The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-08-01
A Nayai Enuau,mept.

A Naval Engagement.
A correspondent Of the Raleigh Standard
furnishes a graphic account of engage
ment heretofore noticed) at Oregon Inlet. on
the North Carolina coast, be, ween the steam
er Beaufort, Lieutenant Duval, and a Fede-
raj steamer, name unknown We copy
portion
On the goth the weather was exceedingly
rough an d disaSreeable-a stiff "sou' wester''
prevailing all day-a more uncomfortable po
sltlon than ours cannot we'll be i'm dg ned. -
l he wind moderated very nsiderabIy dur
ing the evening, and on Sunday, the 2lst, the
sun rose grandly and beautifully, seemingly
refreshed by the long nap which he had taken
on Friday and Saturday, the 10Th AND 21th.-
There was a serenity and bland ess in the air
peculiar TO Sundays the world over, and un-
der the circums tances, doubly grateful to
The officers OF the "Beaufort" had bsen
c0urteously invited on the day previous, by
Col Morris to dine shore, and early in
the morning were busy with preparations to
make a respectable appearance among the
landsnen-the ships crew were preparing To
make grand haul with the seine, in order to
repienIsh our stock of fresh provisions and
all WAS gaiety and cheerful at the return
of fair weather. When, whew upwent the
signal at the light -houss. dashng away by
one short sentence, as II were, all our hopes
of dinner on shore and Il supply OF fresh
fish The signal said plainly as ID dumb thing
could, "a war steamer standing in from the
north ard"
Immediately all hands We're "beat TO quar-
ters," and then silence fore and att; "aIl
hands clear the deek for action" was the
CAIN, cool order OF our brave and chlvalrous
commander, as, with flashing eyes and com
pressed lips, his tall form drawn up to its full
height, six feet three or four inchesD ne
stood, glass in hand, viewing the slow and
| seemingly naughty approach of the enemy's
| steamer The commander of the Beaufort
| then dispatched a messenger on shore with
note to CCl. Morris, asking what course he
| intended TO pursue in the premises, AMI
urging the i'm portance OF using the two guns
mounted. IN a short time Col Morris came
alongside the steamer. and remarked, in course
OF conversation, that he had no men to work
the guns the commander OF our steamer re-
piled that the crew of the Beaufort was AT
his service. Col. Morris then said that he
thought it would do good. 1t. Duyal re
marked to him that he would fire on the enc
nv as long he could, which you Will per-
ceive, in the course of this letter, he
did to the letter. As the enemy's steam
| er hove fully into view, she shortened
and fured all her sails and stood di-
rectly for the battery, under steam
About this time, Captain Martins company,
which had arrived early in the morning, took
| up position behind the cambridge on our ex
treme right, in order 10 resist landing should
such have been attempted from the steamer
Our gun was now brought to bear her.
Gracefully and msjestically she passed the
battery without firing shot at it, much to
our surprise, and showing that she had
accepted our challenge. Slowly abe forced
her way to the southwark, till abreast OF the
light house, which was below and on the
right of Us, when she rounded TO and pro-
ceeded to take position opposite the " Beau
fort about one mile and quarter To the
eastward. We could now plainly perceive
her to be a large three -masted screw propel-
leT, carrying three guns on each side, and
what we afterwards ascertained 10 be rifed
cannon six FOUNDER, forward and aft" We
looked at each other as this Formidable
sra nger ron ded TO, and then inquirinsly ~
the commander There he stood, serene and
impossible, fierce smile Of bitter regret on
his cOuntenauce that his vessel was small,
and in his eve determination to give the
big steamer'a warm reception. We saw that
we had before US hot work and plenty OF il.
| AS soon she lost her head way after
rounding to. the steamer opened the ball by
sending rife shell whistling high over our
hurricane deck. 1t was really relief to US
| when the first was fired, as we had been
| in momentary expectation OF 1t for some time ;,
| and the suspense was horrible, especially to
| those of US who had never before tasted 1.-The
| fierce pleasures of war" The smoke from
| her gun had scarcely dritted astern of her
| the echo had not ceased vibrating over the
waters around, when the little Beaufort the
very impers )natlon of multum in pAryO.H
replied most graciously and effectively to
| this courteous Sunday salutation of our huge
friend. AS the smoke OF our gun cleared up,
and we saw the water dashed up the sides OF
| the steamer, hearty cheer broke forth spon-
| taneously from the entire crew. The opinion
| of every one on board OF our steamer. whose
l
| was that our first shot struck the enemy be-
| tween her main and mizzan masts. This
| opinion Wa. confirmed afterwards by parties
| on shore.
| The enemy now opened on us with her for
| ward rifled cannon, and round shot and shell
| from her side guns, and the action became
| general; but far above the dsatening Ioar of
| cannon, the Whis thing OF shot and the burst
| ing of she'll, the voice of our commander rang
| clearly and cheerfuly, calling on the mon u
| keep cool and do their work surely. Never
did men behave better or more bravely; thei.
working of the gun was beautiful, and as cool
| and steady as il going through the ordinary
| exercise for practice.
The enemy's first shot, as have said, lew
| far above us, but with queer hurting, seeth
| ing, very disagreeable, and tending much to
| disorder the nerves of one who hears IL for the
| fret time. Their second and third shots were
much better, but still above; while every time
| that peculiar sound OF the shot and shell De
| came more dsagreeable. After exchanging sew
| eral shots wi tn Us. the enemy, apparently sat.
| istied with our performance, moved AROUND and
| dropped far her to the sou Inward OF US behind
| Il large sand bank which hid all of her except a
| Dor ton OF her masts and completely proven l.
| ed Us from firing shot at her, as at the high
! est elevation We could give our gun our sho'
| would not clear the sand bank behind which
| moreover, the soldiers before mentioned
| lay, and over which, if we Hired at ALL We
| should have been compelled to shoot. This
| WAS, TO say the least OF it Il cowardly retreat
| and as such victory for us-she had the ad
| vantage of position at first, TO say nothing OF
! her supeior armament,) being higher than
| we Not content with that she took posi-
| ton from which she could easily rake us
| " fore and aft " without being harmed by us
| From this new position the enemy fired foul
| shots-one OF them Just missing our smoke
stack, another passing between the smoke
| stack and mast, very close to the hurricane
deck; third passing very near the boat
| swains head. The fourth shot,, which
| together with the third were fired as
| we were preparing to get out OF their
| raking fire, passed in about two or
| three feet of the men heaving at the wind
| lass. Their first shot from the new position
| satisfied our commander that they had gotten
| our range, and aware that we could by no
| possibility return their fire, the order 10 heaVe
| home the anchor was given, and slowly and
| sullenly the little Beaufort obeyed her helm,
| swung round, her head up stream. compelled
| 10 retire from an advantage coWardIy TAX n,
| and which she could not have prevented or
| remedied. To have remained longer under
| such circums tances would have exposed our
| selves and boat to certain destruction. We
| retired with our coiors floating denantly 10
| the breeze l should remark here as some
what remarkable, that the enemy showed no
colors during the entire engagement.
| Thus you will perceive, that never III the
| annals OF naval history were there such ter
| TiDle odds to contend with, and l may safely
| add, and never were odds more brayely en-
| countered.
CAPT. MsAaHER.-A Washington letter says;
| Mr.. Thomas f. Meaghsr, who was in the
hight ON Sunday last. yesterday told one Of the
up arms against the South that God were on
| their sids and that if he fought again II
| would be for them.
The same writer adds.