The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1863-08-08

THE 0uNB0Ar nEPULsE ON JAMES
RIVER -FURTHER PARTICULARS
On Tuesday sssniug. about fSur O'Clock. ,hs
three gusboats and the Monitor passed vari
na, eomiag up ths river. They were all con.
nec.sd BY Iinss, and wsss to~iag each other
the Monitor being second from tho front -
They comnsussd sesaliag along The shore to
roass mp 3 Conssdslnts battsry, but tho shsliing
was in vain, no rely from Confederate guns
being elected, isany OF our artillery was in
the neighhorhosd. They continued on up the
river.
About 6 o'clock they turned bend, near
which tospsdo lay ia the channel Of the
river TIE operator On shore exploded the
torpedo. The explosion, which was terrific,
took place few seconds too soon and before
ths foremost boat had gotten her bow over
the deadly epgias. which. had IL bssn beneath
her, would have scattered her into atoms -
The water was thrown up from the bed of the
river to height Of sixty feet, lifting the bow
of the approaching steamer high 10 the air,
and tearing tsom 1t quantities Of pianking and
gearing, II: falling the great mass Of the
per works and doing fnrshsr damage. These
who from tee shore Witnessed this unexpected
water spout dsseribsSit as grand spectacle.
The negro spectas greatly ssssnished,
one OF them running 10 his masters house
with the astounding intelligence that "ds ruv-
yer mad done gone up in dc ar
The scene after the explosion was ono OF
terror Oh board the Yankee feet. On the
fo.emost vessel screams and calls for help
filed the air. "For Gods cake briug up q
boat was the most frequent cry from the fret
steamer to her companions ia the rear. On
all the steamers the seamen were RAINING
about in the widest confusion, and il was
come time before order enough could be re-
stored TO allow Of aid being given their dis
tresssd companion. The first that went to her
aid WAS the Monitor, which ran up along eide,
and after that all hands on the fleet were en-
gagged In repairing damages. Had a battery Of
artillery been on shore at the Time the expl0.
sion occurred and opened brisk irs on them.
there is very little doubt that at least two of
the bosts might have been captured.
Fractured pieces of the bow, chains, sailors
caps, aud planking h,ated ashore during
Wednesday. Tire vessel which was 60 badly
damaged was nearly square, with the ends
slightly pointed, and our informant thinks was
an iron clad gunboat, or an old ferry boat
shsa.hed with iron. The feet, after the scsi-
dent, sailed further up the river, WI ere it lay
Wednesday night, and Thursday morning,
about S o'clock, passed Valina sgain going
down the stream.
At Deep Is 3ttom, q mile below Farina, they
were destined to receive another surprise. The
artillery and iDf Dfantry which had been sent there
and placed in position The night before, about
O'Clock, opened upon them briskiy, to the
utter as.oEishmsnt of th0se on board Some
effort was made to return the frs The Mon
itor backed up the river little distance to get
the range and delivered ssvera! shots, but find
ing it u.elsss, put on steam and went down az
fast as che could move. After the fleet passed
Deep Bottom, the artillery was lmoersd up,
and, with the infantry, went at u double qnick
down to Tarksy Island Taey had arrived
there about five minutes, AMI the guns had
just been gotten into position when the ilaet
hove in eight, coming slowly down. This
time one OF che guhhoats was being towed.
having been 60 damaged by the ii,e at Deep
Bottom that she WAS unable TO make iisr way
through the water. Hsr engines were net
working; shot hole through her wheel
house was visible. As they came in range
they were received with Calling lire, which
WAS continued until they passed out Of ths
reach Of our euns.
AS they passed CITY Point the Monitor was
tiapksl by gunLoat on either eide, with an
other wooden craft following in hsr wake,
tn. attached by Il to line. Large holes could
10 seen in the hiuimost steamer, aud gsea.
pieces Of canvas could bs seen over the sides
Of the one next to the Southern shoe Of the
river, all indicating pretty rough .rsatmsns.
There is little doubt that thesa ganbaht
raids up James river ara intended for the pus
pose of asce ltaining tho location and etiscting
the removal Of the torpedoes suspected 10 bs
i'll the liver, and this anxiety 10 have ths
c ourss clear may be deemed as proof that tue
next con to Richmond will be made by two
rou.es % one CT them bein & the PsniGsuiA.