Frank's First Command.
The next morning, just after quarters, while the officers were getting
ready to go on shore, a boat from the flag-ship came alongside, and the
officer in charge of it was shown into the cabin, as he said he had
business with the captain. Frank, who thought he had accomplished
sufficient to satisfy him to remain on board, sat in the wardroom
reading, when the orderly entered and informed him that the captain
desired his presence in the cabin.
"Mr. Nelson," said he, "here's an order from the admiral, directing me
to furnish you with a cutter and an armed crew, and to send you to the
flag-ship for orders. I am also instructed to appoint an executive to
fill your place during your absence. I expect you will be sent off on
some expedition; so you had better prepare for a long trip."
The officer who brought the order having returned to his vessel, the
captain accompanied Frank on deck, and ordered the second cutter to be
called away and furnished with a crew well armed. In a short time the
boat was ready, and Frank, buckling on his side-arms, took leave of the
captain and started toward the flag-ship, wondering what duty he was now
called upon to perform, and fully determined that whatever orders he
might receive, however dangerous or difficult, should be executed, if
within the bounds of possibility.
When he arrived on board the Blackhawk, an officer, who appeared to be
waiting for him, conducted him into the cabin, where the admiral sat
writing at his desk.
"Good morning, Mr. Nelson," said he; "take a chair, sir."
Frank took the seat pointed out to him, and the admiral, taking from his
desk a bundle of papers, carefully tied up, continued:
"It has always been my habit, Mr. Nelson, not to let a brave or skillful
action pass unrewarded, any more than I would allow a bad one to pass
unpunished. I am now about to give you a much more important, and
perhaps dangerous, commission than has yet been intrusted to you. This
package contains official documents of the greatest importance, and I
want you to go down the river, and deliver it to the commanding naval
officer, whom you will find at Acklen's plantation, opposite the mouth
of Red River. I know there are rebels all along the banks, but whatever
you do, don't allow these letters to fall into their hands. There are
iron weights in the package, and if you should be in danger of capture,
throw it overboard. You will take passage on the army transport that now
lies at the stern of this vessel, all ready to start. I send the cutter
and armed crew with you, for the reason that the rebels may sink the
transport, in which case you can escape in your boat; for those letters
must go through, if possible; perhaps the success of this expedition
depends upon them. The transport, you will find, is in command of a
second-lieutenant. I should feel much safer if I could put one of my own
officers in charge, but, as the boat belongs to the army, I have no
authority in the matter. After you have executed your orders, return, by
first opportunity, to your vessel, and report to me by letter. Now, sir,
you may go, for they are waiting for you. Remember, I say the success or
failure of this entire expedition may depend upon you; and don't forget
that you are the young man that saved the Milwaukee."
Frank bowed himself out of the cabin, sprang into the cutter, and
started toward the transport that lay alongside of the bank, a short
distance below the flag-ship. As he stepped on board, he was met by a
flashy-looking young lieutenant, dressed in a brand-new uniform, who
greeted him with the inquiry:
"Are you ready at last? I have been waiting an hour for you. Business is
business, you know, and when I command a ship, I don't like to be
detained."
The lieutenant said this, probably, to impress upon Frank's mind the
important fact that he was the captain of the steamer, and must be
respected and obeyed accordingly. Frank, who knew that he was not
subject to the orders of the lieutenant only so far as the safety of the
vessel was concerned, replied that he had come as soon as he could after
he had received his orders, and turning to his men, directed part of
them to make the cutter fast to the stern of the steamer, and the others
to carry their arms to the boiler-deck, where they could be readily
seized in case of emergency. The transport was a small side-wheel boat
belonging to the quarter-master's department. The deck-hands were all
soldiers--perhaps half a dozen of them in all--the only steamboatmen on
board being one pilot, four engineers, and as many firemen. The steamer
was armed with two howitzers, mounted on the boiler-deck, and the
muskets of the soldiers were stacked in the cabin. The boilers were
protected by bales of cotton, which were piled on the guards, and the
pilot-house was defended in the same manner. A few bales were also
placed on the boiler-deck to serve as a breastwork. The whole was under
the command of the lieutenant, who, judging by the orders he issued,
knew nothing whatever of the management of a boat.
