Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1863-02-16
HIS ASSERTION THAT RRBEL VESSEL
PASSRD OVER TBRBAR PR0NOCNCED
DELIBERATELY AND KNOW
INGIY PALSH

DELIBERATELY AND KNOW
ISGLY PALSH.
The Navy Department, this morning received
the following dispatches: ..--
FLAG SHIP WABASH,
Fort Royo1 Hdrbor, S. c., Feb. II, 1868.
Sir: In my previous dispatch No ~, written
just as the mail was closiny, 1 Informed the
Department that would send a refatation in
an official form Of the statements made in Gen.
Ecnuregnrd's proclamation as To the blockade
Of Charleston, published In the Charleston and
Savannah papers, and accompanied by asser-
tons made with the apparent sanction Of csr-
tain foreign functicnaries
The emphatic letter of Captain Turner, mo.
ID he clear and decided statement OF the OH.
cers, mo. g W hich he forwards, together with
the previous inquiries and examination OF log
books made by Captain Godon, Of the Pow
hatan, " no W as the senior Officer present pre-
viobs to the arrival of the New Ironsides, and
when had dispatched to Charleston the Crv
o. the raid, leave me nothing to add save to cali
the especial attention Of the Department to the
facts TINS ELECTED.
Very respectfully your obedient servant
= r. DUPoyr
Rear AdIniral Commarsins
South Atlantic Bockading squadron
Hon. GIDEON WKLLEs, Secretary of the NAVY.
Washington.
L.. 5. STEAM FRIGATE NBw IaoSsIDYsD
OF Charleston, S. e., Feb. 10, 1883 Z
ReGr admiral S. r. Dapont Coam'c s. A. r.
Sqpadrcn-Adrnirf have the honor 10 for.
ware TO You a certificate signeo by all the com.
manding officers OF vessels that were living of
Charleston Tar the morning o. he attack OF the
rams upon this squadron, excepting only three,
one of whom is on duty at a distance, and the
other two, the comma nders Of the two vessels
which were sent to Port Royal to pair dam
ages, and which were the only two that were
injured, notwithstanding tie report OF the en-
envy In the Charleston papers, "a .slhe result of
tiic engagement, that two vessels were sunk,
four sat on fire, and the remainder driven
away"
Iumr personal know ledge OF these gentlemen.
and your entire confidence in their truth and
uprightness OF character, viii give u thsir
stat ut the for that is necessary TO refuts
sati i"ctorily and effectuaiiy that which has
been given 10 the world by the authorities in
Charleston. and their sympathizsrs, IA the
facts of :Iis engagement.
1t il with unaiieeted Gain that am called
upon TO forward document rejecting 50 Sc
vert iy, but justly, upon functiunaries holding
tao L.. position Of conSuls, aud one of them IN
this statement has been made 10y his authority,
tie con Ti3Dder Of vessel OF war, o. her Brit
a.!c MAJESTY; nor can I account for il in any
oiher way than It's Dring preinrdIta,ed act on
their part, with foTego;.e conclusions, TO draw
up report that would prejudice our cause in
the eyes of the world, or that these & vents ger.
seen by them with the distorted optics Of preju-
Oh, ca and lsTtiZan witnesses.
The iac's ara so clear, both To the dis posi-
ton of the biOckading squadron during the
Gay succet ding the engagement and as 20 the
amount OF damage done 10 our vessels In II.
t:.at ii does not admit If shadow of doubt tn AZ
these gentlemen have the seal o: ,hsir high bft,.
ces t. a version OF the affair which could no,
haNe&een, by any possibility, either by infer
ence or personal observation, forced upon their
cOUvictsons as the truth.
l have the honor to be, very respectfully,
your oSeCient servant, T.TCRSEE, [ap.ain
T.. s. STEAMER NEW IRos-IDBs)
OF Chorteston, Feb, 10. 1859. (
We, the undersigned officers commanding
various vessels OF the blockadlas squadron on
Charleston, have seen the proclamation OF Gfep
Eeauregard and Commodore Inyrahan hara-
with appended, as also the results of the So
called engagements wig: two vessels sunk,
four set on fire and the remainder driven way
and also the statement that the British Consul
AID Tie commander OF the British war steamer
Petrol had previously gone live miles beyond
The usual anchorage OF the biockaders, ana
could SEQ nothing OF them with their glasses
we deem 1t our duty TO state that sie So
called results are false ia erery particular Ne
vessels were sunk; none We're set on fire seri-'
Dusty. TWO vessels alone were injured OF
consequences; the MercedIia had her boiler ex-
plod.d by shell from the only gun fired At
her, when surprised by an attack at night a
Tack haze prevailing and the Keystone State
mpDt OF attempting 10 run down oae Of the
rams. Ihe keystone State was al once as
sisted by ths Menu his, which vessel sxchauy-
90 shots with the iron Ram as she WAS with
drawing towards the bar, after having tired at
me keystone State; as did also the Quaker
City. 30 hasty WAS the retreat OF the rams
that although they might have perceivan that
the keystone State had received serious dam
age, no attempt was made TO spproach her.
The Stettin and OF WA st the extreme end
or the line. did not get under way from their
posiiions uii after the firing had ceased, and
the Ste ttn merely saw the black smoke as the
rams disappeared over the bar The Flag was
alongside the Mercedita after 1t seems she had
yielded to the ram, supposing herself sinking
NC rams withdrew hastily towards the har.
Dor, and on their way ware nred at by the
iousatonic and Augusta, until both had got
beyond reach Of their gums. They anchored
uncer me protection OF their forts, and re-
manned there.
No vessel, iron clad or other, passed ont orer
the bar after the return OF the rams i'm shore
The Unadiila was not aware OF the attack un.
til the HoGsatonic son menced firing, when she
moved out towards that vessel from her an
chorage. .'-N - = -
The Housatonic was never b.vond Ia. Anvil
I'ne % Ae blockade. The Quaker City, In the
course OF the forenoon, picked up her anchor.
which she had slipped to repair TO the point OF
firing. The Flag communicated with the senior
officer on board tho Housatonic that forenoon
continued a. before. No vessel ran in or out
Of the port thai day, nor ,eos oss at.ss.ss sHoSs
70 run tAe blockade. The keystone state neoss-
sarily was ordered to Port Royal for repairs
The Unsaills returned to her usual anchor.
age, after communicating with the senior Of.
fcer, where she remined during the day
apparently In attendance on the ram, under
cover OF Forts Moultris and Beaurexard. The
prize steamer Princess Royal, which hal been
lying alongside Of the Hcnsatonic, WA dis
patched to Port Royal, by order OF the senios
eMcer. one koS~ o~d o half afser Ae ~. led re-
kred 10 e cover ftAe batteries and the firing had
ceased. or about go O. M
These Are the facts; and we do NOT hesitate to
state that no vesssl did come out beyond the
bar, after ths return Of tho rama, ~ between
and .. m, to the cover OF the forts. We be.
lleve the statement that any veesels came any
where near the usnal anchorage OF any OF the
blockaders, or uP 70 tAs b0r, after the withdrawal
OF the rams, TO be deliberately and knowingly
false.
II the statement from the papers, as now be-
fore Us, has the sanction OF the captain OF the
Petrol and the foreign consuls, we can only
deplore that foreign officers can lend their or
ficial positions to tbs spreading before the
world, for unworthy objects, v~trutAs patent 70
e very ofneer Of the squadron.
WV. Rooms TAYLOR,
Captain, Comd'G U. S. 8. Housatonio.
J. II. SrnoRa,
ComdT, Comd'g Y. 3. Str Flag
JAS. MADISON FRArLsY,