Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1863-04-22
FRomr THE UNITKD STATS.
ABDT71ONAL ACCOUNTS OFTHE CHAHLEs-
ron OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES" dc, dc
The New York Herald Of the l5th iHFn'0cg ''v 'O

5.yoN Bar, April s.--1he Keokuk was ron
AIN fo,r hundred yards Of the fort. tbs distance
sides ufose nted q fair mark, and the rebels raned
btcadside after broadside down upon her. Her con-
s,,s,ion at the best was faulty, and her model has
been rept atedly condemned by scientific men, ltisnot
strange therefore that at less than point blank range
her thin rcn plating should be pier ed The woRder is
that she was not Immediately sent to the bottom
At DAYLIGHT this morning the wind was blowing fresh
y from the northeast and long swell set in, making
the anchorage of the KeOkuk uncomfortable and I'M
safe She has been kept aoa during the night through
the unrng exertions of her crew. and her pumps had
been actively at work from the moment she Quilted the
scene OF action. Very suddenly the water began'to
gain upon them. DR.. Slocsm, the surgeon OF the YES
sell whose attention to the wounded on board was con-
slant and unremittng was of the earliest to dls'
cover her cordon and through his personal eAeruorS
the wounded we're REMOVED from the sick tay TO tue
upper deck shortly after seven o'clock through 'he
holes in her bows the water was rushing Ia win great
fury and she began to settle percepnby Oy tue nee
vet none on board med TO comprehend her imminent
loss until about eight o'clock. AT that hour inc tug
aodi had hawser out to the Keokuk sstern ana was
endeavoring TO tow her to position near the ne" IRON
sides when at one moment the eihcers ara ere" ue-
came Of their peril, and the tug was haii1u ~
come alongside. The wounded were first removed, Or.
Socum bearing unaided in his arms the heavy form OF
Ensign Mcintosh from the sinking craft to the Dai9di
The nuped were first removed TO place OF safety ana
them bidding bis 10 save themselves as pest 'ey
could Captain Rhind was assisted TO tie Tug. Oncvis
aud Ten lad 10 time to save their personal ,iects The
CAPTAINS charts the Paymastrr's funds and the DOC
tors ins,ruinents-sueh as had remained undestroyeu
during the fght-werc got oil; but, hey ono those 1T
tie if anything was preserved. At few minutes past
eight O'Clock tie waves closed her, and she no"
lies on the bottom.
40 MORE WAS ACCOMPLISHED.
The ironclais were delayed somewhat in getting into
action on account of the future of the Weehawken-
a.. loa. 1;p,,v ,a,A III
ship Tie Ironsides attempted to the inner chan
mel but obliged to anchor twice in order TO prevent
going ashore. At the time she was enabled 10 engage
the the shining directly in the lace oil the
feet and her ports were opened ana Ier guns run
out the gaze OF the light bursting into the thick dark
ness in which the gunners enOmbed made II IN
possible for them fire with accuracy The elect upon
the eyes like thrus,inga calcium light In the lace Of
a sleeping man. Owing TO this they fired rarely and
wildly.
THE REBEL FIRE cONTRAsTED WIN OUR OWN
The rebels could have fred during the action less
than two thous nd shots They fell continuously, Ike
the pater OF mighty hail The water about the IRON
clads was necessarily thrown up in shifting, changing
lets givng.to the appearance such n my RAD
ma c fountains might bestow aud presenting tptc l.
Gle to be forgotten by those so fortunate Us 10 W.T.
mesa it, Our feet the contrary, fred no. more than
hundred and sixty times during the entire engage
meut Their deliberatiyeness was positively painful,
and coupled with their seemingly amless and bewider
ed movements gave 10 the behOldeI the impression,
from the start that they would not succeed in the task
they had attempted
P,RTHER PARucULARs-IHE CLOSING SCENE OF THE
AFFAIR.
