Weekly national intelligencer., 1863-08-27

baps it commenced before The enemy ready.
APPEARANCES OF A REBEL RAM.
Ii was now quarter to nine O'clock. Sumter had only
fired from one barbette gun her damaged angle.
Wagner also fired but of her guns which pointed sea-
ward and the discharge OF that seemed miracle under
so heavy fire she continually receiving. AT this
juncture of the down the harbor to
notre, but going behind Fort Sumter, it after awhile
sneaked into sight and ran for Moultreylle The Iron
sides watched this craft aud when it started back she fired
some shots ather, which fell in line, though short
DEATH OF CAPT. GEORGE w RODGERS
At quarter past nine o'clock the Catskll was lying
within hundred and fifty yards of Wagner and dong
excellent execution when shot struck her, and Captain
Rodgers who in the pothouse, was instantly Killed
Paymaster Josiah G. Woodbury. was also killed, but the
pilot and steersmsn escaped slightly wounded The Cat
skill withdrew, and comiog down met by the Dande-
op Capt Barrymore, who took the bodies over to the
Dnsmore to be prepared for transportation North the
Arkansas. This terrible calamity cast gloom over the
whole feet Capt Rodgers beloved by every body
He was so kind yet in the prosecution of his duties
and wtha combined to many good qualities the virtues OF
christian life that when the heard the news they
brushed away their tears and said, Well he good
man. and is in Heaven" The agship dropped its flag in
memory Of the hero and the feet following go into
action with flags at halfmast.
THE MONITORS MOVE AGAINST SUMTER.
The action varied not much in its details during the
succeeding hour except that Wagner silenced and
Gregg tried in vain to hit the Irondes One Of Wagner
guns the feet had dismounted, knocking it completely
around. Sumter being repeatedly hit by our land
batteries and shells exploding around and inside OF
her. The Admiral transferred his dag to the Pas
sale, and proceeded up the channel followed by the Pa
tapsco They passed the ronsdes and when they came
opposite to Moutre this latter fort opened upon them as
also Gregg and TO- and behold Sumter long silent now
fires from parapet and easement at the two little cheese
boxes which have finally taken up stations within eighteen
hundred yards Of her eacherous sides This then is the
rebel plan to draw our on within concentrated
fire before the land batteries reduce Sumter, for they
know that after Sumter taken upon the ironclads viii
depend future operations against Charleston and if
they destroy this feet they consider themselves safe
The Canandagua now succeeded in getting the bar
and into position and fred her first shot at haCpast
eleven o'clock.
ACTION DRAWING TO CLOSE.
While the Passaic and Patapsco fred slowly at Sumter
aod received vicious reply the Ironsdes and other iron
cads kept continual storm OF shot upon Wagner and
Gregg Poor Moutrie we noticed her once. The
firing the Passic and Patapsco excellent and de-
monstrated the fact that red guns pierce the
walls while it is necessary that should smooth
bores to knock it down when pierced 1t not intend
cd that this to be 6na action of the ironcads
that at twelve o'clock the signal went from the turret
OF the flag ship to withdraw for dinner The land bate
res bad been silent for half hour and having demon
stgated ability TO take Sumter when all arrange
ments perfected back to the Dnsmore, ex.
pectng TO the attack in the afternoon
OPERATIONS OF THE AFTERooN AND EVENING.
In the early part of the afternoon the land batteries
continued the and Sumter their target
The ronclads laid within range of Wagner to interrupt
her if she should again firing 1t if this
fort invested with the supernatural for did
the feet withdraw than Wagner from her silence
and fired from her three guns much to say
still all right" The land batteries continued to peck
away Sumter and towards evening, Wagner and Gregg
having become too saucy the Ironsides accompanied by
the Passac and Patapsco went up again Wagner,
and by their steady fire prevented the Wagner rebels not
only from molestDg land batteries but also from re-
mounting their longest range gun, which had dis
mounted At dark two of the monitors went up picket
duty and the rest laid at after their resome duties
of the day. The land batteries to continue their
fire aT night that the rebels might not be enabled by
any silence part, to repair the damages which
rfed guns have already accomplished and again, the
.te4der the FIRE the will breach the fort.
CASUALTIES ON BOARD THE IRON cLADs
Beyond those on the Catskl there we're no casualties
board the ironclads and damage inflicted although
they hit many times The Ironsdes behaved splen
ddy and received the mplments of Moute with great
grace The feet of wooden gunboats did, Of course not
compare in point Of execution with the iron cads though
their shots screaming heads made fearful noise
THE NAVAL BATTERY ON MORRIS ISLAND.
This battery, which has fired all day at Sumter, and
knocked away the rebel sand bags from the western face
besides honey combng the wall itself is model battery
and although cannot yet give you its armament will
give its officers and men Captain Foxhal A. Parker
commands the battery, and the following officers have
charge Of its different divisions Lieut. T. T. Brewer Of
the Housatonic; Ensign James Wallace Of the Wabash;
Acting Ensign William Knapp, Of the Commodore Nc
Donough and Masters Mate John Pease Of the Canaan
dagus. The who the batteries blue jackets
from different men-of-war in the harbor.
IDEAS, WISE OR OTHERWISE
After the operations Of to-day, have concluded that
Sumter will fall into hands at distant day General
Glmores batteries aud the ronclads will pick it to pieces
and believe that the rebels have placed dependence
upon Wagner and Fort johnson for the defence Of Charles
than they did upon Sumter To take these forts
will require all courage, skill, and perseverance, 1t
seems as if Wagner could not be injured If we tear
holes in her psrapet they remedied the night If
we dsmount gun, in the darkness il be remounted
The rebels stranDg every nerve and defending them
selves against advance by erecting additional sand
batteries AMI strengthening those already erected No
city ever was defended scientifically Charleston and
when it taken you may rely upon that the defnces