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April
24,,
We had a splendid trip
yesterday afternoon returning in the
night.
After sailing not quite
two hours we reached the steamboat
landing at Fortress Munroe. Any
one who had studied the maps
would have recognized the place
at once. On the left about half
way to the Sewalls Point—so it looked—
were the Rif Rafs [?] with splendid
fortifications going up. Right opposite
across the waters could plainly
seen the Rebel earth works on Sewalls
Point. Further to the right and two
hundred yards from us lay the
Monitor—that thing of power and
wonder—on duty watching for
the Merrimac. Still farther to
the right lay the Saugatuck
with her costly and steel pointed
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shot. Right before us were the Hampton
Roads in which received the great naval
engagement a few weeks since.
Our main purpose in visiting
the Fortress was to obtain a new
supply of provisions, have the ship cleaned
and take in coal if necessary. Genl.
Slocum therefore called upon Genl. Wool,
so soon as the wharf was reached, and
asked permission to land his troops.
This he presumptorally [?] refused and
so the Genl. concluded to make a
short stop. The offices were allowed
to visit the fort with this understanding
that they should return within an
hour.
So we all started off. I in
company with the chaplain of the
96th Pennsylvania. Just as we
approached the entrance to the fortress
we noticed a cavalcade riding
out, and at the head of it we
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saw Maj. Genl. Wool. Behind him
also rode Brig. Genl. Mansfield. They
politely answered to our salutes.
A few minutes [sic] walk and we
were within the celebrated fortress
more like a garden with its trees
in blossom and its grounds carpeted
in green than a massive work
bristling with cannon and fully
supplied with all the furniture
of war. It is much more extensive
than I had supposed, and some of
the residences are truly beautiful.
As we hurriedly passed around its
walls I plucked some clover leaves
and shrubbery. Also an apple blossom.
I could not suppress my passionate
taste for pen holders, either; and so
I had to bring away a few sticks
with me.
Before leaving the Fortress
we ran down towards the Monitor
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and gave them three cheers. At that
moment we were in excellent range
of the Sewalls Point battery. As we
passed the Vanderbilt we gave them three
cheers, too, in honor of the part she is
expected to take in extinguishing the
Monitor’s rival. Three cheers, too, for the
Minnesota, and all the gunboats that
we pass. The blue jackets give us
a specimen of their gallant cheering
in return. The French frigate we
notice also, But they do not reply
the officers simply raise their caps.
And so on we go the noble
steamer quivering beneath us from
the force of its ponderous and
swiftly moving engines, the bands
playing national airs, and our
men sending up enthusiastic
huzzas.
An hour sail toward Ship Point
and we anchor in the bay. |
