Benjamnin F. Butler, Butler's Book: Autobiography and Personal Reminiscences of Major-General Benjamin Butler

I was considerably frightened, because if one of the projectiles should hit either of the corner posts of the tower, it would have undoubtedly come down, and myself with it, faster than would have been agreeable. But this was no time for the general to show the white feather either to the enemy, who knew I was up there, or to my own men. I ordered my signal officer to signal for two batteries of artillery of six ten-pounders each to come into battery at the breastwork to the right of my tower. The order was obeyed with great celerity.

It takes some time to load a Whitworth gun, but before my battery came up it threw another projectile at me, which went too high. Before they could load again, my guns were put in position, and I signaled them to commence firing slowly by number from left to right, and that I would communicate the faults of their aim, for I could see where their shells struck.

I called out, and my signal officer signalled: “Fire slowly by order.” The left gun was then fired. Waiting for the shell to strike I saw the aim was too low.

“Number one fires too low by fifty feet,” I called out. “Number two fire.”

“Number two fires to the left by some yards.”

“Number three, to the right by some yards.”

“Number four, good line shot, but too high.”

“Number five, a good line shot, but too low. Adjust your aim.”

“Number six, good shot, just under the battery.”

“Number seven,” --and so on with the whole twelve.

Meantime the enemy had sent us another shot but that was much too high, the range of the Whitworth gun being some three miles.

“Now, number one.”

“Good shot.”

“Number two, too high.”

“Number three, too low,” --and so on through.

The next shot of the enemy was a little to the left, and not very far off. But our men had got their aim. The order went down: “Carefully, take aim, and fire now as fast as you can along the whole line.”

In five seconds the twelve guns were fired, and twelve ten-pound shells struck all about and in that battery. The order went down “Fire ”