hero tales from american history-第26章
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n it cleared away； the watchers on the fleet saw that one of the two which were uninjured had slipped off to Fort Morgan； while the other； the Selma； was under the guns of the Metacomet； and was promptly carried by the latter。
Meanwhile the ships anchored in the bay； about four miles from Fort Morgan； and the crews were piped to breakfast； but almost as soon as it was begun； the lookouts reported that the great Confederate ironclad was steaming down； to do battle； single…handed； with the Union fleet。 She was commanded by Buchanan； a very gallant and able officer； who had been on the Merrimac； and who trusted implicitly in his invulnerable sides； his heavy rifle guns； and his formidable iron beak。 As the ram came on； with splendid courage； the ships got under way； while Farragut sent word to the monitors to attack the Tennessee at once。 The fleet surgeon； Palmer； delivered these orders。 In his diary he writes：
〃I came to the Chickasaw； happy as my friend Perkins habitually is； I thought he would turn a somerset with joy； when I told him； 'The admiral wants you to go at once and fight the Tennessee。'〃
At the same time； the admiral directed the wooden vessels to charge the ram； bow on； at full speed； as well as to attack her with their guns。 The monitors were very slow； and the wooden vessels began the attack。 The first to reach the hostile ironclad was the Monongahela； which struck her square amidships； and five minutes later the Lackawanna； going at full speed； delivered another heavy blow。 Both the Union vessels fired such guns as would bear as they swung round； but the shots glanced harmlessly from the armor； and the blows of the ship produced no serious injury to the ram； although their own stems were crushed in several feet above and below the water line。 The Hartford then struck the Tennessee； which met her bows on。 The two antagonists scraped by； their port sides touching。 As they rasped past； the Hartford's guns were discharged against the ram； their muzzles only half a dozen feet distant from her iron…clad sides； but the shot made no impression。 While the three ships were circling to repeat the charge； the Lackawanna ran square into the flagship； cutting the vessel down to within two feet of the water。 For a moment the ship's company thought the vessel sinking； and almost as one man they cried： 〃Save the admiral！ get the admiral on board the Lackawanna。〃 But Farragut； leaping actively into the chains； saw that the ship was in no present danger； and ordered her again to be headed for the Tennessee。 Meanwhile； the monitors had come up； and the battle raged between them and the great ram； Like the rest of the Union fleet； they carried smooth…bores； and their shot could not break through her iron plates； but by sustained and continuous hammering； her frame could be jarred and her timbers displaced。 Two of the monitors had been more or less disabled already； but the third； the Chickasaw； was in fine trim； and Perkins got her into position under the stern of the Tennessee； just after the latter was struck by the Hartford； and there he stuck to the end； never over fifty yards distant； and keeping up a steady rapping of 11…inch shot upon the iron walls； which they could not penetrate； but which they racked and shattered。 The Chickasaw fired fifty…two times at her antagonist； shooting away the exposed rudder…chains and the smokestack； while the commander of the ram； Buchanan； was wounded by an iron splinter which broke his leg。 Under the hammering； the Tennessee became helpless。 She could not be steered； and was unable to bring a gun to bear； while many of the shutters of the ports were jammed。 For twenty minutes she had not fired a shot。 The wooden vessels were again bearing down to ram her； and she hoisted the white flag。
Thus ended the battle of Mobile Bay； Farragut's crowning victory。 Less than three hours elapsed from the time that Fort Morgan fired its first gun to the moment when the Tennessee hauled down her flag。 Three hundred and thirty…five men had been killed or wounded in the fleet； and one vessel； the Tecumseh； had gone down； but the Confederate flotilla was destroyed； the bay had been entered； and the forts around it were helpless to do anything further。 One by one they surrendered； and the port of Mobile was thus sealed against blockade runners； so that the last source of communication between the Confederacy and the outside world was destroyed。 Farragut had added to the annals of the Union the page which tells of the greatest sea…fight in our history。
LINCOLN
O captain。 My captain。 Our fearful trip is done； The ship has weathered every rack； the prize we sought is won； The port is near； the bells I hear； the people all exulting； While follow eyes the steady keel； the vessel grim and daring： But O heart！ Heart！ Heart！ Leave you not the little spot； Where on the deck my captain lies； Fallen cold and dead。
O captain。 My captain。 Rise up and hear the bells； Rise upfor you the flag is flungfor you the bugle trills； For you bouquets and ribbon'd wreathsfor you the shores a…crowding； For you they call； the swaying mass； their eager faces turning； O captain。 Dear father。 This arm I push beneath you； It is some dream that on the deck； You've fallen cold and dead。
My captain does not answer； his lips are pale and still； My father does not feel my arm； he has no pulse nor win： But the ship； the ship is anchor'd safe； its voyage closed and done； From fearful trip； the victor ship； comes in with object won： Exult O shores； and ring； O bells。 But I with silent tread； Walk the spot the captain lies； Fallen cold and dead。 Walt Whitman。
