New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-09-07
THE WAR.
THE COMMANDMENT OF SWEaBoR
ADMIRAL. puNnAs's REPORr.
ON ,o,Ir rrxt or wrltNeros, strOks sws.s9Ss

Ssi lcr|ships that durng the past year, ana IN be
cours OF the as FIVE months the enemy has been nc
hvel, eaplo, e In streustheuiug the defeuses of the
place and IN conY letting Tho scs deens.s, by tc'InS
ksttesie~ every advantageous position aud CON.
nsacug every practicable spproach TO he haFoor %
THE intricate navigation.
Ehss therefore, formed no par. of my plan TO a.
tempt general attack by the shite on TIE de'else
and the ore a;iops contemplated by the rear-a lih
and myself were limited 70 such des.fuchou OF tne
festr,ss and arsenal could be accomplished by meaos
Of n,oriars- . ,
Ia lie coarse Of the nj. hit Of the 18th, Rear Admiral
Pensud had couincrccd The establishment OF me- 3at
The sotvc Grran. Cments could not be conpe;ei be-
fore the morning Of BE 9th inst.
During tie whole of the previous day me royal
standspi of Russia tyug upon the citadel OF u is
tavsV afu, but not afterward observed.
The Gu, of or< own opera IONS bclng Deepen i
ent eItrly the state of the weather aud the ra-
pidny wih which shells could be thrown, no iimc vas
lost ia t, ing the ranges of the norars which proved
10 be accurate, and general firing com nenced soon
after O'Clock. The gun boats having been Previ'
eusiy armed with additional guns of heavy cahoer
removed tenn orsrly from shiI of The lire; ano the
Stork and Snapper guu-bosts being armed with Lam
easter suns availed myself of the experience OF Capt
Hulet 10 direct the fire of the TWO later vesses 70 me
greatest advantage and bis ateption was speedily d
rcctsd 20 u thres de cked ship o. the line mooei to
block the passage between G1stavesvan ana BaK-
holmen.
Commander Preedy of the ship bearing my flag wa
dir, ced TO take the Sterling and fc~r other quo boats
under his orders 10 msneuver them, ard attack the
batteries in ont OF the mortar vessels 10 sGrG the "es
extremity of the line. The remainder were alstrlo
uieo in a siinsr manner TO stations assigned th' IN
with orders engage the batteries and protect the
mortar-vessels under the general direction OF Capt
RamJsay assisted by Caps. Glasse, Nansittart, and
Stewart
On the evening of the sth inst. Capt. Key, in H. Ms.
An, hion, WAS ordered TO cooperate with the Corn
wallis sDd Hastings, and TO take any proper oproun,
y to engage the enemy at the east end of the Island
OF Sandman. Capt. Yelverton OF ii VI. Arrogant
dispatched 10 The westward, with he tosstck aud
Cruiser under Is orcers, and was directed TO occupy
the attention of troops ~hich were observed to be
posted OF the Island of Drumeco, aod 10 wa'ch the
movements Of small vessels which had been nohced
occasionally IN creeks iu that direction.
Early in the DAY observed that the detach squad
yors from both directors had opened fire upon the
enemy, and that the ection was general upon ali
points.
rapid fire of sbo. and shen was kept up from the
FORTRESS for the frat few hours upon the gun boats and
the range Of the Heavy batteries extended completely
beyond the moItaryessels, but the coatnued motion
Of the IN. boae, and the able manner IN which they
we've conducted by the officers who commanded them,
eDsbed them 20 return the fire with great spnlt, and
almost impug y, throus chou, the day.
About 10 o'clock IN the forenoon fires began 10 Oe
6st obsel we'd in the different buildings, and heavy
explosion occurred about the Island OF Gus
ta9sv arm, infctDg much damage upon the deeuses of
the enemy, and tending greatly to sa;ken the hre oil
the enemys guns in tna, direction. ,,o
The adv autaae of the lidiiy Of The fire fOn Tue
mortars that had been directed gas apparent IN The
continued fresh cpnhagra.ions which spre sd exteu'
sive on the leland vargon.
