ays asserted
thenceforward that the detachment on board the George Washington had
become rightful prisoners of war, and were justly fired upon when they
tried to escape.

This was at the tune of the first attack on Charleston, and the noise of
this cannonading spread rapidly thither, and brought four regiments to
reinforce Beaufort in a hurry, under the impression that the town was
already taken, and that they must save what remnants they could. General
Saxton, too, had made such capital plans for defending the post that
he could not bear not to have it attacked; so, while the Rebels brought
down a force to keep us from taking the guns off the wreck, I was also
supplied with a section or two of regular artillery, and some additional
infantry, with which to keep them from it; and we tried to "make believe
very hard," and rival the Charleston expedition on our own island.
Indeed, our affair came to about as much,--nearly nothing,--and lasted
decidedly longer; for both sides nibbled away at the guns, by night, for
weeks afterward, though I believe the mud finally got them,--at least,
we did not. We tried in vain to get the use of a steamboat or floating
derrick of any kind; for it needed more mechanical ingenuity than we
possessed to transfer anything so heavy to our small boats by night,
while by day we did not go near the wreck in anything larger than a
"dug-out."

One of these nocturnal visits to the wreck I recall with peculiar gusto,
because it brought back that contest with catarrh and coughing among my
own warriors which had so ludicrously beset me in Florida. It was always
fascinating to be on those forbidden waters by night, stealing out with
muffled oars through the creeks and reeds, our eyes always strained
for other voyagers, our ears listening breathlessly to all the marsh
sounds,--blackflsh splashing, and little wakened reed-birds that fled
wailing away over the dim river, equally safe on either side. But it
always appeared to the watchful senses that we were making noise enough
to be heard at Fort Sumter; and somehow the victims of catarrh seemed
always the most eager for any enterprise requiring peculiar caution.
In this case I thought I had sifted them before-hand; but as soon as we
were afloat, one poor boy near me began to wheeze, and I turned upon
him in exasperation. He saw his danger, and meekly said, "I won't cough,
Gunnel!" and he kept his word. For two mortal hours he sat grasping his
gun, with n