The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1862-08-27
l.!l9 Confederate Steam. Ram Nngal--
az Ynnkeea in Great Trenidafian

90 fhe Rnnkees an Great liquidation.
The Federal forces At Hilton Head. South
Caroline, have been recently thrown into Al
perfect fever Of excitement on account III
the completion Of. and anticipatsd attack
fpom the new Confederate steam ram Rineal.
Instead Of experiencing life Of ease and
Incidence the summer through, both The land
and naval forces at Port ROYAL are in mo-
mentary expectation Of an exchange Of COM
plments with this new and unsurpassed
specimen of Southern enterprise. From the
Hilton Head correspondence Of the New
York Herald, under date August I'd. we ex-
tract the followinE:
The note OF alarm has been sounded.
Unless some Monitor comes to our saccor,
the fair weather yachts now reposing on
the placid bosom Of Port Royal bay have
before them an excellent opportunity OF learn
ing what ii Is to be blown out of the water.
The rebels have completed their ram. i It
has been manned and armed, and is now
ready for sea. With an enterprise, perse.
verance, and determination, which are vet
to be met BY corresponding activity on the
part Of our Government, but with resources
insignificant in comparison with our own,
they have again succeeded in constructing
an engine of war whose advent will find us
powerless for resistance.
For several days we have noticed grow
ing boldness on the rebel side. We have
seen them de6antly coming down the Savan.
nah river, replacing the buoys, taking sound
ings, and making most careful aud minute
observation. Through the strong glasses of
the singnal station at Port Pulaski we have
watched the cross of the blockade ships as
they bent their sails at the city wharvcs,
and have noticed the unusual activity with
which fat-boats were multiplied and lights
have increased. Word has come to as, too,
of the condition of the naval monster, and
the fact that its attack was to be made against
us at an early day has not been unknown.
Day before yesterday she FIRST came un-
der the fire of Pulaski. She was feeling her
way, apparently unmindful Of the shot from
our heaviest guns. Of course the intelIi-
gence was not long in reaching Hilton Head.
From that moment such preparation as we
have been able to make for q proper recep-
ton have been in progress. The heaviest
Of our transport steamers have been placed
under the orders of Admiral Dupont. Gun
boats have been stationed at each approach,
and new signal lines have placed them in
instant communication with headquarters.
We shall know when the ram passes Pulss-
XII what direction she takes and what her
evident purpose is, long before We see her.
Meanwhile the rebels are concentrating at
Button, at HardensviIle, and GordonsyilIe.
Its apparently their plan 6rst to destroy our
feet, and then to move the Fingal around
TO Seabrook, and there to cover the landing
of their forces.
The armament Of the Fingal is as follows
Two one hundred pnnAL -.aea suns four
ffty-pound riied guns six ten-inch coIum-
biads; two twenty -four Founders for grape
and canister; in all fourteen heavy pieces.
In shape she 10 similar to the Merrimsc--
differing from the latter however in her draft
of water, which is much less than that of her
i'll fated predecessor.
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