The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1863-02-11

LEDGE, and, upon his pledge, he and the
entire crew Of the Nereedita were paroled.
He WAS then ordered back to bis vessel,
but asked for assistance in behalf Of bis
crew, AS their ship was fast sinking. He
reported that, when he left her, there
were two inches OF water on the be,,h
deck, and oil their boats were useless, .as,
iu the confusion, they had been lowered
without putting in the plugs. which are
usually removed TO le, The rain water es
cape. Commodore ISGRAmAM replied lha
he regretted that wart Of room and the
lack Of boats precluded The possibility OF
receiving them. Tie boats crow, as well
." The Yankee officer, had evidently mad.
a nasty toilet, beng without shoes or
stockings, aud otherwise dressed in ra,h.
er scan, fashion. The Neycedita was a
new s!oopof war, of the second class,
built only fifteen months ago, and mount
ing eleven guns. ABBOTT said that the
explosion OF the boiler had scslded many
OF the crew, and represented The condition
o.,he Mercedita 10 be, in other respects,
most pi,iaLle.
ln the meantime, the Chicora, finding
tue Palmetto State graphing with the
4Mereedifa, passed both, aud at about S.
20 a. m, made ou, three mas,ed pro
peler, with which she Immediately closed,
firing two shots as she approached. The
Yenemy, as soon rs these shots had been
delivered, began ringing his fire bell,
while the Ch,eora stood off to the north
ward, encountering side wheeis,esmer,
which came down across her bow. The
first shot from the CRicora burs, the s,ar
board boiler Of this vessel, which wa.
supposed to he the Keystone State. The
smoke and steam from the explosion
could be plainly seen issuing from the
decks, and in few moments sLe hauled
down her flag, still ringing her fire bell.
Orders were given to clear away a boat
to board her, but before the order could
be put into execution she bad fed. At
ths time steamer, supposed to be the
Quaker CITY, came down towards the
st.in o: The Chieord, and received several
shots from the stern port.
by this time the enemy had learned q
wholesome respec, for ou. iron clsds, and
these latter had little else ~ Go than
chase their large game hither and tbi,her.
At dawn the whole b!ocksdinc flee, had
taken to its heels and our liirIe steamers
cru'sed out after them, in triumph. But
the enemy kept carefully out OF range
The last shot WAS fired abou, bali pas,
seven, a. m. In the afternoon, fading
that there was no further immediate or
pcrtunity Tor action, our steamers re
turned to tho city, and were received by
a vast crowd, including large numbers Of
ladies. The cheering Of the crowd, and
the waving Of ofhandkercbiefs, gave ss,u
rance to our naval heros tha, their gal
liant dash WAS appreciated.
| The following is the official despatch
received from Commodore ISaRAnAM on
Saturday morning:
ON BOARD GUSBoAr PALMETTO STATE
went out last night. This vessel sunk
the Aereeditd, when she sent q boat or
board aud surrendered. The officers and
crew were paroIed. Captain TUcKkB
thinks he sank one vessel and 90, snoth
er on IRE. when she struck her flag. Th,
olockading feet has gone to the south
ward and eastward, out Of sight.
(Signsd) ID. N. IxonAnAx,
Fisg Officer Commanding.
Our gunboa,s exceeded all expectation,
IL their efficiency and strength. The
enemy's shots glanced harmless from
their mailed sides. No, a man on ou,
side was injured, though the enems's Ios.
must have been quite severe.
Il iuc SeWs VI ooNu Vesseis hQted with
admirable courage and coolness, aud they
were no little chagrined to fad that the
Yankees refused to engage them on Ss,
urday. The number Of blocksden out
side during The engagement was lhirteeu,
with two first class Federal frisa,es
.Susqaehanaa and the Canandaigua.
The success Of the expedition, accor
ding to the view Of our authorities, raises
the blockade. A joint proclamation to
that effect from Gen. BEAuRsoARp aud
Com. ID. N. IxoRAHAN will he found else
where in our columns. at
On Saturday afternoon, st Gen. BEAU.
REoARD's insitation, the Foreign. Con.uls
made an excursion TO the bar to see for
tbernse!ves the true condition Of affair.
the blocksders, four in number, we're