The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1863-03-19
FEIi Particular of the Destruction of
the ENaRhVSIIe'1

1OHl 1lO1AL, D.. y. IlblSlA u 1COC' -
The career Of the rebel steamer Nashville
is ended, After having made several success
full runs in and ont of southern ports, clever
ly Guiding our fastest cruisers and landing
large and valuable cargoes, she entered War
saw sound some six months since, and pass
ing up the Wilmington river, through st.
Augustine creek. and into the Savannah
where she discharged an assorted cargo of
immense value to the rebels, and immediate
ly began to load with a cargo of sea-island
cotton for Europe, Her movements coming
to the knowledge of Admiral Dupont, he aug
mentel the naval force in Warsaw sound,
and also strengthened that in Ossabaw Sound,
rightly apprehending an attempt to run the
blockade at that point, failing to elude it at
| Warsaw.
! When the Nashville attempted to run out of
| Warsaw Sound she found it SO closely and eff
Ifectually guarded that the plan was given up,
and she returned to Savannah. In a few days
she again steamed down the Wilmington and
Burnside ivers into the Vernon river, which,
uniting with the Ogeechee flows into Ossabaw
sound. Here were foundSthe Seneca, Wissah-
lckon and Dawn, closely guarding the ave
nues to the sea, and again she was thWarted.
She then proceeded up the Vernon River, and
laid up behind a six-gun battery near Mont
goInery, and III this position She remained for
some weeks, but found no opportunity to elude
the s~leepIess vigilance ofthe naval officers who
night. and day guarded the rivers. Some
weeks since the Admiral learned that they
had discharged her cargo Of cotton, and We're
fitting her up and heavily arming her as a
privateer, with the intention OF lighting her
way out and joining the Alabama and Flori-
da in their destructive cruises against our COM
mercc.
This report was certainly q startling one,
especially when it was additionally reported
that the tingal or an iren clad was to colne
down from Savannah and aid her in destroy
ing our blockading fleet andin giving her free
access to the sea. About this time she pass
ed from the Vernon into the Big Ogeeche riv-
er, and anchored above Fort McAllister. Heav-
Ter vessels were Immediately sent to Ossabaw
to thwart this scheme, so full of destruction
and desolation to our unprotected commerce
Fortunately, the Monitors Montauk and Pas
sale arrived about this time, and the former
was despatched to Ossabaw, while the latter
was ordered to Warsaw Sound.
The Montauk, Capt. Worden, Immediately
ran well up the Ogeeche, and took up her po-
sition at a point where she was out of range
of Fort McAllister and the Seneca, Wissahick-
on and Dawn, with the mortar-schooner c. p.
Williams, laid below, effectually closing the
river to the Nashville. After the first attack
Oh Fort McAllister by the Montauk, supported
by the gunboats, the Nashville was towed up
the river severalmile and covered with boughs
to convey the impression that all ideas of at
tempting to run out had been given up, and
that she was '1aid up for the season"
This ruse was too transparent to induce the
blockading fleet to remit for a moment their
vigilant watch, and the would-be p~rivateer
gained nothing for the trouble, as events will
prove.
On Friday afterno n, last, a tremendous
column of dense black smoke was seen up
the river, and it was quite apparent that the
Nashville was steaming down the river to-
wards Fort McAIliister. Her spars were sub
~sequently seen, but night came on before she
had reached a point where her hull could be
discerned. 1t was evident that she was com
ing down to attempt to escape under cover o.
a dense fog which envcloped everything, ma
king it impossible to see a ships. length. Tn.
der cover of this fog she came within a short
distance of the fort, and above it, and then
ran aground. A midnight reconnaissance il
small boats, with mulf1ed oars, determined
the fact that she had not passed the fort, and
picket boats were posted near the obstruction
to alarm the fleet in case she attempted to pas;
them.
The night passed slowly, and morning came
without an alarm. Daylight revealed the
Nashville ashore, with a tug alongside essay.
ing to extricate her from her dangerous DO
sition, but without avail. She could not bt
moved, and the tug took to her heels as soor
as the Montauk, Seneca, Wissahickon and
Dawn steamed up towards the obstruction, a
daylight, and prepared for action. The Nov
tauk pushed up to the Instructions and open
ed fire upon the Nashville, while the gunboats
directed their fire upon the fort. After firine
, three rounds the Montauk obtained the range
and succeeded in bursting a 15-inch shell up
on the Nashville, which set her on fire. The
fort replied instantly to the fire of the Mon
tauk, addressing itself exclusively to the i'm
~pregnable Monitor, with a view of drawing its
fire from her to the fort itself.
The Montauk: though repeatedly hit, disrc
garded the fire, and continued to fire upon the
Nashville, bursting three 15-inch shells il
succession in her, and each time setting her
on fire. The flames were soon under fine head
way and totally enveloped the ship. A heavy
100-pound rifle gun forward became heateC
and went off, exploding in a dozen fragments
and scattering timber in all directions. Ii
a comparatively short time the flames reach
ed the magazine and ignited thepowder, which
exploded with tremendous force, blowing tht
ship into fragments, and ending forever her
notorious career. The river was soon filleC
with floating fragments, charred and blistered
of the wreck, and all of the Nashville thai
got to sea, was in such a shape as to cause IN
alarm in the future.
XNhila tho Mo,,to11Iy U,oc an Cro ool in CO of
fectualIy using up the Nashville, the gunboat
were maintaining a hot and effective fire up
on the fort, knocking the work about the gar
rison's ears III such a manner as to entirel,
discompose them, and make their practice
comparatively harmless. The Dawn was strucl
2 once by a 32-pounder, but little damage wa
done. None were killed or wounded on oul
vessels, though the fort, after it was discover
ed that the Nashville was gone beyond al
hope, aud no fire could change the purpose o
the Montauk, turned upon the wooden gun
boats, and rained a shower of shell and riff,
proiectiles about them, Their practice wa
| exceedingly bad, andnothing resulted from it
What damage was done to the fort is not, o
course known. Our fire was well directed
and many excellent shots were made, which
must have occasioned some casualties among
4 the defenders Of the work. TO what extent
= we must rely upon rebel statements to inform
us. AS the only object for the attack was &C
complish9d in the total destruction of tht
l Nashville, the fleet was dropped down tn,
river, out of range, and the contest termina
1 ted, the results exceeding our a~nticipations
although undoubtedly less gratifying to tn
/ rebels.
- The Nashville was q splendid steamer
equally as fast as the Alabama, and surpass
ing in speed the Greto, very heavily armed
and named by a set of desperadoes, who woul
have been perfectly at home on the ocear