Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1863-04-21

Rhind. 10 this order they proceeded up
the main channel, arriving within seven
teen hundred yards Of the main forts The
ironSides became unmansgesble, owing to
the tide and the Darrowness Of the channel,
and she was therefore, obliged to drop
anchor. to prevent drifting ashore. Owing
to these circumstances, she signaled her
eOnsorts T. disre gard Der motions.
The remainder Of the squadron Q, ntinu.
ed ct its course, and soon came within the
range of the rebel Ere from all points. The
distractions in the channel, from Sumter
10 Fort Moultrie, interfered with the pro-
gress of our ships. In consequences Of this,
and the position of the Ironsidss, as above
stated. the plan Of operations for the battle
was de-nnged. and the space for mareuy-
ering being only from FIVE hundred to one
thousand yards, the vessels were obliged 70
prepare. and at once eugsge the forts and
the adjacent batteries.
The signsl had been made for action ut
hslfpast three o'clock in the afternoon, By
the lronsides, but the rebels had previous
ly opened fire upon the leading vessels
The contest is represented as in the highest
degree exciting, presenting q fearful scene
OF fire belching from all points on the
water and she land-a continuous roar Of
cannon.
All the while our Monitors we're c?nten-
ding against the distractions in the stream
and their own inability to control their
motions, they were receiving Q concentra-
ted fire that would have destroyed the best
wooden feet the world has ever known in
the tina that would have been taken in
passing it. The shot came sometimes fas-
ter than one could count-in tons with
crushing weight and the seVerest force
that could be impaired by the greatest We.
l.city.
1t is stated that during the severest
firing hundred and fifty shots were esti'
mated in single minute; and it is belies-
ed that three or four thousand rounds were
fred by the enemy in the short space Of
half an hour.
After enduring the FIRE for half or three
quarters Of an hou:, in which five of the
iron-clads were disabled in such q manner
as to render some of their machinery I'M
manageable or to render them useless for
nFaDaiva nurnnaas 81. Dat e.oJI- ...:..I
The Keokuk did not escape 90 safely. She
ran within three or four hundred yards oil
Fort Sumter and offered battle, but she did
not prove equal to the bravery of her com.
mander. She was only able to fire three
rounds, and was struck ninety times, and
left the fight with her turrsts rlddled, with
twenty large holes in her sides, and 60 die.
abled as TO render her sinking only ques
ton Of time. She went down on Wednes.
day morning at 8 o'clock, in eighteen faith
omS of water. All the lives on board were
saved, including the twelve men that had
been wounded during the battle.
Late 10 the evening the whole squadron
dropped mile further down the channel
and anchored close to the bar.
The effect Of the terrific FIRE Of the enemy
upon our leet,may De judged from the fol-
lowing. gathered from official reports:
The Ksokuk had 90 shots in all; 10 on
the water line; Is in the after turret five
Of them through); l Whitworth eteel-pOin
ted remained sticking in the wall); II in
the forward turret e of them throughl; Is
on the slipping sides; 8 through sheetiDg
90 after turret; 10 through smoke-stack 4
through. glanced); Although the boats; 2
glanced of the deck; cut signal STAFF; 3
or went through the flag.
The New Ironsides was hit between six.
" and seventy times, but sustained no ma
'orial damage. One of the shutters of port
i've, part side. was knocked of; and eleven.
inch she'll logged 10 the bow between the
sides and the saDd-6og'. A shot passed
through the smoke-stack and her bulwarks
were muSh shattered.
The Weebawken was struck hftv>uine
times. The funel was badly dsuted and
WArked with difficulty. Many bolts in the
p'lot-houSe had been lOOsened and driven
through.
The Montauk was hit twenty times; the
PaSsaic fifty eight times 10 addition to
the damage already stated her pilot-house
vas much weakened BY the loosened aud
driving through Of the bolts. The Man
tuckst was struck fifty .One timss, and had
her Eurret stopped twice by short. The
Cstskill received about the pane number of
shots. Both the latter had their decks al.
most torn open by rified balls.
The PatspscO was bit between forty and
Rfey tiusss, aud, besides the disabling of
her 2OO-pOuOdsr Parrot, had her ,urrs.
much dented aad pilot house weakened.-
The NahAnt VS. struck eighty times, and
had her pilot house almost broken into
pieces. Four men were wounded, enc NOR
tally, in it from flying balls.
Ooe hundred and ffty.one round. were
fred by our feet, but in spite of .ha com.
paratiVe weakness of our ERE, considerable
damage was done to the forts Of the snewv
Eleven holes were plaiDly visible in For.
Sumter. and the flagstaff of Fort MouItrie
was shot of.
1t is said that Commodore Dupont has
ordered our whole feet to return to Hilton
Head, and, 90 far as all appearances 20,
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