The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1863-04-23

Iheavy rifed shot, which struck the pilot house
and diSlodged several of the bolts, N o
which, driven violently inwards, wounded al
ofthe inmates of the pilot house.
The Passaic also received some twenty-five
or thirty rounds. The most extraordinary
shot was from a large 10-inch rifed projectile
which struck the top of the turret, scooping
out a huge portion of the iron, breaking all o
the eleven plates of an inch thickness each
and spending its force on the pilot house
(which is placed on the top Of the turret,) II
which it made a crater three inches deep, anC
produced such a shock on the pilot house as
to start its top and raise it three inches! Hac
not the force of the impact been broken Oh
the turret, there can be little doubt that this
shot would have gone clear through the pllo'
house. Another shot hit the turret, forcing
the place struck inwards, and producing a big
1swell on the interior. The same shot disabled
the carriage of the 11-inch gun, while por
tons of the interior iron casting fell down
and lodging in the groove OF the ttlrret, stop
ped its revolution.
The Nantucket, besides receiving a number
Of wounds, had her turret so Jared that the
cover of the port could not beopened, and con,
ls~equently the 15-inch gun could not be used
| z AL d1NllINOLl lIG OCllCi hIOlAiuO4p tN ASSNA'
ed shots more or less, though not disabling
them. Thus the Katskill was hit twenty
times. The worst wound was from a rit1ed
shot, which broke the deck plating forward.
going through it, breaking a beam beneath,
and spending its force on an iron staIcheon.
which it started half an inch.
The Ironsides was frequently struck. One
of the shots broke and carried away one O.
her port shutters, and her wooden bows wert
penetrated by shells, though they were pre-
vented from doing the damage they other
wise must have done, by-Commander Turner'S
precaution Of protecting the exposed parts OF
his vesses with sandbags.
But the Keokuk-she, of all others, was
the most fearfully maltreated. This vesse
was struck ninety times, and she had nine
teen holes above and below the water line,
some of a size through which a boy might
crawl. Her turrets five and three quarters
inches of iron in thickness were fairly rlddled
and came out of the contest mere sleves.-
During the action twelve Of her men were
wounded, among whom was her commander.
the gallant Rhind.
During the night her pumps were kept a
work, to throw out the leaks she was making
The sea had become somewhat rough, how
ever, and was washing i'll through the holes
in her bows. By daylight it became obviou:
that she must sink. | had remained on boarC
the Katskill during the night, and at Z O'Clock
word was brought down that the keokuk
which was hard by us, had made a signal Of
distress. Passing up on deck, we saw sht
was rapidly settling forward. AT her signal
boats and tugs had come to her assistance, ano
were busily removing her wounded men.
Barely time enough was afforded to get OF
them and her crew, for she had settled 81
much that the water was pouring into her tur-
rets. Two or three of the men, indeed, hac
to lump into the sea, and were haWled into
the small boats. Suddenly she gives a lurci
to one side, and a lurch to the other, anc
pfunges under. She wentdown at eight O'Clock
at the spot of her original anchorage, neal
Lighthouse inlet, and all that is visible OF hel
is the upper portion Of her smoke-stack. h
ended the brief and glorious career OF tins III
teresting vessel.
THE RESULTS.
Such were the results of these thirty min
utes fire, which presented themselves to the
naval chiefs when the reports came in the day
after the battle.
There was but one conviction in the minds
of all who were made acquainted with these
facts, whether among the naval people engag-
ed or intelligent outside observers-the light
could not be renewed.
Admiral Dupont decided that the contest
must end here. This afternoon (S) there was
an informal gathering Of the Captains Of the
iron-clads on board of the flagship.
THE CONCLUSIONS.
Let us see on what consideration their opin-
ion is founded. Viewed strategically, Charles
ton harbor forms a cUt Sc sac, four miles In
length from its entrance at Fort Sumter up to
the city. This blind passage varies in length
from one to three miles, and is capable OF
bearing defensive works on each side, and on
shoaI places in mid-channel.
Onthcse natural advantagesh have been brought
to bear the finest engineering skill in the con-
federacv during a period of two years. Lee,
Beauregard and Ripley in succession have ex-
ha listed their professional efforts to make it
~impregnable. Everything that the most i'm
proved modern artillery and unlimited resour-
ces of labor can do have been done to make
the passage of a fleet impossible. And 1t is
~impregnable. Sebastopol was as nothing to
it.
HOW FAR THE ELEET wEsT.
Our fleet got but to the entrance OF the har-
Dor. 1t never got within it. Had the IRON
clads succeeded in passing the distractions,
they would still have found those miles Of bat
teries to run. They would nave entered an
Inferno, which, like the portals of Dantes' hell,
might well bear the flaming legend, "Who
enters here leaves hope behind" Mt a point
at which they would not have found them
mid upper, neither and surrounding fires"
THE FIERY A L
They pass out of the focus of fire of Fort
Sumter, and Moultrie, B~eaureguard and Bee,
and they find themselves arrested under the
ranges of Sumter, the Redan, Johnson and
Ripley. They got beyond this, anda concen-
trio fire from Ripley, Pickney, the Wappoo
battery, and the guns of the city fall upon
them! Merely to run by batteries, as was
done at the forts below New Orleans, is not a
very difficult thing, even for vessels not iron
clad ;Ibut to be anchored as it were under
such fires as these, is what no ships were ev-
er called upon to suffer.
THE TROUBLE ANTICIPATED.
l think I am justified in saying that the
Admiral and his staff and the Captains com
handing the iron fleet have all along well u n
derstood the task that was given them to do,
and that they entertained no illusion regard
ing it. But both the Navy Department and
the public have-illusions as to the nature Of
the work 70 be done. They saw all the weak
ness of the monitors as well as the strength.
They knew that their working depended on
nice mechanical combinations easily deranged.
They knew that their powers had never been
tested.
But with the usual liberal logic that charac-
terizes them, our people took every thing fol-
granted. Here was a universal panecea for
all our ills. Here was a key to unlock all
riddles. Take these iron-clads, says the Ma
Wy Department, knock Sumter into a brick
pile and sail proudly up to demand the surren-
der of Charleston.
AN ASTONISHING Fact.
Indeed, so prepostel ousIy did the Govern
ment regard the matter, that it was, even
thought unnecessary to have corporations d
expedition. 1t will astound the country tc