Louisville, Kentucky

HARPER'S WEEKLY.

[OCTOBER 19, 1861.

668

CAPTURE OF THE UNITED STATES GUN-BOAT "FANNY," AT CHICKAMACOMICO, NORTH CAROLINA, BY THREE REBEL TUG-BOATS.

THE HOLOCAUST.

WITHIN our country's sacred fane

Low burns the altar's flickering light, Trembling we watch it slowly wane

That lost, what star shall guide our night ?

Then gather round that holy flame,

And bring your choicest offerings here; What dearest victims can ye name

For such a sacrifice too dear?

Pour forth your blood, pile up your gold—'Tis well, but more than these we need; No nation's life is bought and sold,

Nor saved alone by valorous deed.

Then here your cherished vices bring, Your luxury's degrading ease,

The reckless pride with which ye cling To wealth's most abject vanities;

Your worship of successful fraud, Your want of faith in nobler aims,

Your blind self-seeking, and the broad Ignoring of all loftier claims;

Your partisanship, which beguiles

To faction's aid its clamorous tools,

Your apathy, which feebly smiles

When power is gained by knaves and fools.

Come, offer in our solemn rite

Each sordid vice and low desire;

Rise up in manhood's simple might,

And naught shall quench our altar's fire. L.

THE CAPTURE OF THE TRANSPORT " FANNY."

WE learn from Fortress Monroe of the capture of the Union gun-boat Fanny. She had on board twenty-five of the Indiana soldiers, including the Quarter-master and Sutler, all of whom were taken prisoners. The captain and a portion of the crew

of the Fanny escaped. The capture was effected by three rebel tug-boats, which put out from Roanoke Island.

The master of the Fanny says:

" I left in the steamer Fanny at 6 o'clock A.M. [Oct. 1] for Chickamacomico, or Loggerhead Inlet, arriving there at 1 o'clock P.M. We anchored in about eight feet of water, and waited there 2 hours before we got communication from shore. They then fetched a flat-boat off and loaded her with an assorted cargo, stores, tents, etc. When the boat had shoved off and got about two-thirds of the way on shore we saw a steamboat to westward about 4 o'clock P.M., which proved to be one of the enemy. She was standing to cut off our retreat, and in a short time two more appeared steering directly for us. The first one then stood in and commenced firing upon us, and as soon as the other two came up they did the same. We returned the fire with nine shots, striking one of the boats in the bow. Then Captain Hart of the Twentieth Indiana regiment, suggested that we should surrender, saying that it was no use fighting against such odds, and

requested me to hoist the white flag. The mate of the boat and a few soldiers turned to and threw overboard some thirty cases of ammunition, and Captain Hart forbid them to throw any more overboard. He likewise requested the Sergeant to desist, which he refused to do, saying it would be worse for them if they were taken prisoners.

" Captain Hart then suggested that the chain be slipped and the boat run ashore, which was done. The white flag was then hoisted, and the crew of the boat left in their boats. We endeavored to get boats to carry the soldiers off the Fanny, but could not do so.

" To the best of my opinion they had plenty of time, from our arrival to that of the enemy's boats, to have got every thing on shore from the Fanny, if sufficient boats had been employed in the transportation of the stores, so that we could have destroyed the Fanny before she should have fallen into the hands of the rebels.

"We left there about 6 P.M., and arrived here about 7 A.M. on the 2d instant.

"W. H. MORRISON."

ARRIVAL OF THE FORTY-NINTH OHIO REGIMENT AT LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.—DRAWN BY HENRY MOSLER.—[SEE PAGE 671.]