The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1860-1863, 1862-05-22

peak. and notwithstanding forward, decked
the fore and main each with an emblem
ofipower and justice. Three American
ensigns were floating in gentle Ireeze.
Full speed was given 10 the ship! the en-.
giues7 did their duty nobly, and on we
went, as It were, into the jaws Of death. =
Atthe' tine the enemy opened FIRE, the
mortar VI ssels wehtto work, and the ra
pidity with which they threw shells Ut
the erebels was truly wonderful q '-'f
At 6ver minutes of four O'Clock our
bow gun ,belcbed forth FIRE and smoke,
and a messenger ia the shape OF piuc
inch shell was sent to Fort Jackson the
work, by the way, which We were 10 at
tend to. In a few minutes more the
broadside firing was commenced. Both
forts were replying as fast as they could
Broadside after brosdside was being de-
livered TO them 10 rapid succession, while
the mortar vessels were adding to the
dreadful noise. o = ~ ,"l1.
alshot, shell, grape and canister filed
the air with deadly missiles. 1t was like
the breaking up Of thousand worlds
crash-tear-wbiz! Such another scene
was never witnessed by mortal man.
Steadily We steamed on. giving them
shell, the forts firing rife shot and she'll
tel iroh columbiadS, forty.two, ,thirty.two
and tWeniy.four FOUNDER balls; and, to
this state ofaffairs. thirteen steamers and
the floating battery Louisiana Of The enc
my, were pouring into and around us q
hail storm Oi iron perfectly indescIibable.
Not satisfied with their firing, FIRE raft
after Ere raft was lii and set adrift to do
theii work bof burning. The Ram was
busy at work trying to shove them under
the bows Of. our vessels.
As we drew near abeam ofile fotis we
iutermineled giaps wilhsshell wlieh had
tie effect TO silence 10 o ,insssure the
barbttte guns. TIE Shot from the enemy,
which for some time bad gone over ds
now began 10 cut us through, ~
/ While in the port mizzen rigging, ths
Flag Officer narrowly escaped being hit
by rife shell, A shell 6urst on dscs
aud the conc ussion stunned Lieut. Geo
Heisler, OF our marine corps, SO that foi
a lime his life was desp,ired Of l started
10 go forward, 10 see how things were
working there. and tLs wind Of a huge
rife ballbnoeked the cap of my head
It.was time Of terror. our guns firing al
rapidly as possible. and The howilzeis il
the tops we're doing excellent execution.
The rebel stt amers we've crow ded. will
troops, who fired yolleys Of rifle balls a
us, most OF which did us no harm. On
of them came near us. and think ! AT
safe in saying she contained two hundre
men. Our howilzeIs opened on them
aud Capta Proome. OF The Marine corps
opened into her with two nine inch guns
I An explosion terrible yells-a calee
and that fcilcw was done for. Their sizes
mers were bold and fearless; but no soon
er did they come in sig Of our gunner
than they were sunk. The Varuna sun
six of them one alter another. T
In the midst ofithis awful scene dow
came tremendous Gre RAFT. and the raj
showed her under our port quarter. II
flames caught our rigging and side, az
for moment it seemed We must fall
j prey to the isvages ol fire. A fire WI
also burning on The bcrlh deck. I'll
s fire hose was on bard and we soon SUI
9 dued the flames. and gave the ram a do
: OF rife shell She, however, came up T
Q us again. but some other vessel tackle
:; her and she hauled off. During u
d stage of affairs we grounded, and o
9 fate seemed scaled; but our men work
like beavers, aud the engineers soon G
3 the ship astern and aAoat. II defes {,
81 powers of my brain to describe the gee
' at this time. The river and It's ban
&c we're one sheet Of flame aud the messt
m gers of death we're moving with ligl
y ming swifiness in all directions. Stead
ie we piled she'll and grape.interspersed W
az shrapnel Rebeldom began to quake, |
% boats " ere fast being ridlled by well =
70 reSted broadsides, and they WHO were
be BILE made for the shore 10 run them on
ey that lhey, could save their lives. So
lie were on fire, ,-abd others were sinking
OF Our Loys were cheering with hea
he good will. and well they might, for
I'D. had almost won lie day, aud we're nca
ng past the forts. Our chip had bsen on
a three times, and she was liddled Fl
,ls: ,m: stem ~ sterp., The cabin was copplet
gut ed, :hs starboard steeiage all torn
and the armery all knocked into ''pi.
Ny clothing was s,rewn abaft decks,
/ was obliged 70 pick il up piece BY Pi'
= The manuscript Of the bombardmthI CT
!; .nesrio destruction by rife shell. WI
D. tore up my room and killed one man.
After being under q terrific FIRE for
hour and twenty minutes, we were
the, forts, badly cut,upGa shot hole .
mainmast, two in stern opd several !
, ius. l frankly confess Lam unable 10
,ea scribe the scene. Words cannot exp
. y an adequate idea Of the eDgagsmen
'ont y, ( Wrapped up in smoke, fling aud b
=. Uu. fred al, shot and shell whistling lik'
ine , couotiye demons around, above, be
0so 0sO and Id the rear Of you; flames from
Sc n rafis, sucircling you, splinters ayin
alldirections and shells bursting 9
~. S head Can you imagine this scene?
,ae' you can. il is more than I can descri
ONO ,t,1 ,'s'-..,,g .s, -c
dial Atbalf pasl Eve o'clock no less
had elvsn rebel steamers we're 10 flames Q
ssa- each side Of the river. We s.eano
At TO ihs Quarantine to anchor. when 10
very Ram made his appearance, and So
,to.a l6red az iha R;chmond