LINCOLN
As Washington stands to the Revolution and the establishment of the government； so Lincoln stands as the hero of the mightier struggle by which our Union was saved。 He was born in 1809； ten years after Washington； his work done had been laid to rest at Mount Vernon。 No great man ever came from beginnings which seemed to promise so little。 Lincoln's family； for more than one generation； had been sinking； instead of rising； in the social scale。 His father was one of those men who were found on the frontier in the early days of the western movement； always changing from one place to another； and dropping a little lower at each remove。 Abraham Lincoln was born into a family who were not only poor； but shiftless； and his early days were days of ignorance； and poverty； and hard work。 Out of such inauspicious surroundings； he slowly and painfully lifted himself。 He gave himself an education； he took part in an Indian war； he worked in the fields； he kept a country store； he read and studied； and； at last； he became a lawyer。 Then he entered into the rough politics of the newly…settled State。 He grew to be a leader in his county； and went to the legislature。 The road was very rough； the struggle was very hard and very bitter； but the movement was always upward。
At last he was elected to Congress； and served one term in Washington as a Whig with credit； but without distinction。 Then he went back to his law and his politics in Illinois。 He had； at last； made his position。 All that was now needed was an opportunity； and that came to him in the great anti…slavery struggle。
Lincoln was not an early Abolitionist。 His training had been that of a regular party man； and as a member of a great political organization； but he was a lover of freedom and justice。 Slavery； in its essence； was hateful to him； and when the conflict between slavery and freedom was fairly joined； his path was clear before him。 He took up the antislavery cause in his own State and made himself its champion against Douglas； the great leader of the Northern Democrats。 He stumped Illinois in opposition to Douglas； as a candidate for the Senate； debating the question which divided the country in every part of the State。 He was beaten at the election； but； by the power and brilliancy of his speeches； his own reputation was made。 Fighting the anti…slavery battle within constitutional lines； concentrating his whole force against the single point of the extension of slavery to the Territories； he had made it clear that a new leader had arisen in the cause of freedom。 From Illinois his reputation spread to the East； and soon after his great debate he delivered a speech in New York which attracted wide attention。 At the Republican convention of 1856； his name was one of those proposed for vice…president。
When 1860 came； he was a candidate for the first place on the national ticket。 The leading candidate was William H。 Seward； of New York； the most conspicuous man of the country on the Republican side； but the convention； after a sharp struggle； selected Lincoln； and then the great political battle came at the polls。 The Republicans were victorious； and； as soon as the result of the voting was known； the South set to work to dissolve the Union。 In February Lincoln made his way to Washington； at the end coming secretly from Harrisburg to escape a threatened attempt at assassination； and on March 4； 1861 assumed the presidency。
No public man； no great popular leader； ever faced a more terrible situation。 The Union was breaking； the Southern States were seceding； treason was rampant in Washington； and the Government was bankrupt。 The country knew that Lincoln was a man of great capacity in debate； devoted to the cause of antislavery and to the maintenance of the Union。 But what his ability was to deal with the awful conditions by which he was surrounded； no one knew。 To follow him through the four years of civil war which ensued is； of course； impossible here。 Suffice it to say that no greater； no more difficult； task has ever been faced by any man in modern times； and no one ever met a fierce trial and conflict more successfully。
Lincoln put to the front the question of the Union； and let the question of slavery drop； at first； into the background。 He used every exertion to hold the border States by moderate measures； and； in this way； prevented the spread of the rebellion。 For this moderation； the antislavery extremists in the North assailed him； but nothing shows more his far…sighted wisdom and strength of purpose than his action at this time。 By his policy at the beginning of his administration； he held the border States； and united the people of the North in defense of the Union。
As the war went on； he went on； too。 He had never faltered in his feelings about slavery。 He knew； better than any one； that the successful dissolution of the Union by the slave power meant； not only the destruction of an empire； but the victory of the forces of barbarism。 But he also saw； what very few others at the moment could see； that； if he was to win； he must carry his people with him； step by step。 So when he had rallied them to the defense of the Union； and checked the spread of secession in the border States； in the autumn of 1862 he announced that he would issue a proclamation freeing the slaves。 The extremists had doubted him in the beginning； the con servative and the timid doubted him now； but when the Emancipation Proclamation was issued； on January 1； 1863； it was found that the people were with him in that； as they had been with him when he staked everything upon the maintenance of the Union。 The war w
