New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-12-10
puuLp1 DOCUMENTS.



SIN. The navo, operations OF the year nave
hsen varied aId more alduous as well as lar more
,snsi,e than ever before under the GoyefhHeii' md
blockade c0mHcre nE ~ AlcXahdra ~ sii.ctivcly
eliminating nt the Rio Grardo has hech c'' en- a.
maintained. The cIicn, oi this tiocbnIr hc,rsi M
an accurate table o! esuIement carchHt
the Coas Survey Ohce covers dist ~ o,s
miles, with 1872 harlof or river OPEN kIl shore 70 be
snd much OF the coast presents ue,iI ade a naval
guarded. In G<.GitiOn 10 TIE C.hN' - - hc.n ON,
foroe of more than one hundred N'sss ~ y hoi srn
,lnysd in na.rolpc- TIE rivers cuiing on heoci sp
,liss and er,ne~a..ng with fhesFuies IN tne sutp' w.
cf the Rebellion. TIE dsi'Ae,, -; al ;,s tThu
,rollrd by The glnhoas on tho Mississippi anu us iu
os sis niles and he sounds bayous. rivers ava
a.s - ,be oIcs upon the Atlantic and tie Gulf COW
rire an extent of about 5000 miles have also DEC"
o,,s,ra,sd and watched with rneessns vigilance
Tbe blockade is becoming more efee'Ne anu c"li'
,.o Progress has been made ia repcllne ire fencs
I'm the coast and cicumscribng their limits. ine
M.;sspp and ,s tributaries have, after prot,aeted
Derfisten and struggle IN which the "hoietn
ies and efforts Of tie insurgents were engaged 10 OF
sruct and prevent success. been reopened to law
cation and commerce AZ the Rebels have never pos
sessed an open port for either begorent opcrenohs or
commercial purposes, nor naFai o. Ia
their maritime trade and proceedings have oeeh chenf
derived from foreign adv enturers and foreign capia
IT. IN the early period Of the war; the unsernpuons anu
unpinced traders Tho IN 7iooon OF "a" n I tbc
blockade and furnish the Rebels win sulphes, VIZ
successful the general results of the year. now near Us
close have been the most disastrous me
our nav al forces and the trngncy OF the raw
operated with great severity by those whe raw
Yisen in arms against their country and have caused
heavy losses 10 those who have aoetted OF nave oee
svmnathy With the Rebellion. do not propose In TINS
,sport 10 enter upon the details Of our naval operations
since ny last annual communication but shan appena
the official reports Of the officers themselves, whch pest
aarrnte their respective lGbort and achievements
nober encomiuTn can he awarded item than we rnn
statement OF their deeds and no sun mary can 40 ns'os
70 their unassumirg conmuneafions Inc eflhhs
grounds OF the several blooxadng sluadroIs remain IN
changed since my last report
NORTH ATLANTIC SQUADRON.
lr,iro Tscc finn In m n
the North Atlantic Squadron faithfully and ably dis
charging his duties in position Of great responsibility
and In some respects, Of great embarrassment. sec
onded and sustained no has been by ofeo OF feei
and efficiency the rivers Of Virginia and the SOUNDS OF
North Carolina have been penetrated. watched and
guarded a. well as the entire oo's1 ins, Az
exception Of the port Of Wilmington; TO close Which
has been dfcus from It's two inlets thirty miles aps
fepked BY extensive batteries. Some OF tho intest
stesners nom the Clyde and other quaIters OF hght
draught have under cover Of darkness succeeded IN
eudng capture but most OF even that Description OF
yessek have fallen into our hands or been driven on
shora With these exceptional cases. ell foreign and
coastwise commerce With tie Rebels has ceased IN thAt
quarter. At Warrington Acwbern. and eseshsre , on
Nansemond. York and other rivers of virginia oar
naval officers have been sleepess seniines. and tney
have exhibited examples Of heroic brsyeryfnnd daring
In repeing the Rebels and protecting and snccorng the
army when in difficulty, which Tsleet honor On 'Asm'
selves and the service.
SOUTH ATLANTIC SQUADRON.
