The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1863-02-12
Full Account Of the Naval Battle on
Charleston.--The Rlsekade mot Raises
at All.

PH1LADELPH1A, feo.. o. Z
The pr;ze steamer Princess Royal, !,
in charge of acting Master Van Slice,
arrived off the Navy Yard to-day. /
She brings highly important ,intelli1
gence,. both as relates TO. her 4oapture
and the rebel attack on.or blockading
fleet at Charleston, showing conclu-
sire}ystbat there is no foundation for
the assumption of the rebels that the
blockade was ever raised by the de-
parture of the blockading feet, only
two vessels out of the or 10 having
been disabled or obliged to leave. 1t
appears from the statement of an intel
ligent eye witness that the cause OF tue
attack of the rebel rams on our squad
ron was owing to the capture OF the
Princess ROYAL, the Captain and pilot
of that vessel having escaped ashore
during the darkness of TIE night, and
communicated the intelligence to the
rebels. The Princess Royal endeay-
cred to run the blockade. by way OF the
Beach Inlet on the 29th, but was DIS
covered by the pilot boat Blunt. On
the signal being given the Unadllla
nroceeded towards and captured her
without other assistance. 1t was then
discovered that the Captain and Pilot
had succeeded in getting ashore by a
small boat, carrying important dis.
patches to the rebel Government. AT
daylight thunder of guns was heard,
accompanied by sharp flashes OF hire.
1t was supposed that our fleet was en-
gagged in making an attack on the Ala
bama or Florida, and were endeavor-
ing to force an entrance. AT day
break two rebel iron clads were seen
coming down from the direction of
Stone Inlet towards our fleet. They
attacked the Mercedita. First one
ram struck her on the water ridge, keel
ing her over and at the same time mr.
ing shot which entered one OF her
boilers, causing the death of three per.
sons, including gunner, by a shot aud
steam. The ram then hailed the Mer-
cedia, and Capt. Stillwagen lowered
one of his small boats, after leaving
one of the plugs out, allowing the water
te., enter it. The ram answered our
hail by ''The Confederate ram Palmet-
70 State. Do yea surrender" This
was repeated three times, Capt. Still
wagon replying at each inquiry 81 am
in a sinking condition" The rebels
answered, "God damn you to hell, if
you don't surrender we will blow you
out of the water" Stillwagen lowered
t6en conveyed his executive officer to
the rebel ram. and the officer asked to
be admitted on board. This was re-
fused. The Lieutenant then repeated
Captain Stillwagen's statement that we
were in sinking condition. The rebel
replied, "You can't sink lower than the
rail; we can not take you aboard"
The officer then gave his parole as de-
manded, and returned to his ship.
The rebels were thus successfully de-
ceived as to the condition of the Mer-
cedita, thinking she was in sinking
condition. She laid in shoal water,
and hence the reply that she could not
sink below her rails. The ram then
steered toward the Keystone State,
and sent shot through her steam
drum, causing the death of 81 persons
-l2rby the shot and by sealding by
steam. Fourteen were wounded and
are lying at Port Royal, some in pre-
carious condition.
In the meantime the gunboat Housa-
tonic engaged the other ram, driving
her away. At half-past six in the
morning both rams left the scene and
proceeded up to Charleston.
During this attack on our fleet the
Princess Poyal, which lay near the
Housatonic, and was the chief object
of prize on both sides, succeeded in
getting of, mainly through the energies
of'rhird Assistant Engineer Housaton-
ic, who piled into her fires all the in
fammable material at hand. Her
escape is chiefly owing to his endeav-
ors, as we'll as her safe arrival at this
port
The Mercedita steamed down to
Port Royal, escaping with only one Of
her boilers injured. She arrived safely
at Port Royal, and would be repaired
in day. The Keystone State was
entirely disabled, but was towed to
Port. Royal by the Memphis.
The rebel. stat elements that the Fede
raj feet had entirely disappeared from
the port ofCharleston are entirely un-
sustained by the facts.
During the daytime our blockading
fleet is not particular as to keeping to
the station, and on the day of this as
sault most of:the vessels sailed towards
the Keystone State to ascertain her
condition, and whether she wanted any
assistance. This may account for their
apparent absence at the time of the visit
of the Foreign Consul, as mentioned
by the rebel papers. Ovr vessels, as
usual, resumed their positions at dark.
The new Ironsides arrived the next day
to reinforce the blockade,
Information is also brought by the
Princess Royal of the attack by the
Iron Clad Montauk on Fort McAllister
on the 2sth ult. She was not at all
disabled. She recexed IL shots in
her sides and IL on her turret without
relieving any injury whatever, altho'
engaged 5 hours. She returned to her
anchorage for want of shell. 1t being
fogEy next morning she did not return
to the attaek:
News iron Rebellion.
I'll Il n.