Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1863-02-12

I ork Times we quote the foiloWlng partlc-
ulars Of the late affair at Charleston:
TUE ATTACK on THE MERoEDITA.
1.-THE Mercedita was stationed near the
entrance to the main ship channel. About
8 o'clock on Saturday morning she got
under weigh, to chase a vessel which was
trying to evade the blockade.
Coming up with the suspected craft she |
proved to be small steam transport, |
bound to Port Royal, whose Captain had |
ran unWarrantably close to Charleston |
bar At four o'clock the MeTcedita was |
again anchored at her station, and her |
commander, Captain Setllwagen, had just |
gone to his cabin, when it was reported to |
him that a steamer, evidently burning |
soft coal, from the dense black smoke which
issued from her funnel, was within four
or five hundred yards of the ship. At the
same time, all hands were called up to
quarters, and preparations were made to
slip cable and give chase. Before these
arrangements could be carried into effect,
the stranger had come within hailing dis
tance, and Mr.. Abbott, First Lieutenant
and Executive Officer of the Mercedita,
challenged in the usual way. He received
GOHE uu6MDlf anu AAA4o5k o.
the same instant the ram let drive 100
FOUNDER rihed projectile, which crashed
through the Merceditas hull and exploded
her boiler, killing four men and wounding
three others, besides filing the between
decks with steam and causing terrible
confusion.
Without slackeDing the speed, the ram
continued the assault by ranging along
side, and thrusting her iron prov firmly
into the starbosrd quarter of the gunboat.
In this position she remained perfectly Sc
cure from the Mercedita's guns which
overtopped the low, slsnting roof Of iron
which shielded the crew of her antagonist,
and could not be depressed sufficiently to
be of service. Therefore, when the COM
mand was made to surrender, Captain
Stellwagen had no alternative but compli-
ance. He, however, deferred the unpleas-
ant moment as long as possible, in order to
attract the attention Of the Keystone
State, and warn her of the danger. When,
ct last, the rebels would no longer delay,
and it became a question of surrender
instantly or sink Lieutenant Abbott
was sent on board to hear what terms the
victors might propose.
Crossing the Well-greased deck Of the
ram, he was ushered into the cabin, and
had audience Of the captain. Inquiring
what disposition would be made of the
Mercedits's officers and crew, Lieutenant
Abbott was informed that it was impossi-
BILE to take them on board the ram, on
account Of her limited accommodations,
and therefore they would be permitted to
remain on board their own vessel, on Civ
ing pledge not to take up arms against
the Confederacy until they should be reg
ularly exchanged. The condition was, per
force, accepted, and the Mercedita was
thus placed hors du combat. The whole
time occupied in this occurrence, from the
moment when the ram was first seen, to
the psroling of the captured crew, did not
occupy more than fifteen minutes. The
water was quite calm, and the atmosphere
hazy, making itimpossible for the lookouts
on the Mercedita to distinguish the ap-
preaching vessel until she was almost
aboard Of her, and there is not whisper
Of blame against Captain Stellwagen or
his officers on account Of the misfortune.
WHAT HAPPENED ON THE KEYSTONE STATE.
The part that was taken in the action
by the Keystone State was told me by
| Capt Leroy. He was on deck about three
o'clock, 10 see what had caused the alarm
of a vessel endeavOring to break the
blockade, and having satisfied himself
| that it YVES another stray transport, he
WonL uelvU. OHVIti aruvI fyuE e'oleol-, 1t
| was reported to him that the MeceeGIIa
had fred gun, and in few minutes some
thing like q column of black smoke was
seen in shore of the Keystone State, and
also another column to the northward and
eastward. One of these columns of smoke
! appeared to be standing toward the gun
boat, and Captain Leroy ordered the cable
to be shipped, and the rifed gun forward
! to be cleared for action. He felt satisfied,
as the strange craft got abeam of his YES
| sci, that she was an iron clad, and by that
time most of his crew had come from be-
low and taken their stations at the guns.
When the vessels were about a ships
length of each other, Lieut.. Eastman, exc
cutive officer of the Keystone State, hailed
Ship, ahoy," and the answer was, {" Hal
lo-o-o," or something equally as definite.
At this time the Keystone State was IN
der slight headway, her paddles revolving
slowly, but sufficiently to give her steerage
way. Discovering the character of the
vessel, shot was sent against her from
the bow gun, as she was turning to sweep
around and get under the gunboats stern,
but fire was scarcely opened before the
rebel craft replied with a shell which en-
tered the Keystone State about midship on
the starboard side, killing five men who
were hanging in their hammocks in a row
on the berth deck, and taking off the leg
of sixth, who escaped decapitation from
the simple fact that he had Whimsically re-
versed his usual mode Of lying down
Following the explosion Of this shell fire
broke out in the fore hole, which was ex-
tinguished only to break out again in a
little time, and compelling Captain LEROY
TO run his vessel off shore in order 10 get
it under. Running first for ten minutes
to the southwark and eastward, he succeed
ed in getting the fire well out, and return
ed to the encounter, with the intention of
running the ram down. Steering directly
toward her, at full speed, under a heavy
fire Of shot and shell, one of the last mem
toned missiles struck the port steam chin
ney, lodging in tho starboard chimney,
and filling the entire forward part Of the
vessel with steam. OF course the Kew
stone State was completely disabled by
this shot, and all on board supposed the +,
she would fall into the hands of the e;,erv
as by this time the second ram Was 5is3
covered not a great way Of, on tbe mort
quarter. Several other shots at point blank
range struck the Veseel afterward, but She
managed to sheer off from the vicinity of
the rams under the momentum She had
gained for making the change.
AT this juncture the Housatonie. Mem
phis, and Quaker City, wore sbowerinO
heaYy shot against the irop-clads both Of
which hauled of, evidently fearing that
our gunoosts, by their vastly superior
speed would run over and sink thera,-
Inc conflict scarcely lasted an hocr, and
It was not quite daylight when tae enemy
retreated. Although the rI,arerv on, bot6