An Unexpected Preacher--Andrew Hull Foote--His Character and Early
Career--His Brilliant Services in the War for the Union.
One Sunday morning early in the Civil War a large assemblage had
gathered in a prominent church in a Western city for the purpose of
worship. But the hour for opening the services came and passed and the
preacher, the one indispensable individual, did not appear. The auditors
became uneasy. No one knew the cause of his absence and no word came
from the parsonage, which was at some distance from the church. When the
congregation were about to break up and pass out a stranger, sitting
near the front, quietly arose, walked up the pulpit steps, gave out the
opening hymn, led in prayer and preached a sermon which impressed all by
its plain, practical truths. He held the attention of the people from
the opening to the close, and among the listeners were more than one who
felt that the unexplained absence of the regular pastor had resulted in
a gain, though a brief one, for them.
Naturally there was no little curiosity to learn the name of the
stranger. When approached by some of the leading brethren at the close
of the services, he modestly said he was Captain Foote of the United
States navy. He occasionally preached, when there seemed to be a call
for such work on his part, but preaching was not his profession, and he
would not have thought of entering the pulpit had he not seen that it
was a choice between doing so and allowing the congregation to go home.
Andrew Hull Foote was born in New Haven, Conn., September 12, 1806. He
belonged to a prominent family, his father, Samuel A. Foote, having
served in Congress for several terms, as United States Senator, and as
Governor of his State. The son received the best educational training
and was subjected to the strict religious discipline characteristic of
the Puritan families of old New England. His romantic nature was deeply
stirred by the accounts of the naval exploits of his countrymen in the
War of 1812, and he set his heart upon entering the navy. His mother
opposed, but, when she saw it was useless, wisely yielded. His father's
influence readily procured him the appointment of midshipman, and he was
directed to report on the schooner _Grampus_, under the command of
Lieutenant (afterward Admiral) Gregory.
[Illustration: ANDREW HULL FOOTE.]
The _Grampus_ went to the West Indies in quest of pirates, but never
found any. Young Foote was then transferred to the sloop of war
_Peacock_, which had made such a glorious record in the last war with
Great Britain, his next transfer being to the frigate _United States_,
the flagship of Commodore Isaac Hull, who won the famous victory over
the _Guerriere_ in August, 1812.
The cruise lasted three years, and Foote returned to New York in the
spring of 1837. He made a visit to his home, when he was once more
ordered to the West Indies.
About this time he was brought under religious influence. He read his
Bible and spent many hours in prayer, and finally yielded completely to
God. He made his mother inexpressibly happy by sending her the glad
news, and thenceforward throughout his stirring life he was one of the
most humble, devout and consecrated of Christians.
Like Havelock, he did an amount of good among those placed under his
charge, the full extent of which can never be known in this world. While
on duty at the Naval Asylum in Philadelphia he persuaded the men to give
up their grog rations and sign a pledge of total abstinence, and when
executive officer on the _Cumberland_ he did the same thing with its
crew. He was a voluntary chaplain and gave a religious address on the
berth deck every Sunday evening to those who wished to listen.
Disease of the eyes incapacitated him for duty for a long time, and he
was much disappointed that he was not permitted to take any part in the
Mexican war. One of his most practical temperance addresses was that,
while engaged off the coast of Africa in suppressing the slave trade, he
persuaded the men under him on the _Perry_, of which he was the
commander, to give up the use of liquor. Although exposed to one of the
most pestilential climates in the world, he did not lose a man.
At the breaking out of the Civil War he was in command of the Brooklyn
Navy Yard. He was overwhelmed with work for a time, and was glad when,
early in the autumn of 1861, he was ordered to the West to help in the
building of an inland navy on the Mississippi.
Captain Foote worked with the tremendous energy which he threw into
every task, and succeeded in getting together seven boats, four of which
were partly protected by armor. At the beginning of February, 1862, he
started from Cairo to ascend the Tennessee, his objective point being
Fort Henry, though the Confederates were deceived into thinking it was
Columbus, on the Mississippi. He asked the Government for more men with
which to man additional boats, but they were not furnished, and he went
forward with such as he could get.
