New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-05-24
THE GUNBOAT FIGHT ON JAMES RIVER
PRIVATE LETTER FROM THE COMMANDER OF
UNITED STATES GCsBoAT Brsyhss,
HAMPTON KoADs, Msy 10. 1861

UsIrKp STATE, GcssoIr sr.yss-,}
HAnPTos KoADs, May Ia, 1861
My DEAR CAPTAIN: We arrived here yesterday,
from Norfolk having down the ted aud part Of the.
wounded in last action AID len them at the hospital
be,ds the Stevens, OF the Gssns Monitor Arsosoot AID
Port Royal worried our way up Tho Jsaes h,'s' ava ~
Rist ', s .w s
and Jamestown. but they ran from g' se.nding ne river
there containing tobacco, &C.. ia flames aid nearly con
sumed
Ga the evening Of the I4h inst sved about ten miles
beo~ Rehmotd The stevens had led the 'qpsdron keeping
shout yards ahead II th Oaena soundpg out The chan
ne. and looking cut for ob.ruienf and pedces We were
lou Of light drs, .nd the readne's with
which the vessel worked Of great service to the squadron
Prom iIio,manon winch We haa ssn,a W. St @
the ysr c,nsug OF spies AVID ,pnken vessels de-
Tended by very strong battery, high blua called WARDS
This Wards Han but eight miles below Richmond and
a, council OF war held or board the tag snip he Oalen
consisting the OF the five vess, IL
that tho -qpsdro should the next morning attack the
Se in The e5de, DTsd o thu ins' .
the squadron 'pksd the guns wn provided win shsn
Ing forward until rstns fast ard hesvins tsut then pump
forward and snbmese ait to loosen tito spiie IN its hold
snd thea haul upon until drawn &c.
We likewise euned that the enemy had rifsp pits wen
manned aud even whie 1T anchor on tie Afternoon OF TIE
lth tired a, 'eyesl tme. from me.setty IN tas
bu.he. along the shore At the request Of the Commodore
threw ,te ON our Parrot gun At quite ss 'oce OF the
enemy on nil shout ,%s mis- distant which started .asn N
canister light guLs into the bushes where the mic
shot had FROM and turin1 the night We heard nothing
fortunately learned that evening that the Gsens had sew
srs sheets Of boiler iron DC, IN u's tiJ !ee twenty
tive Of these procured and isened them en- the outside OF
pilot ard cabin and their protection We were al
indebted for our i've. IN the .c,ion Of the 18th
The morinE the hE.t OF the ebb tie vctes moved
up their positions Of attack under very annoying hfs o!
rhes ou the woods Tie river being s than two hundred
yards wiie .
We FIRE upon tho battery with heavy fun. and
threw she ard canister moan our btoadsds one, n,o he
forty from the shore that their shapshooters had
r During tho hsh, aud While our heavy gun
WA ,fofm1z ,pepdidy bust but fortunately d'aoed
10. one nan bur om tn. ven, to the unron. In i've
hAv throwing ore hs o,srso:d on the Pss &
uurze forward 81 the uunnion. rensinsd entfe and wa
,oyed tn. po, house shsseed part Of the upper deel
su.ned in, ana Of The nsin dec, beams started
tho gun having u-, sighted and trained upon
tn. osucty. Ny ,pe.spk rum ct |. eorPls,-y crushed
eOss 90 that tore my coat wa. hit ca the heal
~ part Of The qua OF e.rse think WAS one Of The
TabberD which stunned fer rioinsDi althonsl
a6s 10 hesp the deeA the hstny OF ou
ssh; the .Ss.aos fen w. a Of .oa
about hour end hall AFTER our gun burst After he.sng
up anchor tainted away but after being enpped behind
for WOUNDED WAS able to resume the charge
Our ts brOsd.ide gun. did splendid execution. driving
the enemy out % ter mic Yi,. aud clearing the shore OF
under the Ioseton OF cur ironclsd cabin only
posing the moment while loading our lo' By their hIe
= oaly two wounded.
tered hc and completely peners.ei Is, i've passed
through her smoke stack and three passed Iossh dee. plat
seventeen ALLIED and ABOUT twenty wounded The other wee
SCI, received 6u, slist iljafy the Mon'or none =, all
The vessels tad to anchor on account OF the narrow
H. sIsyen. di no, haul Of uu the Gaena and Monitor
Get her example The Agooook and Pot Royal dropped
dow half hour before hove up. The Arootook hove
no but th. Po, ROYAL slipped her moorings
been in command Of the Stevens have way, observed the
precsuon of having man on deck 10 i'ss home The .ho
or shell sr the mue OF the gun Is e'yacd Tor fear that
.hnf.r uu n VIII d.
berth A. the time the gun burst TINS p.ctntion
@ ne. h,s s sss a.nsd y the , o b
In making my report to IN. Commodore alter tho action
requested I to appG,n S.a o. ., ~
me gun &C. and report that they had an old sw extending
from the inside Of the vent to near tue Outside OF the
gun aud that therefore they consider that the bursting was
cs.ed by the gun heretofore having been subjected to severe
and yIo.eed test. se and fny SsSs o Il OH any want
am snIiOa:t to reloiq the James River squadron
once although ha. been decided ta smother gun cannot
fsred tho Gag officer to return Commodore KoleT
told when le him At City Point that yes. oven IN he
pres.n addition, could be OF gree, service to hii
sincerely yours ID. &. CONSTABLE.
Captain Jons fAuscs
Commander Constable wa formerly second officer
on the Harriet Lane, Capt. Faunce. In letter to
bis mother, he relates how a Rebel sharp-shooter
raade strenuous endeavors to take bis life, and how
finally the Rebel WAS Disposed Of. He says:
During the SIGHT o, the 18th Inst rife ball passed through
my clothing. and lodged ia hammock near me- and now
Keep Il OF the tight The ball wss decidedly
ftom az Enxish Enfield rhe, Bat the Rebel who fed Is
no longer living At least three well shots had been
hfed Al me fom spot before discovered where they
came from then that they had been fired from thea
bush about 10 ard. from Once even caught sign, 81
the mu1ze ride prouded through the b'h to ar'
M NJ, and twice rs,d Tihe my shoulder 10 sm a. hi,
hut he dropped out OF sight ia ~ mixing .
FINDING that must either shoot him get SHOT myself
ibid .rother plan. aimed Of Rrolndrrs, loaded
with canister the bus and directed the captain oil he gun
10 6rs A. The moment raised ny signal | tben took my
former position and wschs tho bush closely Sne enough
hon the fellow standing without ric IA y hshu
he gain thrust the uzze Of his gun through the bush but
before he could pull trigger rs'ed MY hand, bang
vent the " FOUNDER, and when the smoke cleared away
rebel gua bush and all had been de.ireye ed together