The New York herald., 1863-11-07
THE SIEGE OF CHARLESTON.

THE SIEGE OF CHARLESTON.
The sinners COURT OF Inquiry-Condttaon
OF the Monitors After the Fight I'm April
Last, &c., sc.
Now that the Sinners court Of inquiry has been dis
solved the accused acquitted Of the charges.
enabled 10 publish AIR. Sinners deence The document
very interesting. and shows facts which Of great
importance.
MR.. sr1MERs' neFENcR
May il please this honorable CourtThe testimony h.
troduced bv the Judge Advocate to sustain the charges
made against BY Rear Admiral Dupont closed
Acting in view Of the proof thus placed before the COURT
The very foundation which charges must rest
to supply it, rhey were careessly, If no, recklessly.
made by high oacer Of the government, willing give
auirius whether they were capabo Of proof or founded
upon worthless rumor Much time has been uselessiy
spent 10 snparent eors 70 prove them but any ono az
purpose has been not TO establish the charges In Qres
tion but to Justify their author in failing effectively y
the formidable for destroying the defences q
Charleston which government It's confidence anA
hope had lavshed upon him. That am not unjust or
charitable In making this ssrgrestion WIN be manifest from
examination OF tho charges and proof which will now
proceed 70 make.
Frst-The nrst specification charges with having
whilst board the steamer Arago. her VOYAGE from
officers and other persons, number OF whom
respondents OF the public press falsely asserted knowing
the 70 DO q1sre that was told BY one or more o. ne
Charleston that ought 10 have been edtbs -
vessels in At condition 70 renew n-snd thss
several OF the commanders had said to that they
were bot Tor removing the engaRemsnf
TIE ANSWER 10 rHE yIRsr SPECIFICATION
observant Of Christian
respect-woud before deliberately ramingta charge cs
my have inqured carefully into is truth and the msAss
Of establish IT, Indeed he would hardly have been
capable Of proving t. and then jus, man would have
withheld tho accusation 40 painful for geDtemAa -
bear until satsned that his witnesses were entitled 70
full credit The course which my accuser has seen az 70
pursue presents wide departure from tho path thus
nacssS inc names o. persons who we're on board ne
made a. witnesses, and most OF them have been
smned. appears that sat At the public table Of the
steamer the immediate neghborh hood OF several other
persons-ai no doubt, accessible 10 my -
those seeking 70 support these charges IT, therefore, l.
susceptible easy proof Not particle Of testimony
to that effect has, however been furnished No pr-
had stated to me either that the attack Chsss,ou
ought to have been removed that the cads
condition to do So or that their commanders wers NOT
No language bearing the least resembisnce 70 that
charged proven 70 have been uttered by a; any
ame and bound 10 assume snat neither OF the via
nAed ever stated Otherwise than they have here
mos upon % wnn ss
they could be proven And n NOT they waptaiy
made so that upon pretcnce OF sustaining them
inactivity painful 10 whole nation might be just ied nv
proof quito irrelevant 10 the charges beng tried, and
therefore quite likely 70 pass uucontradicted by
the mcoNp
duct unbecomins an oce the navy ana speciacs N
where board Of her during the passage =
condemned In terms unbecomng the circumstanocs
professional Admiral Dupont by stating
that the Monitors good condition oo the tk
day OF April, 1868, after they had undergone
had been 70 commence /, the das before; ihs,
they could go into Charleston In spite Of guns. torped
aud obsractions but that dmira dupont too muct
N
ANSWER TO THg
Now, under the circumstances had stated AL that
more than was authorized say had been charsed
by the government with the important duty "
vessels whilst they were being maize they
wero new In tho history d tho World, bu,
although on day previous had deaed Zee,
OF our largest frgates carrying Hty times
greater than the Monitor destroying soma and threat
eleven hch gdhs behind nvunerabe shield es,sc
her powers, offensive and defensive by terrific
ordeal that Intelligent and unpreudced men here and r
Europe from that hour that supremacy must he
maintained u at all, by Abandoning wooien ships and
adopting shose whioh the genius, engineering skin ssd
ripe practical knowledge OF their suihor had suyht
world how 10 construct. Ny knowledge ~ this class o
csocorr snsr oons.r1con s,cn \, s,e su, unse- ,Ss
orders OF the Government. J had entoyed the good
';%SS S.y. q A; sn,s "Ofe
capacity u the Monitor system 70 susts,
unhsrmed the Gre Of heavy gums short range s1 &C
ship of,Sreat power, heavily shesthed In With an
expsriencs thus gained might, - think, have Justly
claimed the right 70 express an opinion o. 20 the vsr
and capacities OF the Monitors. even had ID - dinerer
from the views entertaned oy Fear Admiral lupcnt,
whose knowisdgs concerning them vas prcbahy %.
Others. Moreover. w@ CHARGED oy the eovernmens
with duty Of pecceedins 70 Chsrecn 10 watch scd
report The proceedings Of these vessels action
IN maintaining thsm readiness for battle and n r~po~
20 the havins them In charge such Information
miehs be needful.
.sass rsouDp von xmovso rm ors1rcuoys.
10 addition 70 ai this, u may here b. p~oIert -y
thas. 81 great sxpenss, shells bad cess devised ey
Captain Ericsson, tho author Of the Monitor svs
tem, which, In connection with rafs 70 be attacse5
10 the bows of The vessels, were 10 bc ussd
for removing BY neaos Of expsosve force obsssucoos
sunk By the enemy The track Of our advancing ne.,
The sotvsness thsss shells bad been 10 ssstsd by
bsfors they were seat Admiral Dupont - 10 make
ciear 70 nv mind and 70 thai of the eovernment tbsa
they would be praescaiy safs and capable Of clearing
xpsm.r purcuP upcD 70 co nm nmas.
strongly urged Admiral Dupont 70 use thsss shens,
and requested psvmiscn v participate In the action 4
ths ia on board Monitor vhoh shouid be thus armed
ms privilege denied 70 anl although, tn visu
OF supposed obstructons, had exprssed 70 Admiraa
Dupont end M o0,csrs the opinion that tbs hoases
isS Il We grssiiy ssrsassAsssl y, and sopsvAas
rounded upon Ne umpsiea thAs thsss SHELLS 70 ~
employed, and thb The Admiral knew
nm Ap~aAL DDuxrW Am IN oDsU16UcIl
he usvertheles decltne6 70 or6eg otheR empioymea4
and thus lost 70 ths govsrnmess nd safion psww
ful means d psnssrssnG 70 ths crsAis q shh grsa(
Uad~ sh~s c,scqmssaass. ssa vsu sv~s inst ~