Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1863-04-15
Some Further 3e.ail. Of the ChaFlest0H

HtapuSus We SAFe DeAVh tAeo ~---~-- "
it which relates to the operations Of the
day of attack:
On the morning Of the 7th the fog was
very thick. but By o'clock it had nearly
cleared away, and there was no further
cause for delay of the attack. Up to u
continued on the iron-clsds.
AtIP. N. the pilot of the flagship at
last declared himself ready to move. The
signal to get under way was made, and
at fifteen minutes before the whole feet
was in motion in the order given above.
At24 o'clock the batteries on Morris Is
land had been passed by the four first Mon
itors without drawing the fire Of the enc
my.
Shortly before 8 o'clock, the Ironsides
showed disobedience to her rudder, her
bow swinging to the strong ebb tide, and
threatening to bring her on the shoals to
her right.
She was, therefore, compelled to come to
anchor to stay her course. Meantime, the
first four Monitors had continued on toward
the fort.
The enemy allowed the Weehswken to
come within 500 yards Of Fort Moultrie,
when two shots across her bow from this
fort opened the action.
The Ironsides had again got under weigh
and approached within 200 yards Of Fort
Sumter, when she once more became IN
manageable and was again obliged to drop
anchor.
The Monitors ahead Of her had then
reached the converging point of the Ere of
n -.
Fort Moultrie, and a work between Fort
Moultrie and MOultrieville, known as Bat
terry Bee
A sheet of fame and volumes Of smoke,
extending from Morris to SulliVan's Is
lands, inaugurated what has been, un-
doubtedly, the most terrific cannonade Of
the whole war, if, indeed, it was ever equal
led in the history of the world.
A perfect torrent of shot and shell was
poured upon the Monitors, wrapping them
sometimes almost entirely in spouts of
water thrown up by the striking project
lies. aI.a
The Monitors continued their way, re-
plying vigorously from their batteries to
the enemy. They passed the northeast
face Of Fort Sumter, but when they came
near its angle with the northwestern face,
they made out at a short distance, three
distinct lines Of distractions, consisting of
floating logs with torpedoes attached, and
networks Of cables held perpendiculsrly
in the water by weights.
The PatapscO got foul Of one of them,
and could not make her screw work for
some fifteen minutes, but finally got clear.
A torpedo exploded close to the bow of the
Weehawken, without, however, doing any
damage.
The vessels all steering very heavily,
the narrow passage through the line of
obstructions could not be reached. After
several vain attempts, the four vessels
turned about and steamed back down the
harbOr, all the while sustaining q heavy
fire, and responding with their guns as
vigorously as they could.
The Patapsco had her 200 FOUNDER Par
rot gun disabled by its own recOil early in
the action.
The turret of the Passaic was bent in,
and cramped her ll-inch gun so as to pre-
vent its working. Shortly afterward her
turret stopped revolving, and she lost all
offensive power.
The Ironsides had, meantime, vainly
struggled to come closer to Fort Sumter.
The rebel gunners finding her fixed mark,
piled her freely with shot and she'll Her
position was such that she could not bring
her brOadsides to bear until about o'clock,
when she got an opportunity to deliver her
FIRE at Fort Moultrie.
This was the only offensive demonstra-
ton made by her during the action.
When Admiral Dupont found that he
could not readily move the Ironsides, he
signaled to the four iron-clsds behind her
to pass ahead and go to the support Of the
four vessels already engaged.
In trying to pass by the Catskill and
Nantucket brushed the IrOnsides on the
port and starbOard sides, but after awhile
managed to get away and moved on.
They and the Keokuk and Nshant came
under the eOncentric range of the forts and
batteries at about the time the other four
Monitors we're turning back.
They nevertheless advanced, with their
guns at work briskly, past the northeast
face of Fort Sumter, until their course
was likewise impeded by Obstructions.
The Catskill, Nantucket and Nahant re-
ceived the united fire of both Forts Sumter
and MOultrie.
The Keokuk had steered little more TO
the left, and for a while received the fire Of
Fort Sumter alone. She fired the gun in
her forward turret but three times, when
1t became disabled.
Her after gun could not be brought to
bear effectively and was thus rendered use
less. After continuing under the united
fires of all the forts and batteries for about
three quarters Of an hour, all the Monitors
and the Whitney Battery came back in
obedience to a signal from the flagship.
The Ironsides had already dropped back
come distance out of range of Fort Sumter.
At five clock the entire feet was out Of
range, and the action ceased.
The Ericsson raft, known as the Devil,
was attached to the bow of the Weehaw-
ken, but proved a hindrance instead of a
help, by embarrassing the steering of the
Weehawken.
The menster torpedoes intended to be !
with the raft were not used, as
they required delicate handling, and fears !
were entertained as to their success. The |
Devil was lost the day after the fight, and |
washed ashore
1t was the intention Of the Admiral to |
renew the attack on the next day, but |
when the reports Of the commanders of |
the iron-clads were received, showing that |
two the Keokuk and Passaic, were fully, |
and three, the PatapscO Nantucket, and |
Nahant, were partially disabled, the Ad-
miral determined to desist from a contin-
usnce.
In this decision he was sustained by the
unanimous opinion of all the commanders |
Of the iron-clads.
The firing on both sides was good, and |
the thunder Of the cannonads terrific.
The striking Of the heavy missiles used |
by the rebels, against the sides, decks and |
turrets Of the Monitors, the reverberations |