The intricate a,ure of the reefs on which The gun
boats had occasionally grounded compelled me also 10
recall them before su1se and the fire OF the enemy
slack at the boats of the fleet, aud then ordered
TO be assembled with rocket before dark, and under
the direction OF Capt. Caldwell in commani of the
ship bearing my fag. Thy maintained continual
fire tor upward Of three ho1rs, which was attended
with considerable success Causing fresh fires and add
ing much TO the general conhegratio1.
At day hch, on the mo ming Of The lOeh inst The po
ffOU 0fS of mort af-V0
vaDctd within easier ranges and the gun boats we're
agsin directed to engage
The three decked ship which had been moored by
The enemy TO block and defend the channel between
Gustafsvard and Holnen had been withdrawn TO
more secure position, but the fire from the batteries
was increased, ar the engagement was renewed with
activity both SIDES fires csnloued to burn without
interruption within the fortress, and about noon
column of smoke heavier and darker than any which
had yet been observed, and succeeded by bright
hoes gave signs that the shells had reached co nbus
tible materials in the direction of the arsenal IN the
exsos situation which a. first concealed from our
view, but the flames continuing to spread 1t was soon
evdeat that they extended beyond the slani of Var
Son, AID that many buildings IN the island OF Spario
were alsssry in progress of obstruction.
BY the iudclous management Of the officers OF ar
aery STEADY fire kept up during the whole of the
Saaowipg Rght. The rocket6oats in the evening
we've a. ain assemb ed when the gun-b were re-
called and proceeding successfully in separate dIvl
sioos, the frs cnder the direction OF Capt. Seymour
Of the PembT oke, made excellent practice at toe dis
der the direction o. Capt Caldwell, at later period
of the night succeedd also in adding TO the fires al
ready burning but the glare of the flames exposDg the
boats 10 the view of the enemy they msintaned their
ground under smart 6ref bursting shells with steady
gaAsntry.
Considering the extent o. injury which had now
been inflicted upon the enemy, and rejecting that few
buildings of importance remained 10 be destroyed IN
the Island of Vsrgon, and that those still standing
mon Swato were al the extra extent of our range
and in Iositious where no shells lad reached them
il was opinion that no pfopatonate Advantage
was TO be gained by continuing the hfe during aro-
ther day.
1 accordingly dispatched Csptsin Seymour, of III.
H. s. Pembroke, 10 communicate with Rear tdmiral
PeDaud and with the cordially and really eopcord
have inv Div ced iron that officer arrsng-
ments were Immediately concerted S@d ordee gwen 70
cease firing after daylight. Little fire. except RON
the rocket boats had been returned by the oaf'
ing the night and II ceased almost entirely on their
side before daylight although the seq deenses IN gen
sra were but little injured. Some of tue
casualties those which unfortunately occurred from
explosions of the rockets in the boats Of the Hastings
and Nultnre. The general oasgslIies fewer than
gould possiby have been expected.
/ may Be ,ernli,te3 20 acknowledge my deep sense
az the valuable COO erAon afforded bY Admiral Pc
maud and TO express NY admiration OF the slsn' con-
duct of those under his ORDER and my wsTmes thanks
for the cordial support which have receiyet.
ate on the morning Of the 10Th insi. VI. VI =. Mer
lin und, the command of Capt Sghvsn, struck upon
an uni no yn rock ground which he him9eii bad
repeatedly examined while conducnns ule a'oIg 'he
line Of the mortar vessels. Ne blAme can ever oe
attached to this office. on the occasion
Admiral X. :. Dun6ss concludes by enumerataS
officers who have particularly distinguished hen
selves He speaks IN high terms OF tue CONDUCT oil me
officers and seanen and marines OF the squadron gene-
rally. Signed H. . ~ ''A''
ADMIRAL PENAUD's ACCOUNT.