The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1863-02-12
The Charleston Affair.
Our Elect Not Dri'F" ""'

IlTOlOh CIV
robel gunboats had destroyed q dF'V>
noff the whole blockading fleet, and
declared the blockade raised, and the
mort of Charleston opened. The fol-
lowing particulars given by the Wash
ington Correspondent of the Chicago
Tribune, put the affair in quite a diff
ferent light.
PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 8.-The iron
steamer Princess Royal, in charge OF
Acting Master Van Size, arrived OH
the NAVY Yard to>day. h brings
.hiGbly important intelligence 10Th re-
Tafes to her capture and the rebel at
tool on onrb lockading feet at Charles
ton showing conclusiuely that there
10 M foundation ffor tie assumption Of
Ne-rebels that the blockade0 Charles
ton acqs eoer raised by the departure
of The blockuding feet. o
Only two vessels out of the eight or
ten were disabled or obliged to leave.
It peA from the statement Of an
intelligent ~ witness that the cause
of the attack of the rebel rams on Our
squadron was owing to the capture of
the Princess Royal, the Captain and
pilot of that vessel having escaped
ashore during the darkness of the
NIGHT. and communicated the i~ntelii>
gence TO the rebels.
The Princess Royal endeavored to
run the blockade by way OF Beach In
let on the 10Th but was discovered by
the pilot boat Blunt. On signal being
given, the Unadilla gave chase and
captured her without other assistance.
1t was then discovered that the Cap
tain and pilot had succeeded in getting
ashore by a small boat, carrying inn
portant dispatches to the rebel Cow
eminent.
At daylight a laundering of guns
was heard, accompanied by sharp flash
es of fire. 1t was supposed that our
feet was engaged in making an attack,
or that the Alabama or Florida were
endeavoring to force an entrance. AT
daybreak two rebel iron-clads were
seen coming down from the direction
of Stone Inlet, towards our fleet. They
attacked the Mecedita first.
One ram struck her near the waters
edge, keeling her over, aud at the same
time firing a shot which entered one
other boilers causing the death of
three persons, including a gunner, by
the shot and steam.
The ram then hailed, the M~ercedita.
Capt. ~Stellwagen, lowered one of his
small boats, after leaving one of the
plugs out, allowing the water t. enter
it.. The ram answered our hail vita
"Confederate ram Palmetto State Do
you surrender" This was repeated
three times, Capt. StelIwagen 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. Send your boat aboard" The
boat which Capt. Stellwagen had low
cred then conveyed his executive Of
ficer to the rebel ram, and the officer
asked to be admitted on board. This
was refused. The Lieutenant then re-
peated Capt. Stellwagen's statement,
that we were in a sinking condition.
The rebels replied"YOu can't sink low
ler than the rails. We cannot take YOU
on board" The officer then gave his
parole, as demanded, and returned to
his ship.
The rebels were thus successfully
deceived as to the condition of the
Mercedita, thinking she was in a sink
ing condition. She laid IL shoal water
and hence the reply that she could not
sink below her rails.
The ram steered toward the Key
stone State and Sent a shot through
her steam drum, causing the death of
twenty-one peTsOns-twelye by the
shot and nine by scalding by steam
Fifteen more were wounded, and are.
lying at Port Royal, some in a preca-
rious condition. In the meantime, the
gunboat Housatonic engaged the 9TH
err ram, driving her away. At half
past six in the morning, both rams left
the scene and passed up to Charles
ton.
During this attack on our fleet the
Princess Royal, which lay near the
Housatonic, and was the chief object
of prize on both sides, succeeded in
getting off, mainly through the assis-
tance of third assistant engineer Thurs
ton, who piled into her furnace all the
inflammable material at hand. Her
escape is chiefly owing to his endeav>
ors, as well as her safe arrival at
this port.
The Mercedita steamed down to
Port Royal and with only one Of her
boilers injured. She arrived safely at
Port Royal, and would be repaired IN
a day.
The Keystone State was entirely
disabled; but was towcd % Port Roy>
al by the Memphis.
The rebel statements that the Fed
eral fleet had entirely disappeared from
the port of Charleston are eatireIy IN,
authorized by the facts.
During the day time our b~lookading
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 Consuls, as
mentioned by the rebel papers. Our
vessels as usual returned to their po>
sitions 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 Mauntauk, on Fort McAliis>
ter, the 28th ult. She was not at all
disabled. She received seventeen shots
in her sides, and twelve on her turret,
without receiving any injury whatever
although engaged five hours. She re.
turned to her anchorage for want of