Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1862-05-16


with deadly missiles Ii vas ike the break
ing up of u thousand WORDS erash-tear-
whiZ Such annotheF scens was never witness
ed by mortal man. Steadily we steamed On,
giving them shell, the forts firing rife slot
aud she'll ten-incb coIumhIads. forty-two, thir-
ty-two, and twen iy-four FOUNDER balls; and.
TO add 10 this state of aft airs, thirteen steamers
and The floating Battery Louisiana, of the enc
my. were pouring into and around us ! hail
storm iron perfectly indescribable. Not SAT-
isied wiih their firing, fire raft after Ere raft
was lit and set aarift 10 do t1eir work of bur
ming. The Ram was busy at work trying to
shove them under the bows of our vessels.
As We drew near abeam Of the forts We in
termingled grape wilh sh-ll. which had the
efFeet 10 silence in 4 measure the barbetie guns.
The shot from the cueny, which for some time
had gone over rs. now began to cut Us through.
While in the port mizz.n rigging. the Flag
Olicer narrowly escaped being bit with IL
fle g ell. A shell burst on deck, and the con-
cussion stunned Lieut.. Georgs licisler, OF oar
marine corps, so that for a time his life was
despared Of started to 60 forward. TO see
how things were working ther aud the wind
ofa huge rife shell knocked III. cap Of my
bead. II was q tune Of terror. pur guns firing
US rapidly as possible, aud ihr owitzers in the
tops were ing excellent * ,,tiion.
The rebel steamers were crowded with troops,
who fred vvleys Of riG- balls at US. mpst Of
which did US NJ harm. Que Of them came near
US, aud think am safe IN saying she con
tanned 40 hundred men. Our howtz.r open
ed on them, and Capt. E'roome, Of the Marine
corps. opened into her with two Bine-iHch guns.
An exposion-terrible yells-a eareen. and
that fellow was done for. Their steamers were
bold and fearltss; but no sooner did they come
in sight Of our gunncrs than they were sunk
The Varuua suuk ak Of them one aFIcr anoth-
or.
In the mid-t Of this awful scene down came
a tremendous Gre raft aud the ram showed her
under our por. quarter. Thc flames caught
our rigging ard side, and for a moment il
seemed we must faIl prey TO the ravages of
fire. A fire was also burning on the berth
deck. The fire hose was on hand and we soon
Fubdued the flames, ard gave the ram dose of
| rife shell. She however came up for Us again,
but some other vessel tackled her and she haul
cd of. During this stage OF affairs We ground
ed and our fate seemed scaled; but our men
worked like beavers, and the engineers soon got
the ship astern and ah0at. 1t dcfes the pow
ers Of nv bra u to describe the scene ut This
/ time. The river and its banks were one sheet
of fame and the messengers of death were NOV
| ing with lightning swiftness in all direc,ines
Steadily we piled shell aud grape. interspres-
| ed with sharpnel. R~beldom began to quake:
her boats were fast being riddled by weu di-
rceIrd broadsiles. and they who were able
made for the shore to run them on, so that
they could save their liv p. Som. were on fire &,
others were sinking. Opr boys were cheering
with u hearty good will. and well they might.
for tce had aimoq iron he dog, aud were
nearly past the forts. Our ship had been on
FIRE three times. aid she rIded from stem
| 10 stern The Cabin was completely gu!ted,
the starboari steeraEe all torn up and the ar
mory oil knocked into ''pi" My clothing was
strewn abalt decks and was obliged 10 pick
it up piece by piece. ! he manuscript OF the
bombArdneti clGae near TO destruction by a
rife shell. which tore up my room and killed one
man.
Alter being under a ierifI 6ee Tor ona hour
and twenty minutes, We were past the forts,
badly cut up, shot hole through mainmast
two in stern and several through Us. I frank
ly confess l am unable to d3scribe The scene
Words cannot express al; adequate idea or ihe
engagement. Wrapped mp in smoke firing
and being fired AT, kl;nt and she'll whistleiug
like comytiye dean, MS rro1nd, above, be
fore and in the rear of you; flames from fire
RATS cncircling you, spliuters flying in all di-
rections and shells burs Ing overhradi Cdu
you imagine this scene? II You can, it is nlore
than l can describe as | wish to-
st half past five O'Clock no less than e,cver
rebel s.eaIatrs were ii dlines along each side
of the river. Wcs:camel up to the @ laran-
tine to anchor, when 10! The Ram made bis up
pearance. aud saueily fred at the Richmoad.
i The Mississippi b>ing near at hand about
ship for the black devil, aud at him she went
with the idea Of running him DOWN. The ran
ran, but finding The Mississippi guinihg on him
he run bis uosc into the bank 81 the river, ans
Immediately about thirty man came up out 0
the hatch and RAJ on shore. The Nisaisspp
fred two or three broad<il 5 into her and board
ed her, but finding she was Of no earthly ac
count, again fired into her, aud she DIR fled dowi
the river sinking very last. On reaching QIar-
antiuc found The Varull had b-cn sunk. an,
that after her brave exploits, She fell, crippcs
in glorious eause
Captain Boggs, Of the Naraua Ending tina
steamer (name unknown, was about TO ruI
iato him, put the vessel ia such position th1
in being damaged he could repay it with in
terest. On came large steam r all clad wiil
iron about fke bow. aud hit the Varuna in tht
port wait cutting and crushing in her side
She dropped alongside and cleared out TO bui!
again. She hit the Taruna second time
and while in sinking condition tho Varun
poured the eight-iuch shells iuio him so fas
that the rebel was set on fire and driven t,
shora.
No sooner had the yaruna cleared hersel
of this customer, and while endeavoring to relC,
Che river bank, the steamer Governor Moore
formally the Morganl commanded by Lent
Beverly kcuon. camc along in crippled con
+ dition, and endearoEed to run away up the riy
er. Tic Oneida gare clinse and she surren
dered to her. She was then found to be o
fire, and, before the fumes could be subdued
Was burned up.
The Veruna's exploits rank among tn,
J brightest of these Of the engagement. Sh
fouhgt he guns until portion of The gun car
riagcs wsre submarged in the water. Capt
Boggs saved all his wounded. but his dea
went down WIN tnS NceSel ne Quar- AM
Stripes we're waving from her masthead as sh
sunk
: At eleven Friday morning two work
: known as the ChaImette batteries, one on eac
: side of the river, were dis covered. No fla
was flying from either, but both opened FL
on The Cayuga. Owing TO the very swift cur
II rent We were unable 10 go ahead very fast an
l. it was FIVE minutes after they opened fire bt
L fore we could Ere bow gun. The enem