FLAGSHIP NEW IRnNsDEs,
Inside Charleston Bar, April IL, 1863
Since the departure of the Flamteau, on Wcdres day
last nothing unusual tas occurred. This irgate al d
the Nonitot@reman at their original anchorage taken
after the termination Of the conflict Tuesday last 1t
has been finally determined in view of the present con-
GiuOn Of the Monitors and tie strong probability OF
future accidents to them in they should again en-
gage With the additional liability of losing portion Of
them without tbaining corresponding gain, 10 with
draw them from the harbor and send them to Port
ROYAL where necessary repairs be made faults
NEEDED and risks provided against as well as may De.
In this conclusion of Admiral Dupont he has received
the heariest and most entire concurrence OF all tie
commanders of tie iron cads. There is but one opin
ion in the circle OF naval commanders relative TO the
proprietv Of making a second attack on SUMTER and
that is against IL. Those who know the condition OF
the deences of Charleston will have trouble in &C
cepng as correct the conclusions arrived at after full
celebration and careful weighing OF the arguments
in favor of an attack and the stern, unCompromising
facts against it, The Department will soon know upon
what grounds the Admiral has based his determination
to withdraw his forces and rCnqu.h, tor the present,
al ideas of taking Sumter It Is better that the grounds
of such action should reach the public through Official
channels rather than through this medums aud shall
therefore refrain from noticing them.
1t is quie certain from ali that could be by the
commanders OF the iron cads, that Fort Ripley, the
middle ground is an iron battery Of immense Strength
encasng English rifle guns Of the largest calibre and
power network Of distractions, consisting OF sunk
en- vesses nets sunken cribs Of stonC and faced by
two lines OF torpedoes, extends from Fort Ripley TO
Fort johnson, on James Island. small laue is left
open for their vessels to go through but each
side of this two rebel gunboats-the Palmetto State
and ChicOrI the light northern side ind the Tur
tie and heavy wooden gunboat harricaded with cot
ton the other These practically make the lie per-
feet in its entire length. Below them is double lile
of huge spes standing twelve fee. out of water and
protected by torpedoes extending from Fort Sumter to
a point inside of Mount Pleasant small opening was
left in this somewhere under the walls of Sumter but
at what precise point could not in the smoke of battle
| be definitely ascertained.
Another and third row OF fishing nets oordage iron
cbaus &c attached buOys, swings lower in the bay
To this one our vessels went but could pass Thus
the distractions stand to-day
An effort was made las; night to blow up the Keokuk
by Captain Rodgers Lieut. Macke ze, Chief Engineer
Robbie AMI Chief Engineer Newell, of this ship, but
without She was found to be tuH OF sand and
il impossible at that time TO put the magazine Of
powder below her deck to blow her up. This morning
an effort was made TO fix the raft, with TORPEDO
tached to the bow of the Weehawken but the was
too rough inside and after breaking all the ashing
peatecly the effort given up. Tonight another at
tempt VIII DC mace 10 DO" her up anu as the weather
is fa it is likely to be successful She is filed with sand
aud will be broken up or buried after the first gale.
The rebels cannot raise her. she is covered by bc
guns The bOokadng feet end will ever be beyondth
reach.
TUE GREAT FAILURE OF THE WAR
HILToN HEAP, April 1.-THE expedition against
Charleston is to be turned back Its object for the pTes
eut at least is&baRdoned The people of that city vii
be permitted remain behind their iorticaiions
from molcsatOn from fright by forces land OF
sea- With the earliest favorable opportunity the iron
cads will be withdrawn The troops have been ordered
to return to Hilton Head. The division of Genera
Hickman LETT Edsto yesterday, and the forces OF Gems
Ferry aud Terry eembarkug at Stone this morning
WHY THE ATTACK IS ABANDONED.
1t would be useless TO attempt portrayal of thu
shame and indignation which burned upon the checks o
all us here when the above determination and the reason
which actuated it announced. The latter mo-
boldly stated out enough has TRANSFERRED to assure ou