Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1861-12-26
not until late d be afssrnoea chat we
we're struck.
.,LBy IL o,sl both the Richmond
and Niagara, sther with the guns
|essf3sz sa ickens and Battery

aug Hlagar9s M d1nef Win Ine guns
Ebesflaz ff6fE 3ickens and Battery
Sect LtEtFe al pa Fart Me- Rae
and its surrounding battefiss.s se
averaged one shell every three minutes.
and as the Richmond had more guns
though smaller, ehd more than our
number Of guns were being served from
Santa Rosa, there were about two shell
each minute, being fred at this point.
About one O'Clock firing commenced
from masked battery which disclosed
itself in the woods along the shore, and
about mile south of McRae. They
seemed to have a particular spite
against us, by the pertinacity with
which they fired at us; but finding that
they could not reach US, they turned
their attention to the Richmond, which
was nearer in shore. Many of their
shot came close to the latter, and had
they been well directed would have
done great deal Of damage.
Only one took effect, however, and /
regret to record that this killed one
man and wounded seven. The man
killed was captain Of the gun, and was
in the act of taking aim when struck.
The wounded were but slightly hurt
The battery of the Richmond was now
brought to bear upon the hidden reb-
els, but l do not think it did much ex-
ecution, as most of her shot were seen
to fall short. About 8 o'clock she
hauled ont. 3
At two O'Clock shell from one Of
our guns set FIRE to frame house in
the rear of McRae, and much of the
time the fort has been enveloped in
cloud of smoke. Soon after this fire
broke out, their flagstaff was shot
away, and the symbol of treachery
came down by the run. Subsequently
it was raised again.
About two o'clock, one or two shots
passed over us and dropped into the
water, and by the note which they
sang as they passed, we knew that
they had turned some heavier metal
upon US. Two or three of our guns
were directed to the spot whence the
smoke was seen to issue, and if they
treated us to music, we returned the
com mpliment with interest. They sue
ceeded in planting two shots in our
sides, making rather ugly holes, and
apsetting things in one of.the Lieuten-
ants rooms. By six O'Clock we must
have dismeunted the gun, for at that
time McRae ceased firing altogether,
snd for one hour and q. half westnshe!!
bIed shell after sF%lI inside ~ L. -''''
without any response.
We ceased firing at 5 80, it having
become too dark to get good aim. Our
whole number of shell fred was I80;
of these, 43 were filled with sand,
an expedlent sometimes used in breach
ing wall. The shots which struck us
proved to be from an 8-inch columbiad.
At six O'Clock we got up anchor and
steamed out to safer anchorage.
After we had become we'll engaged
in the fight, we hardly thought Of or
had time to look at Fort Pickens.-
Once in a while l would cast a glance
that way, and 1 could see that the semi
circle of batteries around her were
keeping up a constant explosion Of
shell over her loyal walls, while from
out her sides there came steady stream
of white smoke; and 1 could see that
the shots took good effect. We had
already made two good holes in McRae,
and Pickens had knocked hole that a
horse and cart might enter in.
SECOND DAY.
SATURDAY, 7. 80 P: NJ, Nov. 23.-
AS l commence to write tonight, the
whole sky is Illuminated by the burn
ing of the town of Warrenton and the
navy yard. The former has been
burning since P. NJ, but the latter
has Just taken FIRE. The forts and
batteries have just ceased firing. Fort