Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1863-04-21
The Charleston Harbor Fight-The Keo'
-..-- ~ kuk Sunk.
[From the Oharleston Courier, ApIil oil

From the Charleston Courier, April
An official dispatch from Col. Graham, COM
manding on Morris Island, received in this city
on Wedn esday morning, at General Ripley's
h q adouarters, states that an iIon-cad Monitor,
suppoaed to be the Keokuk, had sunk at nine
O'clock on the beach inside the bar, off Morris
Island. The gratifying intelligence was shortly
after confirmed by dispatch from Fort Sumter
and the arrival Of several officers and others,
who saw the Ksokuk going down until che dis
appeared, with nothing but her chimneys ap.
nearing above water. The Keokuk was one Of
the most powerful OF her class, and her loss
will be staggering blow to the enemy. She
was built last spring and summer, In accordance
with plans furnished by Mr.. Whitney, an iron
merchant of New York, and was said to be i'm.
peryious 20 the largest shot or shell capable Of
being thrown from the most formidable fortif-
cation. Her armament consisted OF two ff-
teen-inch Dahlgrens, one In each turret. Thus
ends one Of the boosted invulnerable feet,
which 1t 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 equal
" satisfactory to the eenemy remains to be seen.
| Ii 10 known that several others Of the fleet,
said to have been ten in number, that made the
attack, were severely injured. We learn from
good authority that the distance OF tho Moni-
tore from Fort Sumter, during the engagement,
was not over eight hundred yards. The steamer
Passaic was the leader, and not the keoknk, as
fret reported. The latter 10 said to have been
tue last to come into line and the last going out.
Seven of the Monitors and the Ironsides were
reported at headquarters as still inside the bar
on w ednesday morning. A later report In the
afternoon atated that these vessels had gone
outside, and eight turreted Monitors were
steamiDg south, apparently bound TO Fort
Royal. tra..
eain the evening, however, the seven .urreted
monsters reappeared, and IL Is believed they
had merely gone round to Stono to avoid the
heavy blow that prevailed at the bar during the
afternoon. The nondescript, or yankee Dew
H." for clearing the channel, was washed ashore
on Morris Island yesterday, and Is now in our
possession. IL is described as'an old scoW-like
vessel, painted red, with long protruding beak,
and juttiDg iron prongs or claws, intended for
the removal or bursting of torpedoee. lt was
attached to the Passaic, the leading vessel, and
managed by her during the engagement. 10 is
also reported that two of the small boats belong
ing to the Keokuk have been secured by our
m en- on Morris Island.
IL is q curious coincidence of war that the
commanders Generals Beautegard, Ripley,
Colonel Rhett, Lieutenant. Colonel Yates
and nearly oil the garrison Of Fort Sumter, are
the same men who we're the chief actors in the
bloodless reduction Of FCrt Sumter In 1861, and
who have 80 gloriously and successfully repeled
a formidable attack upon this famous fortress,
while in their keeping.
No additional news was received from the
Stono. The number Of vessels reported inside
was about thirty.