Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1863-02-13
THE CHARLESTON AFFAIR.


Princes Royal, in charge o. Acting Master
Van Size, arrived off the Navy. Yard to day.
She brings highly important Intelligence both
as relates to her capture and the rebel alta, X
on our b!ockading feet at Charleston. show
ing concluslycly that there is no Foundation
for the assumption of the rebels tut tie lloc&
dde Of Charleston ards erer ruistd 6y .the a.
parture Of the blockading fleet.
Only two vessels out Of the eight er ten
were disabled or obliged to leave. "
It appears rom the statement of an intelli
CONT eye witness that the cause Of the at
tack of the rebc,s rams on our squad
ron was owing to the capture of the Princess
Royal, the Captain and pilot of that vessel
having escaped ashore during the darkness
of tho night, and communicated the intvlli.
gence to the rebels.
+ The Princes Royal cndeavorcd to run the
blockade by the way Of Beach Inlet on the
29th but was discovered by the pilot boat
Blunt. On signal being given the Unadla
gave chase and captured her without ether
assistance. 1t was then discovered that the
Captain and pilot has succeeded in getting
ashore ny small boat, carrying importan
dispatches to the rebel Government.
AT daylight a laundering Of guns was
heard, accompanied by sharp flashes of fire.
1t was supposed that our tleet was engaged
in making an attack, or that the Alabama
or Florida we're cndeavoring to force an en-.
trance. At daybreak two rebel Iron clads
| were. seen coming down from the direction Of
Stone Inlet, towards our feet. They attack.
ed the Mercedta first. I% Ess
One ram struck her near the waters edge.
keeling her over, and at the same time firing
a shot which entered one of her boilers cans-
I ing the death Of three persons, including
gunner, by the shot and steam. ,.- . :.
The ram then hailed the Mercedita.-
Capt. Stellwagen, lowered one of his small
boats after leaving the plugs out, allowing
the water to enterit. ~
The ram answered cur hail with "Confed-
crate ram Palmetto State, DO you surrender"
This was repeated three times, Capt. Stcll-
wagon replying at each inquiry, II am in a
sinking condition." The rebels answered.
"God damn you to he'll. If you don't surren-
der we will blow you out Of tho water
Send your boat aboard" The boat which
Capt. Stellwagcn had lowered then conveyed
his executive officer to the rebel ram, and The
officer asked to he admitted on board, Thi;
was refused. The Lieutenant then repeated
Capt Stillwagen's statement, that we were
in a sinking condition. The rebels replied
"You can't sink lower than the rails. We
cannot take you on board" The officer then
gave his parole, as demanded, and returned
to his ship. -s.t @ go
The rebels were thus successfully deceived
as to the condition Of the Mcrecidita, think
ing she was in sinking condition She laid
in shoal water, and hence the reply that she
I could not sink below her rails.
| The ram stored toward the Keystone State
and sent shot through her steam drum
causing the death Of twenty.cnc PERSONS
Twelve by shot and nine by scalding B,
steam. Fifteen more were wounded. and ar,
lying at Port Royal, some in prccarious con
dition. In the meantime, the gunboat Hous
atomic engaged the other ram, driving hel
away. At halfpast six in the morning. both
rams left the scene and passed up to Charles
ton. r 3
During this attack on our fleet the Princes,
Royal, which lay near the Housatonic, ant
was the chief object Of prize on both sides
j succeeded in getting off, mainly through tn,
assistance Of third assistant engineer Thurs
ton, who piled into her furnace all the in
l1ammable material at hand, Her escape i
chiefly owing to his cn,ieavors, as well a
her safe arrival at this port. G4g
II The McrceJita steamed down to Port Roya
and with only ono Of her boilers injured. :
She arrived safely at Port Royal, and woul,
be repaired in day. =,
I The Keystone State was entirely disabled
but was lowed to Port Royal BY the Memphis
4 The rebel statements that the Federal flee
had entirely disappeared from the port q
, Charleston are e,tirc'y unauthorized by th
acts.