Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1861-12-20

mopd, nGR under command OF Captain Ellison
gaiued their positions on The western flank Of
Fort MeRae, and opened fire. The Richmond
drawing but sixteen feet was enabled to 20 in
shore nearly half mile nearer than the Mag
ara, and with Hedges out and springs on our
cables we got out our battery to bear finely.
The firing Oh both sides was at first necessa-
rily Wild, but we shortly obtained the range
Of Mckao, aud dropped SHELLS over and on all
sides of the walls
UnIl 3 + ID. the batteries near MeRae did
not trouble as much, but about that time thew
succeeded 10 bringing two rfed guns TO bear
on Us and Instituted series Of experiments IN
! whcn speedily eliminated 10 a she'll hitting us
aboit the main chains about 4 feet under wa
ter, forcing in the outer plankirg, and as il
exploded literally lifting the ship bodily in the
water.
This souDds like Muuchausenism, know.
but every person Oh board eoncars in the same
statement. This shot vas followed in about
twenty miautos by another which passed
through the rail over No. gun, knocking the
tangent sight from the gun aud dashing full in
| tae face Of The captain of the gun, who was
just sighting his piece, tore his head and right
arm from his body, aud then passed out of the
port on the other side Of the deck. Seven
men at the gnn we're wounded at the Same
| time by spinters.
| This casualty only seemed to give new cour-
| age 20 the men to continue the fght, and they
reinailed quietly at their quarters; but it was
now apparent that We we're drifting gradually
IN shore, while the enemy had exactly obtained
our range, as was demonstrated bT the passage
OF three shells IN rapid SUGGESTION directly
over the quarter deck, and but a short distance
above the rail; therefore Captain Ellison di,
reeted the ship to be hove ahead by the pow
er chain, and none too quickly, for she had
hardly started when three more shells burst
ln the very spot we had moved from, and BOT
dozen yards from our stern.
.Just then the Flag Oficer signalled SECT
under way" which We did, aud giving the
batteries few fEal shots steamed out of their
range. The Nisgsra came out With us, but
as she had been 50 far out during the action
she escaped with blow from spent shot,
which failed to 60 through her plaeking, and
lost 10 men.
The first feeling that seemed to fad vent
after sc had settled down to talk the matter
over was the hope that we had retrieved our
selves from any stigma that might attach to
the Mississippi experience, or, as Jack says,
s'we hoped we were Low off the black list''
One thing is certain, cur crew fought steadi-
ly and quietly, and the only difficulty the ofiz
GERS experience, aud that only during the first
few hours, was desire to fire oftener than was
deemed advisable Of the result Of the fir
Ing we az jet In Ignorance, other than the
destruction by IRE of the outbuildngs or
quarters attached to McRae, which we saw
during the action, but we have suffered Sc
verely from the continued FIRE of feet and
fort.
This morning We learned that at pickens
but one man bad been killed and ore wounded
during the FIRE of yesterday.
SATURDAY, November 23.--This morning
at about 10 o'clock Pokens again opened Ere
and the Niagara steamed into long range of
the forts, directing US to remain where we are
until further orders. As write "a P. NJ
Warrington Is burning and the fire is going
on between PickeHs and our batteries. Tho
United States storeship National Guard has
just arrived.
During the engagement the "Richnond''
alone fred on the first day 562 SHOT aud she'll
using nearly 5000 lbs of powder. | tell
you, old boy, there vas some rfoisc Friday
PIckens Is ali right thus far, and can hold out
forever If kept supplied With ammanition and
provisions.
shot and she'll thrown from the enemy; It looks
as though the skies had raiuod 10 iueh she'll
aud drizzled AZ pounl shot.
Our old ship is in q very bad state; ram
hole to port, 10 inch she'll hole to starboard,
aod all the forward copper off from the Tor
tugas coral reef. How much more we can
stand without going in the box remains to be
seen, bnt We continue to keep our spirits and
are ready for duty.
Nov "a, 2. NJ, Sunday-No firing either
side day Of rest. Pickena has one gun dis
mounted, one man killed, one mortally wound
ed. Warrington and the entire north side Of
the Navy Yard is mass Of smoking ruins.
Pickens fired mortars all last night at regular
intervals.
ANOTHER ACCOUNT.
Our corFesp ondent on board the United
States bark Ethan Allen writes under date of
Tampa Bay, Fla, Dee. |, as follows, in regard
to the bombardment:
'The bombardmeut of Forts MeRae and
6arranoas, the Pensacola Navy Yard and the
batteries thereabout, commenced upon the
22d ult. The Niagara went inside of Fort
Pickeus near as the enemy or the depth of
water would allow, and blazed away on Friday
and Saturday. Forts McRae and Barrancas
were silenced completely, the former being ses
on fire. Warrington was laid III ashes, aud
the rife works of the enemy were quashed by
the Richmond, which vessel threw 800 shot
and she'll into them, from 10 A. NJ. to 2 z. M.
The loss on our side was only two killed and
twelve wounded. On the Rebels side il was
larger"
THE ACCIDENT AT FORT PIcKENs--LIsr OF
THE KILLED AND WOUNDED.
The following official report has been re-
ceived:'