New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-02-13

abundant stock of ammunition, did little more than
reply TO her gun for gun They soon perceived that
their only chance Of doing any execution on Der iron
sides was 10 get shot into her ports and now uni
versaly reserved their fire until the turret came
slowy round fronting them, and theo at the instant
the rOrt-nOles became visible, blazed away. As an
example OF the accuracy Of their Workmanship l
will state that one Of these shots, from ten-lnch
gun, struck the turret directly between the two
pors little them, yet not more than 10 or 20
iLcbes from tho opening. No wooden vessel could
possibly have lived in he position occupied by TIE
Montank fifteen minutes. About lOI o'clock the
Moutauk hove up her anchor and stood few hund-
red yards further up rho river. This position
was within about loo yards of the fort. and was
meintsined by her until about 10 o'clock without
any apparent eioct her--and | may say rs
we'll OF the battery either. The gunboats below, in
me meantime, having pretty much exhausted tlelr
supply Of long-range she took but an occasional
part III the AFFAIR." and. indeed, for two hours had
used their gupb but very sparngiy this account.
About noon q storm, which had been brewing all
the morning, CANE up, with misty ram ana fog,
completely eDehroudDg the fort; aud toe Montauk,
too, havUg cxharsed ali her shell with the fuse OF
the required length, the vessels Of the loila retired
10 tfeir previous night anchorage, and dispatched
tag immediately 10 Port Royal Tor more nuniCions
II war, The arrival Of when they are now aDxousiy
locking for.
The affair lasted in all about five hours During
that tine there probably in the vicinity Of 3oJ
shot and thcl expended by the fleet. Tie enemy,
with the exception of fo1r smells from their mortar
with which the seneca was favored replied solely
and eXclu.iyeiy to the lire Of the Montauk. a!d
probably expended about half az many.
So far US test Of the resisting powers of the IRON
dad vessel Of the Monitor csss ii concerned, the
affair was most satsioctory one. IN all, the Mon
tauk was stuck thirteen tinss, moetly by lO.Inch
! and rled sold snot. The effect OF these shot upon
the turrct 10 leave an indenture OF about one
hall au inch. One shot which Just graZod one side
al If Ia ..H ,fn, nf
merous bolis with which the plates are fastened.
which was about the only real damage which could
30 said u rave been done. Several shots struck the
deck OF the vessel aud plowed long burrows on the
sur ace Of tre iron plating, brt injured nothing.
Two solid l0-ircn shot struck in c'ose proximity 10
ole another the etge of the hull and deck plates
which made the deepest iaden.ure received by the
vessel. Bu. altogether TIE damage inflicted was not
oDe 1.-THE the amount received by vessel in gale
OF wind, when exposed TO envy unusual labor.
TIE working Of the machinery OF the vessel was
all that coula be desired. The mechanism OF the
turret performed admirably The TEN eerature IN
tbs eDgue-room, and N tho quarters or oicefs and
men, was moderate, and no Inconvenience WHAT
ever experienced b. any ono. In this respect.
the Montauk proves to be a great inproyenen5 on
the original Monitor Toe rafting OF the shct aud
she'd above was hardly Gudi,le; and were il not
the trembling " the weasel under the discharge
of her owr gus, one might have been dining on
beard Of her without suspccting that Rebel DAT
tery was raining its emo, aPoa hsr.
So mucl FOR tie inyincibiiity Of the nontaak. AS
10 10 result Of tie Mornings work, regret noe
! n be able 10 speak as iat.eiugiy. How InGch
! dsr,g ,y.e done to tee eneAys works, OF course,
A. ureseat, no one can speak acyise:y. But
haldly think II WIS OF 90 Ser'sls character 40 to
prevent the Rebels from Il.skias As good defense
;c.day yesterday. TO many, cogniz4nt OF thu
numerous lara batteries reduced by our navy IL
way teeIn very strange that IN iron.ciad, assisted
by four gunboats, should IN so long space OF time,
have accomplished 50 I.tle. But IL must b. rsIne1
heged that Tue Ogeechcc ~ no wide stream, per-
hitting oil the mauelverng OF sea-goiDg
VS. els. On the contrary, the channel Is almost
UNIVERSAL, 80 narrow 10 reudes tue turGing Of
vessel OF ioni 100 10 @lD ee IN length. druwln5 ten
or tweve feet OF wafer 3 matter OF considerable
difficulty. 1t ia impossible. under such circtn-
srunces for vessels Of war operate with the sstne
roeasure Of success they would IN al open har-
bOr bay, or large-siZed stream. DEPRIVED u Tue
constant changing OF Ter position, when has always
been tDc main advantage, ana indeed tue aaiv&Ion
vi wooden ship engaging hand Qualifications, no
| yessU OF course, IL hbosng under u cad dead
vantage. Under these uniavora5le circumstances,
tho rotIa has laborsd here; and TO the writer, 1t
GEMS that upon tho iron-clAd, 0. iron-cads, must
deyoiv- the principal part 9t tie eomjae Iask 3, !
reducing Fort McAllisier. 40 DO this, however, it
Will be necessary Tor Ter 10 assume a closer proxm
ity to the battery Tam yet taken by her. Ia doing
this, . hs sure she ruIssa geat risk OF grounding
aud IL encoun,erng the toriedoes and other obsIruc-
.ons of the river, near the piles between Us a1d
I the for. But have no doubt Commander Worden
will conclude 10 take these chances and To place LIS
vessel where. in u comparatively short seace oil
time hex heavy guns will render thus resort of tho
gray. coated gentry quite untenable. Upon the COM
| inc Of the ammunition, we shall see what eshau
eos."
TIE SECOND ATTACK.
! OaEgcHEs RIVER Fec. 2, 1853
! The second attack upon Foit McAlis;er uas been
made and your correspondents regrets 80 Inform you
that she tort not Tho causes whica rendered
our Efforts OH Iuesdsy last ~ futile We're uoTe stIik-
ingly exempded In the second attack made yester,
do AID after gallant attack OF between four ana
five hours the little fleet was again Obliged sulieniy
and reluctantly, 70 relinguish the task, Us one,
undor the circumstances, beyond their powers. Inc
result is not TO no attributable 10 any Lack vi gai'
lan,ry or will. or skill. on the part OF the little
naval force making the attack but simply and .ssIy
TO .ae fact that, the position IN Y.rcn II YVES
OBLIGED TO co It's lighting, il lad 10 contend with
advantages OH the soe Of the ehemy which rendered
their stronghold impregns0e to any fleet OF the de-
scrpdion OF the oae brought against 1t.
The attack was begun On the morning of the list,
as soon there WAS sufficient light to tie ens
my works. The vessels engaged were the came
as Oh Tuesday. and the attack IN the same order.
rDe MonIauk went gallaatly forward, and Ut once
engaged tho enemy az as close quarters us the ob
atrUcuous in the RIVER would permit. al tie
wooden vessels took positions someYhat closer tbau
on the previous attack and ~ good range of their
heavier guns. Tug MonLauk held her position near
the piles uat nearly low water, and only tell back
when ID was discovered by sounding that there were
but fifteen ,nches Of water under her hull. In an.
other malt hour che must evidently have been hard
ssroGnd Although sufft ring damage 70 speak of
IRON the enemys shot, and just getting Betd,
range Of the fort, Commando W0rden, however
much against his incinations, Ma Of obliged
to assume position further dowa the river. Ines
much "a sho4l extends from the piles very nearly
TO the position occupied BY the wooden boats this
movement necessarily virtually lost US the dsy.
Tha fight however was kept up for a considernI.al