The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-04-24

HOW THE MONITOR FLEET STANDS
FIRE.

9th; on Monday all preparations were
made, but fog prevented the advance.
On Tuesday the 9TH of April, at Il p. NJ,
the advance movement began the fleet,
except the Ironsides, sailed within five hun
dred yards of Sumter; eleven holes are
battered in the walls of that fort After
being under fire thirty minutes, the feet
was signalled to retire, the nature of the
distractions being at that time fully as
certained.
Below we give full particulars of the
fight and its leading incidents:
The following was the
ORDER OF BATTLE AND PLAN OF ATTACK up
ON CHARLESTON.
The Bar will be buoyed by the Keokuk.
Commander Rhind, assisted by G. O. Bou-
telle, Assistant United States Coast Sur
vey, commanding the Bibb; by acting En-
sign Platt and the pilots of the squadron.
The commanding officers will, previous to
crossing, make themselves acquainted with
the value of the buoys.
The vessels will, on signal being made,
form in the prescribed order ahead, at in
tervals of one cables length.
The squadron will pass up the main
ship channel without returning the fire of
the batteries on Morris Island, unless sig
nal should be made to commence action.
The ships will open fire on Fort Sumter
when within easy range, and will take up
position to the northward and westward
of the fortification, engaging its left or
e, NJ l$ofo Of
to 500 yards, firing low and aiming at the
extreme embrasures.
The commanding officers will instruct
their officers and men to carefully avoid
wasting a shot, and will enjoin upon them
the necessity of precision rather than ra-
pidity of fire.
Each ship will be prepared to render
every assistance possible to vessels that
may require it,
The special code of signals prepared for
the irOn-clad vessels will be used in &C
ton.
After the reduction of Fort Sumter, it
is probable the next point of attack will
be the batteries on Morris Island
The order of battle will be the line
ahead, in the following succession:
1. Weehawken, with raft, Captain John
Rodgers.
.. Passaic, Captain Percival Dnyton.
3. Montauk, Commander John L. Worden
4. Patapsco Commander Daniel Ammen.
5. New Ironsides Commodore Thomas Tur-
G. Catskill. Commander Geo. w. Rodgers.
Z. Nantucket, Commander Daniel Men.
| Fairfax.
8. Nahant, Commander John Downes
9. Keokuk, Lieutenant-C Commander Alex. c.
Rhind.
"A squadron of reserve of which Cap
tain j. F. Green will be the senior officer,
will be formed outside the bar, and near
the entrance buoy, consisting of the fol-
| lowing vessels:
Canandaigua, Captain Jos. H. Green.
| Unadila, Lieutenant Commander s. P. Quach-
| enbush.
Housatonic, Captain William r. Taylor.
Wissahickon Lieutenant Commander j. G.
Davis
Huron, Lieutenant Commander G. A. Ste
vens.
And will be in readiness to support the
| irOnclads when they attack the batteries
on Morris island. S. F. DUPONT,
Rear-Admiral Commanding South At
lantic Blockading Squadron.
THE HARBOR DISTRACTIONS.
To the Weehawken was assigned the
important duty, which was faithfully per-
formed in the midst of the fight, to ex-
anime and, if possible, to force, the OBJ
structions which the rebels have extended
across the harbor from Fort Sumter to
Moultrie. Protected by the scow and the
''devil'' in front of her, she pushed straight
up towards the distractions. They were
found to consist of network of chains
and cables stretched across the harbor over
which it was impossible for the Weehaw-
ken to run without fouling her propeller,
and which she found it impossible to force.
To the network the rebels are supposed to
have suspended torpedoes and other sub
marine explosives. Having completed the
examination and tested the impOssibility
of working up the harbor until means are
devised for the removal of these obstruc-
lions, the Weehawken returned and report
ed to Admiral Dupont, who ordered a dis
continuance of the conflict.
It is believed that the damage done to
Fort Sumter by our fire is serious. So far
as it showed externally it consisted in two
embrasures being knocked into one, and
numerous indentations in the wall. which,
it is believed, a few hours more pounding
would convert into serious breach. What
damage or loss of life was sustained in the
interior of the fort, is not. of course,
known, but it is believed to have been
considerable.
Fort Moultrie was also well hammered
and at least one gun dismOunted.
ADVANCING TO ATTACK.
The correspondent of the Times thus
describes the advance of our fleet to the
attack:
Precisely at half-past - O'Clock. the fleet
begins to move ON to the attack. The
line OF battle is formed in the order as
signed to each ship in the Admirals pro-
gramme-the Keokuk, which brings up
the rear of the line, lying down nearly op-
posite Lighthouse inlet, and the Others ex-
tending ON at intervals of cables length
the Weehawken leading the van.
The head of the line is some four miles
from the position the fleet is to make he
fore opening fire, and all the batteries on
Morris Island-must run with easy range
of each-have to be passed.
IT, Aoa+ ;o hardly in motion ho