Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1863-04-20

The Paymaster Of the Keokuk writes Of
the damages to that unfortunate battery;
@Iwill not attempt to describe the fight
Of the 7tb, or the horrors Of that after-
noon The Keokuk was struck 80 times;
more than half these shots went through
the small vessell It was as one chance
out Of ten thousand of our ever getting out
Of the fight; 300 guns must have been
playing on US, and that too, within 800
yards of Sumterl We were nearer the
fort and further up than any other vessel.
The men were perfectly sWe-stricken.
Such was the roll of fire along the sides,
that we could scarcely open the ports Of
the vessel to FIRE"
Another person, who was on the same
vessel, writes: E.#
The KeOkuk moved rapidly; she an
swered her helm beautifully, and she
steamed into the fight while her conEorts
were receiving the rapid fire of all forts.
As she entered the range of the rebel guns
the balls fell for a short time over and
around her, but did not touch her. The
first shot which struck hit her deck near
the aft turret, but glanced off. A moment
thereafter the turretreceived a heavy ball,
which was deemed to be little less than a
200-pounder
The high hopes with which the men of
the Keokuk went into the fight were, by
the effect of this shot, proved TO have been
delusiYe. 1t pierced the turret, badly shat
tering the iron and woodwork of which it
Gas constructed. The shot did not enter,
but tumbled back into the water. Seven
teen men were inside the turret. Bolt
heads and fragments of the broken timber
flew among them, and Acting Ensign Nc
Intosh, commanding there, was struck and
disabled. It is not too much to say that
there was some CONSERVATION at that mo-
ment among these men. Mcintosh was
removed below; and after the turret was
struck again part Of the force was with
drawn from it to the main deck. The in
telligenee which was thus received by the
crew of the vulnerability of the Keokuk
was Immediately followed by ample and
similar proofs from the forward turret,
and the effect of the shot on the sloping
sides, which were broken through in like
manner"
A writer from on board the Nantucket
says Of her injuries;
"After we were out of range Of the
enemy's guns, we counted 81 indentations,
one about eight inches below the fifteen
inch port-hole, one in the pilot-house, and
a number of smaller ones elsewhere. The
smoke-pipe was completely perforated with
holes. The rebels threw steel-pointed
slugs made of composition. 1t is thought
the Nantucket received as hard fire as any
Monitor, and came out with less apparent
injury. She received not less than 100
shots The builders of the Nantucket must
feel gratifed at the manner in which she
withstood the fearful esnnonading"'
One who went through the battle on the
Nahant writes:
awe got under weigh about one p. NJ.
yesterday, and very soon Sumter opened
on the Weehawken, the foremost boat We
worked aleng very slowly and carefully
All the time we could hear the continual
firing from Sumter and our iron -elads."
The head boats did not stand fire long.
They soon hauled off, and the Admiral
made signalfor the Nahant TO act her pleas
ure. We had then been struck eight or
ten times. Our Captain then struck four
bells (go ahead fast) with q vengeance,
and said he would 90 in and fight hand to
hand. We were then left alone, all hav-
ing hauled of, and took the whole Ere
from Sumter. A sharp pointed rifle shot
struck the top of the turret, driving
through two bolts, starting the inner plate
about two inches, and wounded the pilot
on the head and back, though not serious
ly. Our Captain was slightly wounded;
the Quartermaster at the wheel, who had
q moment before relieved another was
mortality wounded on the top of his head,
his skull knocked in, and the poor fellow
died at two o'clock this morning His |
name was Edward Cobb-belonging in Sa- |
lem-wss on board the Cumberland at the |
attack of the Merrimae, and was respected |
by all. seamen and officers. F"