The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-04-24

OOoS ana clearing away ODSCrucClOnS.
This instrument is one of the inventions of
Mr.. Ericsons fertile genius, and consists
of raft about twelve feet square, compo-
sed of transverse timbers, eighteen inches
IN thickness, fitting on to the Prov of the
vessel. From the forward part of the raft
suspended from cable six feet in the wa
ter was to be large projectile, containing
several thousand pounds of powder. so
constructed that the line of fraction would
be forward. and latterally, and capable of
being exploded from the turret by means
OF lanyard. One of these RATS which
had been brought down was attached to
the Weehawken, which for the reason was
assigned the leading position in the line.
Owing to the purely experimental charac-
ter Of the device, however, the prejectile
was not attached to the raft, but in its
place number of graphing irons had been
attached, which it was hoped would be
found of service in exploding and tearing
out torpedoes. In the course of getting
under way these grapplings had become
fouled in the anchor cable, and this was
the cause of the delay of the Weehawken
and of the whole fleet.
1t takes an hour to set this matter to
rights, and at half-past one O'Clock the
fleet is once more under way.
Depend upon it that there were two
parties that watched the progress of the
iron fleet with an intensity of interest that
words are too feeble to expressive, spec
tators from our vessels, and the still more
interested spectators in the forts, who
kept up perpetual signalling of it's ap-
proach from point to point.
Slowly the leading vessel, followed by
the other eight iron-clads, moves up the
main channel-the shore of Morris Island,
against which from our point of view they
seem to rest, forming a fixed point by
which we measure the progress of the fleet.
The first battery to whose fire it will be
exposed is Fort Wagner, and one fixes his
eye on it and the Weehawken, approach
ing nearer and nearer.
She comes within range of the fort
no fire. She passes across it-still no fire.
The second ship comes up, and meets the
same silent reception and so on, one by
one, till, with the Keokuk. the whole nine
files 10y without a single shot from this
seemingly formidable work.
Meantime, while the fleet is passing
Wagner unmolested, the leading vessel has
come up with the next rebel work-bat-
terry Bee. The same silent reception for
her; the same silent reception for the
whole feet. What is the meaning of this
The enemy is obviously holding back his
fire until he can deliver it with the great
est possible effect.
The line has now passed across Morris
Island and round to make the entrance
of the harbor, coming within the circle of
the fire of Fort Sumter and the batteries
on Sullivan's Island. The suspense be-
comes painful.
There was silence deep as DEATH
And the boldest held their breath
For WHILE"
In an instant hollow square Of smoke
rises from the top of Sumpter-a hollow
square of flame shoots up crash coun-
terfeiting Jove's dread clamors' bursts on
the ear, and whole broadside streams
down from the barbette guns! 1t is pre-
cisely four minutes past three in the after
noon.
While the Weehawken is receiving this
fire, the others are gradually coming up
to the same position; but the leading YES
sci, instead of passing on above Sumter, so
as to place herself in the prescribed station
opposite the northwestern face, sheers off
to the right, and lies stopped between
Sumter and Moultrie!
THE REBEL DISTRACTIONS.
From our point of view, no cause for
this unlooked-for development can be per-
ceived, but to those on the Weehawken, it
is only too apparent. Stretching from a
point close to the northeastern angle of
Fort Sumter, completely across the chan
mel to Fort Moultrie, is stout hawser,
floating on casks, on which are huge nets,
seines and cabels, strung with tOrpedoes.
The vessel comes afoul of this, whisks up
the nasty entanglements with it's propeller,
is thus deprived of all motive power, and
is at the mercy of the current, to be drift
ted ashore into the hands of the rebels. If
this fatality was not actually realized by
the iron-clads, it was owing to the admira-
bic skill of the captains of the foremost
ships, who, when their vessels were just on
the point of fouling, sheered off, and saved
themselves and the fleet.
The right channel being thus obstructed,
it remains to see what can be done with
the left, between Sumter and Cummings
Point. But this, too, is still more effectu-
ally blockaded by row ofpiles, rising ten
feet above the water; and extending across
the whole width of the passage Looking
up the harbor, another row of piles dis
closes itself, stretching across from Fort
Ripley on the middle ground to Fort John
son.
THE IRONsIDES UNMANAGEABLE.
Thus brought to pause it only remain
ed for the ironclads to take up such posi-
tons as they could. And the complication
was further increased by the ill-behavior
of the flagship, the Ironsides. While
steaming along up through the passage in
front of Sumpter, she is caught by the
tideway, and veered off from her course,
and her huge iron frame refusing to obey
her rudder, she becomes in a great part
unmanageable. This embarrassed not
only her, but all that portion of the fleet
following her. The two Monitors imme-
diately behind, (he Catskill and the Nam
tucket) fell foul OF her, the one on the one
side and the other on the other, and it was
full fifteen minutes before they could be
got clear and pass on.
In this nlirbt II only ro o,oinod for Adj