The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1862-05-27

hsd yet passed. and could easily have made determined
resistance The fort WAS built during the with Eng
Ian for the defence Of Richmond aud hs been improved
By the rebels the past summer consists OF streng
water battery al the foot and sand battery the too
high blum Why i was not defended is incomprehen-
sibe. as IL commands the entire channel which ~ here
so narrow that n'a from the fort could rake every
vessel coming up the river The Tag OF trace boais
turned and passed Harris bar before reached
City Point At City Point We found each house display
ing iags OF truce and learned that robe ugboat had
Just et after setting fire 70 the sheds OF tho frAsporta
ton Company, which were entirely consumed.
Commander Rodgers and me OF the other officers
went shore, under cover Of the guns OF tho hest
From all we could learn the river clear To within
ten miles OF Richmond, where there was heavy bat
terry, Al Wards Bluff We left City P0Gt la the afer
noon and continued our course up the river passing
way schooners which we left uDmoies ed.
though the property Of one Of the most ultra rebels
in the State We started early again on Wednesday.
The channel now became very aar. ow, and close
under the bluffs Il constant source OF wonder
that these intricate channels wore not defended as,
from he height of land and nArrowness Of the
channel, il would be aim st impossible for "a gunboat
&, get range to shell them out. About the
Galena grounded again The AToostcok ng triad
TO pull her of but il was impossible, even with the
assistance Of tue stevens battery 10 move her During
tins afternoon the vessels annoyed by muskery
fron the bushes on either bank. On the AroostooK
shold oil boiler iron plates made 10 protect tbs men
the wheel and for the pilot the forecastle. The
Stevens battery covered her cabin and pilot house in the
same manner. CHAINS were also suspended along the
sizes protect the boilers AT hh tide Galona
pulled or We anchored for the night about miles
fr IN Wards Bluff On Thursday we went 70 quarters
y
well supposed would BIO desperate. All the way
up . continual discharge of nlusketIy kept
up, wh,cn We replied 70 with occasional discharges
OF canister from The howtzers. Ono sounding in
tbs cas Of the Gasna was struck and fell into the
boat, but was instantly rescued BY another sailor At
eight A. NJ in sight OF the battery, lied Fort
Darling situated just beyond sharp the river,
and about hundred and fifty feet above it. Just
abreast of il the wrecks Of several vessels could be
seen, completely blocking up the channel. These are
said 70 be the jamestown, Yorktown, feaser Patrick
henry, Curtis Peck and Northampton besides several
following orders-Ths Galsna, MonKor, Aroostook,
Port Royal, Stevens Battery. The river was
here very narrow, and the channel did not ex-
intricate The vessels, therefore, could not shift posi-
tons readily, but were obliged TO cous TO anchor
and work from springs on their cables. The Galena
took the rst position and in the full range Of their
guns The Monitor steamed past her at one tme but,
finding she could not elevate her guns sufficiently fell
ok 70 her FIRST place. All the heet opened hot
fre tho battery and after severe conflict sionced
IL, shot beng fired il for half an hour Al this
shells began give out, aud fire
sackened the rebels remained their guns, aud from
places each side Of the first ons. poured in .
perfect storm Of solid shot ana rined projectiles.
Their firing was certainly admirable, and the
guns said 70 have been served BY the crews
OF the Merrrnac, jamestown and Yorktown From tho
Of the channel ali the vessels we're now exposed
perfectly their shot told with fearful accuracy the
who laborsd under great disadvantage being
anchor and unable TO change their positions. although
kept up, and our shell could be burst
ing the f0rt and and the gins, they still
maintained lncoSsant nr0, and IL was evident they
constantly reinforced The object Of the expedi-
tion having been accomplished, and It being clearly Inn
possible with draft Of water to pass the obstruc-
TONS and ammunition running short, tho GalenA made
the signal TO stop firing, and turned and
came down tho river, followed by the Monitor.
