The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1862-01-03
The City CT Destruction.
THE sUNKEN FLEET IN CHARLESTON IARBo

THE sUNKEN FLEET IN CHARLESTON IARBoR
The N. Y. Times has a letter from a
special correspondent who accom- panied
the expedition which DESTROYED the harbor
Of Charleston by sinking huIks across its
channel. The account is very interesting
as the record Of the retribu,ion heaped
upon that treason doomed city. Sixteen
OF the stone fleet were sunk across the
harbor checker wise, the main channel
being thus completely stopped. We
make few extracts from the account:
REACHING CHARLESTON.
Nothing specially interesting marked
the trip up. The Cahawba WAS ,he first
vessel to sight Charleston light, and the
vessels OF the blockad,ng fleet. The gun.
boats were with US, snd the Philadelphia,
with her tow, few miles behind. We
anchored at the edge Of the bar about S
o'clock, and for the first lime my eyes
looked upon Fort Sumter, whose massive
outlines seemed magnifed indefinitely by
the hazv atmosphere.
On Wednesday night soundings were
taken by Mr.. Bradbury, assisted by Mr..
John W. Gnodfrey, one Of the Government
pilots at Port Royal. who is familiar with
every sand knoll and bar in these waters,
for the purpose Of ascertaining the precis Sc
locations in which to sink the vessels. 1t
was then discovered that the rebels bad
shifted the channel buoys, probably under
the apprehension Of naval attack.
LIGHT HOUSE BLOWN UP.
On Thursday morning the Lighthouse,
which had loomed vastly through the
haze the evening before, was not to be
seen but look through our glasses
showed US its ruins on the ground. The
fact explained a loud explosion which had
been heard iE shore soon after dark.
Supposing that our whalers were first
class frigates come 10 lombard the city,
;he Rebels had blown the Light. house up,
that the bearing of the channe! might be
lost. The trick hurt nobody except them.
selves, but af;et all. Lighthouses hence.
! forth will be useless establishments al
Charleston. .....
SINKING TIE uULKs.
AT 3 o'clock pn Thursday strernoon. the
channel had been buoyed. and the old Ten
edos was soGn afterwards tOwcd to hel
final moorings, Tho position chosefh fol
hor was at tho northeastern edge of tn,
passage, aud sho grounded where there il
eighteen foot of water at high tide -
Probably sho is anchored as firmly as hel
island namosake of the EIeau Sea. The
Leondas WAS next sunk, in the same depth
of water, an eighth OF mile distant from
the other. Thtse two vessels formed the
right and loft flank of the barracadipg col
umn, and tho remaining fourteen settlod
comfortably down between them. ..
Tho vessoIs arc not arranged In q straight
line across the chanhal. That arrangement
might prove an effective blockade for a
time, but not permanently. Tho theory o
( Capt. Davis vas, that tho inland wateri
about Charle must have u channel Il
the sea, and il tho usual one were artifcall,
T closed. another would naturally form, Hi
scientific mini devised another plan. Tn,
nulks arc placed in three limos, checker
wise. This arrangement not only does no
/ prevent tho passage of the water, but surm'
u series OF shoals. around which the lid,
. will whirl and eddy, making an intricat,
! labyrinth ~hici no vessel can navigate.
A .. ILLUMINATION ...
After everything tina, could be saved wa
taken from tho Robin Hood. her rigginl
: was cut and strapped" or secured 10 tn
Z. masts, in ordG to make nh illumination o
r pyrotechnic display worthy OF The success
e ful issue of th' expedition. She was Are,
early in the evening. aud her burning al
{. forded a novels and beautiful sight TO mos
r OF those who |uiessed il. The block ad IN,
8 squadron was especially entertained Thei
= lives aro such dull and tedious round o
;. monotony thata far less magnificent spec
f tacle would haze afforded thom topic O
D conversation fGa month. ....