The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1863-04-08

vessels leave the harbor it is always necessary
to aid their exit by previously arranged lights
(shaded) and signals, so that it is reasonably
certain that the attacking iron-clads must ell
Their enter in open day, or incur the eminent
hazard of getting aground upon one OF the
most treacherous bars on the Southern coast,
which seldom yields a vessel when once it has
grasped the keel. But if, p~erchance; despite
the macy channel, multiplied torpcdoes, and
the combined batteries of the forts, some Of
the nine Monitors should chance to get into
port, they would still have to encounter a con-
centrated fire of other batteries, which, as the
Yankee papers have learned from contrabands,
cline the shores of tie interior of the harbor."
And then will come the .ttug of war" which
will dstermine the possession of the honored
old city. aaI
An immense armament for an attack on
Charleston has for some time been preparing
at Beaufort, South Carolina, and vicinity, and
q Beaufort correspondent Of he New Haven
Palladium, writes =. CO..
Admiral Dupont expects to take thirteen
of these iron-clads into Charleston, among the
rest the great Lonsides ; besides which he will
take the wooden fleet that captured Port Roy
al, nearly fifty vessels in all. A land force of
at least twenty-five thousand men will accom-
pany the feet, well provided with transports
and the necessary lighters, flats, and surf boats
for landing and making 4 studded attack.
The siege train to BE taken is probably the
heaviest ever used by any army in the world,
although not in number as extensive as the
trains in the army of the Potomac. We have
8, 10, Ii and Is inch mortars 8 and 10-inch
columbiads; "a, 80, AZ and 6s-pounders
James riass /; 80, so, 100, and 200 FOUNDER
Parrott rifles, with a quantity of smaller field
artillery. These rifed guns, especially the
Parrott 100 and 200-pounders, are good for a
range of five miles. 1t is not proposed to use
them over 3 500 yards, which will be the
greatest distance We shall be obliged to throw
a shot. This distance is easily within the
range of all the pieces previously mentioned,
and the rihed pieces are able to hit a piece Of
twenty yards square every tims at that distance,
(nearly two miles.) So much for the prepa-
%rations. Ammunition sufficient for three
weeks continual firing to be carried fer both
the feet and siege train, so that there will be
one long continued roar when we get to work
The delay in the attack on Charleston, is
now said to have been caused by torpedoes in
the harbor, with which Monitors, unassisted,
are unable to cope. Capt. Ericsson, of New
York, has invented a nondescript "devil" to
clear channels of torpedoes and other obstruc-
tions. He sent down four of the machines but
three were lost in a gale of wind. The other
arrived safely at Hilton Head. The prinoi-
PIE upon WHICH the "ucVu lS CONSTRUCTED iS
!:
An iron frame Aoated to the waters edge
by pontoons is pushed ahead of the Monitor
as she runs in. Its length from the bow of the
Monitor is from twenty to thirty feet. An
aperture is made next to the vessel of the
of her bows, intended to receive it.
breadth of the construction remover" is
twelve feet. From each side of the extremity
q strong iron bar or shaft runs Town also twelve
feet, the Monitor drawing from eight to ten
feet CT water, thus rendering it impossible for
any torpedoes over which this obstruction
nrovern-rassas to iniure the vessel.
A number Of iron bars are uesd not only TO
form a ne work so as to either push forward
rexplcdc every torpedo less than twelve feet
under water, but also to strengthen and steady
the masrs. Hr the bottom a heavy tie-bar
uni:es these two vertical rods, upon which rests
the PERCUSSION torp edo containing seven hum
bred pounds of powder. Above this is a ham
.er which catches in a spring SO stiff as to
require two men to set it, but constructed SO
the lever which protrudes in front, form
the handle or other enc Of the hammer,
cause the spring to give with little pres.
sure. This is to remove piles.