Weekly national intelligencer., 1863-03-19
THE LATEST ATTACK ON FORT McALLIsrER

The editorial correspondence OF the Baltimore American
contains description of the otest attack on Fort Meal
lister near Savannah, Witnessed from the deck OF an
unengaged steamer in the Ogeechee river The vessels
which made the assault the Passaic, Commander
Drayton carrying one l5nch and lliDch Dahlgren
the Patapsco, Commander Daniel Ammen, one l5inch
Dahlgren aud 200 pound Parrot; the Nahant Com
mander Downs, one l5nch and one 1lnch Dahlgrsn; ;
and three l inch mortar schooners We extract from the
account of the conflict the following paragraphs:
At precisely hafpast eight o'clock Tuesday morning
the Sd instant every thing being readiness, Commander
Drayton sgnaled tn the mortar schooners, which had
taken position around the point out of range OF the enc
mys guns to open fire. and few minutes their tremen-
dcns preectles were making circuit through the air
with booming sound that fairly shook the earth They
got the range and their shells fell in and around the
tort with considerable precision.
After about dozen shells fred from the mortar
chooners the Mouitor fleet slowly advanced towards the
fort the Passac taking the Lead the Patasco aud Nahaot
following. Whilst the Monitors getting n position
preparing anchor the rebels opened the Passac
with sod tenuch shot, and the position she took being in
direct line with target at which they had been practs
ing nearly every shot struck her The Paapsco and Ma
hant took position the Of the Psssac the channel
being that utterly impossible for them TO
advance abreast and the water shallow that there was
danger OF getting aground when the tide should recede
The difficulty of taking the fort under such circumstances
was at once apparent.
The three Monitors being thus arranged line Of battle
kept up CONSTANT fire from hafpast eight O'clock in the
morning until twelve o'clock The enemy in the mean
time not inactive, and showed determinations to
make most vigorous defence They concentrated their
ire entirely the Passac which in the advance, only
few chance shots striking the Patapsco and Nahant
The direct firing on the fort was suspended at four
o'clock, the Monitors falling back out OF range. From
four o'clock until eight o'clock in the evening hostiltes
entirely suspended when the mortar schOoner again
opened fire, and continued occasionally throw their shells
during the entire night Every fifteen mnutesa shell was
thrown in the direction of the fort The purpose OF this
firing during The night distract the enemy, prevent
him from repairing damages and keep him from rest and
relreshment
The cannonadng during the day had been very heavy
and its results rather unsatisfactory.
The night bombardment kept up until daybreak,
without any ntermsioD when it ceased entirely whist
renewal of the direct assault the works The ncessant
mortar firing during the night, it thought had pre-
vented the repair of the damage done yesterday as well as
the mounting of new guns the place Of those
yesterday But approaching the fort Capt Drayton
discovered that the enemy had during the night repaired
all damage and that the fort impegnable the
the attempt reduce it, the destruction of the Nashville
having in reality rendered its possession matter OF little
or no importance.
On ordering his vessels TO retire. The enemy fired their
cannons, exploded their rifles and shouted yelled aud
cheered with exuan vehemence that could be distinct
y heard at great distance The Abandonment of the at
tack was undoubtedly most joyful event to the rebels
and OF corresponding depression To The OF
the fort but of little Importance but the failure to
take it after vigorous attempt somewhat mort
flying.
The result Of the fight was deemed as settling the que
ton that with such shallow water and the narrowness OF
the stream the taking of earthwok situated as Fort
McAlster mpossbily. Unless the obstructions
in the river previously removed the aid of land
force given to the Monitors they could not approach
within one thousand yards of the fort and hence unless
they could entirely destroy it with their guns all further
attempts useless.
The number of guns fired by the Passaic during the
fight ninety by the Patapsco seventy and the
Nabant sixty. The Monitor schooners fired about one
hundred shells The fight has proved the entire invu
nerablity of the Monitors and their ability to pass any
land battery that constructed with the greatest
impuny provided there should be obsructons in the
channel slight but harmless depression of their armor
was ALI the damage inflicted upon any of them.