Evening star., 1863-04-16
ANOTHER VIEW OF THE AFFAIR AT
CHAELESTON

Mr.. G.. &. Fulton, OF the Baltimore American,
furnishes that paper with a detailed account
of the operations before Charleston. He re-
CARDS the fight as having been a mere recon-
nOissance, by which much valuable intorma-
ton was gained, and that there Were good
reasons for continuing, rather than abandoning
the attack. The iron. clads showed themselves
very nearly invulnerable to the shot of the
enemy, and Were all put in good fighting con-
dition in less than twenty -four hours after the
conflict. He criticises the management of the
attack with much sharpness, and sums up in
conclusion as follows:
81 have taken some pains to ascertain the
grounds given by the Admiral and his dyisers
for what still seems to nine-tenths of the off,
GERS and men of the fleet, and to the spectators
to have been q farcical assault and disgrace.
ful abandonment of the purpose of the Govern
ment TO reduce this rebellious city
On the evening after the attack q council of
war was held, attended by all the Captains of
the iron -clads. They reported to the Admiral
that the keokuk was totally disabled and in
sinking condition-that the Nahant's pilot
house was in jured, and three men badly wound
ed by the flying bolts. This was the only
vessel that had no lining to the pilot house, and
although few bolts We're started in some OF the
others the Innings fully protected those inside
The turn ing of the Nahants turret had also
bs EN- partially obstructed by the conclusion of
the blows she had received. The Patapsco
also reported that shell had got wedged in its
rifle gun, which could not at once be removed
The Nantucket had some damage to the muZzle-
box of one of its guns. The Catskill, think,
also had >ome difficulty with one of her gun
carriages and the portfolio slide of the Passaic
was reported bent and immoYable. Thus, fout
of the vessels were reported as temporarily
injured, whilst the keokuk was totally disa-
bled, and sunk at her anchorage next morning
The workmen and supervisors of the MonI-
tors were sent for, and having examined the
four damaged vessels reported that they could
huS-. hon q m nrt- in n.in
next day. The Keokuk was OF course of no
further accoun'.
1t is also now asserted On the flagship that
each and all OF the Captains of the iron -clads,
at their council OF war, advised the abandon
ment of the attempt to reduce Sumter or take
Charleston, regarding it as hopeless task.
From the reserved manner of most of the
Captains since the abandonment OF the siege
am inclined to doubt this, though il is under.
stood that Captains Drayton and Worden both
strongly opposed a renewal of the fight Both
OF these officers had, however, from the first
been free in the expression of their predictions
of failure-they looked for and anticipated
that we would ii Sumter impregnable and
the harbor Of Charleston obstructed beyond
Be this as it may, however. early on the eve
ming of Tuesday, the Admiral, previous to
hearing these reports, declared his intention of
renewing the assault on Wednesday, declaring
his purpose to the lead the way with the Iron
sides, which he considered an impregnable
vessel. At the close Of the council OF war he
made no decision, and as far as can learn, he
slept OH the determination only to reverse it on
awaking on Wednesday morning.
The work Of putting the vessels in order for
battle progressed rapidly on Wednesday
morning and at o'clock the worknen had all
left the vessels. reporting every difficulty as TO
the working of turrets, guns, &C., to be fully
rempdied. 1 visited several of the vessels about
this time, and found them preparing for the
signal TO advance, expecting TO move forward
to renew the assault about half past one
o'clock. No signal was given, however. and