The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1863-03-14
THE DESTRUCTION OF THE NASH.
WILLIE.
[Oorrespondence Of the N. Z. Tribune.

HnroN HEAD, March 1, 1868.
It will be remembered that eight months have
elapsed since the Nashville managed to run the
blockade, and find refuge in the waters that now
close over her wreck. After discharging her
cargo, she was FIRST loaded with thousand bales
OF cossen, in expectation OF an egress as sue
cessfui az her entrance. The keen watch, how
ever, tie b!ockaders kept over her movements
resulted in as many failures as she made at
tempts to escape to sea. Despairipg Of that
venture, the rebels finally converted her into an
armed vessel, with view to her use for piratical
purposes. In that character she appeared at
the mouth OF the ogeechee River, under the pro-
lection of the guns of For. McAllister, some
weeks ago.
The wooden blockading vessels, however, KEEP.
her at bay until the advent of the Montsuk,
upon whose appearance she incontinently re-
tired beyond reach some miles up the Ogeecbee.
Her she lay Until last Friday, when, emboldened
no doubt by the Montauk's failure to demolish
the fort, and taking advantage Of thick fog,
she essayed again to fad her way past the
bleckaders and out to sea. But what the enemy
expected to serve as means of his unObserved
escape, was destined to prove the cause Of her
destruction. She got aground in the fog, with
in short distance in range of the fort, and was
discovered in that predicamens from the Mon
tsuk. Captain Worden at once proceeded to
avail himself of the unexpected turn of good
fortune that had placed the object of his long
solicitation at his mercy. s.-..
After giving the orders required by the occa-
sion to the wooden vessels, he stood promptly
toward the rebel steamer. He ran his Monitor
as close to the distractions as practicable, and
found himself able, to his great delight, to come
within 200 yards of his prey. Az soon as the
Montauk had got in motion the fort opened a
furious fire from all it's guns. But her com.
mander, without replying to it, steadily contin-
ued his course up to the distractions. While
the Montauk was steaming ahead, the wooden
gunboats commenced engaging the fort, and I'M
der the diversion of the rebel fire courted by
them, she brought her guns to bear upon the
Nashville. The first two or three experimental
shots missed the mark, but the proper range
being obtained, she soon sent one after,the other
of her l3-inch and 10 inch shells into the
doomed steamer. The fourth shell, l5-inch,
burst in her and set her on fire. Ihe flames
spread rapidly and speedily heated her guns so
as to cause their charge to explode. Soon
another shell went crashing through her side,
penetrating to her powder magazine and causing
fearful explosion, that finished the work Of
destruction. .~ ..
Such is the substanoe,of Capt. Wordens off
cialireport to Admiral Dupont, brought here last
night by the gunboat Wissshckon. Her officers
represent the burning and blowing up of the
Nashville to have been sight grand beyond de-
scription. Let the praise so justly due for this
brilliant success, be equitably melted out to Adj
mral Dupont, who never for a moment since
last summer, forgot the Importance of preventing
the escape of the suIken steamer; to Captain
Worden for the promptnqss with which he i'm.
proved, aud to the officers and men of the
Seneca, Wissahickon, and the other blockading
vessels, for the taithtulness with which they
prepared the opportunity for the destruction of
the rebel craft, that but for these trusty public
servants, might have become no less severe a
scourge to our commerce than the Alabama