Frank had been on board but a few moments, when the engineer's bell
rang, to inform the pilot that all was ready for the start. The boat was
made fast by a single line, which ran from the forecastle to a tree on
the bank, and the gang-plank was out. The lieutenant's first order was,
"Haul in that plank." The soldiers obeyed, and then came the command for
"somebody to run out there and untie that line."
One of the soldiers sprang ashore and began trying to cast off the line,
which was drawn as taut as a four-mile current could make it. He worked
for several moments, but, of course without success (for the line should
first have been slackened up on board), and then called out:
"Loosen up that other end, there!"
"No, no!" replied the lieutenant, "that would allow the boat to swing
away from the bank, and then how would you get on board? It must be
untied from that tree first."
What difference it could possibly make in regard to the boat's swinging
away from the bank, whether the line was first slackened up on shore or
on board, Frank could not determine.
He was astonished at the lieutenant's ignorance, and amused at his novel
mode of casting off a line, while the sailors, who had gathered in a
group on the forecastle, watched the operation with a smile, wondering
how the affair would end, as they knew that the line could not be
"untied" from the tree unless first slackened up on board. But the
lieutenant seemed to have his own idea of the manner in which it ought
to be accomplished, and was constantly ordering the man to "Hurry up,
there!" The soldiers worked and pulled, but all to no purpose, and the
lieutenant, becoming impatient, ordered two more of the men to his
assistance. But the knot, which had been awkwardly made, was jammed, and
resisted their utmost efforts.
"I never did see such a clumsy set of fellows," said the lieutenant, at
length, turning to Frank, who stood beside him, making use of his
handkerchief to conceal his laughter. "We ought to have been two miles
down the river by this time."
It was evident that he was fast becoming disgusted with his first
attempt at "steamboating," but was too proud to ask advice. At length he
turned and walked into the cabin, muttering, "I guess they will get it
untied before night." But Frank was unwilling to wait so long. The delay
was entirely unnecessary, and he had begun to get impatient.
"Men," said he, addressing himself to the cutter's crew, who were
convulsed with laughter, "some of you run out that gang-plank, and
another slack up that line."
These orders were promptly obeyed, and the difficulty was easily
overcome.
"All gone, sir," shouted Frank to the pilot, meaning that the line was
cast off, and in a few moments the transport swung off from the bank,
and was plowing her way down the river. Frank leaned over the railing,
and wondered how a man so utterly ignorant of the management of a
steamer, as was the lieutenant, came to be put in command, and at a
time, too, when they might be placed in situations that would call into
requisition all the skill and judgment of experienced men. He did not at
all like the appearance of the young commander, for he was of the type
of officers known as "upstarts," who like to show their authority, but
are without the ability to successfully fill even the post of corporal.
What if the transport should be fired upon and disabled? It was evident
that in such an emergency nothing could be expected of a man who could
not cast off a line. Frank's commission was too important to be
intrusted to the care of such a man, and the young officer felt that he
would much rather step into the cutter, and trust to the skill and
courage of his twelve sailors, than to remain on board the transport.
Calling the coxswain on deck, he directed that if they were attacked,
the cutter should be kept ready for instant use, and in case the vessel
was disabled, they would attempt to finish their journey in her. After
giving these orders, Frank went up into the pilot-house, where he found
the man at the wheel in no enviable state of mind.
"I'm glad to see you," said he, as Frank entered, "for I want to talk to
you. I'm not at all pleased with the looks of our skipper," he went on
to say, "and how he came to be placed in command is a mystery to me.
