The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1861-11-27


most destructive armament, moving so
gracefully in precise lines to bloody
slaughter, the moody shores where as
yet the only moving things were the
waving palmetto trees and the fitting
birds and butterflies; and the knowl-
edge that the white decks were so soon
to be slippery with blood, and the
whittier sands of the beach so soon to
drink deeply of the precious fluid, was
scarcely thought of by the excluded
throng that looked so eagerly on, and
were only anxious for the deadly work
TO begin.
The action commenced at precisely
10 a. M, the first shot being fred from
the Hilton Head fortification at the
flag-ship, and three guns were fired be-
fore we replied.
The two entire broadsides of the
Wabash, composed of two batteries of
26 guns each, and the pivot gun, at
once poured in their fearful storm of
shells upon the batteries on both sides
of the river at once. The men, who
had stripped 10 their work, instantly
reloaded the guns, and as the frigate
moved with just sufficient speed to
give her steerageway, and keep her un-
der control, she had the battery in
range for twenty minutes, for all OF
which time the men were loading and
firing at the rate OF once minute for
each gun-thus giving the immense
number of 440 shells that were rammed
in upon that devoted garrison by the
Wabash alone every time she passed,
for after the first fire she used only the
starboard guns. Let it be noted, too,
that the ships were in point-blank
range of the shore, some of them ap,
preaching within less than 200 yaads of
the battery; the Bienville, which ran
closer in than any other ship, was so
close as plainly to distinguish the color
of the shirts of the men who worked
the guns, and to hear their cries of en-
couragement to each other. When it
is remembered that the guns used are
large enough to carry with effective
precision two miles and half, slight
idea of their Tremendous effect at such
short range can be formed.
Though the Rebel guns in this work
were Columbiads, of the largest size,
and carrying l3O-pound projecticle;
and the guns are so heavy as to require
twelve men to work each one, and
move it effcctually on its carriage, such
was the irresistible force Of our shot,
that in twenty minutes, three of these
immense Columbiads were dismounted
knocked from their carriages, and
rendered completely useless.
In another respect, too, the hghtlng
was by no means so severe as we had
been led to hope. The dozen or 81
steamers or gunboats that composed
the feet of the notorious Commodore
Josiah TatnalI, though they showed
their heads in the early part of the ac-
ton, showed their heels after the first
round or two, and were seen no more.
This too, in spite of positive promise
the truthful Tatnall had made to Gen.
Drayton and other leaders i'll command
at this point, that he would ''stand by
them till death" This fact was ascer'
tanned by the letter itself, which was
found, carefully read and duly pre-
served. Doubtless, when the gallant
Commodore saw our gUnboats in such
neighborly proximity to him, he saw
death so close at hand as to make him
think he had redeemed his rash prom.
Use. The disappointment OF some OF
the navy officers was extreme, for some
of them have such an abiding affection
for Tatnall as to exceedingly desire to
renew their former acquaintance, and
they would have been very happy to
have provided him with temporary
position in Union ship once more.
The peculiar make of the river Is
such that not more than eight of oul
ships could bring their guns to bear or
the shore batteries at the same time
but even then the sight was one of the
most magnificent conceivable. Elgtf
vessels would deliver broadside OF not
less than so guns at q single fire, lee
by the battery Of the Wabash, of q
guns; and as each gun could be loaded
and discharged once in minute, at tht
\ very lowest estimate, it will be seer
that more than fifty bombs and othc'
terribly destructive projectiles were
rained into the Hilton Head fortifica
ton every minute that the fleet wa'
within range.
. Each ship was in effective range o
the fort for about 20 minutes every
time the line came around; they movec
like terrible procession of destroying
angels, and at each of their visits
which indeed were few, but not far be
tween, the combined force hailed upor
the doomed and devoted shore a fiery
storm of more than 400 fiery shells.
The spectacle was one of the mos
impressive that could be presented t.
the eye of man. The air was fillet
with bursting bombs-each deadly pro
jectile, as it hummed through the air
first rose heavenward in graceful curve
and then swooped down to earth t.
fulfill its faithful errand, leaving thro
the air thin wavering smoke that wa
first snowy white, then light purple
then fading to pale blue, quickl.
blended with the azure of the clea
Southern sky. t
, <s-&s~
How Mason and SIideli Escaped.
The following interesting account @
the manner in which Mason and Slidel
escaped from Charleston to Havana
will be read with interest just now. =
1t is from the Mercury of Nov. 3D.
Alas that poor Mercagy's hopes AM
boasts should have been so soon over
cast:
For some time past the papers q
the interior have been indulging in 81
hints as to the whereabouts of Messrt
Mason and Slidell. We have bithert
mate no allusion 10 their movements
but the causes which induced our re