THE REIGN OF CHRISTIANITY
Captain Breaker took Christy by his right arm to support him as they
returned to the deck of the Bellevite, and to assist him over the
bulwarks. The wounded had all been cared for, and the crew were swabbing
up the deck; but the moment they discovered the captain and the
executive officer on the rail, they suspended their labor and all eyes
were fixed upon the latter.
"Three cheers for Mr. Passford!" shouted the quartermaster who had been
at the wheel when Christy sprang into the mizzen rigging.
Three heartier cheers were never given on the deck of any ship than
those which greeted the hero of the action as he appeared on the rail.
Not satisfied with this demonstration, they all swung their caps, and
then gave two volleys more. There was not a man that did not take part
in this triple salute, and even the officers joined with the seamen in
this tribute.
"I hope Mr. Passford is not badly wounded, sir," said Quartermaster
Thompson, touching his cap most respectfully. "And I speak for the whole
ship's company, sir."
"Mr. Passford is not very severely wounded, Thompson," replied the
commander, while Christy was acknowledging the salute. "He did not
mention the fact that he was hurt, and lost more blood than was
necessary, so that he is very weak."
The quartermaster reported the answer of the captain to the ship's
company, whereupon they gave three more cheers, as Christy and his
supporter descended to the deck; and the hero acknowledged the salute.
At the companion they encountered Dr. Linscott, who had just come on
deck from the cockpit. Graines was standing near, waiting for an
opportunity to speak to his late associate in the expedition.
"You gave us a bad fright, Mr. Passford," said the surgeon, as he took
the right hand of the wounded officer. "But you will do very well now.
I have something here which will keep you comfortable;" and he proceeded
to place the left arm in a sling, which he adjusted with great care,
passing a band from it around his body so as to prevent the member from
swinging, or otherwise getting out of position.
"Is it necessary that I should take to my berth, Dr. Linscott?" asked
the patient. "I am feeling very nicely now; and since my arm was dressed
it gives me very little pain."
"Dr. Davidson ordered you to your berth because you were so weak you
could not stand," replied the surgeon.
"But I have got over that, and I feel stronger now."
"We will see about that later, Mr. Passford. Captain Breaker, all our
wounded except a few light cases, which my mates can treat as well as I
can, are disposed of," added the doctor.
"I am very glad to hear it," replied the captain.
"May I stay on deck, doctor?" asked Christy, who did not like the idea
of being shut up in his stateroom while the arrangements for the
disposal of the prize were in progress.
"You may for the present if you feel able to do so," answered the
surgeon. "But you must have a berth-sack or an easy chair on deck, and
keep very quiet."
"Punch!" called the commander; and this was the name of the cabin
steward, who was not, however, as bibulous as his surname indicated.
"Pass the word for Punch."
The steward, like everybody else on board able to be there, was on deck,
and immediately presented himself.
"Bring up the large easy-chair at my desk, and place it abreast of the
mizzen mast," added the commander.
Something else called off the attention of Captain Breaker at this
moment, and the surgeon remained in conversation till Punch reported the
chair in position. Dr. Linscott conducted Christy to it, and adjusted
him comfortably, sending for a blanket to cover his lower limbs. The
captain soon returned, and saw that the patient was easy in a position
where he could see all that transpired on the deck.
"As you have finished your duties on board of the Bellevite, I desire to
reciprocate the kindness of Captain Rombold in attending to Mr. Passford
when perhaps he needed the attention of his own surgeon more than our
patient, and I desire to have you dress the Confederate commander's
wound," said Captain Breaker.
"With all my heart!" exclaimed the surgeon earnestly. "I will be with
you in a moment, as soon as I procure my material;" and he hurried
below.
"You will find me with Captain Rombold," added the commander, as he
hastened to the deck of the prize.
"I am glad to see you again, Captain Breaker," said the Confederate
chief very politely.
"I have come to tender the services of our surgeon, who has disposed
of all our seriously injured men, to dress your wound, in the first
instance, for I fear you were more in need of such assistance than my
officer when you so magnanimously called Dr. Davidson to dress Mr.
Passford's wound. He will be here in a few minutes," returned Captain
Breaker, proceeding to business at once.
"I am exceedingly obliged to you, Captain, for I am beginning to feel
the necessity of attending to my wound. The thirty-pounder, which was
to have reduced the ranks of your crew by one-half, as I am assured it
would have done, made terrible havoc among my own men. In addition to
the dead who have already been committed to the deep, we have a great
number wounded," replied Captain Rombold. "The cockpit is full, and I
have given up my cabin to the surgeon, who is extremely busy. I accept
the services of Dr. Linscott very gratefully."
"He is extremely happy to serve you."
By this time the surgeon of the Bellevite appeared with one of his
mates, and some pleasant words passed between him and his new patient.
"Now, where is your wound, Captain Rombold?" asked Dr. Linscott.
