American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1851-1863, 1863-02-13

The Starlight or Charleston.

We give what space we can afford to the
accounts of this gallant action, abridged from
the Charleston Courier:
At about II o'clock on Friday night, the
Palmetto State, in command of Capt Rut-
ledge, and with the Flag Officer, Commodore
y. y. Ingraham, on board, together with the
Chicora, commanded By Capt. John r. Tuck
crs cast off from the wharf and with their
Prows turned seward, steamed across the
Cooper The moon was shining brightly.
there was not a cloud on the face Of the blue
sky and the surface of the water was smooth
and CLASSY as "a mil!-Pond. Abreast Of Fort
Sumter passed the three steamers acting a.
tenders, the Cen. CHDch- Etiwau and Ches-
terHeia. 1T 40 A NJ. the Palmetto State
l-ays one who was on boardj crossed the bar
and stood out 10 sea in the direction OF the
blockadiug feet At $50 A. NJ, we came M
TO the United States steamer Mcrcedita and
was hailed by the watch on dsch, when the
following colloquy took place:
Hatch.-What steamer is that Drop
your anchor. Back back-and be careful
or you viii run into US.
C.Lpi RRGedge-This is the Confederate
States steamer Palmetto State.
As the answer was given the Palmetto
State, with full steam up, ran into the Mcr-
cedita, the bow striking her right about mid
ships aud making an entrance Of about three
feet. At the same time our bow gun was
fired with "a seven inch incendiary she'll. We
immediately backed out. when the Merccdita
hauled down her flag. They were ordered TO
send a boat to US, and Lieut.. 4. Abbott,
commanding, came of with Il bOat's crew
HuI surrendered his vessel in the name Of
Com. Stcllwagou, Of the Mercedita, carving
seven guns and lJS men. IL stated that his
vessel was ia Il sinking condition, and begg-
ed our officers to relieve them. \ shot had
pierced her boiler which had burnt and
scaided a large number of men. Lieut. Alb
bolt begged Com. lngraham to take the men
with him on board the Palmetto State, as in
their haste TO come to US they had neglected
10 put in the plug, and their small boat was
only kept atloat by the strenuous efforts of
the men bailing the boat. lie also stated
that the water in the Mercedita had ut the
time of his leaving, already risen as high as
the engine floors.
Commodore Ingraham regretted that he
could not comply with the request as be had
no room To accommodate them aboard Of his
vessel and no small boats any other means
of afiOrding them relief. Lieut.. Abbot then
pledged his word of honor for the officers
and crew of the Mercedita not to serve in any
manner against the Confederate States until
regularly exchanged, upon which condition
was sent on board his own vessel. The Mer-
cedta taken completely by surprise.
They were reused from their slumbers by the
shock, the men having scarcely time 10
dress themselves. Lieut. Abbott and the
men with him were nearly destitute of cloth
ing.
The Palmetto State, leaving the Mcrcedta
TO her fate stood out to sea. and engaged
several other vessels of the Abolition block
aiding feet occasionally exchanging shots.
The latter, however, fed at our approach,
firing al long distances and leaving US far
aStera. One two shots were exchanged
with the United States frigate Powhatan.
The latter, however, followed the example of
her companions, and fed. We then stovd
Northward, towards the Chicora, which at
this time was almost surround ed by the enc
my's vessels. At A.. NJ. there being more
of the Abolition feet in sight, stood back
to the entrance of Beach Channel, having
signaled the Chicora to return.
A participant in the action on board the
Chicora, says:
We commenced action at sos. The Pal
metto State engaged Abolition vessel on
the right, while We engaged the one on the
left. As we passed the blockader on the
right, the Palmetto State was laying along
side of her. Keeping en- our course, we pre-
ceeded to within fifty yards of the vessel
the left, and then gave her shot from our
bow gun. the blockader at the time being
under full Roadway. We rounded TO and
gave her the full benefit of broadside
guns and after gun. She Immediately rang
her bell for fire and made signals of distress
to the rest of the feet. The last of her
by signal officer Saunders, she was stern
down very low in the water, and disappeared
very suddenly. This vessel is supposed to
have gone down. Notwithstanding the Chi
cora Immediately steamed towards her, moth
ing could be discovered of the vessel.
Elsewhere he says she was certainly sunk;
engaged her at the distance of leo yards,
and she settled down with her stern clear
uudeF water.
The Cnlcora, proceeding farther out to sea,
stood Nerthward and Eastward, and met two
vessels apparently coming to the relief of the
missing steamer. We engaged them. One
of them, after firing few guns, withdrew
Standing TO the Northward about day break,
we steamed up to small side wheel two
masted steamer and endeavored to come to
close quarters. She Kept clear of US, driving
away rs rapidly as possible-not, however,
without receiving our compliments and ear
rying with her four or five of our shots
Shortly after, the steamship Quaker City and
another side-wheel steamer came calamity
bearing down upon the Chiccra and COM
menced firing at long range. Neither would
permit our boat TO get within a respectable
distance Two of our shots struck the Qua
ker City, aud she lett apparently perfectly
satisfied, in crippled condition. Another
side-wheel two maSted steamer with walking
beams now steamed towards the Chieora,
coming down on our stern Capt Tucker
perceiving it, we rounded to and proceeded
until within about FIVE hundred yards, when
the belligereut steamer also rounded to and
gave US both broadsides and a shot from her
pivot gun We fired our forward pivot gun
with an incendiary she'll, and struck her just
forward of her wheel house, setting her on
FIRE. disabling and stopping her port wheel
This vessel was fred fore and aft, and vol
umes of smoke were observed to issue from
every aperture. As we neared her, she
| bauled down her flag and made signal of
/ surrender, but still kept under way with her
1 starboard wheel, and changing her direction
This was Just after daybreak We succeed
! ed in catching this vessel, but having sur
!, rendered. and the Captain, supposins her
ba;lars struck and the escaping steam pre-
| venting the engineers from going into the
engine room to stop her, ordered US moi 10
| Ere. She thus made her escape. After this