irely were they chased from their posts, that a Federal soldier
went into the fort and brought off a Confederate flag without ever
having been seen by the garrison. All the troops were landed; but
for some reason the attack was deferred, much to the disgust of the
officers of the fleet, who felt sure that the fort could be taken then
by a dash. But the troops returned to their transports or went into
camp, and it was not until weeks after that the assault was fairly
made. In the mean time, the ships rode out the winter gales at their
anchors, doing a little desultory firing to keep the garrison in a
state of unrest.

On the 14th of January the heavy bombardment began again, and again
the troops were landed. By night it was seen that every gun on the
face of the fort was disabled, and it was decided to storm the works
the next day. Sixteen hundred sailors and four hundred marines were
told off as the storming-party.

Early in the morning the ships began a fierce cannonade, under cover
of which the sailors and marines landed, and threw up light
breastworks to cover them until the time should be ripe for the
charge. The arrangements contemplated a fierce charge by the
blue-jackets, armed with their cutlasses and revolvers; while the
marines, remaining in the rifle-pits, should cover the advancing party
with a hot fire of musketry. The soldiers from the army-camp were to
charge the fort on the other side.

At three o'clock came the signal that all was ready. The whistles of
the ships rent the air; and the blue-jackets, with ringing cheers,
dashed in a compact body up the beach. But in an instant the
Confederate ramparts were black with men, and a furious fire of
musketry rained down upon the sailors, who were helpless. The marines
in the rifle-pits failed to do what was expected of them, and the
sailors halted for a moment in surprise.

As they stood, a most destructive fire rained down upon them; and the
poor fellows, grasping their useless cutlasses, turned and fled down
the beach, leaving great heaps of dead and wounded behind. Then the
Confederates, thinking the day was theirs, sprang on the ramparts, and
began a vigorous cheer just as the Union soldiers came pouring over
the landward face of the fort. Then ensued a fierce hand-to-hand fight
that lasted for hours. The blue-jackets, encouraged, rushed back to
the fight, and now at close quarters swung their cutlasses with deadly
effect, until step by step the Confed