On the night preceding the attack on Fort Henry the little fleet
anchored abreast of the army under General Grant, which was encamped on
the bank. The night was cold and tempestuous, but the morning dawned
keen and clear, and no time was lost in preparing the flotilla for the
attack on the fort. He intimated to General Grant that he must not
linger if he wished to cut off the retreat of the enemy. Grant assured
him he would be on time to put his army in motion.
Fort Henry stood on a bend in the river, which it commanded for a long
distance up and down stream. Foote placed his boats behind an island a
mile below the fort, with a view of avoiding the long range rifles of
the Confederates, which were liable to cripple the gunboats before they
could get into close action. The wooden vessels halted upon coming in
view of the fort, and the ironclads, as they were called, moved slowly
up stream abreast of one another, firing their bow guns in answer to the
shots of the rebels. The latter had had the time to practice to acquire
the exact range, while the boats had yet to find it. They fired slowly
and with such accuracy that the infantry stationed outside of the works
hastily fled, though the gunners bravely remained at their posts.
Foote opened fire when not quite a mile from the fort. His instructions
were to fire slowly and with care, the result of which was that guns
were continually dismounted and the earth and sandbags sent flying in
every direction. It was while the attack was being pressed in this
vigorous fashion that a shell pierced the boiler of the _Essex_,
commanded by Lieutenant Porter, and caused so many deaths, as has been
related in a preceding chapter.
This appalling accident was a serious loss to Captain Foote, for Porter
was doing inestimable service when thus driven out of action, but the
daring commander pressed forward in the face of the murderous fire,
encouraged by the visible results of his shots, which were playing
frightful havoc against the defences of the fort. Tilghman, the
Confederate commander, displayed great bravery, fighting until every one
of his guns was dismounted. Then, finding himself powerless to offer
further resistance, he hauled down his flag. Firing immediately ceased
on the part of the Union flotilla, and Foote sent a boat ashore to take
possession.
Despite General Grant's usual promptness, he did not arrive in time to
intercept the flight of the garrison. As a consequence the prisoners
surrendered, including General Tilghman and his staff, numbered less
than a hundred. The others fled overland to Fort Donelson, only to be
compelled to surrender shortly afterward to Grant in what proved to be
the first great Union victory of the war.
The severity of this battle is shown by the fact that Foote's ship was
struck 31 times, the _Essex_ 15, and the _Carondelet_ 6. The total
number of killed, wounded and missing was 48. The success was so
decisive that Foote was applauded throughout the North, sharing the
well-earned honors with General Grant, whose successful career is known
to every boy in the land.
Foote now steamed down the river to Cairo and began the ascent of the
Cumberland, to assist General Grant, who was marching overland to the
attack on Fort Donelson. Dauntless as was the courage of the naval
leader, he knew his task was a hopeless one. He had not only lost the
_Essex_, but Fort Donelson was greatly superior in strength to Fort
Henry. The water assault, however, was deemed a military necessity, and
he did not hesitate.
On February 14 he advanced resolutely to the attack with his two wooden
gunboats and four partial ironclads. The tremendous land batteries
opened on this weak force the moment it came within range, and the
results were of the most destructive nature. As usual, the chief
attention was given to the flagship, which was struck again and again by
the flying shot and shell. Undismayed by the awful tempest, Foote pushed
steadily onward, cool, calm, hopeful and prepared for the worst.
His pilot was a brave man, but under the frightful fire he began to show
a nervousness that caught the eye of Foote. Walking up to him, he placed
his hand in a kindly manner on his shoulder and spoke encouragingly to
him. While he was doing so, the poor fellow was torn into pieces by a
shot, and the captain himself was badly wounded in the foot by a flying
splinter. Paying no heed to the bleeding member, he limped about the
boat, swept by the iron hail, and gave his orders as coolly as before.