We gave the rebels q parting complainant " .h
action followed suit and returned 70 our anchorage Of
the morning We fred several: rounds Of canister
the and eleven inch shell gun into the bushes,
and with wholesome effect on the sharpshootsrs. The
Galena suffered the most from this action the
position Of the battery the her q nearly right
angles her sides She pierced in the upper part
quite number Of times but at the bends, just above
line bat shot psnst. ated; quite number
stuck hsr armOr and remain there all shivsrsd INTO
small piseos But for her armor she would not now b
a0ai; ANY wooden vessel would have been sunk by the
that struck her. Though not mpenstrabs
drst Supposed from the little eject Of the shot from
the secund battery still many shot must have glanced
a aud others remained in her which would
have passed completely through and sunk wooden
sol The Monitor was struck three times, but unnjrsd
beyond bending the plates Owing 70 the height or the
battery and tho nsarness Of the range, hsr guns could
not be brought 70 bear - stectualy - usual. lbs
Arooso0k struck three times In the port chain
arm0r. which glanced or and twice on the stasboArd
side The pro,ectiles were solid sght-inch shot. No
body injured The Port Royal struck BY solid
shol, but not much damaged. Captain Morris was
struck by musket bali in tbs leg, but NOT &c.
NJ great range, when her Parrot gun BURST aud she
dropped out of action One q her mon shot in the
ARM ost not much nurs; ana captain z ns'aole was
Affected Fiftssn msn, Guiding the gunner wore killed
Ihe Gaiena and number wDundsd. The object Of the
reconnaissance being fully accom- olshed and the river
cleared Of distractions villain eight miles Of Rich
mond the whole eet returned 70 City P0intthe
took Port Royal and Stevens battery reaching
that night and Galcna and Monitor the next
ing. the next day the Port Royal was seut 70 James
10 bury the dead the stevens battery 70 Fortress
Monroe and the Aroostook 70 Fort Pownatan, to pre-
vent the obstruction Vi the channel building Of fort
at that place. The Galena and Monitor remained
At City Point Too much praise cannot DO gen To- Com
manuer Rodgers other officers tho expedition
for tho gallant in which tho boats handed,
and for the rapidly and accuracy OF their IRE, exposed
they ancaor in a narrow channel TO heavy
pIu gpg FIRE from battery and OF musketry
tho banks The narruwnsss and shallow water OF
the channe the coss range at which the gunboas
ay-bsing only from 600 10 900 yards from the bat
orynade 1t Of the most brilliant actions of the
and the small loss sustained very uprising On Sunday
We returnedto City Point with the haratanz and Wacha-
sett On Monday the 18TH tns Psymasror, Lieut. stock
we'll OF Cleveland, ONO; Chief Engineer c. H. Baker, OF
Boston Mas, anil the surgeon ana army telegraph ON
from wacnusstt, visited City Point, and
or sed and made prioners together with ssamsn.
tina u the party beng warned that men were coming
tried 70 sscape in the boat uut wien about b ats
length from the shore red cpon, and the
mate, Thomas Alniy, and seaman, Vim. Pesrce, were
killed, and three others were wounded. only one MAN
ESCAPED unhurt. and he finally got the sail up, and
brought tho boat of safely. The surgeon went
sick people and the act wss OF cowardy
cry, they sheltered themselves behind womon and
children aid had flags OF truce ny ms from every house.
which prevented burning the town Tho Aroostvok,
on Tuesday with the bodies Jamestown They
buried with military honors in headbosros mark
their nna resting place We returned here Wsdues
day and greatly surprised AT tho accounts
In the papers. The impression there conveyed 10 that
tue gunboats were Of no use at all and had no
share the actions This Is entire mstake-o call
Il by mid namc-lor not only did thsy Follow the IRON
gunboats closely To tbs batteries and pass them
as many times. and long under ire, but they
OF the greatest por and service in towing
tho 6aena % shoals, and In sounding and buoyhg sut
ihe channel
Navy Yard, Brooklyn.
The exciting news which flashed ovor tho wires on