Identifier: navalhistoryofun02abbo (find matches)
Title: The naval history of the United States
Year: 1896 (1890s)
Authors: Abbot, Willis J. (Willis John), 1863-1934
Subjects: United States -- History, Naval To 1900
Publisher: New York, Dodd, Mead and company
Contributing Library: University of Massachusetts, Boston
Digitizing Sponsor: University of Massachusetts, Boston

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ese echoing gullies. The other night we were onthe gallery till the last of the eight boats got by. Next day a friend said to H , It was a wonder you didnt have your heads taken off last night. I passed, and saw them stretched over the gallery; and grape-shot werewhizzing up the street just on a level with you. The double roar of bat-teries and boats was so great, we never noticed the whizzing. Yesterdaythe Cincinnati attempted to go by in daylight, but was disabled and sunk.It was a pitiful sight: we could not see the finale, though we saw herrendered helpless. Since that day the regular siege has continued. We are utterly cut offfrom the world, surrounded by a circle of fire. Would it be wise, like thescorpion, to sting ourselves to death ? The fiery shower of shells goes on Jay and night. H s occupation, of course, is gone, his office closed. Every man has to carry a pass in his pocket. People do nothing but eatwhat they can get, sleep when they can, and dodge the shells. There are
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774 BLUE-JACKETS OF 61. three intervals when the shelling stops,—either for the guns to cool, or forthe gunners meals, I suppose,—about eight in the morning, the same inthe evening, and at noon. In that time we have to both prepare and eatours. Clothing cannot be washed, or any thing else done. On the 19thand 22d, when the assaults were made on the lines, I watched the soldierscooking on the green opposite. The half-spent balls, coming all the wayfrom those lines, were flying so thick that they were obliged to dodge atevery turn. At all the caves I could see from my high perch, people weresitting, eating their poor suppers at the cave doors, ready to plunge in again.As the first shell again flew, they dived ; and not a human being was visible.The sharp crackle of the musketry-firing was a strong contrast to thescream of the bombs. I think all the dogs and cats must be killed orstarved : we dont see any more pitiful animals prowling around. . . . Thecellar is so damp and musty, the

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