Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-02-10
BY TELEGRAPH.
THE AFFAIR OFF CHARLESTON.
THE OFFICIAL DISPATCHES.

rived here. The following is from rear ad-
miral Dupont concerning the rebel attack on
our squadron off that port =
ADMIRAL DUPoNTs REPORT.
! FLAG SHIP WABASH, PoRr ROYAL, Feb =.
Sir | have to report that about o'clock on
the morning of Jan. 3lst, during the obscurity
OF a thick haze, two iron-cad gunboatS came
out of Charleston by the main ship channel un-
perceived by the squadron, and commenced a
raid upon the blockading fleet. Most of the
| latter were of the light class of purchased YES
sells; two of the heaviest men-of-war, the
Powhattan and the Canandaigua, being at this
Port coaling and repairing.
The Mercedita was the first vessel attacked.
Her officers and crew had been particularly
watchful during the night to look out for sus-
pected vessels, and at 3 o'clock had shipped
her cable and overhauled a troop steamer
running for the channel by mistake. She had
returned to her anchorage, and Capt Stellwa-
gen had gone to his room for a short time,
leaving Lieut.. Commander Abbott on deck,
when one of the iron cads suddenly appeared.
Her approach was concealed by the haze and
mist of the atmosphere. The vessel was i'm
mediately hailed, and an order given to fire,
but the iron-clad being close aboard and ly
ing low in the water, no guns could be brought
to bear upon her.
y
envy, which entered the starboard side of the
| Mercedita, passed through her condenser and
the steam drum of her port boiler, and ex-
| ploded against her side, blowing a hole in it
| some four or five feet square, killing the gun
ner, and by the escape of steam Scalding
number of the men and rendering her motive
power apparently useless. Unable to use his
guns, and being at the mercy of the enemy
who was alongside on his starboard quarter,
| all further resistance was deemed hopeless by
| Capt Stelwagen, and he surrendered. The
crew and officers were paroled, though moth
ing was said of the ship, the executive officer,
| lieutenant commander Abbott, having gone on
board the enemy'S gunboat and made the ar
| rangement.
The iron-clad leaving the Mercedta to her
fate to sink or not, next engaged the Keystone
| State, commander Lewlg, who was attacked
by the other. Their fire was CALAMITY return
ed, but shell exploding in the fore hold Of
| this vessel, she was set on fire. Commander
| Leroy kept off until the fire got under,
| when he steered again for the iron clad, bay-
ing ordered on a full head of steam deter
mined to run her down. The guns had been
| trained and depressed for a plunging fire at
| the moment of collision, and the ship had ac-
| CURED a speed of twelve knots, when a shell
or shot passed through both the steam chests,
NIOllN uiSdUlliS iicT uOlltTS anu llGT
powerless. Ten rife shells struck the Key
stone State, and two burst on the quarter
| deck, but most OF them struck the hull, being
near and below the water line.
In the meantime, the Augusta, commander
| Parrot, the Quaker City, commander Frailey,
and the Memphis, acting lieutenant Wat
| naugh, kept up a fire upon the enemy, divert
| ing their attention from the Keystone State,
which was soon after taken in tow by the
Memphis and drawn away from the fire. The
| Augusta and Quaker City were both struck in
their hulls. The Memphis was only struck
in her rigging. The Housatonic gave chase,
and shot from her struck the pilot house,
| doing, it is thought, some damage, and carry
ing away one of her flags. The rebel vessels
then passed to the northward, receiving the fire
of our ships, and took refuge in the Swash
channel, behind the shoals.
The only casualties were on the Mercedita
and Keystone State. On the latter they are
| very large, about one-fourth of her crew were
| killed and wounded, and among the former is
| the medical officer of the ship. Assistant sur
| geon Jacob II. Gotweld was scalded to death
while he was rendering surgical aid to one Of
the wounded men. Most of those who died
| persisted from the escape Of steam when the
| boilers and steam chmneys were penetrated,
| and among the wounded the greater number
| IcCtlNeu IllelT injuries from lnS SAINT CduSc'
As the Mercedita was the only vessel which
surrendered, | have directed a court of in
quiry to examine into the circumstances of
the case, as well as into the terms under
which the surrender was made. This inveSt-
CATION has been asked r by Captain Stellwa-
gen. | received this intelligence on Saturday
at P. NJ, by the Augusta, which ship imme-
diatcly returned to Charleston. The Merce-
dita soon after arrived, and also the Keystone
State in tow of the Memphis. The latter YES
sci was at once sent back to her station. The
| James Adper. commander Patterson. was also
towed back. She was inst coming into Port
Royal, and was ordered back to Charleston.
The Powhattan, through the commendable
zeal of Capt. Gordon, was also cot ready bv
8 p. NJ, and had the channel and bar buovs
lighted. when she passed out safely.
| forward herewith copies of the reports of
Capt Stillwagen, Lieut.. Abbott. and Com
Leroy; also the reports of the casualties on
| board the Mercedita and the keystone State.
On the Mercedita there were four killed and
three wounded, and on the keystone State 20
killed and 20 wounded
| Very respectfully vour ob't servant.
| S. f. DUPoNT. Rear Admiral.
To Hon. GIDEON WELLEs, Secretary of the
| Navy.
CAPT. srELLwAGEN's REPORT.
U. S. STEAMER MERcEpIrA. PoRr ROYAL.
Jan. 3I.-Siy:--I have to report that at half
past four this morning two iron clad rams
from Charleston in the obscurity of a thick
| haze the moon HAVING inst set sucrneded in