Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1863-04-15
There was no casualties at the Cumnins'

L lA AANA4SSf5 ~-~->-
/ There was no casualties at the Cummins
Point battery.
The practice was admirable and reflects
great credit upon officers and men. All
who took part in the battle performed their
duties with ardor, skill and fidelity. Their
behavior and the accuracy with which they
used their guns assure us that they are suf-
fcient for the important work assigned them,
and furnish us with: strong grounds upon
which to bottom our hope Of decisive and
glorious victory. When they come again
and nearer, the iron sheathed vessels will
fare worse. !.
I tits expected the enemy will renew the
attack to-day.
THE MOVEMENTS OFF THE BAR.
/ Yesterday passed without any further
demonstration on the part Of the eneny's
feet. 70 ~
! At nine o'clock the glorious news reach.
ed the city that the double.turreted Moni.
tor, Keokuk, the last built and by far the
most formidable of the enemy's iron clads,
had sunt just one hour before, off Morris
Island, and about thousand yards from
the beach. It is supposed that she was
kept aaoat during the night succeeding the
engagement by her steam pumps, but that
the water gained steadily upon the pumps,
and soon after daylight all hope ofsaving
her was abandoned. Just previous to her
sinking, tug sent from the feet took off
her crew. The Keokuk now lies in the
position whore she sank, her smoke stack
and pilot house being still visible above the
water. - .g:.
/ It was noticed on Wednesday morning
that one Monitor, besides the Keokuk, was
missing from the feet, leaving only seven
Monitors and the Ironsides remaining. It
| is believed that the missing Monitor was
so badly injured in the action as to render
| it necessary to send her to Port Royal for
repairs. Altogether, the evidence is COM
plete and satisfactory that the Yankee iron
clads, whatever other merits they may
have, are not invulnerable.
The haste and confusion Of, the enemy
in his retreat may be inferred from the fact
that he did not take time to secure the ma.
chine which he had brought with him for
the purpose Of feeling for our torpedoes.-
This non.descript contriVance, or s'devil,"
as the Yankees term it, foated ashore on
the Morris Island beach on Wednesday
forenoon, and fell into the hands of our
troops. We learn that it IS simply long
and substantially built scow, having bow
bountifully supplied with hooks, ETC., and
| with forked stern, so constructed as to fit
the PROV Of one of the Monitor gun.boats.
In coming up the main ship channel to the
attack, the Monitors advanced in single
fIe, the Passaic slowly leading the way:
and pushing forward this same '1deyil,""
with the hope of causing premature ex.
plosiou of our submarine defences. The
Monitors, in delivering their 6re, steamed
round in an elliptic course in front Of the
East face of Sumter, the closest range into
which they came, being estimated at six
hundred yards.
All the batteries 10 the harbor were com.
manded by Gen. Ripley, admitted to be
probably the best artillery officer in the Con-
federate service, whose approved arrange.
ment of works and of guns for the defence
of the water approach to Charleston have at
length been put on trial. He expected to
have made his headquarters at Fort Sum.
ter, and hurried off from the city, but the
tsuddenness of the afternoon attack and the
storm Of concentrated fire upon that fer
tress, prevented all approach. He there
fore statioDed himself at Battery Bee, on
Sullivan's Island, during the action, buoy.
ant with hope, and sternly lit with the joy
Of battle, while giving his directions and
watching the grand and novel struggle.
Gen. Beauregard himself, accompanied
by Gen. Jordan and staff officers, was a
radiant and confident spectator of the fight
from the East Bay battery promenade. This
successful repulse and first destruction Of
the dreaded iron monster of the deep, must
add new laurels to the fadeless wreath he
already wears, and again unites his own
triumph with the distinguished, and SO far
successful, services of Gen. Ripley to the
people of South Carolina and Charleston.-
Mercury, 9th.
The Keokuk was one of the most power
full of her class, and her loss will be a stag.
gering blow to the enemy. She was built
last Spring and Summer, in e"cordance
with plans furnished by MIR. Y hitp ~, an
iron merchant Of New York, and "a said
to be impervious to the largest shot or she'll
capable of being thrown from the most for.
midable fortifcation. Her armament con-
sisted of two ftteen.inoh Dahlgren guns
one in each turret. Thus ends one of the
boasted invulnerable feet, which, it has
long been trumpeted forth, could not be
sunk, but would demolish and wipe out
everything that opposed their progress.
The result so far has elated our people
and given the highest satisfaction to our
military commanders. Whether it will
prove as equally satisfactory to the enemy
remains to be seen.
It's known that several others Of the
fleet, said to be ten in number, that made
the attack, were severely injured.