Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1863-04-22
IN WnVnzCladB on Chs1les.
<on Harbor.
.ns hv an Eye-Witness.
lVt,m III. New York Times !


p IVtom thu New York Times
iee asel, at half past IL o'clock the
ia begins to move on to the attack. The
= :. Battle is formed in the order as
Il ed to each ship in the Admiral's pro-
,rptnme--the KeokuE, which brings up
Ffe rear of the inns, lying down nearly op
oeite Lighthouse inlet, and the Others
extending on at Intervals OF a cables
length--the Weehapken leading the van.
The bead Of the line is some four miles
from the poeition the fleet is to make be-
lore opening fire, and all the batteries on
Morris lsland-thev must ran within easy
range OF each-have to be passed.
The fleet is hardly in motion, however,
when .hs leading vessel. the Weehapken,
stops and all the others have to stop
also. The cause of this delay, as we at
forwards learned, was the arrangement of
q raft which had been attached 10 the
Weetawken for the purpose of exploding
torpedoes and clearing away distractions.
This instrument is one of the inventions
OF Mr.. Ericsson's fertile genius, and con-
sists OF raft about twelve feet square,
composed of transverse timbers, eighteen
inches in thickness, fitting on to the prov
of the vessel. From the forward part of
this raft, suspended from cable six feet
in the water was to be large projectile,
containing several thousand pounds of
powder so constructed that the line of
traction would be forward and laterally,
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 Weehaaoken, which
for this reason was assigned the leading
position in the line. Owing TO the purely
experimental character OF the device, how
ever, the projectile was not attached TO
the raft, but in its place number OF
graphing irons had been attached, which
1t was hoped would be found OF service in
exploding and tearing out torpedoes. In
The course OF netlin0 under Wav- these
grapplings had become fouled in the
anchor cable, and this was the cause OF
the delay OF the Weehdaoken and of che
whole fleet.
1t takes an hour to set this matter to
rights, and at Ealf-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 feet
with an intensity OF interest that words
are too feeble to expressive, spectators
from our vessels, and the still more inter
ested spectators in the forts, who kept up
a perpetual signalling OF its approach
from point to point.
Slowly the leading vessel, followed by
the other eight ironclads, moves up the
main channel-the shore of Morris Island,
against which from our point of view they
seem to rest, forming 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 Weeh0Wken, ap-
preaching 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 80 on, one by one, till,
with the Keokuk, the whole nine files by
without 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
battery Bee. The same silent reception
tor her; the came silent reception for the
whole fleet. 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.
Tie line has now passed across Morris
Island and rounds to make the entrance
OF the harbor, coming within the circle of
the fire of Fort Sumter and the batteries
on ouiiivans Island. Inc suspense be-
comes painful.
~There silence deep as DEATH
And the boldest held their breath
For y while"
In an instant a hollow square of smoke
rises from the top of SUMTER hollow
square of flame shoots up-a 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 vessel
instead of passing on above Sumter, so as
to place herself in the prescribe station
opposite the northwest face. sheers off to
the right, and lies stopped between Sum-
ter and Moultriel
THE REBEL DISTRACTIONS.
From our point of view, no cause for
this unlocked for development can be per-
ceived, but to those on the WeehGUken it
is only too apparent. Stretching from a
point close to the northeastern angle of
Fort Sumter, completely across the chan
.lel to Fort Moultrie, is stout hawser,
floating on casks, on which are hung metz,
zines, and cables, strung with torpedoes.
fhe vessel comes afoul of this, whisks up
he nasty entangements with its propel-
er, is thus deprived of all motive power,
aud is at the mercy of the current, to be
irifted ashore into the hands of the rebels
If this fatality was not actually realized by
he IRON clads, it was owisg to the admit
rable skill of the captains OF the foremost
ships, who, when their vessels were just
"a the point of touling, sheered off, and
saved themselves and the feet
The tight channel being thus INSTRUCTED,
t remains to see what can be done with
he left, between Sumter and Cummings
Point. But tbs, too, is still more effec
ua, y blockaded by row of piles, rising
en- feet above the water, and extending
Icross the whole width OF the passage
looking up the harbor another row of |
lilies dlsclOses itself, stretching across
rom Fort Ripley on the middle ground to
tort Johnson.
THE IRONsIDEs UNMANAGRABLE.
Thus brought to pause, II only remain
d for the iron clads TO take up such posi-
ions as they could. And the complication |
vas further increased by the i'll behavior
t the flagship, the Ironsldes. While steam
ng along up through the passage in front
A 4 |