The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1863-03-13

NEW YOhk HEnAlAl II.
worried both ths guns. and his good Workmanship wa
now established Beyond dOoot From the surrst onl
course, but very smah mark 10 Ore A.
ihPuDEECK
impudepCo was ever apparent 70 the oBcers Of Fos
HcAllister must have been this oCCasou, as di
not degn 70 notice them while they blazing away
1s. until ~ last they turned their attention b
them with their rapid and accurate firing II they ha
been wise they would not have fred sipgle shot
e VS. only wasting powder and prejeesiles and dia
Turning tho Nashville We could discover NO signs
lfe not even flag was 70 DO econ; and. bunting
scarce n The conlederacy they probably took il on shor
CAIN.
The want Of breeze 70 blow away the smoke from
guns was serousy felt 80 a. TO enable us TO SEQ the ec
Of our shells After firing eighth round wer
obliged 70 cease firing as 70 what the fire DOM
ON board Of the Nashville.
PIRATE rRs
To our qualification We were enabled 70 see . very
dense volume Of black smoke arising from the forwars
the flames distinctly visible, forcing their way
and gradually creeping aft, until they reached nearly
tns base o. tho the roy was as slowly creeping
but IL would light up at intervals. showing In few
minutes vast sheet Of flames which shot upwards far
into the smoky canopy above them. 1t was not long be-
fore the smokestacx guys were burnt away. and the
hugo stack ottered and then fell the port pad
die box, stirring up the glowing emoers. which rose
BURNING
Nothing but night, TO give darkened background 70
tho hvid flames, could have added anything TO the gran
deur Of the before u.s. Our weary watching was
reapng It's reward and our hearts beat with Joy and
congratulations. Slowly but surely the fire GA lts
work--the rigging caught IRE In several places, and
torches seemed set u were, vast funereal pile
We fired occasionally Of her until became evident that
We could mot add nythipg 70 her speedy dssou
tion At intervals the flames would rush up body AFT
and die out forward, there king was rushing fore
and aft joy at the freaks In his realms. All this time
xhor ortxu NrspO az no of0 nnl
would entirely hide as from view.
CESSATION or FIRING
Al six minutes past eight O'Clock ceased firing, hev-
ing only fred fourteen times. We waited watching for
about thirty minutes the burning or the steamer, and
then up anchor and stood down the river AZ this time
die boxes fast crumbng away and streaks OF IRE
were rapidly making huge crevces in her graceful
Al fifteen minutes past nine the fog suddenly ted and
dense volumes Of white smoke rising up and min
cling s SABLE Ss r
recton Of savannah-a warning 70 them that cotton ID
not yet king
Az thirty.fve minutes past nine O'Clock IN explosion
took place amidships, throwing up o column OF white
smoke which, when It's ine.is was lost spread itself out
like q huge umbrella II looked like steam, and quite
number who witnessed 1t pronounced u 70 be steam,
which escaped from the bursting Of her boilers. II pro-
badly the explosion Of tho hundred FOUNDER rife
gum from the fact that the outline Of the hull not
seriously affected by the explosion.
EXPLOSION OF THE MAGAZINE
In ten minutes afterwards terrific explosion took
place aft. The Gre bad reached the magazine, and
spark had in FASH set loose the latent power Of untold
that, and vast white volume quickly assembled aott
and spread out until il met q sufficient amount OF
atmospheric resistance when mingled with the smoke
from the burning hull. Tho mainmast was gone, the
quarter down TO the water edge and the hull riven
into countless fragments Some little time afterwards
the foremost FELL and the destruction complete Far
away the lowlands the smoke spread itself as
yelling from their view those who might be watching
the humiliation OF vessel lovely In form, graceful
base h,i1kr
peaceful uses, butt by band OF desperadoes turned into
pirate "a bloodcss one) The tide Of life was at ebb,
and in short time she would be but mass of tangled
and charred relics.
WORK DONE SATISFACTORILY.
1t useless Of course to remain any longer in range
gunboats to withdraw from the action and firing
The Dawn used her one hundred FOUNDER rifle once On
the Nashville as well as the battery, which, BY the way,
was at one. time partially deserted.
REBEL TORPEDO
While Withdrawing from action passed directly over
three torpedoes Of which exploded directly under
meath our boilers raising tho up bodily and Slowing
her around The sensation or course very peculiar
one and for time we could not realize that We bad been
hit by Internal machine II started little leak, but
nothing TO speak Of as Il was repaired IN few minutes
As passed the gunboas they cheered us heartily, 10
sense having accomplished just md glorious action
We anchored well down the river, and the gunboats
near us.
At O'Clock the Seneca discovered two contrabands
in the mnrsh and sent boats In TO get them They lett
Nashville. They reported that . week ago Colonel Nc
Aster told the Captain OF the Nashville that ho must
take bis vessel away from the fort
her lying there because that damned Yankee ironcad
with these orders the captain tried FOR week got
through Harveys cut failing In that. no resolved 70
put on full bead Of steam and drive her over sncsl
he attempted Friday afternoon and failed the vessel
striking heavily As soSu she was found fast every
thing was done tighten her. but, despite all their e.
forts she stuck IN that predcament We found and
destroyed her.
She had I'VE hundred bales OF cotton board and three
lady passengers Her armament consisted Of three
Hcr crew were on board when the contrabands left tho
last attack on the fort used 20 sight tho guns and
was his good craftsmanship which enabled them 70 hit
often We experienced q material change In the
firing yesterday and through this medium now know
the cause We were struck only six timeSout Of over
forty shots they fred at they struck twice the
pilot house ana % On dans and rn. the
~as neat INT little Isl dS s SeEsfs 5tssfs.s : "
let JUSTICE DONE THxM
Each and every officer and man board this vessel
is deserving highest need Of praise and the De-
partent not show its appreciation Of their services
would not give much for their notion Of mertQiQus con
duct The oicerA and Of the wooden vsiseS do.
serve much credit for the sterling manner In which they
have now for the third time, backed up We slept
Somewhat easier on Saturday night more SO than we
have done In several weeks
ARRIVAL oy RoS.nlADs MORTAR vxssKIs
To-day the PaesAtc, Patapsco and Nahant (ronclads)
Sebago, Flamboau, wooden gunboats) c. p. Williams.
Para Norfolk Packet norar schconers have arrived,
and Tuesday morning they propose 10 go up to Fort
McAster, Just to put their guns crews in active ex-
srcse We shall probably 30 up 70 Port Royal Tues
day morning get ready for other operations and when
the other clads have had little practice they win
return 10 the depot Of the squadron
FORT M'AILIsrER TO m fARoRr.
Fort McAister is worth nothing TO except az target
and their firing will 70 insprt the guns moro
than firing harmless target aside from this IL 10 not
worth the powder 70 blow II up.
propose 10 remain behind should this vessel 20 away
as anticipated chronicle the fourth engagement Of iron
cads In these waters.
II will afford the new hands the Of fifteen inch
guns an opportunity learn many things Of importance
and interest to them There is nothing like practical OF
perence in these as well as in other matters
I have doubt that the rebels viii boast Of the
strength Of their ethworks but let them boast they
but knew IT, them only AZ convenient target
practice. big guns upon. guess, after what they
saturday morning, they will have "big disgust
Of damned Yankee ron-clads" as they are pleased "a
call them.
To day the rebel tug Columbus has been down looking
nj the remains OF tho Nashville, whose dying EN-
beers give out a faint smoke, which readily sex
nournr he IA tr