The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1863-04-17
Notes of the Fight of the 7th at
Fort Sumfar

At two O'Clock p. M. just as the officers
had seated themselves for dinner. the
first advance of the iron.cl feet was
announced to the commandant of the
post. Their anchorage had been within
the bar of Ship Channel, off the southern
end of Morris Island, some four miles
from Sumter. Upon inspection, 1t was
judged that good time would be allowed
for the conclusion of the meal, and, after
communicating the movement by tele-
graph to headquarters in Charleston, din
ner was comfortably dispatched. A, half
past two o'clock, after examination Of
the approaching armament from the ter
replein, the order for the long roll" was
issued. The whole garrison knew that
the hour of trial was at hand, and the
greatest enthusiasm and alacrity prevail
ed. The men rushed TO their guns with
shouting and yells of exultation. The
regimental band was ordered TO the ram.
part. The garrison flag 1.-THE Confederate
States) was already flying defantly from
the staff at the northern apex OF the PEN
tagonal fortress. The blue and white
banner Of the Palmetto State was given
TO the wind on the southwest corner of
the work, and the elegant black and
white color of the First Regiment South
Carolina Artillery (Regulars,) was run up
at the southeast angle, in the face of the
coming foe. A salute Of thirteen unshot-
ted guns was fired, and the band broke
forth with the stirring strains Of Dixie"
1t was determined to permit the feet
to come well within range before opening
fire. 1t. Col. Jos. A. Yates, who that
morning reported for duty, was assigned
to the special command of the barbette
batteries. Major Ormsby Blanding was
assigned the special command of the
casemate batteries. They were both at
their posts, officers, men and guns ready,
and awaiting the order to begin the en-
gagement. Col. Alfred Rhett, the COM
mandant of the post, stood on the para
pet watching the progress of the doughty
iron clad dogs of war. Every heart beats
high. Every face was flushed with calm
excitement, properly incident to such a
moment. On they came, steamng slow
ly northeastward-se Monitors; their
hulls sunk down to the water level, show
ing Only black line on the surface and
projecting turret and smoke stack
each-the Ironsides looming up from the
sea a formidable looking monster, and
the Keokuk, her hull more distinctly WIS.,
ible than the Monitors, and with two tur-
rets, the most dreaded of all the nine.
In front, Monitor, supposed to be the
Passaic, commanded by Drayton, pushed
forward long raft, forked and fitting
her bow. intended to catch, by suspend
ing graphing irons, any entanglements
Or to explode any torpedoes, which might
lie in the path of their hostile ADVANCE
Next followed, IN approximate echelon, an
other Monitor, bearing a pennon, and
conjectured to be the flag ship of the
commanding officer of the fleet. This
was succeeded, in the same order, by two
others of similar kind, only distinguishes
BILE by slight differences in the adorn
ment of red or white paint upon their
generally black turrets and smoke stacks.
These constituted the first line or divis-
ion. After an interval of space came
the Ironsides, of much larger proportions,
her sleek and glistening black sides ris-
ing high and frowning above the water.
She occupied central position, and was
followed, al some distance, by the three
remaining Monitors and the Keokuk in
the rear. These four formed the other
line or division of battle.
At three o'clock, when the leading
gunboat had got east of southeast OF
Sumter, at distance of about fourteen
hundred yards, Fort Moultrie fred the
| first gun. The band was husheG at Sum-
ter, the musicians were dispatched to
their pieces, and the orderawas issued TO
open FIRE, carefully and by battery.
AT 3.03 min. the guns belched forth
their fierce thunders upon the foremost
| monster. Within two minutes there was
| response. His shots were directed
against Sumter, and the strife was inau.
gurated. The east and the north. east
batteries, en- 6arbette and in casemate, were
those only engaged, together with NOR
tar battery on one of the ramparts, which
fred for a short time.
For thirty minutes the guns of Fort
| Sumter were concentrated on the leading
! vessel, irrespective of the answering can
non Of the others. The garrison fought
with eagerness and impetuosity. They
had to be restrained, and after trial, firing
by battery, it was found that, from tho
small size Of the object at distance of
100 to 400 yards, and its constant and
alternate moving and stopping, it was
difficult 10 keep the guns trained to shoot
simultaneously with accuracy. The meth
cd was changed, with apparent advan-
tage during the course of the engage
ment. The gunboats fred deliberately,
at intervals. The smoke stack Of the
pioneer boat was riddled with balls
The turret was repeatedly struck and i'm
pressions distinctly visible. At 3.25 q
flat-headed bolt of chilled iron, projected
from Brooke gun (rihed and banded 7
inch,) struck with manifest damage. A
volume of steam was seen to issue from
the creature, and it turned off on q curve
toward the east and southeast, steaming
out of range and out of the fight. Mean
time, the three other Monitors of the
first line had bestowed their attention
upon the Fort with impunity. They
now, after the retirement Of the suppos-
ed Passaic, received each, for brief sea.
son, sundry acknowledgements. That
bearing the pennon, at 1887 had its en-
blem Of command cut down by.a well
directed shot. It's turret and hull were
indented. Several shots were visible,
driven and sticking in the iron. The
smoke stack was repeatedly pierced
through. And at 3.45 this inyulnerable
man of.war also drew off, followed by the
two that had accompanied it.
The Ironsides seemed shy of the con-
test. She fred few shots at distance
of not less than l400 yards, and perhaps
as much as 1900. Three balls were seen
TO strike her in return. She soon head.
ed off out Of range, and was counted out.
The Monitors OF the second line were
under concentrated fire, each a few
minutes. All we're hit, but apparently
with no special injury. The longer the
fight continued, the more accurate the
firing proved with the gunners Of that
| nnllnnf nrd admirably Trained corna