Perhaps the quarter-master thinks, like a good many men who see the
Mississippi River for the first time, that any body can take charge of a
steamboat; but suppose we should run aground--what does that lieutenant
know about sparring off? or what if something about the engine should
let down? why, we might go forty miles down the river before he could
get us tied up to the bank. Besides, if we are fired upon, he'll
surrender. Now, mark my words, he'll surrender before he will fight, and
I'm opposed to that, for I was a prisoner once."
"So was I," said Frank, "and I don't mean to fall into the rebels' hands
again, if I can help it. I'll never be surrendered. That lieutenant may
not fight, but I think his men will, and I have twelve good fellows, all
well armed, on whom I know I can depend."
"Then I feel better," said the pilot. "That's talk I like to hear; for
if we are not disabled, we'll go through all right. There goes the bell!
Go down and get your dinner."
Frank deposited his weapons on a bench in the pilot-house and ran down
into the cabin, where he found the lieutenant and two engineers seated
at the table. The former seemed to have forgotten his failure of the
morning, for he talked a good deal in a condescending manner, as if
addressing his inferiors; and to Frank's inquiry if he expected trouble
from the rebels, replied that he had not given the matter a moment's
thought; that if they did attack the vessel, it would not be the first
time he had smelt powder, and if the engineers and pilot could be
depended upon, he had no fears but that he should be able to take the
boat safely through. Frank replied that he trusted the officers would
not be found wanting in courage; and when he had finished his meal, he
went on deck again, and surprised the pilot, by offering to relieve him
while he went down to his dinner. In his spare moments Frank, who wisely
regarded it as the duty of every officer to acquaint himself with every
part of the management of a vessel, had learned to handle the wheel, and
he was an excellent steersman. He could make a landing or get a boat
under way, as well as the most experienced pilot; and in the present
instance he was fully capable of steering the boat, for as the water in
the river was high, there was no danger of getting out of the channel.
The pilot gave him his place, and after watching the movements of the
young officer, who handled the wheel with all the confidence of an old
river man, he went below to his dinner, satisfied that he had left the
boat in safe hands. Frank remained at the wheel most of the afternoon,
for the pilot, who would be on watch all night, had gone to bed to
obtain a few hours' rest. About four o'clock, however, he made his
appearance, and Frank went down into the cabin, and was engaged in
reading a newspaper, when he heard the pilot shout through the trumpet
to the engineers:
"Here they are! Now, push her ahead strong. There's a battery just
below."
At the same moment there was a rush of feet on deck, and the lieutenant
entered the cabin pale and breathless.
"We're captured," said he, in a faint voice. "We're surrounded. The bank
is black with rebels--ten thousand of them at least! It's no use to
think of fighting."
As he ceased speaking, he ran on deck again, followed by Frank, who
found his men drawn up behind the cotton-bales, with their weapons in
their hands, waiting for orders. The soldiers had cast loose the
howitzers, and stood at their posts. The lieutenant stopped a moment,
just long enough to say, "Boys, we're all captured!" and then ran into
the pilot-house. As Frank stood talking to his men, and encouraging them
with the famous words that never fail to nerve an American
seaman--"Don't give up the ship!"--a rebel rode out on the bank, in full
view of the steamer, and shouted:
"Come ashore here, or we'll sink you."
Frank looked toward the pilot-house, where the lieutenant had taken
refuge, and waited to hear his answer. To his surprise and horror, he
saw a hand extended waving a white handkerchief, and the coxswain
exclaimed:
"Mr. Nelson, he's surrendering us, sir!"
With one bound Frank sprang up the steps that led to the pilot-house,
caught the handkerchief and threw it overboard; and at the same moment
the lieutenant was seized from behind and thrown to the deck. He
instantly recovered his feet, and turning fiercely upon Frank and the
pilot, exclaimed:
"What are you about? Do you know that you have rendered yourselves
liable to a court-martial? I'm commander of this vessel, and I'll shoot
the first man that resists my authority!"
"You shall never surrender us," said Frank, firmly, not the least
intimidated by the other's threat. "If you will give orders for your men
to prepare for action, no one will oppose you. We'll stick to you as
long as a plank of this vessel remains above water."