TIE South Atlantic Squadron has coat 10 ENFORCE
the blockade with vigilance and effect II IL not known
that any vessels eude the vigilance OF TIE feet or
effect Communication with the Rebels on that coast
long eoe,an rec sas sss c
that point was prosecuted with some success ana no
vigilance activity could wholly preventit With
turing Cbares.on Itself the original seat Of n.urrec,icu
and 81 dsunon preparations were made by this depart
merit, uencing more than year ago Tor the oocu
patton Of the harbor and the reduction Of the defense
Tire completion Of Tire iron.clsd vessels wss urged for
ward with all the energy the department. could iniuse
Into the contractors and such other efficient vessels as
could be made available ordered &c the squadron
TO add to lis power and efficiency. Delays and Difficult
ties intsrvened aud it was not until the 9TH Of April
s. asH dm'rnI DuPon in The New Iropsjdes
accompanied by turretcd vessels Of the Monitor
class and the gunboat Keokuk proceeded up the haor
and made vigorous assault upon Fort Sumter. From
some difficulty defect the Admirals ship was unable
to get into action, but tho others proceeded onward
the attack and sustained terrific concentrated liz
Owing " the submerged distractions. the character
Of Rich not understood it not deemed adviss
bic y MI fHs two hours The signal was given Il
withdraw the feet. But comparatively slight injur,
was sustained by the turre,ed vessels and only one IN
was los, in this remarkable contest. No ships cvei
before sustained such concentrated IRE and the en-
du-ing Qualities Of this class OF vessels were fuiy
moved was intended 10 have renewed the attack On
lie follow ing day. but this intention YVES subsequently
abandoned. and the vessels were Withdrawn ON tas
barbor under an that they could not with
stand the storms Of the and the fire OF the Rete
batteries But important considerations rendered !,
proper that tie force should remain inside the bar and
orders were sent 10 kearAdmirI Du Pont " that
sfoct
The report Of the experimenting engineer TO the
Injuries hch the turreted vessels had sustained wal
satisacOry and confirmed the Government IN its de-
Termination 10 close electuay and completely tie port
To prevent the ingress or egress Of snge vessel
and also 10 promote operations against the deenses IL
tie haTbor.
Rear Admiral Du Pom. having expressed q willing
nest reinquish the position which no had occupied
la.r A 1Fnlra Arnr EA1s
was detailed 10 relieve lin. That brave and dstIn
guishcd officer prepared with great alacrty and promp
titade Tor Tie duty, bS , wheI On "a. WAY 70 h' CON
York. His isociate and second In command, Rear
Admiral John A. Dahlgren, proceeded Immediately u
Port Royal and on the 9th DAY OF July assumed com
and army forces the latter under General Gilmore,
was instituted for the occupation and possession o
Morris Island on Tie south SIDE o, the entrance 70
Charleston harbor after long and severe struggle,
the army operating upon Iand with The efficient CO.
operation Of the Monitors and tie Ionddss, Morris
Island with AZ It's batteries captured. Sumter yus
soon made pile II ruins BY the fierce artillery Of
forces although tie Rebels co,Tire 10 CONTINUE small
bat p0weess force there under the protection o. the
surrounding batteries In The SLOW operations q! this
pIoac.ed siege Of over five months as well I'D in the
characterization OF tie 7,h Of April both the resisting
and attacking pogoT Ct the monitor. has been Illustrated
Since the feet under Admiral Dahlgren has nained
inside the bar and have Lad possession Of Morris
Island the commerce Of ChaFlestoi has ceased Not Il
slukc uHHti mas i'"N.~"e tAc
city for months and the rac which had been 10 BONE
extent and WITH large profits, previously carried is
e1tilgtished As a commercial nart Charleston has
90 xs,eDce; her wealth with her trade has departed
In military strategic view the place IL Of little
sequence; and whether the Rebels are able by great
sacrifice and exhaustion 10 hold out few weeks moro
Or less 10 VI no importance.
The most marked and extraordinary conflict With
The limits u this squadron indeed IL the service dur
uihcant and instructive naval battles Of the wsr took
place on the 18th VI June In WARSAW Sound. between
Tie Weehawken, vessel Of the Monitor class and TIE
formidable auOfed steamer Atlanta Lie the contest
In Hampton Roads in March, lsG2 when the Monitor