, 1862-05-28
THE GUkB0AT FIGHT.
Full Particulars Of that Affair.
LETTER FROM THE COMMANDER
Of THE NAUGATUck.

Tic following private letter from Lieuten- |
ant Constable, commander of the gunboat |
Stevens, {Naugasuck,) addressed to Captain |
John Faunce, gives an excellent description OF |
the recent fight On James river, and explains !!
the bursting Of the heavy gun on board Of !
that vessel during tue engagement:-N. 7.
Ete. Post.
ENI1Ep STATES GGEBoAT STEVENS,
HAMPTON ROADS, May 19, 1862
Mv Dear Captain: We arrived here yester-
day from Norfolk, having brought down the
killed and part Of the wounded IN our last &C
ton and lett them at the hospital there. The
squadron TO which VIC were attached, consist
ing, besides the Stevens, of the .Galena, Moni-
tor, Aroo6took and Port Royal, worked our
way up James River, and at battery at q place
called Harding's Bluff {about five miles above
Days Point, We saw the rebel steamers
Yorktown and Jamestown, but they ran from
us, ascending the river. When we arrived at
City Point we found the storehouseB there,
contadning tobacco, &C., in flames and nearly
consumed
about ten miles below Richmond. The Ste
vtus had led the squadron, keeping about two
hundred yards ahead Of the Galcna, sounding
out the channel, and looking out for obstruc-
tionB and torpedoes. We were ION account
or our light draught Of water and the rcadl-
ness with which the vessel Worked) Of great
service to the squadron. From Information
which we had gained, We learned that the
enemy had, about two miles above Us, heavy
distinctions across the river, consisting OF
spiles and sunkcn vessels, defended by very
strong battery on high bluff, called Wards
Hill.
This Wards Hill was but eight miles below
| Richmond, aud at council Of war held on
board the flagship, {thc Galeua, consisting Of
| the commanders Of the five vessels. it WAS ar
| ranged that the squadron should the next
morning attack the battery, in the order ar
! ragged If successful in shelling them out,
tho Stevens was to haul ont the spiles, while
men from the squadron spiked the guns. /
| was provided with 4 chain for the purpose,
and intended pumping out ait and subnlerglng
forward until making fast, and heaVlng taut-
then pnmp out forward, and submerSe aft to
looeen tile spi!e in its hold, and then haul
upon it until drawn, &c. dc.
We likewise learned that the enemy had rifle
pits will manned, aud even while at anchor on
1Lc afternoon OF the 14th We were fired at sev-
e1sl times from fnu4ketry in the bushes along
the shore. At the request Of the Commodore,
throw shell from our Parrott gun at quito
| a large force Of the enemy On hill about two
miles distant, whicA Started them off at double
quick, and then threw two or three rounds o1
couistvr from our light guns into the bushes
where the rifle shots had come from, and dur
ing the night NE heard nothing further from
| them.
I fortunately learned that evening that tht
Galena had several large sheets Of boiler iroI
not in u6e-{six feet BY three feet} Twenty
five Of these I procured, and fastened them o1
the outside Of The piio1-house and cabin, ant
to their protection ne we're ~ indebted 10
| our lives in the action Of the 18th
The next morning, on the first Of the ebb
i the vessels moved up to their positions Of at
, tacE. under very annoying fire Of rifles fr0u
t the woods (the river being leas than two hun
dTcd ynrds Tide.)
heavy gun, aHd threw shell and canister from
| our brpadEide ones into the woods. Our sta
tion WIS abreast Of their ride-pits, and was on1
: about forty feet from the shore, SO that thei
! sharpsbooters had Il fair chance ut u.s. Durin
;" tho fight, and while our henry gun was pei
i forming ep!endidly, it burst; but fortunatel
disabled but one man. It burst from the ven
= TO the trnnnions in two halves, throwing on
half overheard on the port side, while til
other half was landed on deck on the starboar
J. side. The nuzzle forward Of the trunnious It
= maiued entire, and was thrown forward abou
two feet. The gun carriage Was destroyed
the pilot house shattered, part Of the uppet
deck crushed in, and some Of the nlaln dect
beams started.
bow I escaped, God only knows. Hs
within two feetof the gun when it burst, ha,
ing Just sighted and trained it upon the ba
tery. My speaking trumpet is completed
> crushed, and fragment Of the gun, wcighiu
: about ono thousand i've hundred pounds, f.
l., SO closely to me thai it tore my coat I VI
= hit On the head by some part Of the gun
carIiage Il think it was one OF tue large ru
bers), which stunned mo for moment, q
though Was able to keep the deck and supe
intend the fighting Of onr broadside gu
Wi1sonl, until the squadron fell back for Wa
of ammunition, about M hour and half aft
q. | our qua bursted. After hea1Ing up our anch
Tainted sway; but after being cupped behil
the ears by the surgeon Of the Aroostoo
who came on bOard TO look out Tor O
wounded, I was able to resume the charge
% the deck.
he cutfon, driving the enemy out of their rit
7, within canister range. By keeping the CT
under the protection OF our :" iron Clad, cab
he and only exposing them for moment Wh
tns loading, our loss by their fire WIS only t
Of wounded. ..,
TIE eight shots entered her armu1, and complet
~ ~ penetrated it; five passed through her sme
as Stack, and three passed through deck-p1attl
% One or two shots passed entirely throu
f5h@ ths her. She lost: seventeen killed and abr
,ed- bnt slight injury-the Monitor none At ALL
1sS nGe The vessels Ind to light at anchor on
Ia count Of tho narrowness OF the river.
The Stevens did not haul off until the G:
IT, na and Monitor set her the example. J
= A1oostook and Port Royal dropped down
F.: IN hour before We hove up. Tie Aroostt
sc hove up; but the Port Royal slipped
= 1Doo7inge Since have boon in command
the Stevens L have always observed tue
canton of having man on deck to fed ho'
the shot or shell after the muzzle Of the ga
elevated, for fear that the shot or shell IN
start while the mnzzle is depressed in
teot berth deck At the time the gun burst
the, precaution vas attended to under my own
I'M. consequently the bursting could not hare b
< Of caused by the shot not being '.hoa.e.''
ccs 9 q In making ny report to the Conmod
T1Sf after the action, requested him to appoi
tnost board Of officers to examine into the caus
MEsE M the bursting. Tic board SO appointed
sfTed an11ned tho gun, &c, and report that they
,yoa IN old flaw lending from the inside Of
1es1s 11 vent to nea1 the outside surface OF the
Il al and that, therefore, they consider that
lenu. bursting WAS caused by the gun hereto
ea1s 9n1 having been subjected to severe and prot
aolse cd tests, &c, and fully clearing nc from
edles want Of attention or neglect. Th1s am
ta31c Of
ssink. am anxious to re]olu- the j.
L and River squadron at once, although 1t has
decided that another gun cannot be +
without considerable delaF, and Lheye II
III fore offered the Flag Officer to return as
s as Commodore Rogers told me when
- him ut City Point that theYessel, even /,
paescnt condition, could be Of great Sc
- IN him + * j..
ON, Sincerely yours. -
.. Captain John Faunce.
snd :. HoRGnUM-The farmers Of Logan haV
.ee Tor earn, papted largely OF ths cane The pr