FRANK ON THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI.
CHAPTER I.
The New Paymaster.
icksburg had fallen, and the army had marched in and taken possession of the city. How
Frank longed to accompany it, that he might see the inside of the rebel stronghold, which
had so long withstood the advance of our fleet and army! He stood leaning against one of
the monster guns, which, at his bidding, had spoken so often and so effectively in favor of
the Union, and for two hours watched the long lines of war-worn soldiers as they moved
into the works. At length a tremendous cheer arose from the city, and Frank discovered a
party of soldiers on the cupola of the court-house, from which, a few moments afterward,
floated the Stars and Stripes. Then came faintly to his ears the words of a familiar song, which were caught up
by the soldiers in the city, then by those who were still marching in, and "We'll rally round the flag, boys,"
was sung by an immense choir. The rebels in the streets gazed wonderingly at the men on the spire, and
listened to the song, and the triumphant shouts of the conquering army, which proclaimed the beginning of the
downfall of their confederacy.
To Frank, it was one of the proudest moments of his life\ue000a sight he would not have missed to be able to float
at the mast-head of his vessel the broad pennant of the admiral. All he had endured was forgotten; and when
the Old Flag was unfurled in the air which had but a short time before floated the "stars and bars," he pulled
off his cap and shouted at the top of his lungs.
Having thus given vent to his feelings of exultation, in obedience to orders, he commenced the removal of his
battery on board the Trenton. It was two days' work to accomplish this, but Frank, who was impatient to see
the inside of the fortifications worked with a will, and finally the battery was mounted in its old position. On
the following day, the Trenton moved down the river, and came to anchor in front of Vicksburg. Shore liberty
was granted, and Frank, in company with several of his brother officers, strolled about the city. On every side
the houses bore the marks of Union shot and shell, and the streets were blocked with fortifications, showing
that had the city been taken by storm, it was the intention of the rebels to dispute every inch of the ground.
Every thing bore evidence to the fact that the fight had been a most desperate one; that the rebels had
surrendered only when they found that it was impossible to hold out longer.
In some places the streets ran through deep cuts in the bank, and in these banks were the famous "gopher
holes." They were [ca]ves dug in the ground, into which a person, if he happened to hear a shell coming,
might run for safety. Outside the city, the fortifications were most extensive; rifle-pits ran in every direction,
flanked by strong forts, whose battered walls attested the fury of the iron hail that had been poured upon them.
It was night before Frank was aware of it, so interested was he in every thing about him, and he returned on
board his vessel, weary with his long walk, but amply repaid by seeing the inside of what its rebel occupants
had called "the Gibraltar of America."
FRANK ON THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI.
3
Leave a Comment