The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1863-02-06
Glorious from Charleston.

Glorious from Charleston.
The following glorious and important
news came to hand Sunday morning, and
is fully confirmed by later dates:
Charleston, Jan. 3l.-The gunboat Pal
metto State. Capt. Rutledge, and the
Chicora, Capt. Tucker, accompanied by
three small steamers, the Clinch, Etowah
and Chesterfield. all under command of
Commodore lngraham, made an attack on
the blockaders, and succeeded in sinking
two, and erippling third. The engage
ment commenced at four o'clock the
Palmetto State, with Commodore lngra-
hans on board, opening fire upon the Fed
eral gunboat Mercidita, carrying eleven
guns and one hundred and iitty-eight
men. which was soon sunk in five faith
oms water. Her Commander, Capt. Still
wagon, with boats crew, came on board
and surrendered. One shot pierced her
boiler, going clear through. Capt. Still
wagon and crew were paroled by Com
modore lngraham.
Capt. Tucker of the Chicora, reports
sinking another Federal gunboat, and
the disabling OF the steamship Quaker
City. The latter was set on fire by the
Chcora and hauled down her flag to sur
render, but afterwards made her escape,
using only one wheel. She was very bad
ly damaged.
The number of blockaders outside at
the time OF the engagement, was l3, with
two frst-class Federal irigates the Sus
quehannah and Canandagua. The Fed
eral loss is very severe. 1t was COM
plete success OH our part, with not man
lost. The gunboats were not even struck.
Alllhe biockaders have disappeared; not
one to be seen within five miles by the
strongest kind of glass. Our boats are
returning. The following is the official
dispatch;
OK BoARDTHE GUNBoAT
PALMETTO STATE, Jan. 81, 1868.
went out last night. This vessel
struck the Mercidita, when she sent a
boat on boai 4 and surrendered. The Off
GERS and crew were paroled. Capt. Tuck
er thinks he sunk one vessel and set an
other on fire, when she struck her flag
The blockaders have gone southwark and
eastward out Of sight.
(Signed,) d. n. INGRAHAM,
Flag Officer Commanding.
Ninety.four prisoners, including three
negroes, from the John P. Smith, arrived
this evening.
Charleston, Feb. IAN official procla-
nation, dated Headquarters Naval and
Land forces, Charleston, S. c., January
81, 1868, says: AT about 5 o'clock this
morning the Confederate States naval
forces in this station attacked the U. 5.
blockading fleet off this harbor, sunk,
dispersed or drove off and out of sight
for the time being, the entire hostile fleet;
therefore, we the undersigned Command
ers of the Confederate States naval and
land forces in this quarter, do hereby
formally declare the blockade by the
United States of the said city of Charles
ton, S. c., to be raised by a superior force
of the Confederate States from and after
this the 3lst day Of January A. d. 1868.
Signed, 6. 7. BEAUREcARD,
General Commanding.
D. N. lNGRAHAM,
Flag Officer Cong Naval Forces in s. G.
Ohicial-Thos. Jordan, Chief OF Staff"
The results of the naval engagements
are two vessels sunk, four set on fire, and
the remainder driven away. The foreign
consuls here have held meeting and
are unanimously of opinion that the
blockade is legally raised. Twenty block
aders are off the bar to-day. The gun
boat Jno. P. Smith is now safely anchor
ed under the guns OF Fort Pemberton.---
She has one Parrot gun, ten elght-inch
guns, and one thirty-tour-pounder. she
will soon be ready for sea.
Two prisoners captured while on gun
ming expedition on Bulls Island, were
brought in to day. They belong to the
steamer Flambeau, blockading the port
Of Georgetown.
Charleston, Jan. 3l.-Several days ago
Gen. Ripley dispatched force of nrtille-
nv. commanded by eut-Col. Yates, to
James Island with the design Of attack
ing Yankee Gunboats canvassing in Stono
river, about eight miles from the city,
Col. Yates posted his guns, twenty;one in
number, in a sem-circle, stretching on
both sides of the river around the gun
boat Jno. P. Smith, and at four yesterday
afternoon opened a concentrated hire
upon her. She replied with broadsides,
ond tba onuauement lasted one hour
when the gunboat hauled down her flag
and surrendered Internationally, with
one hundred and eighty prisoners. She
carried eleven guns Many of her crew
were killed and wounded. Our loss only
one man wounded.
Another very important movement is
in progress here.
Charleston, Feb. Yesterday ?. NJ,
Gen. Beauregard placed steamer at the
disposal of the foreign Consuls to see for
themselves that no blockade existed
The French and Spanish Consuls, accom-
panied by Gen. Ripley, accepted the in
vitation. The British Consul with the
commander of the British war steamer
Petrol had previously gone FIVE miles be-
yond the usual anchorage of the block
AIDE, and could see nothing Of them with
the glass. Late in the evening four
blockaders re.appeared, keeping far out.
This evening large number Of blocka.
ders are in sight but keep steam up, evil
IDENTIFY ready to run.
Lieut.. Sheldon and chief engineer Penn