Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1863-02-13

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one persons--twelve by the shot and nine
bv being sca'drd.. Fifteen were wounded,
and are lying at Port Royal, some in pre-
carious condition.
In tie meantime fhe United States gun
boat, Housatonic, engaged the other RAM
driving her away. At @ o'clo. h in the
morning both rams LETT the scene and pro-
ceeded up to Charleston. 8
During this attack on cur feet, the Prin-
cess Royal which laid near the Housatonic
and was the chief object of prize ON both
sides, succeeded in getting off, mainly
through the energies OF Third Assistant
Engineer Thompson, who piled into her
fires all the inflmabe malera! at hand.
The Princess Royal has aboard, beside
large amount of arms and ammunition, com
plete machinery for The construction of an
iron-clad ram also as passenger, an in
telligent English mechanic, who is well
versed in the process of making and hard
enins of projecliles.
Her value is variously estimated, but she is
doubtless worth IA IN llion of dollars. Her
possession by the rsbels would have been
incalculable and well worth the effort they
made to obtain her by the attack on The
blockading squadron.
The following is the report Of Capt. Stell-
wagon:
United States Steamer Mercedita, I
Port Royal January 81.
To Rear A dniral Dupont:
Sir:-l have the honor 10 report that al
half past four o'clock this morning two iron
clads from Charleston, in the obscuriiy of
thick haze, and the moon having just set, sue
ceeded in passing the bar near the ship chan
mel, and made an attack upon it, this ship
being The first encountered.
Particular vigilance was exhibited BY the
officers and crew in the expectation of
vessel to run the blockade.
AT three O'Clock in the morning we had
slipped our cable and overloaded troop
steamer running for the channel.
AT four o'clock lay down, Lieut.. CON-
mander Abbott was on deck, giving an or
der TO Acting Master Dryer about recov-
ering the anchor, when they saw a smoke or
faint appearance of a vessel close at hand.
| heard them exclaini :" She has black
smoke. Watch. Man the guns. Spring
the rattle, Call all hands to quarters
Mr.. Dryer came 10 the cabin door, tell
ing me steamer was close aboard. | was
then in the ac: of getting my pea JACKET and
slippers on, as | followed him out. / Jump
ed 10 the poop ladder, and saw the smoke
# Il low boat, apparently tug. although |
thought it might be a little propeller for the
squadron.-i sang out, Trail your guns
right on him--be ready to fire as soon a,
order" hailed the steamer Alloy, stand
clear OF us and heave 10. What steamer is
that 7" His answer TO the first and second
hail was " HALO The other replies we're
indistinct, either by intention or from having
spoken inside of his mail armor uutil in the
ac OF striking Us with Ills brow, when he
said 6 This is the Confederate States steam
RAM" | repeated the order, '' Fire, fire,
fire" but no gun could be trained on him,
as he approached US ON the quarter and
struck Us just abait our after mast with n
32-punder, and fired heavy rifle through
us diagonaly, penetrating the starboard side
through our mormondy condenser the steam
drum OF our port boiler, and exploding a.
ganst the port side of the ship, blowing a
hole in its exit some four or five feet square.
The vessel was instantly filed and envel-
oped with steam. Reports we're brought to
me that we were shot through both boilers,
that the fire were put our by The steam and
smoke, that gunner and one man were kill
ed, that number of men were badly seal
ded, that the water was over the fire room
floor, and that the vessel was sinking fast.
The ram had cut US through above and
below the wafer line on one side, and the
shell had burst ON the other side almost al
the waters edge.
Alter the ram struck she swung around
under our starboard counter, her prov
touching US, and hailed -" Surrender
Or III sink you. Do you surrender Z"
After receiving the reports answered
:" can make no. resistance my boiler is
destroyed"
The rebel then cried out, +" Do you surren-
der 7"
l said "yes," having found my moving
power destroyed, and that / could bring
nothing to bear but muskets against his
shoi-proof coating.
lie hailed several times TO send a boat.
and threatened to fire agar. After some
delay a boat was lowered, and Lieutenant
Commander Abbott asked if he should 90
IN her, and asked for orders what 10 saw.
told him TO see what they demanded, aud
to tell him the condition we were in. He
proceeded aboard, aad according to their
demand gave his parole on behalf of him.
self and all the officers aud crew.
HE ram, having been detained halfI
hour or more, now ran ont for the s,a.u,ar