The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1863-04-23
Results of tbe Attack ON Charleston.--
Iron.Clads but little Damaged.

80
Results of The Attack ON charleston.--
Iron-Clads but little Damaged.
The excellent correspondents of the
Boston Journal writes as follswsofthe
condition of the Monitors, after the
attack on Sumter:
Gas stated at the close OF my ao-
count of the engagement, 1t was sup
posed by every one that the attack
would be renewed on Wednesday af-
ternoon. At nine o'clock, Tuesday
evening, the captains and commanders
Of the fleet were callsd. on board the
flag ship. Each gave his account of
the fight, and each returned to his ship
with the expectation of a renewal of
the battle. The Chief. Eng ineer, Mr..
Sinners, under whose direction the
Monitors were built, visited each, ex-
amined them carefully, and reported
that by noon of Wednesday, they
would be in good condition for re-
newal of the engagement; that no
serious injury, except to- the Keokuk,
had beeu received that in his opinion
they could stand as much ammerino
as they had already received.
Admiral Dupont had not visited the
several ships, but he dissented from
this opinion. He thought them more
damaged than the inspector had repor-
ted, and feared that if be renewed the
attack the fleet would DO entirely dis.
abled.
A member of the press, on Wednes-
day morning visited the flag ship, and
found to his establishment that the Ad-
miral had decided not to renew the at
tack. He said that he took the respon-
siblity upon himself of abandoning the
expedition.
Proceeding to the other vessels of
the fleet, he found the commanders
making the necessary preparations for
another fight. The temporary disabil-
Ii.y of the guns had been repaired; the
turret of the Passaic, which had refused
to revolve, was all right; the men were
IN good cheer. Among the officers
there was difference of opinion
some were confident that they could
knock Sumter to pieces, while others
feared that second hammering would
use up the fleet.
The information given by the CORES.
pendent was the first intimation of the
fleet that the attack was not to be re-
: sumed. The crews expressed great
! dissatisfaction. They were ready fol-
another afternoons work. On board
the Ironsldes there was much murmur
ing, not only in the forecastle, but in
the wardroom. The Ironside had TAX
: EN- no part, or at least so little thatlIie
officers felt that in the eyes of the world
they would be subject to ridiculc if il
was thus given up.
, ADMIRAL DUPONT AND HIS MONITORS.
; What influenced Admiral Dupont t.
change his mind-whethe.it was -tHa
sinking of the Keokuk, whether ht
feared that the fleet would be shattered
in second attack by the shot or blowr
: up by undiscovered torpedoos or rur
down by rebel rams. or whether iniu
enced by the opinions Of some of The
commanders, who from the beginning
have not looked upon the Monitors witt
favor-is not known. 1t is no secret
that the Admiral has not had grea
confidence in the Monitors. He has
never been sanguiue of success. In :
6 conversation with him, few weeks
ago, he spoke freely Of the tremendou.
batteries he would have TO oppose-o
; the torpedoes-steam boilers filled will
thousands of-pounds of powder-o
internal machines. He said that all hi.
knowledge of naval warfare was OBJ
tanned on shipboard, and that he was
called upon to make an attack against
the most powerful batteries ever con
t structed, with fleet so peculiar,in its
construction and armament that hi.
knowledge and experience was of bu
little valne. Some of the captains have
expressed fears that the Monitors would
: be wanting in aggressive power, while
: others, younger in years, not conversed
in opinion by long service, have hat
more ardent expectations. Now tina
) the Monitors have been tested and have
come out of the hardest possible pound
, ing which the rebels can give-almos
as good as new-they are sanguine thai
Sumter can be made ruin and Charles
ton an ash heap.
The crews who reason of what car
be done by what has been, are eagel
! to try their strength in decisive con
test, which will be victory, or de
feat, or repulse. l have it from COCO
authority that the crew of the Iron
sides will refrain from giving the Ad
miral the customary hearty cheer usua
when commander transfers his flag
to another ship.
In the army, where discipline is lax
compared with the navy, where mer
express their opinions freely, there i.
: modification, chagrin and disgust
The troops of the department have
had but few opportunities to meet the
enemy. They were ready for the en-
counter. The seige train was complete
the ordnance ample for offensive oper
atoms. All of their expectations have
, vanished. They see nothing but ar
/ inactive summer, dull campaign
which is a soldiers horror. \
The result is not what was hoped O,
IexDected We who watched tho oon.