The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1863-02-14

B .BY..'TEL.E:.lGlRAPH.
arrof4rD r1PHsssLY SEN rns sss0aEAKEu.' q
= : y,
The CHARLESTON CHA u ST 4 :. Al AFFAIR r !
f .s.l .stge E-T=T- - - /. !. ~ las
FuiI Particulars of the FigAts
! l.; ,,.%E- !, Il -.a+~, ;ga4 ~ ssYI
ANOTHER FIGHT ANTlCIPATEpl
Running the Blockade at Yieksbnrg
... -. ---------------- ---------------
The French Defeated OF PuebIa !!
THE CHARLESTON AFFAIR !.
Full Particulars Of the Fight
ANOTHER FIGHT ANTICIPATED
Running the Blockade at Yieksbnrg
The French Defeated Of PuebEa
LATER FRoM CHARLESTON.

I ' Culid1tiputai y w. o.
The steamer Royal Princess brings the
following particulars in regard to the
Charleston affair, showing conclusiVely that
there is no foundation for the assumption
that the rebels had the blockade of Charles
ton Harbor raised at all by the departure Of
the blockading feet, as only two vessels out
of the eight or ten which were there, were
obliged to leave.
The cause of the attack by the rebel rams
on our squadron, was owing to The capture
of the Princess Royal, the Captain and Pr
lot of which vessel escaped, and eommuui
Gated the intelligence to the rebels. The
Princess Royal had endeavored to ruB the
blockade BY way Of Beach Inlet. She was
discovered by the pilot boat Blunt, and the
signal being given TO the Unadilla, she gave
chase and captured her. 1t was then dis
covered that the Captain and Pilot had sue
eeeded in getting ashore, carrying with them
important dispatches to the rebel Govern
ment.
| At daylight the thunderiDg Of heavy guns
was beard, which was supposed to be our
6est engaged in making an attack; or that
the Florida or Alabama were endeaVoring
to force an entrance. At day brake two
rebel iron c!ads were seen coming down
from the direction of StoBo Inlet towards
the feet. They attacked the Mercidita first
one ram striking her near the waters edge,
keeling her over, aud at the same time
firing shot which entered one of her boil
ers, causing the death Of three psrsons.-
The ram then hailed the Meredith. Capt.
Stellwagen lowered one of bis small boats
leaving one Of the plugs out, allowing the
water to enter, aud then answered our bail:
"do you surrender" This vas repeated
three times, Capt. Sillwagen replying to
each inquiry, 81 am in a sinking con.
dition. The rebels answered, "if you don't
surrender we will blow you out Of the va
tsr-send your boat aboard"
The boat which had been lowered then
conveyed the executive officer 10 the rebel
ram, and asked to be admitted on board.
This was refused, when the LleuteDeut re-
peated, "ws are in sinking esnditiou.-
The rebels replied, ''you can't sink lover
than the rails, we can't take you on board"
The officer then gave bis parole, IS deman
ded, and returned TO his ship. The rebels
we're thus successfully deceived as to the
real condition of the Mercidita. She laid
in sbeal water, hence the reply, "shs CAN'T
sink below the rails"
The ram then steamed towards the Key
stone State, and sent . shot through her
steam drum, causing the death Of Il per-
sons, and Wounding Is more.
ln the meantime the gun boat Housatonic'
engaged the other ram, driving her away.
At half past six in the morning both rams
had left the scene, and passed up to
Charleston.
During the attack on our feet the Prin.
cess Royal had succeeded in getting of
Her escape and arrival here was chiefly
owing to the assistance of the third assis'
tant engineer, Thurstou. The Mercidisa
steamed down 20 Port Royal, with only one
of her boilers injured, at which place che
arrived safely, and will be repaired in
day. The Keystone State was entirely dis
ablsd, but was tOwsd to Port Royal BY the
Memphis.
The rebel statement that the Federal feet
was entirely dispersed from she Port of
Charleston is entirely unauthorized by facts
Our vessels returned to their positions at
dark. Two iron clads arrived next day TO
REINFORCE the bIockadsrs.
Inlors$tiop vas a,so brought BY the
Princess Royal Of 40 attack By the iron
clad steamer Montauk, on Fort McAhisser,
on the 2sth ufs.a She was rot disabled 10
the least, although receiving II shots ID her
sides and IL on her tarrst, and vas engaged
ave hours. She returned TO her anchorage
FOR want OF Shells The next morning
being fOggy, she did not tetnrn 10 the st-
tack. ~ p - , -u.o "
The Princess Royal has aboard, besides
q large amount OF arms end smmunition,
complete machinery fer the constructors Of
iron. clad rsms also, a. a passenger, an
lEnglish mechanic, Who 10 wsli.veessd ID ths
process Of making and hardening projeo.
tiles. !! d. -s -: ~ .. s,.....r r -: