FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133  
134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   >>   >|  
as pulling itself along slowly through the mud. The fort itself was only about three miles away, and as it stood upon low, marshy ground, the backwater from the flooded Tennessee had almost surrounded it. Despite their horses, Winchester's men found their own advance slow. They had to make many a twist and turn to avoid marshes and deep water before they came within the sight of the fort, and then Dick's watch told him that it was nearly noon, the time for the concerted attacks of army and fleet. But it was certain now that the army could not get up until several hours later, and he wondered what would happen. They saw the fort very clearly from their position on a low hill, and they saw that the main Confederate force was gathered on a height outside, connected with the fort, and as well as he could judge, the mass seemed to number three or four thousand men. "What does that mean?" he asked Colonel Winchester. "I surmise," replied the colonel, "that Tilghman, the Confederate commander, is afraid his men may be caught in a trap. We know his troops are merely raw militia, and he has put them where they can retreat in case of defeat. He, himself, with his trained cannoneers, is inside the fort." "There can be no attack until tomorrow," said Colonel Newcomb. "It will be impossible for General Grant's army to get here in time." "You are certainly right about the army, but I'm not so sure that you're right about the attack. Look what's coming up the river." "The fleet!" exclaimed Newcomb in excitement. "As sure as I'm here it's the fleet, advancing to make the attack alone. Foote is a daring and energetic man, and the failure of the army to co-operate will not keep him back." "Daring and energy, seventy per cent, at least," Dick heard Warner murmur, but he paid no more attention to his comrades because all his interest was absorbed in the thrilling spectacle that was about to be unfolded before them. The fleet, the armor clads, the floating batteries, and the mortar boats, were coming straight toward the fort. Colonel Winchester lent Dick his glasses for a moment, and the boy plainly saw the great, yawning mouths of the mortars. Then he passed the glasses back to the colonel, but he was able to see well what followed with the naked eye. The fleet came on, steady, but yet silent. There was a sudden roar, a flash of fire and a shell was discharged from one of the seventeen great guns in the fort. But it p
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133  
134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
Colonel
 

Winchester

 

attack

 

colonel

 

Newcomb

 
coming
 
Confederate
 

glasses

 
exclaimed
 

silent


excitement

 

steady

 
daring
 

energetic

 
advancing
 

discharged

 
impossible
 
General
 

seventeen

 

failure


sudden

 

moment

 

tomorrow

 

thrilling

 

plainly

 

absorbed

 

interest

 

spectacle

 

straight

 

batteries


mortar

 
floating
 

unfolded

 

comrades

 

attention

 
passed
 

seventy

 
energy
 

Daring

 
operate

murmur
 

yawning

 
mouths
 
Warner
 

mortars

 

afraid

 
marshes
 

wondered

 
concerted
 

attacks