But the shot that killed the pilot also smashed the wheel, and the
unmanageable boat began drifting down stream. The tiller ropes of
another boat were also cut about the same time, and she also floated
helplessly with the current. The Confederates increased their fire, and
the other two boats, also greatly damaged, followed the flagship, and
the ferocious fight that had lasted more than an hour was over, with the
Union flotilla badly repulsed.
The flagship had been struck 59 times, and 54 had been killed and
wounded on the different ships; but Foote would have maintained the
fight, with a fair probability of success, but for the destruction of
his steering gear.
Grant and Foote now formed a plan for the capture of Nashville, but on
the eve of starting were stopped by a telegraphic order from General
Halleck not to allow the gunboats to go further up the river than
Clarksville. Foote was greatly disappointed, and, absolutely certain of
capturing the city, telegraphed for permission to do so, but it was
refused. Thus he was left no alternative but to return to Cairo.
While there, he learned that the Confederate force occupying Columbus
had evacuated the town and fortified themselves on Island No. 10. They
numbered about 8,000 and were under the command of General Mackall, from
Beauregard's army. Foote transferred his flag to the ironclad _Benton_
and advanced against the powerful works that had been erected on the
island. The bombardment was continued for three weeks, without
inflicting serious damage, and there was little prospect of capturing
the place from the river, when General Pope arrived with a large land
force; but to reach the fort it was necessary for him to get his troops
across the river, and he had not a single transport to use for that
purpose.
Pope's arrival below made it necessary to send a gunboat down to him,
for until that was done he could make no movement against the rebel
force there. The all-important question was whether any one of the
gunboats could run the terrific gauntlet of the batteries that lined the
shore. It looked as if the attempt must result in the inevitable
destruction of any craft before half the distance could be accomplished.
At a council of the officers it was agreed that it was too hazardous to
try to run one of the gunboats past the batteries. Such was the opinion
of every man except Henry Walke, commander of the _Carondelet_, who
volunteered to try the seemingly impossible task. Captain Foote
reluctantly gave his consent.
It was understood that Walke was to make the attempt on the first rainy
or foggy night. In the event of success, he was to cooperate with Pope,
and, when he moved, to assist in the attack on the fortifications.
Captain Foote closed his instructions to his faithful aide with the
following impressive words:
On this delicate and somewhat hazardous service to which I assign
you I must enjoin upon you the importance of keeping your lights
secreted in the hold or put out, keeping your officers and men
from speaking at all, when passing the forts, above a whisper, and
then only on duty, and of using every other precaution to prevent
the rebels suspecting that you are dropping below their batteries.
If you successfully perform this duty assigned to you, which you
so willingly undertake, it will reflect the highest credit upon you
and all belonging to your vessel, and I doubt not but that the
government will fully appreciate and reward you for a service
which, I trust, will enable the army to cross the river and make a
successful attack in the rear, while we storm the batteries in
front of this stronghold of the rebels.
Commending you and all who compose your command to the care and
protection of God, who rules the world and directs all things, I
am, respectfully, your obedient servant,
A.H. Foote.
P.S.--Should you meet with disaster, you will, as a last resort,
destroy the steam machinery, and, if possible, to escape, set fire
to your gunboat, or sink her, and prevent her falling into the
hands of the rebels.
The night selected--April 4--was rainy and of inky blackness, relieved
by vivid flashes of lightning. No precaution that could be thought of
was neglected. Chains were twisted around the pilot-house and other
vulnerable parts, and wood was piled against the boilers, with which the
hose was connected, to make the jets of steam available to repel
boarders. On one side was lashed a boat loaded with pressed hay, while a
barge of coal was fastened on the side furthest from the dangerous
batteries, and the escape steam was led into the paddle-wheel house in
order to muffle the sound. Among the fully armed crew were twenty of
the most expert sharpshooters in the army.
It was about ten o'clock when the _Carondelet_ swung round in the stream
and started on its fearful race. The fleet fairly held its breath, as
officers and men listened and peered down the river in the tempestuous
darkness. Now and then the zigzagging lightning gave a momentary glimpse
of the craft moving away, but the straining eye and ear caught no sight
or sound.
