, 1862-02-11

p-Pilot House.
BD-BQiIere
EEEn1incs.
1t will be observed that there are three guns
at the bow. These are two ten-ine!, Dallgrens
and one rilcd sixty-four, although the arma-
nlents vary in the different boats. As Com
1noaore Foote designed to fight only with his
bow guns, he would bring but twelve guns to
bear, exclusive of the shots which might be
thrown from the Conestoga, Lexington and
Taylor, from their positions at long range
ALI the boats got under way as soon as the
signal WAS made. They steamed up the shal-
low ehannG-not shallow ncw but deep enough
to float frigate-and reached the head Of the
island soon after twelve. They came into
their several positions-tle flagship being
about q half length head. At 1884 the Gin
cinnati opened with IN eighty pound shell
which steamed over the water, dropped square
into the fort, and produced great commotion
among the rebels. The shots had hardly cs-
capped from the muzz1e before the three other
boats, each sent their compliments
Shell reaching the fort or the encampment.
Then the Cincinnati gave another and the
others followed their Conlmodore's example.
The rebels were ready. They had expected it,
and their guns were shotted, the 1anyards
tfvcd the men in t11r;r n1oces and +hcv rcn,in1
gun for gnn.
Thc ho,ts kent steadily m s1orr1v hnt oon.
stantly in motion. and t1,e f1rino was kent nm
do1;hcr.+o1x and with roon1,r;tr Tharo n,os
m excitement mn ;nd;ecr;n;no+a hon,;nn .,,-or
at random Int fine vas taken for thc sno1a
In c1c,r aevav tn obt,;p ,ccn,o+a a;m Tho
shots somn of them wont harond +be fort ;nto
the camn ,nil smashed tle barracks ohont
! making kind1ino vool of the 1oo hnts and
| sending terror and disnnoy to- the soldiers. At
the fonrt,, round they became co,nnlcte1v hc
reft of their n1accs. left their dinner. still coot
| tue in their camp kettles, their blankets, runs
swords, Arkansas tooth-picks, homemade
clcayers, old flint locks foy1ing pieces, rifles,
lore lctters-everythine aud took to their heels
in the utmost CONSERVATION an improvement
upon the example set them BIZ their i]lustrious
predecessors, the South Carolinians at Port
| Royal The artillerists in the fcFt, however,
| still stuck to their guns aud fired with great
GOODNESS and accuracy Of aim. They evident
| IL Lad rFacticed On ranges all the way down to
the island and many Of their shot struck the
boats. They lost the use Of their ritled q.
| pounder-it bursted on the fourth fire,
Still onward moved the boats-stznight on
their bows putting ont immense volumes of
white smoke and sending their missiles into the
fort, Soon one Of the rebel euus was dis
ma11tled, and then the fire from the fort per
ceptibly slackened. But shot from one OF
their guns struck the Essex just above one OF
the ports in place where there was no iron
plate-the only vulnerable place at the bow ol
the boat, passed through the outside as If il
| was but paper; also passed through the oak
stanchions around the boilers, and throushth the
staraoard boiler. ..Instantly the boat Wa
filed with hot steam.
The pilot and his assistant, probably did moi
drow second breath. They must have beer
Immediately suffocated. One Of them VA.
found with his hand upon the wheel, the othe
, holding the cord which rings the creinecr';
bell. Three Of the men were scalded to death