The Sun.
London, England, 1864-10-01 00:00:00

lift. The Hartford was the third vessel which struck
her, but, as the Tennessee quickly shifted her helm,
the blow was a glancing one, and as she rasped along
our side we poured our whole broadside of 9-inch
solid shot within 10ft of her casement. The monitors
worked slowly, but delivered their fire as opportu-
nity offered. :The Chickasaw succeeded in getting
under her stern, and a 15-in. shot from the Man-
hattan broke through her iron plating and heavy
wooden backing, though the missile itself did not
enter the vessel. Immediately after the collision
with the flagship I directed Capt. Drayton to bear
down for the ram again. He was doing so at full
speed, when, unfortunately the Lackawanna ran
into the Hartford just forward of the mizenmast,
cutting her down to within two feet of the water's
edge. We soon got clear again, however, and were
fast approaching our adversary when she struck
her colours and ran up the white flag. She was
at this time sore beset; the Chickasaw was pounding
away at her stern, the Ossipee was approaching
her at full speed, and the Monongahela, Lackawanna,
and this ship were bearing down upon her, deter-
mined upon her destruction. Her smoke-stack had
been shot away, her steering chains were gone, com■
pelling a resort to her relieving tackles, and several
of the port shutters were jammed. Indeed, from the

time the Hartford struck her until her surrender she
never fired a gun. As the Ossipee, Commander Le
Roy, was about to strike her, she hoisted the white
flag, and that vessel immediately stopped her engine,
though not in time to avoid a glancing blow. During
the contest with the rebel gunboats and the ram Ten-
nessee, and which terminated by her surrender at 10
o'clock, we lost many more men than from the fire of
the batteries of Fort Morgan. Admiral Buchanan was
wounded in the leg, two or three of his men were
killed, and five or six wounded. Commander John-
ston, formerly of the United States Navy, was in
command of the Tennessee, and came on board the
flagship to surrender his sword and that of Admiral
Buchanan. The surgeon, Dr Conrad, came with him,
stated the condition of the Admiral, and wished to
know what was to be done with him. Fleet Surgeon
Palmer, who was on board the Hartford during the
action, commiserating the suffering of the wounded,
suggested that those of both sides be sent to Pensa-
cola, where they could be properly cared for. I
therefore addressed a note to Brigadier-General R.
L. Page, commanding Fort Morgan, informing him
that Admiral Buchanan and others of the Tennessee
had been wounded, and desiring to know whether
he would permit one of our vessels, under a lag of
truce, to convey them with or without our men
wounded to Pensacola, on the understanding that
the vessel should take out none but the wounded,
and bring nothing back that she did not take out.
This was acceded to by General Page, and the
Metacomet proceeded on this mission of humanity.
As I had an elevated position on the main rig-
ging near the top, I was able to overlook not only
the deck of the Hartford, but the other vessels of
the fleet. I witnessed the terrible effect of the
enemy's shot and the good conduct of the men at
their guns; and although, no doubt, their hearts
sickened, as mine did, when their shipmates were
struck down beside them, yet there was not a mo-
ment's hesitation to lay their comrades aside and
spring again to their deadly work. Our little con-
sort, the Metacomet, was also under my immediate
eye daring the whole action up to the moment I
ordered her to cast off iu pursuit of the Selma. The
coolness and promptness of Lieutenant-Commander
Jouett throughout merit high praise; his whole
conduct was worthy of his reputation, In this con-
nection I must not omit to call the attention of the
department to the conduct of Acting Ensign Henry
C. Nields, of the Metacomet, who had charge of the
boat sent from that vessel when the Tecumseh sunk.
He took her in under one of the most galling fires
I ever saw, and succeeded in rescuing from death
ten of her crew within 600 yards of the fort. I
would respectfully recommend his advancement.
The commanding efficers of all the vessels who took
part in the action deserve, my warmest commenda•
tions, nut only for the untiring zeal with which
they had prepared their ships for the contest, but
for their skill and daring is carrying out my orders
during the engagement. With the exception of tht,
momentary arrest of the fleet when the Hartford
passed ahead, and to which I have already adverted,
the order of battle was preserved, and the ships

