The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1863-10-23
-.,o.v MORNING. 80. 0C1ouu1 -, leee.

a.
Io" a, rsg;ment was drawn up in line on the
essSh Fort Gregg was reinforced, orderlies
p'~ ~ra sspatched 70 Wagner-the telegraph
W, he,ny In working order-t0 learn 1t any.
,s,ny nJ, vas known there. hut, strange to say,
na,,her officers nor garrison had heard a
.osns st ali unusual. In vain did We look
sor sicnsls; not light appeared save those
,hs coast. Both Gen. Gilmore and Admiral
nshlgren we're signaled-thc former at Folly
i.sna. and the latter on his flag gehip, which
i,v a. anchor In the inlet, although the sea
III through the day had hardly power enough
,n,, "a crawl up the beach, but fawned upou
,he bright sands aud licked them with its
We, spsrkling lips. "Had Rowan been at
,scredy" "Ifad the rebels the hardihood to
attempt to board tho lronsides!" what
does Il all means" These and similar in-
"niries we're made rather In the light OF sHg-
gestiop and speculation than with the hope
Sf gathering solution of the mixed prob
lem with which each mind was busy.
HISTORY OF THE AFFAIR.
A. halflast 9oclock of the night in ques-
,iou. the quartermaster on watch on board
the pew IronsideS reported to the officer OF
the deck q suspicious craft, with smoke.
stack, and setting very low in the water,
making directly toward the vessel The
night, although clear and the sky studded
with stars, was nevertheless unusually dark,
aud but little could be distinguished Of the
stranger except the smoke pipe and her low
bull, the latter extremely indistinct; she ap.
peared to be steaning at o speed Of seven
knots an hour. How she could have passed
siderec, for II was just possible she might
belong to us, and to fire upon her without
first determining her character and intention
might result in more serious damage than
II she were an enemy; 80 she was allowed to
come within hailinx distance. More and
more distinct she grew as she approached
cigar shaped hull, after the pattern of WI
the water smaller object, which could
hardly be disting guished; a black smoke pipe,
from which issued thin cloud of black
smoke, but no other indications Of the mo-
live power within, were visible Still she
glided on, the object OF her approach either
Ibe frigate itself or the Devils which lay
moored on the port side. Coming near
enough to hear she was hailed and ordered
TO stop, but che neither made reply or
obeyed tie summons.
All hands were piped to quarters; gun
WIS fred, but the curious craft sat too low
in the water, and the bali passed over her.
4 second shot followed the first, with the
same result; then a vOlley Of musketry
lighting up for moment with fash the
STEAMER, tue lOiHcuO hb uC1 DoWS, huO tuC
figure of man sitting astride Of the gar
shaped hull, engaged In steering. This man,
whose name ia Toombs, and who is now in
irons on board the flag ship, fred shot in
retaliation, which severely wounded Ensign
Howard, the officer of the deck. He pre-
tends TO have been sailing master Of the ex-
pediiion, which he undoubtedly was, and is
man of moderate height, strong, muscular
frame, dark wrinkled skin, dark eyes, aud
hoir md hQorh There
three Others with him, allunder command Of
Lieut. Glassel, formerly Of the United States
Navy. lie is said to be q man OF superior
talents and bravery, was captured some time
since and confined In Fort Warren, but sub
sequently, ON being released, rejoined the
Southern army he is now prisoner on the
0ttowa
The musketry firing from the frigate after
The drst vOiley became rapid and continuous,
but seemed in no way to interfere with the
execution Of the plan had In view by those
on board the steamer, a5 she approached
nearer and nearer each moment to the Iron.
SIDES, her bow pointing toward the lattcr's
side, aud run close in under her guns. At
lis moment terrific explosion took place,
jarring the great iron-plated hull OF the fri
gate and sending into the air q huge column
Of water that fell In torrents all round, and
entering the smoke-pipe Of the little steamer
Immediately extingui5bed her fires. When
this had subsidized, and the sea was again
calm, nothing whatever was to be seen OF
her; the suppOsitiOn Is that she went down.
But struggling for life were two men, evi.
IDENTIFY members of her crew, who were
picked up by q boat lowered for the purpose
from the IrOnsides. They are the two have
already mentioned-the seaman TOombs and
Lieut.. Glassel but neither of them can tell
what happened In the time between the ex-
plOson OF the torpedo and the moment they
found themselves battling with the waves,
or say confidently whether the steamer sunk
or, rekindling her fires, moved of In the d.
rectlon Of Charleston.
DAMAGE SUSTAINED BY THE FRIGATE.
Very little injury was done the Ironsides;
in truth, may say, with the exception OF
few dints, no harm whatever was sustained
BY her She is a noble ship, and worth all
the monitors together. The prisoners state
that the people OF Charleston have very little
faith in the capacity Of the latter to reduce
the Notifications leading to the harbor, but
hold in great fear the terrible batteries OF the
New lrOnsides To prove the endurance OF
the ship ! would add that the shock she re-
ceived was go severe that q huge chest was
thrown from its place in the lower hold
sgalnst one Of the stanchions, completely
crushing the leg of o seaman who was un-
fortunate enough 10 be standing there
Twenty tons Of water entered her decks.
THE ORIGIN OF THE EXPEDITION.
This daring attempt, unprecedented In Its
boldness by anything which has happened
during the war, had its origin In the city of
Charleston, where the cost was raised by
public subscription, some of the wealthiest
citizens subscribing largely. The steamer
was built there expressly for the purpose, the
pattern Of the Winan's gunboat being adopt
I'd as the one best suited for the accomplish
ment of the object they had In view, the
material being Of wood. The torpedo, which
; was OF the LARGEST size, and similar In shape
somewhat TO the steamer, was exploded by
neans OF percussion cap at the further end,
whlte lead being used to render It water
proc! Large rewards were to be paid the
men In case they succeeded iu their desperate
enterprise aud came off safe, they being san
golae OF blowing up the frigate. but never
expecting to escape with their lives. Both
steamer and torpedo were towed a. far as
so1 sumter by another weasel; It was proba-
ny owing to this that they escaped the no.
.iee OF our picket boats, these latter being
eneased In watching the movements Of the
s,onvoy, which steamed here and there on
Tue water a. II bound on mission Of mis-.
suisl OF her own before gliding back to
Charleston
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