Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-01-18
AFFAIRS DOWN RIVER
AFFAIRS DOWN RIVER.
1n's'sSti"g Account Of fhe Escape of the PsaSa
cola

Interesting Account Of the Escape of "a. Psnsa.
U. >. STEAMER STEPPING SroNEs potons,
River, Jan. II, lS62.-Editor Sta-: At oscIocL
this morning the Pensacola pass d NV the ysLeI
batteries, extending from Cockpit Point 10 tbt
entrance 10 ChapaWamsic Greek. As this has been
expected Tor some time past, aud was only Dost
poned for the last few days on account of the
Vailing fog and the GusRtity Of ice In the river
great Interest was manifested throughout The 40
.iia. Inc PENSACOLA, on naaing the run from
AiexandIia Yesterday morning, had her ton o,I.
liant mass struck in order to tighten the shi anft
as much as possible. Sand was strewn IN h.,
deck, and everything made ready for action IN
tne event Of her having to Il ht her waytbrCuyh
On arriving at Fairfax Reach she anrhorsd
whefe she was visited by the YANKEE Hs,rIsi
Lane, King Philip and other steamers Ths ~
ooet Pusey was placed alongside TO port, ard
| to protect her machinery
During tie night the Yankee anchored clo.a :,
me buoy placed TO marx the channel at tbs
S Sn.IanSe , 20 mattawon5an Creek, and the Free
oorn, beIong thg 20 the lower fOtiila was moored
al some distance below the batteries Roth ves
sells had lights hOistsd while the PensacoIs ,ys,
PASSING, az a guide to the slOop-o war These
PensacOla's heavy draft Of water 1n. ysnIca'.
light served another purposes a blind 10 his
enemy, to induce him 10 take this vessel for tn
rensacolai and this rEss dc g4-J,s succeeded to !
charm. ~
a, half past O'Clock this morning the peDs,.
cola made her appearance. accomIauird nv IN.
fusey, and on arriving OF Matta woman creek ali,
Was Joined by the AERcostia and all III rec y.sssIs
proceeded down the river Lights wers sonr
seen, flashing ever and anon from Cock Dir poIn,
a.o some distance above, down 10 Shipnino
p pl Ihese were undoubtedly signals VI the
PeLsacolas approach. IL would seem, however
that the enemy was keeping his eve on the Van,
kee, while the Pensacola and leaders were Green.
ing along stealthliy past the batteries; and tie
slpeI ca.iefY a. COCKPIT Point was actually
passed without tue rebels opening fire AT lengt1
however. the che-t was discovered upOn witch
The hrst shot was fired from that part OF the CocL
PIT Point battery looking down the river IL was
now ABOUT zen minueI after 4 Several minutes
now elapsed without any more guns being nred
when solitary gun opened at Shipping Font
As long an interval Of silence again ensusd 10 he
nfoken oy three more shots In rapid succession.
from the same battery. This was succeeded by
several others. from various points: after yuhtcb
tne nfng was from single guns, at lengthy inter
vals Al about O'Clock the firing ceased-nine.
teen shots having been nred In all
The fire was not returned by the Pensacola
and she was not hit. She was well preuared ~
resent any injury she might have received The
Anacostia and tSe Yankee, too, were prepared 10
ln,n In The nghEt In order TO create diversion in
ner favor. happily, however, the xctive co on.
efaion OF these vessels was not necessary
You will see from the foregoing that the whole
anair was d grand tzzIe, and the rebels, who
nave peen easconading about sinking the Penss-
cola, have made asses Of themselves
The seceshers are In a sweet tenper to-dav.
and TO make amends for their miserable failure
on foTmidable slooP-ofwar they ave sooth ing
thelr agiated feelings by sending their hard ware
sf.er little row-bOat near stump Ne.k. md
while write the batteries at Shipping Point and
COCKPIT Point are blazing away towards the
Maryland shore, and into Mattawoman Creek
gong notnlng but wounding the impalpabls air,
high up In which their shells are bursting Poor
fellows what pity CU.Lm0dJre Wyman will
not send them q small steamer within a hundred
feet or so, that they might try their hand on at
short range, Their o d friend, tie ResoIute
would do; though I verify believe they would
fall to MT her even at so short distance.
Aprop0S Of the Resolute, she sent the Cockpit
Point battery her compliments Yesterday AFTER
noon in the form OF tn four shells in REQ ital
OF TIER polite attentions to a vessel that was
cruising up N0damJge was done on either side
Inc batteries opened on the Reliance, passing up
last mig bt, but as usus not one shot look etf,c
Tbey tried their hand at US yesterday, with the
same success. One Of their shells, however went
clear into Mattawoman creek, and burst within
TWO hundred yards oftbe Wyandank
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