Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1863-04-16

Weights
The Patapsco got foul of one of them,
and could not make her screw work for
some fifteen minutes. but finally got
clear. A torpedo exploded close to tn,
bow of the Weehawken, without, how
ever, doing any damage.
The vessels all steering very heavily,
the narrow passages through the line of
Instructions could not be reached At
ter several vain attempts, the four ves-
Sells turned about and steamed back
down the harbor all the while sustaining
a heavy fire, and responding with their
guns as vigorously as they could.
DAMAGE DONE TO TIE IRON CLADs.
The Patapsco had her 200 FOUNDER
Parrot gun disabled by its own recoil
early in the action. The turret of the
Passaic was bent in, and cramped her
l inch gun so as to prevent its work.
ing. Shortly afterward, her turret
stopped revolving, and she lost all Of
fensive power.
The Ironsides had, meantime. vaiuly
struggled to come closer to Fort Sumter.
The rebel gunners finding her fixed
mark, piled her freely with shot and
shell. Her position was such that she
could not bring her !troadsides to bear
until about four o'clock, when she got
an opportunity to deliver her fire at Fort
Moultrie. This was the only offensive
demonstration made by her during the
action.
When Admiral Dupont found that he
could not readily move the lronsides, he
signaled to the four iron clads behind
her to pass ahead and 60 to the support
of the four vessels already engaged.
In trying to pass by the Catskill
and Nantucket brushed the Ironsides on
tho port and starboard sides, but after
awhile managed to get away and moved
on. They and the kcokuk and Nahant
came under the concentri, range of the
forts and batteries at about the time the
other four Monitors were turning back
They nevertheless advanced with their
guns at work briskly past the northeast
face of Fort Sumter, until their course
was likewise impedcd by Instructions -
The Catskill, Nantucket and Nahant re.
ccivc,l the fire of Fort Sumter and Moul.
trie. The Keokuk had steered little
more to the left, and for while received
the fire of Fort Sumter alone. She fred
the gun in her forward Iurret but three
times, when it became disabled Her az
ter gun could not be brought tie bear eff
fcctivcly. and was thus rendered useless
After continuing under the united fires
Of all the forts aud batterirs for about
three. quarters of an hour, all the Mon,
ilors and the Whitney Battery came back
in obedience to a signal from the flag
ship
The Ironsidcs Lad already dropped
back some distance out of range of Fort
Sumter. At o'clock tho entire feet
was out of range, and the action ceased
DIscoNrINUANCE OF THE BATTLE.
1t was the intention of the Admiral to
renew the attack on the next day, but
when the reports Of the commanders of
iron clads were received, showing that
Two, the Kcokuk md Passac, were
fully, and three, the Patapsco, Nantuck
ct and Nahant. were partially dis bled,
the Admiral determined to desist from u
continuance. In this decision he was
sustained by the unanimous opinion of
the commanders of all the iron-elads.
TERRIFIC scENEs-TuE DAMAGE DONE.
The firing On both sides was good
and the thunder of the cannonade ter.
rife. The striking Of the heavy missiles
used Ivy the rebels against the sides.
decks, and terruts of the monitors. the
rcverbcrations of their own monstrous
guns, the plunging of shot and shell into
the surrounding waters, the dense smoke
now hiding the forts and batteries from
view, then broken by sheets of fame,
the uncertainty as to what new obstacle
or iu.ctnal machine might be cncoun .
tered hy the iron clals, fhc. difficulty of
proper y mauruvering ..thc vessels, the
anxious suspense of the inh,bitant. Of
the iron boats as to whether II tory or
defeat was TO-, crown their efforts all
this made the scene one Of unparalleled
interest and excitement. fa--t /
No words can convey an idea of the
terrible fire. The monitors were hit
from twenty to sixty times each, with
the exception of the Kcokuk. which,
from her more exposed position. was
strucE by not less than ninety shots. =
Ter tcrruts were penetrated number
of times, and her hull, at the water
max, showed nineteen holes. She was
only kept afoat by plugging and pump,
ing, until next morning. when she Sunk
on the bar, in eighteen feet of water,
her co'ors still flying. All on board
were saved, but all lost everything they
had The Ironsides was hit from fifty
to sixty times, without material damage.
The enemy used only shot of the hea-
West calibre. The most destructive Of
their missiles were of English manulac.
ture. principally Whitworth's steel poin.
ted projectiles.
Eleven large holes, apparently run.
ming through the walls--some of which
were about three feet wide were made
on the east face of Fort Sumter, show.
lug that our fire was not altogether inef-
fectual. stn