But when the _Carondelet_ was close to the batteries a blaze suddenly
shot up several feet above the chimneys. The soot had caught fire and
the reflection was thrown far out on the water. The engineer immediately
opened the flue caps and all was darkness again. So quickly did this
singular glow come and vanish that it must have been mistaken by the
sentinels for a part of the lightning display, for it caused no alarm;
but the turning of the escape steam into the paddle-box had allowed the
soot to get dry, and they flamed up a second time. Though extinguished
as promptly as before, the sentinels knew something was wrong and
signalled to the batteries below that one of the boats of the enemy was
approaching.
It was useless to attempt concealment any longer. Walke ordered the
engine ahead at full speed and ran close to the shore nearest the
batteries, that their shot might pass over him. Aside from the enemy,
this was dangerous work, for there was no telling into what obstruction
the boat would dash. A man stood at the front with lead and line,
quietly calling out in a guarded voice the soundings, which were
repeated by a second man on deck, who forwarded the report aft to Walke,
standing beside the pilot.
All the time the rain was falling in torrents. Suddenly a dazzling gleam
showed the pilot he was speeding straight for a shoal under the guns of
the Confederate battery.
"Hard aport!" commanded the captain, and the heavy craft barely missed
the island, past which it shot at the highest speed. The lightning
flashes helped the _Carondelet_ in more than one way. It not only gave
the pilot the necessary knowledge to avoid running aground, but confused
the Confederate gunners, who sent most of their shots over the boat,
which was not struck once during its remarkable run down the
Mississippi. Two shots had entered the barge at her side, but not a man
was hurt. The boat was received with wild cheers by the expectant
soldiers, who, while hoping for the best, feared the worst.
It had been agreed between Walke and Captain Foote that in case the
former was successful, he was to make it known by firing minute guns.
The captain was listening intently, when through the rain and darkness
the welcome signals reached his ears, and he thanked God that all had
come out so well.
Now that General Pope had received the transport for which he longed,
Captain Foote breathed freely and prepared to give what help he could in
the attack upon the rebel fortifications; but, to his surprise, Pope
sent an urgent request that a second boat should be sent to him on the
next night, adding that the success of the whole movement depended upon
a compliance with this request.
Foote replied that it would be as safe to run the batteries at midday as
on a clear night; for a vessel had to pass not only seven batteries, but
be kept "head on" to a battery of eleven guns, at the upper part of
Island No. 10, and to pass within 300 yards of it. In deference to
Pope's earnest request, Captain Foote consented to prepare another boat,
but would not permit it to start until the night was favorable.
The second night was similar to the one described, and Lieutenant
Thompson, in charge of the _Pittsburg_, started down the river at two
o'clock in the morning. Although exposed to the same fire as the
_Carondelet_, he was equally fortunate, and ran the gauntlet with the
same good fortune.
The passage of these two ironclads sealed the fate of Island No. 10, for
Pope could now cross the river, and, by taking position in the rear of
the Confederate works, cut off the supplies of the garrison. The
crossing was made and the enemy's batteries silenced. On the 8th the
island was surrendered to Captain Foote and General Pope, including the
garrison of 5,000 men.
Captain Foote's next move was to Fort Pillow. All this time he was
suffering so severely from the wound in his foot that it affected his
spirits, usually buoyant and hopeful. Another disturbing cause was the
continual interference of General Halleck, who prevented several
movements that Foote knew must have resulted in important successes.
His health continued to decline till finally the day came when he was
compelled to ask for a leave of absence. He went to his brother's home
in Cleveland, where his condition caused great solicitude throughout the
country. Afflictions crowded upon him. He returned to his home, which
was shadowed by the death of his bright boy at the age of fourteen
years. A few months later two of his daughters died. How hollow sounded
the praises of his countrymen when his head was bowed with such
overwhelming sorrow! He had been made rear admiral, and, though still
weak, was by his own request assigned to the command of the North
Atlantic squadron. He went to New York to complete his preparations, but
while there succumbed to his illness, and died at the Astor House, June
26, 1863.