Kanawha Valley star. [volume] (Charleston, Va. [W. Va.]) 1856-1861, 1861-05-28
The Fight Commenced
fCe1nnOnading Bet,ueen d Virginid Battery
and a Kaa1ss Government IStean.ey.

was bred into yesterday by lthe u. S
steamer Monticello. but no damage wa,
Zone a. : The steamer fred about thirty
shot and shell at the battery, but killing
nobody Several hundred troops moved
Town last; night TO defend the work.
there but the attack was not renewed. 81
To-day more guns were mounted on the
works. aud at this lime s b. m j 4 spir
tied cannonade has been kept up withths
steamer FOL. several hours. The result il
not yet known. W. rsy-~
The Monticello, Minnesota, Cumbur.
land, Engineer and YANKEES are in The
Roads. Thus Gar tlia M6niicsllo 9 tl,s
o.ly ,oEeerg ged 01sisI s ;s.s.ss'
mehtpi troops e neM going on but theil
destination Is untnow1.
FULL ACCOUNT or rHE ENGAGEMENT Al
sEwELL's S POINT.
EokFoLK, MAY co. 1861.
steam tug KahuEee. Captain Bay.
Tor. started down on Saturday, about hall
past IL o'clock.to carry one hundred ne.
gro laborers 70 the battery IN course Of
erection at Seweli's Point. When she
arrived in the vicinity, she saw the steam
Ier Monticello laying well over the mouth
Of James river. The Kahukee took her
position as near Che earth. works is pru-
sdent. lowered her yasIand sent It ashore
lgith as many>ef the hborers as it would
cafrY; these were landed, and the boat
was Sabout returning for another load
when the steamer Monticello, which had
steamed away from the mouth of James
river. and gone in The direction of Old
Point as those on bdard the tug Thought,
caHe round ;the point Of woods atIthe ex.
IRENE end Of Seweil's Point, in chase Of
The Kahukee. The latter was now about
three miles below Boush's Bluff, the only
place where there are ANY guns mounted
in that immediate vicinity, and seeing the
Monticello about eomingafler her, steam.
ed up tie river to.escape. 1, 4. = 1T
I The Monticello, then fred shot after
her. which not answ ering the purpose oI
her, she repetted BY firing .
Shell, which we understand exploded
about so yards in advance of her. II
the meantime. the chase had become 50
exciting to those in command Of the Mon
licello that she was about getting into 4
good position to>be cracked at by Captain
tYoung's battery al Boush's Bluff Cap
lain Young having now one gun. to bear
on her, though At Hong range, let fly al
her with that, which was grape shot,
and scattered about herlike hail stones
The Monticello iim mediately backed her
engine, and without turning round gol
out of harm S way. She then dropped
down opposite the place %here We are
eretttinga battery a. Stwell's Point. She
here opened her Gre on The unfinished
breastworks. with the intention of demon
ishiag them; this Ishe continued until,
as it was supposed, her ammunition was
exhausted; and in the meantime the-little
steamer, Yankee came up to her aid
They two,% together. kept up the bonn
.bardment for about three hours say from
one TO 4 O'Clock. :. -. NJ
7 They were sill firing when auo,her lit.
lie steamer supposed to be the Young
America, came over from Old Point,
when they ceased The two small
steamers, the Yankee and Young Ameri-
ca, lien leftSH ri i.Z. # # ..s
. These steamers were about quarter
of a mile firm Me unfinished works du.
ring the time they were hammeriug away
atsthem SO, but we learn have scarcely
SEIZED the works, theSonly damage being
Inc starting Of log of one Of The EN-
brasures. Out Of about thirty shot and
shell only one look7effect as above. :
the MONTICELLO CRIPPLED. AND WITH.
s.r-E.z+7- DRAWN -$Ss~t
As will appear from the above, the
steamer Monticello kept the position near
the breastwofks. where she hitched on to
4 buoy, on Saturday after the firing. -
She remained there until yesterday.
watching the operations ashore, and in
order 10 keep them from going on with
the works. The battery is on a sand
bank and very much higher than the
steamer. she consequently did not see
IL sry tlsisg gisNs 80 ggis5 =. :. -,
standing the strict watch. for the boys
were al work like moles, some Of them
we understand. having TO lay fiat on their
slomachs to perform some part Of their
labor IAN
On Saturday evening when the firing
ceased, there was not a gun on Sewelfs
Point battery, but by men fighting for
their rights. herculean feats can be- per,
formed. Three short thirty two pound.
ers were carried down from the city and
got in tolerable condition for temporary
use. Besides these. two 81 inch Geld Il.
fles pieces. the guns Of the Unitef States
were drawn up IN position. 1he whole
concealed from the view Of the enemy. -
Yesterday (Sunday evening. about
four or Eve O'Clock - small schooner
from below passed up. she fred gun
which passed over the battery. Il i moi
known positively whether she fred al the
schooner or The battery; though i is
asserted by some that the schooner was
acting 10 the capacity Of : look out for
The steamer aud had sent a boat alongside
II her before she fred the gun. The
idea is that the schooner got rs near as
possible and sent man up on her mas
head 10 spy inso the fort. those inside
being. unconscious Of what was going on,
and deesning her friend. However,
that first gun was taken as banter. and
the battery answered III. with as much
shirt and rapidity as convenience would
H. s,ha aecond ball, We understand.
taxing effect u bsf rigging, much q