Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1863-02-13

sinking condition, and was answered that the
Mercedlta, beng IN shoal water, could not sink
I lower than her rails. A parole was, however,
demanded and given, and thus, we are told,
: the Rebels were successfully deceived as to
the condition OF the Mercedita, thinking, from
the declaration Of Captain Stellwagen and his
representative, that she was really going
down" The ram next steamed against the
Keystone State, and sent a shot through her
steam drum, causing the death of twenty lone
persons and wounding fifteen others, who are
lying at Port Royal in precarious condition.
4 In the meantime--so goes the story--the United
States gunboat Housatonic engaged the other
steam ram and drove her away aud at half
past six Q clock in the morning, Doth rams
left the scene and proceeded up to Charleston.
The Mercedita succeeded in making her escape,
with one boiler injured, and is now at Port
Royal undergoing repairs. The Keystone State
was entirely disabled, but was also towed
down to Port Royal.
The reason assigned for the absence of the
bockading squadron, when the foreign Con-
snls steamed down the harbor to verify the
fact, is at least curious one and we there
fore give it vcrJati7n a iteratim 1t is as follows:
q During the day time our blockading fleet are
not particular as to keeping their station, and
on the day Of this assault most of the vessels
sailed towards the Keystone State to ascertain
iiSl NOuultiOuj anu NutlhtT sue wanted any
assistance This, we are told, though not
over confidently, may account for their APP
parent absence at the time of the visit of the
foreign Consuls, as mentioned in the Rebel pa
| pers.' But does il? If they bad sailed q to-
wards the Keystone State they would have
ueared the harbor from whence she was slow
! ly moving out; but not being discoyerable,
even in the olling with the strong glasses +"
they must have put to sea, aud there awaited
the coming Of the Keystone State Had it been
otherwise they would have been visible enough
| when the Consuls went out from Charleston TO
| look for them
From Yicksburg we learn, gia Cairo, Feb
ruary 18th, that on Monday morning last, the
United States steam ram Queen Of the West
succeeded in running the gauntlet Of the Con-
1 federate batteries although hundred heavy
guns opened upon her as she steamed past
She is said to have been under fire for three
/ quarters Of an hour The canal as at present
constructed, has proved failure, but the pro-
| ject is by no means abandoned in consequence
! We are now told that ''the channel must be
wholly cut Of the required width and depth,
/ it having been demonstrated that no reliance
can be placed on the action of the water wash
/ ing it out.' The telegram adds; Some
weeks will elapse before the canal is complet-
ed" The truth Of this latter statement no one
will doubt.
The prospects of reducing Port Hudson at
an carly day are not more liattering than are
those Of n speedy capture Of Vicksburg Adj
miral Farraguts feet, says the correspondent
OF the New ork World has been so much re-
duced by the withdrawal and breaking down
Of his vessels, that he has barely enough left
for blockading purposes. All naval and milf
tary operations, therefore, against Port Hud-
son, are =" out Of the question:
Commander Bell announces that he has re-
established the blockade Of the port of Gal
weston, and warns all vessels attempting to
pass the blockade that they viii incur the pc
nalty of capture.
From Kentucky there are rumors-not au-
thenticated however-that Morgans force,
which has again entered Kentucky, contem-
plates raid upon Lexington In appreheu-
; sion Of such a result, the bankers and business
men there are making preparations to remove
their money and valuables. There was also a
rumor that Shelhyville, Tennessee, had been
captured by the Federal troops
, An attack was made on Sunday, the LIST in
, slant, by some two thousand CoDrederates, on
, Island No. TO- but after a brief conflict they
were repulsed.
General Rosecran's official account estimates
the loss OF the Coniederates in the unsuccess-
full attack upon Fort Donelson at more than
one hundred killed, aud over three hundred
( later date simply states that the Rebel dead are
all buried and that 50 one hundred prisoners
: were taken, but that more were being brought
in"
TUESDAY, Feb. lO--In regard to .he recent
exploit Of the Confederate rams in the harbor
of Charleston, we have additional particulars
from two sources. The FIRST is the narrative as
furnished TO the Philadelphia Ledger by the
"intellgent eyewitness on board the prize
steamer Princess Royal; which eyewitness,
however " intelligent he may be- is certainly
given to romancing. The official report of
Commodore Dupont is in a soberer vein, and
gives us the first clear and distinct idea Of the
actual amount Of damage inflicted by the
rams and the losses sustained Commodore
Dupont settles, conclusively, the question as
to the surrender of the Mercedita with all her
officers and crew. the latter being paroled -
! The former subsequently escaped in a crippled
condition, and was sent to Port Royal for re-
/ pairs. The steamer, Keystone State, was da-
/ mayed TO a still greater extent than the Mer-
cedlta, and suffered a greater loss in killed and
wounded, A shell exploding in her hold, she
was set on fire. The flames were finally got
under but, in the meantime :" shell or shot
passed through her steam-chesls wholly disa-
bling her boilers and rendering her power
] less The Augusta, the Quaker City, the
]
action. The Augusta and Quaker City " were
both struck on their huls;" but the Commo-
dore is entirely silent with respect 10 the
amount Of injury they sustained. The casu-
altes on board Of the Mercedita were few
four only being killed and three wounded -
4 On the Keystone State twenty were killed and
4 twenty wounded.
letter from Port Royal, received in New
/ York, states that the rou-cad steamer Mon
tank had been engaged, for several days, in
attacking what is now reported to be an iron
clad battery" at che mouth Of the Ogechee
river. The Confederates are said to have
mounted much heavier guns upon their bate
rles than they have ever used before, and are
also employing stael-pointed shot The Mon
faux turret, we are assured was struck dur
ing these several encounters, sixteen times,
but the balls all glanced of CAPTAIN Wordcn
haa succeeded In destroying most Of TIE para.
pet OF the fort, and the prediction is hazardod
: That he will soon capture the battery. The
Nashville-whch was burned some time ago
:, ny certain newspaper correspondents--is now
T said to be moored q short distance M the
Ogechee river, under the protection Of the
battery which has sustained and, thus far.
successfully de6ed the attacks Of the Montauk