followed each other in close order past the batteries
of Fort Morgan, and in comparative safety, too,
with the exception of the Oneida. Her boilers
were penetrated by a shot from the fort, which com-
pletely disabled her, but her consort, the Galena,
firmly fastened to her side, brought her safely

through, showing clearly the wi9clutn of the precau-
tion of carrying the vessels in two abreast. Como
mander Mullany, who had solicited to take part in
the action, was severely wounded, losing his left
arm. In the encounter with the ram the command-

ing officers obeyed with alacrity the order to run
her down, and without hesitation exposed their
ships to destruction to destroy the enemy. Our iron-
clads, rrom weir stow speed and bad sailing, had
some difficulty in getting into and maintaining
their position in line as we pissed the fort, and in
the subsequent encounter with the Tennessee, from

the same causes, were not so effective as could have
been desired ; but I cannot give too much praise
to Lieut-Commander Perkins, who, though he had
orders from the department to return North, vo-
lunteered to take the command of the Chickasaw,
and did his duty nobly. The Winnebago was
commanded by Commander T. H. Stevens, who
volunteered for that position. His vessel steers
very badly, and neither of his turrets will work,
which compelled him to turn his vessel every time
to get a shot, so that he could not fire very often,
but ho did the best under the circumstances: The

Manhattan appeared to work well, though ahe

appeared to move slowly. Commander Nichol-
son delivered his fire deliberately, and, as before
stated, with ono of his 15-inch shot broke through
the armour of the Tennessee, with its wooden back-
ing, though the shot itself did not enter Ihe vessel.
No other shot broke through her armour, though
many of her plates were started and several of her
port.shutters jammed by the fire from the different
ships. The Hartford, my flag-ship, was commanded
by Capt. Percival Drayton, who exhibited throghs
out that coolness and ability for which he has been
long known to his brother officers. But I must
speak of that officer in a double capacity, He
is the fleet captain of my squadron, and one of
more determined energy, untiring devotion
to duty and zeal for the service, tem-
pered by great CI 1m nese, I do not think adorns any
navy. I desire to call your attention to this officer,
though well aware that in thus speaking of his
high qualities I am only communicating officially
to the department that which it knew full well be.
fore. To him, and to my staff in their respective
positions, I am indebted for the detail of my fleet
Lieut. J, C. Watson, my flag.lieutenant, has been
brought to your notice in former despatches. Dur-
ing the action he was in the poop attending to the
signals, and performed his duties as might be ex-
pected—thoroughly. Ho is a scion worthy the
noble stock he sprang from, and I commend him to
your attention. My Secretary, Mr M'Kinley, and
Acting Ensign E. H. Brownell, were also on the
poop, the latter taking notes of the action, a duty
which he performed with coolness and accuracy.
Two other acting ensigns of my staff (Mr Bogart
and Mr Heginbotham) were on duty in the powder
division, and, as the reports will show, exhibited
zeal and ability. The latter, I regret to say, was
severely wounded by a raking shot from the Tens
ne.ssee when we collided with that vessel, and died
a few hours after. Mr Heginbotham was a young
married man, and has left a widow and ono child,
whom I commend to the kindness of the department.
Lieut. A. R. Yatee, of the Augusta, acted as an
addi:ional aid to me on board the Hartford, and was
very efficient in the transmission of orders. The
last of my staff, and to whom I would call the notice
is not the least in importance.
lor natehaendPeptmilaortens
Martint Freeman. He has been my
great reliance in all difficulties in his line of duty.
During the action he was in the maintop, piloting
the ships into the bay. Ha was cool and brave
throughout, never losing his self-possession. This
man was captured early in the war in a fino fishing
smack which he own( d,:and though he protested t hat
he had no interest in the war, and only asked for the
privilege of fishing for the fleet, yet his services were
too valuable to the captors as a pilot
not ;to be