The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1863-03-13
THE IRON-CLAD FIGHT.
CONTINUED FROM FIRST PAGR.l

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CONTINUED FROM FIRST PAGRl
Ns been put forward for the destruction and &Mcon
sssre OF the enemy. His thoughts naturally earn to
srven to zap archer, each click q the windnss is re-
verbersted through his sysem suste among the crew;
,sS AGAR, Tps anchor leaves der muddy Ae6 the bell
e engine room rings out tho command,0 tho pilot.
That bell rings with deeper and . more solemn
SQUAD even the busy crew feel its influence
and in an instant the latent powers OF the
psut up sleem freed gves motion 70 me and
90 grim vessel tremOses as she moves ahead The
rushng by the vessel ploughs along
another sound 10 maoe sensatoa hitherto not ex
perienced Notwithstanding these bells, motion OF
which may arise cowUcn 10 every vessel and have
been seard Thousand times, ye. under these cireum-
Our vessel is an roncad, and before we started onr
battle matches were put on All would be midnight dark
decks passages Even these lights to him burn with
strange glare he does not the bright rays OF the
when shining clearly overhead. The memories
Of all hts DAYS upon him. hurled At him to crush
the lie endeavors To rereat short prayer,
but choking sensa checks ms very thoughts ana nc
dry and parched and his head aches. most terrible
conflict going on between mind and body. He drinks
glass water but IL is tasteless and chls his stomach
He feels he would give worlds to be away from the
scene yet witha he IS anxious to engage the enemy He
feels confident and has feeling that he will
his feet cringe with pain
a sndden order is given. It seems as il thunderbolt
had struck him he starts, and for instant relapses,
weak and almost poweress, but instantly him.
ssh and asks the import Of the order.
Word lassed along quietly We are close TO the bat
dsry." pause. The enemy opens hts nre Yet onward
steam. shot strikes the vessel. "Why don't we
se Co. and IN few moments the pondsrons turret begins
70 revoive The quiet which regned supreme for some
e past is now broken Presently the orders from the
s'Fire Click goes the lock- snap the primer and tre-
msodous report which shakes the whole vessel gives
pslpabIe proof that the engagement has fairly opened
An the unpleasant sensations have vanished with that
report and that weak powerees being becomes trans
Irene his weakness and hour he is trans.
formed from trembling mortal 70 death-dealing
nose not acquainted with naval men would attribute
these weaknesses want Of courage bravery but
Ah,s not so, for have seen some Of the most deter
mtned brave and feoble from this working
f the system 10 be hardly able to stand without the
support Of friendly sanchion or pendant rigging yet
snd desperate the hungry tiger, moving about with
EAcse begrmed with powder and their flashing eyes be
spoke the delight which reiGned in their hearts.
IL Is not an unfrequent occurrence board Of war
vessel to group Of officers sitting around the mess
& sne s o.
questioned relation to the probabilities OF surviving
certain innrieshow many cases Of certain operations
havs survived, and multitude Of questions. If he DO
good surgeon he always gives large doses Of hope and
tAefuusked feel in great measure cheered The men OF
war leave their little charge Of the doctor
Or paymaster for safe keeping, yet some modest and
oudbe brave ones and Others from hOughtfuness, do
nos make any outward show o. these eengs yet we
seine evidences Of their being men OF tender FEELINGS ana
On the whole mis- business Of war is strange, yes,
passing strange and have yet to learn where the plea
sure lies. One suffers suspense, prvaon, iDgratitude
and host OF unpleasant things all for glory, which at
che best is vain, 1ceting show.
REBELS LYING IN WAIT.
But to resume my notes
Our opponents manifested no signs OF life. II is true
large emblem Of rebeldom dropped aztly from flag
staff in the rear Of the fort. but not even the smoke Of
OF the enemy Yet we well knew that desperate and de-
termned foe lay concealed behind the colossal earth
works We were rapidly approaching TO- We could readily
discover tho enemy had been idle since last
VISIT The great holes shells had made filed up
and work put order for brave defence The mist
however, would not let much could wish
20. At twenty six minutes past seven O'Clock we were
abreast Of target which the enemy had placed on the
left bank Of the river for purpose unknown TO
Il bore marks Of practice. We passed thor mark
but yet they held their fire. possibly supposing in
tended to run through the distractions.
At twenty minutes past anchored about
sSe 1ns bank the We could LOOK right
into the muzzIes Of their guns. After anchor
turret Tor action just as we let 60 the anchor the
enemy rcd his fret gun which followed in rapid
Succession by four others.
The eunboats now opened their IRE from their anchor
Age about mile and three quarters from the fort. Al
e., before a a1s our INC; e..
which settled around ths turre precuded our seeing M
ssot The enemy had the advantage Of Us, and blazed
THE NoNrAUK INT.
Al seven minutes 10 eight O'Clock ten inch shot struck
fragments 10 the pilot house, watching with
much interest The duel between the fort and the cheese
eox but even up there We were not able 70 see the
10 with their proectiles
SMOKE 80 AND o FOG -. .,.,,r -. ,,.
selves we're obliged 70 sacken ire on account OF the
dense smoke, which, mingng with the mist, yelled US
from each Others vision. While waiting for the
weather clear up Of people went outside Of
the turret and upon examination found several shot
psss oa Ss or he turre bsore the again
opened fire with greater accuracy than before and
then went at again. firing a. rapidly as circum-
stances would allow.
THE plror HOUSE STRUCK
About half past eight O'Clock our pilot house was hit
ihs instant Of impact writing paragraph in
his book The shock somewhat severe, and af
,sswards be found a.. ss .sS; struck close to bis
<-~.rEaAS SosKI Ia ssssInoss ~ a. :
II unbalanced me- and tumbed over against the side
struck by piece Of iron bolt with the nut attached
(weighiny about one poundl first on the shoulder and
shen on the knee some Of the other bolts we're knocked
out The iron was, doubt OF inferior quality and
had they been OF the character those in the
ret such would not have taken place In view
tho pilot house. l feel satisfied that the pilot house
70 a. strong any part OF the vessel but the will
have TO be protected from flying inwards which can be
ryuIsrRAmlarv or THE IRON -crAps.
The enemy were hitting US every two or three minutes,
but wise doing the vossel any harm.
The remainder Of my experience OF the engagement
written from notes taken below decks.
sHoAL wA1kR
Al forty five minutes past eight. finding that
10 fourteen OF water and that the tide would fall
about Eve feet more ripped anchor aud dropped
deeper about 400 yards from the fort As
dropped down the river light breeze sprung up,
which IN measure, Frightened things up, SO tina. we
which did SO much for enabled the enemy TO hit
more frequently.
MELLOW
The sensation below decks far different than
that which had experienced in the pilot house Tues
day for four hours and hall and the hours Of
to-day.
The sound Of our own guns was moro acute and IN.
pleasant and well II might be, when " taken into
sderaton that the whole volume OF sound from the
charge each gun passed directly and within few
inches Of heads, and the conclusion passing
into the system through the brain by the top OF
the head. l cannot say that II painful, but
1t was far from pleasant, and, IN addition TO this
you we're scarcely able TO hear the word of oAm
msnd when the guns were fred. To hear the ofHe, 9