The New York herald., 1863-04-14

Nor 10 that all that these little floating turrsts
have 70 contend with u were, they might
have held their way denanty, and run the
gauntlet Of all tho batteries that stood between them
and Charleston The weak side Of Fort Sumter 10 well
known 10 be its northwest 'front.' That was the point
against which guns ordered TO bc directed but
that was the point which the rebel engineers were
determined that should not got a. From the north
east angle OF the fort across the channel 10 Fort Mou
were suspended floating from barrels and kept ant by
weights heavy and contrivances Of roping 30 nxed
40 10 be sure 20 get entansed the propens apparatus
Of vessels and also connected with orpedoes Into this
net the weehav KEN which led the van, fell and for
long time her machinery useless and she drited with
the current. Al last, after great exertions, she
extricated herself The other vessels sheered OF
and avoided the same peril there was no getting into
the required position In this way Any attempt 70 per-
severe In that course would have rendered the feet
manageable and exposed u 70 destruction. Baed In the
attempt get round past Fort sumter In that way the
bulldog Monitors sought another opening but even the
shoai ground between the fort and Cummings Point
barred up with piles In fact Fort Sumter found 10
be the apex Of triangle, the two sides Of which i'm
penerabIe vessels and at the base line Of which
they were exposed to concenic nre from Forts Sumter
and Moutre the Redan Battery Bee and Fort Beaure.
gard Thus brought stand and nothing being left but
either 10 batter down Fort Sumter retire the iron
clads went rssoutey 70 their work. Stretching them
selves In . line between sumter and houtrie, and ory
giving an occasional shot tho latter work. they Piled
their guns upon the walls Of Sumter.
The Kcokuk steamed up 10 within three hundred
yards OF the fortress while the other vesssls lay at In
teredase distances between that and SIX hundred yards
The rronsdes--the AdmiraIs saeship-had become en-
tirey unmsnageabe, refusing 70 answer her helm 10
that with the exception Of broadside which she
poured into Fort Mouc she took part the attack
although herself the target for many o The enc
mys largest guns and hit sixty or seventy
times sustaining, however, no material damage For
half an hour while vessels In the position I
have described the eannonadng of the awfuly
grand and terrible character No words Of mine, no
words Of any man, convey faint idea Of H. II was
subiney terrific No lees than thrce hundred guns Of
the largest cabre concentrated their nre upon the
elsht assailants, who had but six,een guns with
which TO respond. Tho contest was too unequal 70
be erssvered In. Tho Keokuk was soon badly damaged
rhs turre, cf the Passac nden,ed AZ N prevcn,
s revolving The pstapscc had her two hundred pound
PARROT gun disabled; and BESIDES night was coming On
Tho Admiral therefore sanazed the feet 10 retire and
suleniy they fell back from In which tier we
90 tremendously overmstchcd; not, however, without
leaving their behind The northeast frnt of Fort
SUMTER which the only espoosd 10 our FIRE was
bay damaged No less than esvcn bocs sosp, OF them
Tires fce vide, aud two cmbrssures knocked Ito one.
showed the effect q the Mopor guns but that was al,
ue cnecled-thst and the dissipation of popular orror
a, could be captured by nine sr ten iron clad.
Tns signal airing given about avs ocock =.
Vas ODE. 3D. and vessels fell back 10 the flagship
parting shot being ared ~ the Ntscss, she pass
Fort wsgnsr
and linus ended lhs me-, rena S4D.e osGles ta has