New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-02-05
REBEL NEWS FROM CHARLESTON.
A FORAY ON THE BLOCKADE FLEET
REPORTED EXPLOITS OF TWO iRON.CLADS
Two Union Vessels Said to have
been Sunk.
Beauregard Declares the Blockade Raised
A YARN FOR THE EUROPEAN MARKET.

ticnlars Of q raid by two Rebel iron.clad rams and
three steam tenders, under Gen. Besuregard and
Capt. Inqah3m, against our blockade heet OIL !
Charleston HGrbor, 10 which one Union vessel the
Mercedita, Capt. S.ellwagen, IS claimed to have
been sunk, and another, name not known, to have
suffered the came fate This is the extent Of the
casualties, If we except the steamship Quaker City,
which, it is said had one wheel disabled, and, with
the rest of the blockade feet, made her escape.
This is the Rebel story, with tie additional infor'
nation that, though the fight was severe, and the
Union fleet numbered thirteen to the Rebels five, not
one of the latter was struck. After the fight, Beau
regard and Ingraham were unable, with the
strongest glasses" to discover single Union vessel.
So they declared 4" the blockade raised"
The bark Restless, which left Port Royal on Sat-
urday, the 3ls and arrived here on Tuesday, brought
no news of this affair. Yet the attack is said to have
been made at one o'clock on tie morning ofhdt day. /
Had the dispersion Of the feet been so complete as it
il claimed, it seems impossible that some portion of
il should not have reached Port Royal before the /
sailing Of the Restless.
It should be borne in mind that the Boston steamer
left at noon yesterday for Europe and it is quite pos
sible that the report was greatly exaggerated and
sent by the Rebelsto Tie Herald that it might 30 un
conradicted and unmodfed, 10 aid the Rebel cause
abroad. Meanwhile, tits gratifying know that we
have the Ironsides and foGrironclad Monitors at Port
Royal with an ample complement of gunboats and
soldiers and before this story reaches the other side
Of the Atlantic there s every reason TO believe the
blockade Of Charleston which Beauregard has
'ri.sed," will be SO eaeclual shat there will be no
question abort it hereafter. s--@-es
We append the dispatches, leaving our readers 10 (
I put their own eftimate upon them:
Dispatches 70 the Richmond Dispatch;
CuAKLgsroS. s. c, Jan 81, 1903 /
/ The two irOn-Clad gunbOatB CnlcOra aud Palmetto
State, with three steamers as tenders, went out be-
yond te bar at o'clock this morning 20 attack the
blockadng fleet. Firing began soon after one, aud
| for IA time was very rapid and continuous Alter
ward it sackened, but continued st intervals until
o'clock this morning. Owing TO the log the result
has not yet been aecertained.
Commander Ingraham is aboard the Palmetto |
State as commander of the expedition.
SECOND DISPATCH.
CHARLESTON, Jan. 81. 1903
This morning the gunboats Palmetto State, Capt.
Rutledge, and Chicora, Capt. Tucker, accompanied
by three small stesmers-the Cen Clnch, ElWal
and Chesterfield-all under the command OF Commo-
dore lngraham, made an attack on the 6locAacers,
and succeeded in sinking two ana Gripping third
The engagement commenced a. clock.
The Palmetto State, with Commodore lngraham
on board, opened Ire upon the Federal gun6oat 1ler,
cedita, carrying eleven suns and ono hundred ana !
ffty.eight men which was soon sunk in five futL- ,
oms Of water. Her commander Capt. Steiiwa.en.
with Il boat crew, came on board and SURRENDERED
One shot pierced her boiler, gong clear through. 4
Capt. S,elwagen and crew were paroled by Com +
modore lugraham. N
Can't, Ticker Of the Chicora reports riulung an 7
other Union gunboat aud th- osabling OF tue steam
ship Quaker City. The latter Was set on dro by tho
CLicofa, ami hauled down her haS 70 surrender, but
aiteryard managed 10 escape using only one wheel
She was very seriously damaged.
The number OF the blockading fleet outside ut the
time Of the attack was thirteen with TWO irstclass
irigatee. the Susquehanna and Cauandasus.
The Union loss was very severe. IL was COM
Ylete success our part, with not a man hurt.
Onr gunbOats We're uog evan struck n
All the blockaders have disappeared. There is
rot one 20 DO seen within five miles win me J.
strongest kind OF giassos. Our boats are now re-
turning TO Charleston.
The following Ii the official dispatch: II
THE REBEL OFFICIAL REPORT
Oh BOARD CuNuoAr Palmetto srATr
went ont las, night. This lesssl struck the Nier-
cedita, when she sent "a boat on board aud surfen'
dered Ihc officers Gni crew were lar0lel. Capt. y
Tucker think, hr bu0A ole vessel and set another
on tire. when phc struck Ter tag. The blocEhdiuB
fleet hla gone to southvard and eastward, out o.
sight. j. y. iNehAHAh
FugOhic-r toLmandIg
THIRD DISPATCH,
taApfrsroy. Saturday. Jan. 81, 1863.
Olr rntoats Palmetto State aud encore nave
reached th, ylurve', They were enthusiastically \
s..er.d by au Immense CouCourse Of citizens, WHO
rlt u-+.mucd 10 greet them. SAutcs were IItH
from i.e forts and Datter. Be
Nu.. man was hurt ou our side, aud orr guuOOa's
were not st.uck Jy the enemy. Our ata'H OF uo
fleet .sas O. complete suppose 10 dc 'lockaasis eHOA
one running away without GAINS for me others;
ia isrup, o.ed that nearly III Of the crew oil the
Merctdill persisted. ,t..sl,.,
Tho Palmetto State, which engaged tho AerSSe5dha
having no boats aid g. huug AT the Ime cou'H i'u
Ger her uo resistance. IL .,, ~, t.r
TIE Quaker City WAS struck i"I'e' "uu 0N0 u "0' /
side wheels almo-i torn oil. Il
FOURTH DISPATCH
Ip.nttsr0N Wtduosdly. Zen. 4, 1870 /,
Geu BeaurpQ "a and Commodore ihRf1hau ~
commander. 81 the land and naval forces, nave issued
- ioirt pro,lai AXIOM, dated Jan. ii, declaring The
hlocl,ude of Charleston raised, the entire hostile
,ouadion haying been sunk, burned or 81 perseu oy
me .Ip,rior naval forces OF the Coniederacy.
Yesterday afternoon Gen. Boauregard placed
steamer at the disposal OF the fore IN cOnsuls to
for theInsely thnr 40 blockade existed.
The Fcuch aud Spanish CUnsu-, accompanied by
Gen. Rirley, accepted the invitation. The British
Consul, with the Commander OF the British war
steamer Petrel, had previously gone five miles be-
yond the usual anchorage OF the bloekaders ana
could see nothing o. them with glasses.
Int IN the evening iOur bOok0defs reapI cared,
keeping lar ont. This evening large number Of
blockaders are IN sight, but keep steam up, evident
ly ready TO ran.
THE LATEST DISPATCH.
CHAHIEsroS. Feb. ], 1859
OFFICIAL PROCLA NhriON.
IEADQUAtIsRs. LAND AND NAVAL FORCFs
CnAkLgsrOA ;. g., Jan. ~, l6l3
AZ about o'clock Ills morning Ne Confederate
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