, 1863-04-18

+A**
ean, who is more than ordinarily trustworthy,
gives some interesting particulars Of the late
operations against Charleston, and the feeling
among the officers and crews Of the iron
clads after the withdrawal from the attack.
He says:
"On the morning Of the sth, after the fight,
the eeyen Monitors were all examined, and
found them all in as good condition for SET
vice as they were upon going into the action
on the ith. Half past one o'clock was the
hour fixed upon TOR q renewal Of the bonn
bardment, and the officers Of the different
AesselE we're ali in readiness and most OF them
anxious for a renewal Of the conflict. The
order for the movement was momcntarly
matted for, but the order never came.
"At 3 O'Clock it WIS hscertained through
ont the feet that the Admiral had decided
that Charleston is mpreSnable, that Sumter
cannot be taken with the vessels aud appli~
snees placed at his disposal hy the govern.
mcnt'-in other woTGs, that the power Of the
government is not sufficient to humble this
| nest Of rebels.
In conversation with some of the coul-
nanders OF the iron.clads, before this order
Tas received, was assured that the walls OF
Fort Sumter we're pierced and crushed, mud
the opinion was expressed that in three hours
der Several Of them testified that their inl-
nenEc shot had entered the embrasurcs Of the
fort and dismountcd the guns, and that the
walls were in most shattered condition.
1.-TWO hours and fifteen minutes Of bonn
| bardntnt, one man killed, seven wounded,
one inferior vessel sunk, aud the great effort
| Of the country to Tetake the forts and public
! property abandoned AZ i1npracticab}ei
| "The reason why Charleston has not been
destroyed by The iron clad Aeet, even # Sumter
had not been taken, is the dreadful fear that
| overslladowed the feet authorities Of rebel
| torpedoes. Fatragut had the came to encounter
| at New Orleans with wooden ships bat he
dashed into his work, and considered that the
risk of life was :: part Of the duty of naval
| officer; that great risks were necessary ia
secure great results
"The Secretary Of the Navy sent down here
/ appliances to be used in removing the obstruc'
| tions In the harbor.. These RATS and torpcdocs
| hare been here ncarly two months, and the
attempt to take Charleston has been aban'
doned without their usefulness being eonsid
cred for moment. Ono of the rats was
taken in by the Neehawken, with .grapncli
refused to tayc the torpedoes connected With
it. They werc afraid the torpedocs might kick
backward. although they had been expert
mented with, and even the raft had not beer
injured:
hundred pounds Of powder, would haSesw
away the obstructions in the harbor, ant
enabled the fleet yesterday afternoon to *
up and lombard the city. They were, how
ever. not used, and this crest national retribn
ton is abandoned."
Two days atter the battle Mr.. Fulton writes
= "1ast evening visited the iron, c!ads on th'
| steau-tuE Dandelion, aud d morc broken
hearted st Of men mover had the historian
to encounter. Each man appeared to rcgsrt
himself rs personally dlsgraced BY tho act o
his snperiors, and aboard tho lronsides th
state Of feeling among tho younger officer
and Crew was that Of supreme disgust