The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1863-09-05

NJ DOM DIBPATCH

TO@THE FREEMAN.

Asnnu ieeteE oi tue AsGln statec tnat LOT, TWO
or three days past q new rebel battery on Sull-
van Island has been making ftuitess attempts
to annoy our men in their advance trenches 1t
is supposed to be one Of the li-inch guns taken
from the. Keokuk, and . it as only at long inter-
walls that ashot from IL reaches the island. -Four
monitors, the Passaic, Patapsco, Nahant aud
Montauk, came in yesterday and engaged Fort
Nl0ultrie, and the batteries on Sullivan's Island
firing an occasional shot at Sumter and Wagner.
The engagement opened at $3.50, and for about
two hours was maintained with great intensity,
particularly on the rebel side. The firing from
Moultrie and battery Bee was terrific, and the
water about the monitors was getting up in all
directions. Several shots threw tons of water,
in a perfect cataract, over their turrets and
decks, shaking them with the conclusion. Many
shots struck the monitors but did little damage.
The heavy rifle and 15-inch shells of the iron
clads burst with eff .ct over and in Moultrie, and
sent the earth whistling in all directions. Fort
Wagner was repeatedly struck by the exploding
shells and somewhat damaged. She fred but
few shots during the contest at the monitors.
Battery Gregg was exceedingly active her
heavy gun was in play from the first to the last
of the engagement, and made some excellent
shots The monitors shells went on all sides
and had no effect in silencing her guns. Sum-
ter was struck several times by rifed shells from
the Passaic and Patapsco, but besides detaching
masses of loose masonry it did no further dam
age to the fort. After two or three hours fight
ing the Monitors responded to the general signal
from the Ironsides to cease firing and withdraw.
What the object of the attack was has not been
developed. t.s-. ..i.,9.s. s.-a 49,. tw.a
Three days since, the enemy made system.
attic effort to blow up and destroy the gunboats
and transports in Stono inlet, by means of tor
pedoes, and the escape was quite narrow. One
torpedo exploded q little astern of the Pawnee,
and blew her launch, which was towing astern,
to fragments. A few minutes later tremen-
dous explosion occurred on Bird Key, few
rods below the Pawnee, occasioned by another
torpedo sent down at the same time. From facts
since developed, it is certain that the rebels sent
down on that night at least ten of these inven
tions three or four which exploded, and four of
which were picked up. One drifted through
the feet of transports and up the Folly river,
and exploded under the bows of the mortar
schooner 9. p Williams, occasioning no dam
oge The torpedoes are precisely like those
found in the Light House Creek, and go off at
the slightest conclusion.
| For the second time, at the request of Admiral
Dalghren, eur batteries are firing on Sumter.
How many times the fort has got to be reduced
before the navy can 60 in, remains to be seen.
The heavy rifles are firing steadily to-day, and
as close, what the effect on Sumter is, cannot
tell. 1t is already ruin, and can't 5e batter
ed down much more still we must crafty the
navy. 1873 FRI t#eI HEEkE