Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1863-04-21
THE ATTAoK on cmARLEsTON.'
M9.l N.ri6e 0anaonad. Of Me War.

TEE Yankee papers filed With descriptions CT tho
Reconnaissance" OF Charleston harbor The cores
roudcnt of the New York Tribune who was on board
the Admrals flagship during the action, furnishes the
most interesting &C, that has yet emanaed from
tlat-sidc We append rome extracts
the FLEET IN MOTION.
ALP M the pilot of tie flag hip at last declared
himself ready TO move. Tie signal 10 get underway
was made and at IL minutes before the whole fleet
was in motion in the order given above. AT u o'clock
;he leries on Morris Island had been passed by the
first four Monitors without drawing the fire Of the enc
N.Y. Shortly before o'clock tie lronsides showed cs-
! obedience to her iudder her bow swinging to the
stropg ebb tide aud threatening 10 bring her on the
shoals to her right. She was, therefore, compelled 10
come anchor TO stay her course Meantime the rss
| four Monitors had continued on towards the fort
| The enemy allowed the Wehnwkcn TO come within.
| FIVE hundred yards Of Fort Moultre when two shots
across her bow from this Fort opened the action.
The lronsides had again got under Nay and approach
ed WITHIN 200 yards Of Fort SUMTER when she became
once more unnlansgeable aud again Obliged TO drop
anchor. The Monitors ahead Of her had then rcashed
the Convergng, point of tie fire OF Cummings Point
battery, Fort SUMTER Fort MOulre and work bctyec
Fort MouTie aud MOsitreyiile, known as Battery Bee
IIE IYGAGEMENT-A TERRIFIC cAYsoyADE
| sheet Of fame aud volumes of smoke extending
fom Morris to SulIvans Islands inauguratrd what Lax
been undo bieG5 the most terrific CanBonade of TIE
whole war; if indeed il was equaed in the history
! OF the world.
perfect torIen: of shot and shell was poured upon
tie Mentors wrapping them sometimes almost entirely
m Touts Of water thrown up by the striking pro-
| eciiles.
The Monitors continued their way applying vigorous
y from their batteries to tue enemy. They passed Ls
1 northeast face of Fort Sumdr, but when they came
nUsr its arge Nith the northwestern face, they made
oct at short distance three distinct Les Of obsruc
tons, consisting Of floating logs with torpedoes attach
Cd and networks of cabes held perpcndiculary in Ike
| water b. we CHS.
The Pa az got foul of one Of them, and could not
make her screw work for fifteen MINUTES but final
IY got clear TO pedo exploded close TO tie bow of
tie Wcehawen, without, however, doing any damage.
Tue vessels al steering very heavily the narrow pas
sagCs through the lire Of distractions ccud net tc
reached After several vain attempts the four vessels
turned about aud steamed back dOwnIhe habor all the
whie sustaining heavy fire, end responding With thor
guns as gorOusly as they could.
DAMAGE DONE TO THE JaoX-CLAps.
TIE Paapsco had her 200 FOUNDER Parrot gun dsa.
bed by its own recO early in the acton The turret Of
the PaSaic was beLt in and crsmred her lnch gun 10
] as 10 prevent lis vorsiEg Shorty afterward her
| utrct stopped revolving, and she lost all eftnsi,e
power
The lronsides had, meantime, vuiply struggled to
come closer 20 Fort Sumter The rebel gunners Gndg
her fixed mark, plcd her freely with sIo. and she'll
| Her position was SUCH that she could net bring er
got an opportunity to deliver her fire at Fort Mou
| tre.
This the only offensive demonstration made by
| her during the action.
When Admiral Dopont found that he could not read
lily move the IrOnsdes Ire sguaei to the for iron.
cads behind her TO pass ahead and 60 the support OF
| the four vessels already engaged
In trying TO pass By ths Catski and Nantucket
brushed the lronsdes the pOar. and slaboard sides
bat alter while managed to get away aud moved on.
faey, and the Keokuk and Nahnl came under the con-
centric range of the forts and batteries about he
time the ether four Monitors turning back. They
nevertheless advanced with their guns work brsky
pas. the northeast face of Fort Sumter until their
course was likewise impeded by distractions. The
Catsl, Nantucket and Nahant received the united fire
Of both Forts Sumter and Ioutrie. The Kcokuk had
seered little 10 the f, aud for a whine rece,ed
the fire Of Fort Sumter alone. She fired the gun in her
forward urret but thee times when it became dsa-
bled Her alter gun could not be brought bear ef
ectiyely and thus rendered useless. After ccnn-
ung under the united Tires OF all The forts and batteries
for about three-quarers OF hour all the Monitors
and The Whitney Battery came back in obedience TO 4
| signal from the flagship.
The Ironsidcs had already dropped back some dis.
lance of the range OF Fort Sumter At ; o'clock
the entire eet was out Of range aud the action ceased
The correspondent Of the New York 77aes writes as
follows:
The result Of the Reconnaissance proves the utter
| insuhcency of the ron.chd fleet TO rake Charleston
alone.
The Nahant received thirty wounds several being bad
fractures Of the deck and sides below and above the
water line The most fatal blow was by heavy rled
cannon SHOT which struck the piolhouse and dislodged
several bolts and Woundng all the inmates
The Pdssaic received twenty-five or thirty wouads-
The most extraordinary shot from a ten-inch rid,
proece, which struck the top Of TIC turret scoopng
ont huge portiono heron, breaking all OF the eleven
plates u an incn thickness each ard spending its force
on the pilot top Of the turret in which it made
an ndentati0n three inches deep and raised the pot-
house three inches. Another shot hit the ture. fore.
ing the plate struck inward and disabling the carriage
OF the eleven inch gun by the shock while portion of
the interior iron casing FELL lodging n the grooTes Of
the turret aud Stopping It's revouuons
The Nantucket had her turret Jared that the cover
OF her port could not be opened aud consequently Ter
5inch gun could not be used The other Monitors re-
ceyed more or less Shots but were not at all disabled
PlOUs GRATITUDE OF GEY. HUNTER.
In lester to Admiral Dupont after the action, Maj.
Gen. Hunter says:
A mere spectator, could DO nothing but pray for.
you, which, te:ieve Ice, did most heartilyfor you
aud for all the gallant men under your command who
sailed so calmly and fearlesly into and under and
through cOncentric fire which has never heretofore
had parallel in the history of warfare
That you injured, and so many Of the vessels
OF your command ht for service, is cause Of deep
gratitude to Almighty God. / confess Whtn the Wee
haWken Grst ran under Sumte's guns, receiving the
casemae and baibette Iroadsidts from that work sim.
ulineousy with the similar broadsdc from Fort Moul.
tric and all the other wo within range fairly held
my breath until the smoke Lad cleared away, not ex-
pccting 10 see yestige of Tho little vessel which had
provoked such attack With each of the others the
same scene re-enacted, my interest in tie fate Of
tue Ironsides being, perhaps, the keenest, from my
knowledge OF her comparative yunerabiity and Of the
deep loss the country would sustain if anything we're to
happen 10 you. 60
MORE YANKEE BARDAEnY.--A party Of Confederate
guerillas having made attack on the Memphis and
Charleston iaroad capturing train With some pris-
oners Hur.but the Yankee commGudant at Memphis
ordered the following families hlhIshed from their.
homes in that city, giving them three days prepare