The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1863-04-18
Particulars Ofthe Charleston Rat
tie.


fight says:
The squadron arrived off Charleston on
the morning of the 9Th, and spent the day
in examining the bars and channels, the
wind being too high to cross that evening,
the Admiral disclosed his plan of attack
which was to sail directly up and attack the
northwest face of Fort Sumter at 500 or 800
yards. About so'clock, a. m. the signal
for the movement was given, and the ves-
sells started slowly. In consequence of the
fog, however, they were obliged to postpone
the attack till the next day.
During the afternoon, one of Gen. Ferry
brigades worked its way up Folly Island
and established communication with the
feet, but no portion of the land forces got
in to attack at all.
On the 9TH, at 4:l5 p. M, the fleet got un
der way, and passed the Morris Island bat
teries without being fired upon, pushing
right on toward Sumter. The New Iron
sides worked badly, and in consequence of
the current, was obliged to anchor two or
three times.
Fort Moultrie opened first upon the We
hawken, which was within 300 yards of
City Point battery and the batteries of
Fort Sumter Immediately opened and the
monitors still pushed northeast, replying
vigorously, and passed northeast of Fort
Sumter, where they discovered three lines
of Instructions holding torpedoes, &C., one
of which exploded, but did no great dam
age. Finding it impossible to get across
the distractions they tnrned about and
steamed down the harbor. The Patapsco's
200 FOUNDER had become disabled, and the
turret of the Passaic so bent that the vessel
was practically out of use. The other boats
also passed up to the northeast face of
Sumter till they also were stopped by the
Instructions, and turned back after being
under fire three-Quarters of an hour. All the
monitors were ordered back and at 5 o. clock
the entire fleet were out of range and the
action closed. Admiral Dupont intended q
renewal of the action, but ascertaining that
the keokuk and Passaic were entirely dis
abled and three others partially, he conclu-
ded to desist, in which he was sustained by
all of the commanders.
The monitors were hit from SO to GO times
after except the Keokuk, which received
about 80 shots, and was penetrated at wa
ter mark no less than 10 times. She was
kept till the next morning, when she
sunk on the Bar, her colors flying. All on
board were saved. The Ironsides was hit
about 60 times but not damaged.
There are ii large holes in the side of Fort
Sumter, apparently running through the
walls. The extent of the firing only
amounted to l5Orounds. When our cores
pondent left of the monitors had sailed
for Port Royal, and others were to follow.
Our entire casualties amount to Ii, of
The Times special gives the following list
OF casualties on the Nahant:
Com. DOwnes, slight confusion First Pi-
lot, Isaac Scoheld, severe confusion in neck
and shoulders, doing well; Quartermaster
Cobb, compound fracture from shell, since
dead; three Seamen slightly wounded.
On the Keokuk: Com. A. G. Rhinds. CON-
fusion in the leg; A. McIrlish. acting En-
sign, dangerously wounded; r. Nicholson.
Quartermaster, slightly; three Seamen, Sc,
verely and seven others slightly.
The Ne,D York HeralTs account saws that
arumor is in circulation both at Port Rovai
and at Charleston Bar, that our troops were
rapidly gaining the rear of the city of
Charleston.
The Times correspondent says of the
Charleston fight: The iron ships were ex-
posed to a concentric fiIe from five differ
ent points. This is unparalleled in the
history of warfare.
The fleet found it impossible to pass up
beyond Fort tSumter, and assume an appoin-
ted place, owing to distractions which ex-
tend across the entire channel from Sumter
to Moultrie; while above these near the
middle ground were three other rows of
piles, and above these three rebel iron
clads. The feet was thus compelled to
sustain the terrific fire, and nobly did 1t so
ior thirty minutes. During that time not
less than 500 shots were fired by the ene-
my, l60 being counted in single minute.
beau arrived at Old Point on Saturday af-
ternoon, bringing the officers of the Iron
clad Keokuk. The following is made up
from an interesting account furnished the
baltimore american by an eye witness who
was in the fight: The Wehawken was
assigned an important duty, which was
lslthfuily performed in the midst Of the