Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1861-11-13

..,k tho Hly Point ulltry opened iis
fIp upon lNu Wtbrsh, aud lhat hl Hilton
.I,uI followed almost ltuu % to.Iui.-
lhoshiIe v,i, then rurIy midNny bc.
tween Oh. hostile guns, Uul scarcely with.
.n .1uer. Tor o. minute they made 900
reply but presently the Wabash Oumu
Then utudN She poured from both hor
massive sides terrible rain of metal,
which rc.. with frirhml iUpidt1 upon
either shore Tie other vessels were not
slow 100 following Ter example, aud the
battle Yves fairly begun.
From my point OF observation on board
Tho Atlantic, 10 was apparent lh,. few OF
lhc shells, which at first were the only
procCliles used, burstcd within the ioui,
Gca..ops The guns had too great an tl'
ovation, and their iron messengers went
crashing thrg HE troc tops mile or two
beyond tue batteries. The same WAS the
ta,e with the rebels, whose ,hot passed
between the inasts ana above our vessels.
INC iliga,cs and gunboats, each having
delivered her fire, which mainly in this
round was directed against Bay Point,
passed within the Bay, indifferent alike to
the bursting shells, hummIng prGje2tilcs
md hot .ouua shot which the rebels iurl>
ou-iy discharged, breaking the water into
foamng coIum.s everywhere obout them.
Witum II distance Of nine hundred
wards rom the rebels guns, the Wabash
threw in hor fiery messengers, while the
Other iriga'es no further away, paiticipa>
ted IN the deadly s,uiie aud the guuboats
.nou their sheltered nook, raked the ram.
parts trighuu!ly. Thus the fire Of about
ST., guns wa concentrated every moment
u.on the enemy, who irked heroIcaiiy,
never vavelng IN his reply except when
tha Wabash wts using her batteries dl-
renlly IN front OF him. Then it vas too
hot or aesh ard blood 10 endure. Shells
feI almost as rapidly as h0iurops within
oud tor mile and - half bey yond the ban
terry. as they struck aud plowed into
tic earth dense pillar Cf smoke Of sand
woa!d shoot upward totally obscuriug
the fertilization and diving the blinded
Cunrcrs from their pieces.
In describing their circuit and deliver
ing their fire, the vessels consumed rather
mc.e lhan an hour for each round Little
mo,e than halc Of his time, however, was
spou, j" getting into position, for gliding
slowly mouud, perhaps entering the bay
bcy.ud tho fort hnlf n rlIle, just fat en-
ouy: ~ Ia- NIT the safe turning Of his i'm.
r-'use ship, lhe Commodore brought her
t.ak. auG re Gated from his star board
battery, until the guns became too hot to
to handle, that devastating fire. What is
;T2e respecting the firing Of the Wabash
lH Ai'o ,ru" respecting the Susquehanua,
B'e.yi,ia, Pawnee, Mohican and the rest.
L'oa vessel di,cAu aed her broadsido at
tu. shortest possible range, loading and
i..pg again and again With all the cool
ueo5 end precision exercised in target
re"c.iee, before size passed the battery.
Brapery Of the Contedcrates.
BIT tho enemy was by no means mac.
I've. he offered stubborn, an heruic
remittance Looking through powerful
telescope, belonging 70 an engineer officer
O! l'e expedition, saw, when the ships
wc.r arp.oaching tie battery the second
time. two men wearing red shirts. They
hlo hcen particularly active, and now sat
t. tne muzlle Of gun, apparently eX
hausted. and waiting FOR moro ammuni.
tion. This terrible fire from the fleet was
falling all around them, but they moved
not, and | doubted if they were olive
Finally they sprang up and loaded their
piece shell NJ that instant hursted near
them, and they disappeared, doubtless
b'o"n to atoms. heard frequently dur
ing the fight most unqualified expressions
OF approval for the manner in which their
guns were served. That their marksman.
ship was good, the torn hulls and cut
rigging or our vessels, rather than the
number of killed on board, furnish full
evidence.
Cessation Of the Fight.
After the second round had been brilo
lianIiy fought on both sides, the Wabash
gave signal for the vessels which had
besu most actively engaged to Cease firing
and give refreshments to tie men. Ac-
cordtugly the steamers repaired to a point
beyond the reach of the batteries, and the
poor sailors nearly exhausted with their
work satisfied their hunger and grateful>
ly accepted few moments repose.
The Fight ReaeCed.
Then it was that the gunboats did their
mo,i efficient cannonading. Their shells
and ;ouId shot flew straight across the
parlpet of the lnrltication, driving the
artillery men from their guns and mh.
king dreadful havoc. The little stcanltug
Mercury Master Commanding Martin
gl!Ian'ly steamed into "A shallow bay 10
tls left OF the fort, not more than half
mile distant, aud pre.enting her diminu-
tive figure to The rebel guns, opened up
en- them with her 80 FOUNDER Parrott,
which was fired rapidly and with good
effect. From her proximity to the toit,
Captain Mlrlin was probably the first to
sce that the rebels ware preparing to ev. J
ncnate t.o place. In the rear of the for,
iihCauon. excluding about tlIree-fourth of
d nile, is u broad meadow, bounded by
tense woods. Across this open space the
enemy "a. carrying his dead and wounded
and wagons were hulriedly moving the
oGg;page Of the camp.
fne Mercury steaminr closer to the
shore, found that the battery had been
deserted. aid Immediately took the news
- inc flagship. which. by this tim E with
her Sls,er vessels, was coming up like
destroying angel 10 renew the engage.
Meul. The Commodore almost simulta.
. eou,ly received confirmation Of the It'd
d. - from other sources. and even while