"I know my own business," replied the lieutenant. "Resistance is
useless. We never could get by that battery, and I'm going to surrender
to save our lives. Turn her toward the shore, pilot!"
As he spoke, he walked out on deck, and calling out to the rebel, who
had continued to follow the vessel:
"I'll surrender! Pilot, I tell you to turn her in toward the shore."
The pilot gave a glance at Frank, and reading in his face a firm
determination to go through if possible, held the boat's head down the
stream, while a murmur of indignation arose from the men on the lower
deck, and the coxswain said, turning to his companions:
"Sink my tarry wig, if that ar' chap ain't going to give us up without
our having the least bit of a fight."
Frank stood for a moment irresolute. Ought he to oppose the lieutenant,
the lawful commander of the vessel? Was it his duty to stand by and
allow himself and his men to be surrendered without even a show of
resistance? And his dispatches, the importance of which the admiral had
stated in such emphatic language, should he throw them overboard,
instead of delivering them, as he had hoped to do, to the officer to
whom they were addressed? No! Sooner than do that, he would put the
cowardly lieutenant under arrest, and give the command to the pilot, a
man whom he knew understood his business, and would not think of
surrender until it had been clearly proved that successful resistance
was entirely out of the question.
While these thoughts were passing through Frank's mind, the boat, under
an increased head of steam, had been rapidly nearing the battery, which
could be distinctly seen about half a mile below, planted on the bank of
the river.
"Come ashore, if you surrender," shouted the rebel.
"Pilot," said the lieutenant, in a weak voice, "I order you"--
He never finished that order, for Frank seized him, and pulling him into
the pilot-house, closed the door. He made an attempt to draw a revolver,
but the pilot threw him to the deck, when Frank wrested the weapon from
him and retained it in his possession.
"All ready forward there?" he shouted to the men on the boiler-deck.
"Ay, ay, sir," answered the coxswain. "Mr. Nelson's in command," he
added, turning to his companions. "Douse my to'-gallant top-lights but
we'll have a skirmish now sure."
"Do you surrender?" shouted the man on the bank.
The reply he received was a shot from the pilot's revolver, which made
him beat a hasty retreat. He had scarcely disappeared when a cloud of
men arose from behind the levee, and a volley of bullets rattled into
the boat. It was answered by a shout of defiance from the men behind the
cotton-bales; but the pilot, who stood just in front of Frank, staggered
for a moment, and sank heavily to the deck. Frank was horrified. With
that man at the wheel, he had entertained no fears of their ability to
run by the battery; but now that he was left alone, with the duties of
both commander and pilot devolving upon him, his hopes fell again. But
he could not remain long inactive, for the boat, being without a guide,
began to swing toward the shore. Hastily seizing the wheel, he turned
her head down the river again, when the battery opened upon them, and a
storm of shells plunged into the water and whistled through the air
about the boat. Only one struck her, and that passed through one of the
smoke-stacks, and bursting, demolished part of the roof of the
pilothouse. Then, as fast as the guns could be loaded, the battery
played upon the transport, and Frank heard the shells crashing through
the cabin and exploding in the air above him. But he stood bravely at
his post, his only fears being of his inability to turn the point on
which the battery was planted, or that one of the shells might penetrate
the cotton-bales and strike the boilers or some part of the machinery.
But as he neared the battery, he discovered that the boat was struck
less frequently; that the rebels, in their excitement, were firing
wildly. His own men, cool and collected, encouraged by the example of
their officer, had not yet fired a shot; but when the boat arrived
opposite the battery, they opened upon it with the howitzers and small
arms with terrible effect. The point, which extended into the bend where
the battery stood, was long and sharp, a bad place for one unaccustomed
to handling a boat; but Frank passed it in safety, under a full head of
steam, and cheers of triumph arose from his men, which the rebels
answered with yells of rage, and continued to follow the transport,
sending bullets and shells after her as fast as they could reload. But
they were speedily left behind, and their yells died away in the
distance.
Frank's dispatches were safe.