Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-09-08
From the Correspondent Of the Times.
Full Particulars Of the BombaTdment OF
SWeabOrg.

n
one boat shifting berth" So | suppose we SHAH
commence to lombard the place in less tnan an
hour.
1880 A. M-slgnal made, Mortar vessels open
fire with SHELF
"a. M.-First shell fired nine gunboats COM
menced firing and the action became general
along 10 the eastward far as the eye could reach
every rock, and garden, and house seems full OF
guns.
At 10 A. M. we set fire to Fort Vargon, and at
1l.5 the magazine blew up with an awful expio-
sion, and for few minutes the Russian fire slack
ened. The enemy's fire is very good when once
they get the range; TO prevent their doing this the
gunboats kept moving in circles formed by four or
five in each and as each brings the bow gun to
bear upon its object il is fired; then, turning as
sharply round US possible, the broadside gun is
pointed and fired, and they then proceed to COM
plete their circle, while doing which they have
time to reload.
~ Noon Exactly "A monster explosion took
place, which lasted without intermssion for more
than two minutes; it was like volcano in state
Of eruption, vomiting forth lighted shells, roofs Of
houses and beams OF timber. Following this, in
the course OF half an hour, three other explosions
took place, which set fire to the barracks and Town
in four places.
FIVE, P. M--The enemy's fire has been very
slack since two O'clock and there are so many fires
upon the islands OF Swartoe Vargon, and Gustavs-
ward, on which the town and it's hitherto formula
BILE fortress is built that it is one continual sheet
of red fame and smoke. Our men behave nobly
and If this war has done us other service, It Is
an unanimous opinion in the fleet, that it mas
taught us the immense use of steam gunb0ats, OF
which too much cannot be said in praise. Our
mortar practice during the day has been beautiful
and all the young officers in charge of them de-
serve the greatest credit each of them worked
and fred his own mortar himself and there was
scarcely one that did not tell.
| Up to the time close this Is P. M. | am not
aware of single casualty happening to our whole
| fotila.
August Ill concluded my last letter about
A. NJ, on the 9th At that time not gun was
being fred by the enemy indeed, the extraordi-
nary slackness of their fire all day was source OF
general surprise to us for, instead of having 200
or 800 guns playing on us, we had not more than
| 20 or 80, and Of those only one at time fired
every two or three minutes the fearful explosions
of the day, and the destruction that was raging
around, seem to have paralyzed their defence
little after p. NJ on the 9th, the rocket
fotilla assembled round the Duke of Wellington,
and shortly after left to take up their station, I'M
der the command of Captain Henry Caldwell.
They commenced practice about 9. 80 T. M, when,
II being quite dark, most magnificent spectacle
presented ITSELF
The Citadal, Admiralty house, store-house, and
other public buildings yargon, were all on fire !;
a beautiful breeze from the N. q. famed II into
fierce blaze and the real flames, rising at least 100
feet high, seemed to riot among the clouds Of
black smoke and lick them up
At this moment the rockets commenced their
fearful rush through the air, like mighty metcors,
leaving long streams Of fire behind them, and the
mortars, which had ceased firing for while, to al
low them to cool, began to boom again, and their
shells, mounting high in the air, twnkled like
stars, us the revolving shell showed its lighted fu-
zee occasionally. We could trace it on its mission
until it fell and exploded, when bright fash, fol-
lowed by smoke, and shower of sparks thrown
upwards, told the havoc it spread around.
The rockets and mortars continued firing until
2:30 A. NJ of the 10th.
AT $3.50 signal was made to the gunboats to 90
into action again they had been withdrawn to take
in fresh supply of ammunition and soon after
the bombardment general again. The three
decker, which was moored across the entrance 10
the harbor, with such an imposing look about her,
had been removed during the night, and placed
behind the town, over which we can just see her
masts.
We made her old position too hot for her, and
il is reported she has been on fire three times.
hear that FIVE of mortars disabled yester-
day, not by the enemy, but by large holes, (some
Of them big enough TO put hens egg I'M forming
in their chambers. Whether this Is from the fir
ing, or from defective casting, or the metal, IL is
difficult TO shy. They were partially repaired by
Mr. Ward, inspector Of machinery, who poured an
alloy of zinc and tin into the holes and some were
fired seventy rounds before the pieces fell out At
els A. N. another explosion took place on Var
gon; our fire continued without intermission, and
at 1890 p. NJ. we succeeded in setting fire TO a
part of the dockyard on Swartoe, and at l.30 to
great number of sheds, reported TO contain one
hundred row gunboats not in use; IL so, we are
quite certain they are useless now, for not YES
tige Of them remains. This fire spread itself to
the town adjoining, and at one time we could sec
three long streets In a blaze at once
At 2.40 p. N. some French gunboats, wishing
10 take up better position, sent couple Of gigs
TO sound little 10 the westward, when the town
Of Helsingfors opened fire upon them from some
batteries close under their beautiful church. IL
would be an easy task indeed for us TO burn Hell
singfors 10 the ground, but we have spared IT, and
only attacked their fortrcsses, from wish not
TO destroy private property; but when our mercy
Is treated with such base return, we are almost
provoked to turn the heads OF our little gunboats
in that direction. Yet II Is evident they expect US
to respect certain places and avoid firing certain
spots, for on huge building to the westward OF
Helsingfors Is piece of canvass stretching from
chimney to chimney, with the words Lunatic Asy.
lum' painted in large black letters upon Il yet
within 800 yards Of il they have three immense
batteries-one immediately under it, and the others
on either side and about half a mile to the east
Of il several hundred men were engaged building
a mortar battery and magazine, and covering the
latter with sand. This little transaction caused
Admiral Penaud to observe that +" there was much
more honor in burning Sweaborg but there would
be more satisfaction in destroying Hclsingfors.
Our fire continued without slackening until
eight p. NJ, when that from the gunboats ceased,
most of them having expended all their ammun
ton. That, however, from the mortars which were
not disabled continued during the night. / am
sorry to say that three out Of our is have burst
during the day, and five others have become use
LEES from the cause ] before mentioned, and the
remainder will not bear more than 80 or so rounds
being fired from them.
August ll.--0ur rocketboats went in again last
night, and fred for about three hours the enemy
sent few lazy shot and shell at them, which Just
showed they were alive, but did no damage. A
boat belonging TO the Yulture had two men severe
ly and several others slightly burnt by Of their
own rockets
August l2th.-The bombardment ceased this
morning, at A. NJ, at which time the whole place
seemed 10 be on FIRE A few rocket.boats were