The Nevada Democrat., 1862-05-24
Repulse OF the IrOn-Clad Vessels-OP-
eratIOns on James River.

Repulse OF the IrOn-Clad Vessels-Op-
eratIOns on James River.
Dispatches to the Associated Press give
some additional particulars Of the repulse
of the Monitor, Galena and Naugatuck, at
Fort Darling, some seven miles below
Richmond. The engagement took place
on the 18th inst Lieut.. Jefiers, command :
ing the Monitor, in bis official report,
says:
Shortly after weighing anchor at Kingland
Creek, sharp fire of musketry commenced
from both banks on all the ships. At half-past
seven we discovered extensive fortihcatlons, on
an elevation Of 230 feet, with several smaller
batteries, all apparently mounting guns OF the
heaviest calibre. At Fort Bluff, the river was
obstructed by sunken vessels and steamers, Sc
cured by chains. The Galena, having anchor
ed a thousand yards distant from the Fort,
being warmly engaged, endeavored to pass
ahead of her and take off some of her flre, but
found could not sufficiently elevate my guns
TO reach the fort. One solid shot hit the Mon.
itor square on the turret, two on the side, and
another near the pilot house, neither causing
any damage beyond the bending OF the plates.
1t was impossible to reduce such works, except
with the aid of land forces.
Another account of the engagement says
that of 28 shots which struck the Galena,
l8 penetrated. The Monitor was unnjur-
ed. The boats returned down the river on
the 18th. A Litter from on boar dthe
GaIena says she fired 23S shots, and in
two hours more, il she had had plenty of
shells, would have silenced the battery, al
though on bluff, and mounting ten guns,
several of them rided. Seventeen men were
killed on board the Naugatuck by the burs-
ting Of the gun, at the first fire, and she
probably took no further part in the en-
gsgemenl.
Another letter, written on board the Ga
lena, says:
Yesterday morning we ran up to Hatche's
Bluff, where we found the river full Of sunken
steamers, among them being the Jameston, and
the Yol ktOwn. The bank was lined with rife
pits. On top the bluff the rebels had very
heavy battery. We ran within half mile OF
the battery and anchored. We swung broad
side to them. They opened fire; the first shot
SClklHB our port OOW1 BOlIlB luIOuBu tic dIihOi'
Five minutes later we got another shot near
where the first struck, killing one man and
wounding four more. We fought them for four
hours, until we got out OfammunitiOn, when we
retired. We got twenty-eight shots in our side
and seventeen Oh deck; had fourteen men kill
ed and fifteen slightly wounded. Had we TAX
en- the battery we could not have held it. OBJ
structions in the river prevent going up any
higher. One thing has been demonstrated, and
that is that the Galena cannot stand heavy
fire at short range.
An expedition under Commodore Colds
bOro, consisting of the steam frigate Sus-
quebanna, three gun-boats, and one steam
tug, was making its way up James river at
last accounts, securing most Of the ordnance
left by the rebels. who bad evacuated all
the points below Fort Darling. A dispatch
from McClellan's headquarters, eight miles
north Of Richmond, states that "heavy fir.
ing" was heard on the afternoon of the
goth and 2lst, 20 the left of Richmond,
which was supposed to have been caused
by the gunboats endeavOriug to force their
way up James river.