"In the right thigh," replied the patient; and the bullet hole in his
trousers indicated the precise spot.
"It will be necessary to remove your clothing, Captain," continued the
surgeon.
"My cabin is already turned into a hospital, and Dr. Davidson is hard
at work there," replied the patient. "I shall have to send for a
berth-sack, and let you operate on deck, for"--
"My cabin is entirely at your service, Captain Rombold," interposed
the commander of the Bellevite. "It will afford me the very greatest
pleasure in the world to give it up to you."
"Oh, no, Captain!" exclaimed the sufferer, as he really was by this
time. "That is too great a sacrifice."
"Not at all; do me the very great favor to accept the use of my cabin,"
persisted Captain Breaker. "How shall we move him, doctor?"
"Call four of your men; we will carry him to your cabin in his chair,
just as he sits; and we can do it without incommoding him at all,"
answered Dr. Linscott, as he sent his mate to call the men required.
"Really, Captain,"--the sufferer began, but rather faintly.
"The surgeon thinks you had better not talk any more, Captain Rombold,"
interposed the commander. "Here are the men, and we will handle you as
tenderly as an infant."
"You are as kind as the mother of the infant," added the sufferer with a
slight smile; but he made no further opposition.
The four men lifted the chair, and the doctor instructed them how to
carry it. The Bellevite had been moved aft a little so as to bring the
gangways of the two ships abreast of each other. The commander was so
interested and so full of sympathy for his injured enemy, now a friend,
that he could not refrain from assisting with his own hands, and he
directed the operations of the seamen when they came to the steps. They
lifted the chair down to the deck of the ship, and then it was borne to
the captain's cabin.
The wounded commander was placed in the broad berth of the cabin, and
the seamen sent on deck. Dr. Linscott, with the assistance of his mate,
proceeded to remove the clothing of the patient, Captain Breaker aiding
as he would hardly have thought of doing if the sufferer had been one of
his own officers. The injury proved to be of about the same character as
that of Christy; it was a flesh wound, but the ball had ploughed deeper
than in his case, and was therefore severe. A stimulating remedy was
given to the patient, and the doctor dressed the wound with the utmost
care, as he always did, whether the patient was a commander or a
coal-heaver from the bunkers.
The sufferer had revived somewhat under the influence of the medicine
administered; and after taking the hand of Captain Rombold, with a
hearty wish for his early recovery, the captain of the Bellevite took
his leave, and went on deck.
He proceeded first to the chair of the wounded lieutenant, reporting to
him the condition of the Confederate commander. Christy was extremely
glad to hear so favorable a report of the condition of the patient, and
so expressed himself in the heartiest terms. "Federal" and "Confederate"
seemed to be words without any meaning at the present time, for all had
become friends. The officers were vying with each other in rendering
kindly offices to the vanquished, and even the seamen were doing what
they could to fraternize with the crew of the Tallahatchie, while both
were engaged in removing the evidences of the hard-fought action.
It was now only nine o'clock in the morning, and six hours had elapsed
since the prize, with the West Wind in tow, had sailed from Mobile
Point on what had proved to be her last voyage in the service of the
Confederacy. Events had succeeded each other with great rapidity, as it
may require a whole volume to report in detail a naval battle begun and
ended in the short space of an hour.
The men were piped to breakfast; and during the meal there was an
interchange of good feeling when it was found that the crew of the
Tallahatchie had only a short supply of coffee and bread, intending to
supply these articles at Nassau. The loyal tars were as magnanimous as
the officers of both ships had proved themselves to be; and they passed
the needed articles over the rails, till they exhausted their own
supply, hungry as they were after six hours of active duty. The
commander discovered what his men were doing; and he ordered the rations
to be doubled, besides sending a quantity of ship bread and coffee on
board of the prize. War had mantled his savage front, and Christianity
was presiding over the conduct of those who had so recently been the
most determined enemies.
There was something forward of the foremast to remind all who approached
of the battle which had been fought. It was a spare sail which covered
the silent and motionless forms of those whose loyalty to their country
had led them through the gates of death to "the undiscovered country,
from whose bourn no traveller returns," but whose fadeless record is
inscribed in the hearts of a grateful nation.
During or after a severe action on board a ship of war, the dead are
usually disposed of with but little or no ceremony, as the exigency of
the hour may require, as had been done on board of the prize. But
Captain Breaker was more considerate, as the conditions permitted him to
be; and the killed had been sewed up in hammocks, properly weighted.
"All hands to bury the dead;" piped the boatswain of the Bellevite, when
breakfast was finished.
By this time the deck had been cleaned up, and dried off under the warm
sun which had dissipated the fog and the morning mists. The bodies of
the slain had been previously placed at the port gangway, covered with
the American flag. The seamen removed their caps, the commander read the
service, and the bodies were committed to the deep. The officers and
seamen witnessed the ceremony with uncovered heads, and in reverent
silence.