Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-02-10

! fired heavy rifle through us diagonally, PEN
etratlng the starboard side through our nor
mandy condenser, the steam drum of our port
boiler, and exploding against the port side Of
the ship, blowing hole in its exit some four
or five feet square. The vessel was in
stantly filled and enyeloded with steam.
Reports were brought to me that we were
shot through both boilers, that the fires were
put out by the steam and smoke, that gum
ner and one man were killed, that number
of men were badly scalded, that the water was
over the tire-room floor, and that the vessel
was sinking fast. The ram had cut us
through at and below the water line, and the
shell had burst on the other side almost ut the
waters edge. After the ram stru ok she
swung around under our starboard counter,
her PROV touching us, and hailed, ''Surrender
or I'll sink you! Doyou surrender" After
receiving the reports | answered, 81 can make
no resistance; my boiler is destroyed" The
rebel then cried out "Do you surrender"
said, Yes" having found my moving power
destroyed and that | could bring nothing to
bear but muskets against his shot-proof coat
| ing.
He hailed several times ''to send boat"
and threatened to fire again. After some de
| lay boat was lowered and lieut. commander
Abbott asked if he should 90 in her, and ask
ed for an order what to say. | told him to
see what they demanded and tell them the
condition we were in. He proceeded aboard
and according to their demand, gave his pa.
role in behalf of himself and all the officers
| and crew. His report accompanies this
The ram having been detained a half hour
| or more, now run out for the u. S. steamer
keystone State, which vessel and three others
we had tried to alarm by lights. We saw
shell explode as it struck the ram without in
juring her. Saw the Keystone State struck
several times, and saw the steam and smoke
blowing from her. The firing then receded
to the northward and eastward and was pretty
brisk at the head of the line. l set everybody
at work taking care of our wounded, pump
ing the ship, stopping leaks, examining the
engines, etc. About A. NJ. | got things in
order to stop little steam and heaye the an
Choir. The Stettin and Flag seing our condi-
| ton, | told them they might be wanted to the
eastward to pick up men-the fighting now
being over.
In conclusion, have to say that in the
squadron where all the vessels were conspic-
uous for vigilance, this ship has never been
found wanting. Everything was done the
| circumstances permitted, and in proper
manner.
Very respectfully your obi servant,
+. 5. STELLwAGEN.
LIEUT.. Abbott > KEfOhIh
The following is the report of lieutenant
commander Abbott, giving an account Of the
proceedings on board the rebel ram, and his
reception on that vessel, in regard to the dis
abed condition of the Mercedita =
SW:-In obedience to your order, l pro-
ceeded to the rebel ram, and was received by
a4ieuts. Parker and Phyrock, and conducted
| by the former inside of the house, where l
was received by her captain. His name did
not learn. told him | had come in the name
Of Captain Stellwagen to give up the U. S.
! steamer Mercidita, she being in sinking and
| perfectly detenceless condition They asked
me about the condition Of our boats, and the
number of the crew. | told them our boats
| were not large enough, nor in proper cOndi-
ton to carry our number of crew. After pri-
vately consulting with the commodore the
captain returned to me, saying they had con-
cluded to parole our officers and crew, pro.
yided | would pledge my sacred word of honor
that neither l or officers or crew of the
Mercedita would again take up arms against
the confederate states during the war, unless
legally and regularly exchanged prisoners
of war. Believing it to be the proper course
to pursue at the time, | consented. was then
informed that | could return to the Mercedita.
will here state in this report that L was
on deck at the time the smoke of the ram was
discovered, and in less than two minutes she
was into us. Your order to fire into her
could not be obeyed, no gun in the ship
could be depressed or trained to hit her,
| though every effort made to do so, she
| being so low in the water and coming upon
us ''quartering." We had only time to get
the watch to their quarters, and before we
could slip our cable we were without steam,
shell having passed through the ship and boil
ers. am, very respectfully,
Il. ABBOTT, Lieut.. CONG.
Rear admiral Dupont also forwards full de-
tails OF the part taken by other vessels, but
the above contains all the facts relating there
to. The full report of the capture OF the
Princess Royal are also received, but contains
no new facts.
PARTICULARS OF THE PREVIOUSLY REPORTED
CAPTURE OF THE ISAAC SMITH.
FLAGSHIP WABASH, PoRT ROYAL, HARBoR,
| S. c., Feb Sd, lS63.-Sr:-O Saturday
when received information of the affairs of
| Charleston, referred to in my previous dis
patch, No. SO, there were also vague rumorS
| that two gunboats holding Stone Inlet had
| been engaged, heavy firing having been heard
| in that direction. At two o'clock A. NJ. of
the LIST inst, the Commodore McDonough
came into Port Royal, and | regret to say re-
| ported the capture by three rebel batteries of
| the United States steamer Isaac Smith. 1t
| appears from lieutenant commanding Bacon's
reports herewith enclosed, that in the after
| noon of the Goth ult he sent the Isaac Smith,
acting lieutenant Conoyer, up Stone river to
| make reconnaissance, as had been frequent
| ly done for weeks previous. She passed
some miles beyond Legareville without seeing
the enemy, and was on her way back, when,
about a mile above that place and in the bend
of the river, three batteries, heretofore con-
| cealed, opened concentrated fire upon her,
firing heavy rihed guns. Lieutenant com
handing Bacon, who, with the Commodore
| McDonough was anchored lower down the
river, Immediately on hearing the firing pro-
ceeded to her assistance. Soon after he had
got underweigh he discovered that a white
flag was flowing from the Isaac Smith, and
that the firing from the shore had ceased. On
arriving abreast of Legareville she was seen
to be aground about quarter of a mile above
the bend of the river, and two of her boats
were observed going on shore loaded with of
fcerS and men. The Commodore McDOn-
ough stood up towards the bend, with the in
tention of either towing her off or destroy
ing her; but after reaching the bend she was
fired upon by the same three batteries, one
on the bend, one half mile above the bend
on St. Johns Island, mounting six heavy
guns, and one back and to the left of Legare-
vile. Lieutenant commanding Bacon imme-
diatey returned the fire from his ritied guns,
and, by keeping his vessel in motion, going
ahead and backing, succeeded in escaping IN