The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-03-27
THE IRON-CLAD FIGHT.
The Operations on the Ogeechee
River.

The Iron-Clad Engagement at
Fort McAlliSter.
rru Particulars of the Destruction
and blowing Up of the Nashville.
The New York Herald of last Friday
has a series of letters from correspond
ent who was on board the MOntauk, all
through her trial engagements with Fort
McAllister, in the Ogeechee river, and dur
ing the firing at the rebel steamer Nash
vile, which resulted in the Nashville's de-
struction. The correspondence presents
an exceedingly interesting history of pc
Rod embracing several days, in the course
of which we attacked Fort McAllister sew
eral times, merely to test the iron-clads,
and give practice to the gunners. We
attacked the fort the first time, some
weeks ago, but as the proceedings and the
results were about the same as the last at
tack, we only copy from what took place
at the last engagement, except to say that
when the Montauk got through with the
first attack, all hands in the turret were
as black as negroes. The writer adds:
It is hard work to handle our heavy
projectiles, as Is inch shell weighs 365
pounds, and cored shot weighs 400
pounds The shell for the 11-inch weighs
$50 pounds So it will readily be seen
that the men have considerable weight
of metal to handle in the course of four
hours firing
The hour of starting has come. The
order has been given to cup anchor:"
each click of the windlass is reverberated
through his system; a hustle among the
crew; rapid walk increases the throbs
Choir leaves her muddy bed; the bell to
the engine room rings out the command
of the pilot The bell rings with deeper
and more solemn sound; even the busy
crew feel its influence, and in an instant
the latent powers of the pent-up steam,
now freed. gives motion to the screw,
and the grim war vessel trembles as she
moves ahead. The rushing of the waters
by the vessel as she plOughs along adds
another sound to make a sensation hither-
to not experienced. Notwithstanding
these bells, the motion of the vessel, the
rushing waters and all the other sounds
which may arise are common to any YES
sci, and have been heard q thousand times,
yet under these circumstances they stri ke
differently upon the ear.
Our vessel is an iron-clad, and before
we started our battle matches we put on.
All would be midnight darkness below but
for the large lamps which light up the
decks and passages.
Word is passed along quietly, eve are
close to the battery" A pause. The en-
envy opens his fire Yet onward we steam.
A shot strikes tie vessel. "Why don't
we fre?" he nervously exclaims. Pres
emily the anchor is let go, and in a few
moments the ponderous turret begins to
revolve. The quiet which reigned SUI
prelne for some time past is now broken.
Presently tile orders from the turret are
heard, care yen ready?" AYE, aye,
sir ''Fire!" Click, goes the lock, snap,
the primer. and Il tremendous report, that
shakes the whole vessel, gives proof that
the engagement has fairly opened.
CLOSE ACTION.
At twenty seven minutes past seven we
anchored about six hundred yards from
the fort, and well over on the right bank
of the river. We could look right into
the muzzles of their guns. After anchor
ing we went ITO quarters" and cleared
the tuTret for action. Just as We let 60
the anchor the enemy fired his first gun
which was followed in IA pid succession by
four Others
GENERAL ENGAGEMENT.
The gunboatS now open their fire from
their anchorage, about one mile ana three
quarters from the fort. At a quarter be-
fore eight o'clock our tifteen-nch belched
forth her volume of fire and shell; but the
smoke which settled around the turret pre-
vented our seeing IFS effect The enemy
had the ADVANTAGE Of us. and blaZed away
at us very rapidly.
TIE MoNTAUK HIT.
At seven minutes to eight O'Clock a ten
inch shot struck our turret fair and square,
then flew into ten thousand fragments.
was in the pilot house, watching with much
interest the duel between the fort and the
"cheese box" but even up there we were
not able to see the effect of our shot, while
the enemy were rapidly hitting us with
their proiectiles
SMOKE AND FOG.
At few minutes past eight O'Clock the
enemy and ourselves were obliged to slack.
en- fire, on account of the dense smoke
which, mingling with the mist, yelled IL:
from each others vision. While awaiting
for the weather to clear up some OF oul
people went outside of the turret, and, up
on examination, found several marks, bu
everything was all right. Scarcely hat
they reached the inside of the turret be-
fore the enemy again opened his fire will
greater accuracy than before, and then We
went at it again, firing as rapidly as clrcum
stances would allow.
THE PILOT HOUSE STRUCK.
About half-past eight O'Clock our pllo
house was hit a tremendous blow by shot
Your correspondent was at the instant o
impact on one knee writing paragraph il
his notebook. The shock was somewha
severe, and afterwards he found that thu