk-head, and, striking his wash-bowl, shivered it into fragments. Thisseemed to be a signal for a renewal of the fight, for the bulletswhistled over the ship in a perfect shower. Frank sprang to his feet,and waited rather impatiently for an opportunity to make his way below;but none offered. As he opened the door of his room, he heard a sharpreport, that he could easily distinguish from the rest, accompanied by afamiliar whistle, and a bullet, which seemed to come from the stern ofthe vessel, sped past him, striking the pilot-house, and glancing upwardwith a loud shriek; at the same instant several more from the batterywhistled by, too close for comfort.
It was evident that the rebels had seen him enter his room, and knowingthat his only chance for escape was across the deck, had determined tokeep him a close prisoner. But why did they not fire through thebulk-head? Perhaps they thought that it, like the rest of the ship, wasiron-clad, and preferred waiting for him to come out, rather than towaste their lead. But Frank, who knew that the sides of his room wereonly thin boards, which could afford him no protection whatever from thebullets of his enemies, was not blessed with the most comfortablethoughts. To go out was almost certain death, for, although he mightescape the bullets of the rebels in the battery, there was his rival ofthe morning in the gully, who handled his rifle with remarkable skill.To remain was hardly less dangerous, for a bullet might at any timeenter his room and put an end to his existence.
"Well, I'm in a nice fix," he soliloquized; "I've often heard of treeingbears, raccoons, and other animals, but I never before heard of anofficer being treed in his own room, and on board his own ship. I don'tlike to go out on deck, and have those bullets whizzing by my head andcalling me 'cousin;' besides, I shall certainly be shot, for there'sthat fellow in the gully, and I know he's an excellent marksman. I'vegot to stay here for awhile, that's evident. If I ever get out, I'llmake somebody sweat for this. I wish I had my gun; but, as I am hereunarmed, I must find some kind of a protection." So saying, he snatchedthe mattresses from the beds, and, lying on the floor, placed one oneach side of him as a barricade. He remained in this position untilalmost night, the bullets all the while shrieking over the deck, andmaking music most unpleasant to his ears. At length the firing began toslacken, and Frank determined to make another effort to get below. Itwas not a long distance to the gangway that led to the main-deck, butthere was that fellow in the gully who still maintained the fight, asan occasional crash in the pantry proved, and Frank had a wholesome fearof him. He resolved, however, to make the attempt, and, waiting untilthe rebel had fired his gun, he threw open the door, when a few hastysteps carried him below. He heard a loud shout as he ran, and knew thatthe rebel had seen him.
At dark the firing ceased altogether; and after supper--the only cookedmeal they had during the day--the officers assembled on deck toenjoy the cool breeze, for the heat below had been almost intolerable.It was late when they retired, but it is needless to say that those whohad rooms on the quarter-deck slept in the mess-rooms.
The next morning, just as every one had expected, the firing was againrenewed by the rebels in the battery, and it was at once answered bysome of the younger officers of the ship, who cracked away, whether anenemy was in sight or not. Frank had not been able to get the thought ofthat rebel sharp-shooter out of his mind. The audacity he had displayedin taking up a position so close to the vessel, and the skill with whichhe handled his rifle, excited his admiration, and he determined that,should he again take up the same position, he would renew his attemptto dislodge him. He, however, took no part in the fight until he cameoff watch at noon. He then provided himself with a rifle, and, afterconsiderable trouble, succeeded in getting into the wheel-house, thelower part of which, being built of thick timbers, would easily resist abullet, and here he settled down, determined to fight his enemy as longas he had a charge of powder left.
The rebel was in his old position, concealed as usual, and, as the cabinports had been closed, he was directing his fire toward the pilot-house.He was, of course, not aware that Frank had changed his base ofoperations; but he did not long remain ignorant of the fact, for thelatter commenced the fight without ceremony.
As nearly every officer on board the vessel was engaged in fighting therebels, the one in question could not determine whence the shot came. Hedrew back for a moment, and then thrust his head carefully out, toreconnoiter. Frank, who could fire seven shots without stopping toreload, was ready for him, and another bullet sped toward the mark, but,as usual, with no more effect than throwing up a cloud of dust. Thistime, however, the rebel saw where it came from, and a moment afterwarda ball was buried in the thick timbers, scarcely an inch from the placewhere Frank was cautiously looking out, watching the motions of hisrival.
From his new position, Frank found that the rebel, after he had firedhis gun, was obliged to turn over on his back to reload, and hedetermined that, if he could not dislodge him, he would at least put itout of his power to do any further mischief. So, when the rebel exposedhis arm, as he was in the act of ramming down the charge, he fired athim again. The latter, ignorant of the
fact that his opponent had aseven-shooter, now redoubled his efforts, and made all haste to reloadhis gun; but again did a bullet strike in the bank close beside him, andcover him with a shower of dust. This seemed to puzzle the rebel, for heraised his head and gazed intently toward the place where his enemy wasconcealed. That move was fatal to him. Scarcely three inches of his headwas exposed; but the bullet went straight to the mark--the rebel rolleddown the bank, and the deadly rifle fell from his hands.