Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1861-11-22

aud proceed In a single line. which Was
done, in obedience to ord'rs 'ignslized from
the asg.ship.
The action commenced at precisely IN A.
81, the fret shot b.,pg fred from the Hilton
Head Notification ut the a,e-ship. and 'hr-.
guns were fired bclore We replied The
shots ihrn elected = reply. Com. Dupont
being too pone,lliou. q gentleman to PR
mi, % marked . compliment ~ h. hong
nrrc,sured and unsn.srred. The i~o
sntir- broad-,d.- OF tho wsha-h. eompo-.d
Two bat,cris- OF &c gun. zach. and IN.
pivt gun. at onor p''ured IN Their fearful
st,rm of shells upon the batteries on hpth
s,dr- II the river at once. The men. ~ho
had striped To their work instantly reloaded
the guns. AMI .. tho irigsis moved with
jpsi sufficient sped 10 CIV. her s,.,rsse~ay.
ani s-,p her under control. she had the
battery 10 range Tor twenty minutes, foe all
Of Which tim. the men we're loading and
firing ut the rate Of once . minute Tor each
gun--thus giving the immense nnmhsr 81
40 shells tha, ~srr rammed IN upon that
devoted garrison by the Wabash alone every
time shs passed. for after the frsi Ere she
used only the .tarboard guns. Lat IL -
noted, too. that the ships were within point
blank range Of the shore, some OF them ap-
preaching within less than 900 yards Of the
battery the B'sn'ille, which ran closer in
than any other ship. was - elo-o a. plainly
g. distinguish tho color OF the shiru OF the
men who worked the guns. and TO hear their
cries II encouragement TO each other.
When Il is rolncInbsrsd that the guns used
ara lArg, enough To carry With effective pre-
ci-ion two mlles and halt. slight idea of
their ttcrpcpdou. effect at such short range
eau bc formed.
Though the Rebel gun. in thi, work were
Cplumhiad', Of the largest size. and carry.
ing l3O.poupd projec,ile., and the gun'
are 81 heavy as To rsqaire IL men 10 work
each one. and move 10 cGceiually On It. chr.
ria,.. such 80. tie irresistible force nf our
shot. tha, in ~ MINUTES three Of thee
immsn-- Coiumbi.i- were di-mountoi-
knocked irom thur carrisse-, aud rendered
completely useless.
or cour.s the ships we're no, Obliged to
wait until they cot .hreu', Of the work to
commenc. firing. bu, the make Of the river
permitted them 20 b~gin 81 throw angular
rasing shots At q di'tance OF ,hreequartsrs
OF mile. firing dorr the river. kc-rins It
up I. they slowly driftsd pa.,. and finally
finishing the round by pitching some part
ing shots up the river alta similar angle
with the ons fret fired. THIS plan permit
tel seven OF sigb, Of our vessels 20 play on
the for,Ihcations at the same time.
Eish, vessel. would deliver . brcsd.ide OF
no, less than 5C.suns n, single FIRE, led by
the battery OF the Wabash. OF - guns
and q. each gun could he loaded and di-.
charged once in minute At the very loves,
estimate. it will be seen that more than 50
bombs and other terribly destructive pro-
jcctile. were rained into thu Hilton Head
foriidea,ion every inmate thar tho doe, WAS
within range.
But liiils attention was paid TO the hat.
ferries on the other siI, Of the river At this
time. and indeed they would have been per.
frcily safe irum any 6rng whatever. had
they M, provoked an occasional .ho, by
their p"r-'s'ance in pi,chin: shell at every
one Of our -hir. that rams within their
longrs, range. These 40 batteries were
comparatively unlmporuan, At the tins. as
thew were On The oppnsi;e side Of the river
from where we desired TO land our trooJs.
and were ~ilhal 30 dependen, on the Hilton
Head for,i6ra'inn tina, a. coon n that should
fall into our hand-. the Others would follow
their late. and probably become ours with.
out a struggle.
Each strip was in effective range Of the
for, for abou, % minutes every time the
line came round; they moved like terrible
procession Of destroy INK angels. and at each
Of their visits, which indeed wers few. hu,
not lar between, the combined force hailed
upon the doomed aud devoted shore frey
storm OF more than 400 fery shells.
Nothing could stand bsfor. ,hi. fiery storm
guns were hurled from their cArage- :
houses we're knocked into hssps OF brick
and mortar. and beams and boards the
formidable iort.wall. of the solids.. nssonry
were IN place. torn and .plinisred. and tho
tough tire. II che pitch pine woods we're
.hivsrrd. twisted. ~rsnehed. and cut %
like slender reds. and the m,n we're be.s-n
into qu,,rips mas.-- Of broi--d. CORY a,.h.
or werc torn ints nsIilatd. gha.,Iy. .,es
snins obre,.
AIssr the ship. had made one round. abi
called their fsrI circle once. the order Of
battle Was changed certain ones Of tie
eanhoa,' drorPd ga, Of their assigned
place.. tsyi'. discovered Stat lhfy cad /
take uP r-tisn which would enable
chem a. fr..fg stationery. and sfil ks'pl