The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1860-1863, 1862-01-09
gbe 2aneaster @alltt
TuE sUNKEN FLEET.
Special 20 New York TrlO0ne'


ton barbor has been destroyed. Sixteen
stone filled hulks. placed checker'wise
across The passage, in the deepest water,
lust at the Inner and outer edges of the
bar are the mediums through which this
righteous retribution has been measured
out. Thus another strong blow has fall
eu upon the headstroug people OF South
Carolina. the effect of which must be more
humiiiating than they lave yet received.
They will only squirm. They have no
means of resenting it, and their haughty,
rebellious spirits must chafe beneath the
weight Of the haud which has been ID
upon tLem.
The vessels which have been sunk left
Port Royal last Tuesday, under the di'
rection Of Fleet Captain CharI, II. Ds'
Wis, Of the Wabash. They were nearly
oil condemned whalers- -some Of them
sixty aud seventy years of age-ihe
queerest. and quaiuieSt specimens Of ship
building ailoai. Lszily, one BY one. un'
der the influence OF strong ebb tide,
these sntiquated crafts dropped out 10.
ward Ihe bar, each anchofing wbele she
happened to be when the foud- idc set in.
The steam transports Cahawba. Fhiladel'
phia and Ericsson were detailed to accom-.
pauy the expedition. aud the stsam frgate
Mohican, aud gunboats Pocahontas and
Ottawa were appointed to convoy it.
Capt. Davis selected the Cahawba,
Capt. Baker. a. his flag ship. and permit
ted those who had any claim TO be pres.
ent during tho operations, TO be on board
his vessel, Your correspondent was ior'
tunate enough to be included in TINT cat
ogory, and my observations mus. there
fore be accepted rs having been made
from her deck.
On Wednesday night, sounlings were
token by Mr.. Bradbury. assisted by Mr..
John W 4. Godfrey. one Of the Governm nt
pilots at Port Royal, who is familiar with
every sand knoll aud bar in these wat re-.
for the purpose of ascert,ining the precise
locations in which to sink the VESSELS
tvs hen discot cred That The rebels had
shifted the channel buoys, probably under
the apprehension ofa naval attack.
On Thursday morning, the light
house, which tad lootned vastly through
the haze the evening before, was not to be
seen; but a look through our glasses show
ed US lis ruins on the groujld. The fac
explained loud explosion which Lat
been heard in.shore soon sfler dark,
SuppoSipg that our whalsrs were first
class lrigates come to lombard the city
tho rebels had blown the light house up
that the bearings Of the channel might b'
lost. The liick hurt noboiy bot them
selves, after all, lighthouses honcefortI
will be useless establishments at Charles
ton
AIS o'clock on Thursdoy af ernoon, the
channel had been tuoyed, and the old
Tenedos was soon aitrrwsfd towed 10 heI
Gnal moorings. Tho position chosen fol
her was at the northeastern edge OF th'
passage. and she grou nded whore there il
is fee, Of water at high tide. Prosabl!
che is anchored as firmly as her islan'
uamesake Of the Egeau sea. The Leonl
das was next sunk, in the same depth Q
water, an eighth Of mile dis ant fror
the other. These two vessels formed th
right and left TANKS for the 5'uioadib
column. aud the remaining fourteen col
tied down comfortably between them.
The wrecks are not ranged in a s!raigl
line across the channel. That arrange
mont might provo al siIeciual b!ockad
fora time, but not permanently. Th
theory Of Capt. Davis was, that the milan
waters about Charleston must have char
mel to the sea. and If Ihe usual one wei
a.ifcially closed, another would natura
ly form. His scientific mind devised al
other plan. The hulGs are placed in lhrt
lines, cheekard wise. THIS arrangemeI
not only does not prevent the passage {
the waleT, but forms series OF shoal
around which the tide will whirl aud &c
dy, making an Intricate labyrinth whiC
no vessel could navigate ff. @,
Tho vessels were not all soutllol uni
Friday morning, as Il was necessary
work at full tide. They looked dosola
enough. as they lay upon their bilge
masts and rigging still standing. sOn
listed to port aud others To starboaris, q
presenting confused appearance, ,compa
able 10 nothing bul fleet at anchor an
leit aground by the tide.
Here arc tue names of our squadron: