Delaware State journal and statesman. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1855-1870, 1863-07-31

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stun .-ns sun tmporlaut tcstim n5.
Saturday, June 8--Capi. Pytc,al hJtcn,
Commander Of the iron-cii l",si'c 3" the NJ
tack at Charleston, was exam nei
lEs1lMoNY or GAIT. pRsYtCS.
y. Do you know Chief Engineer sinners, mud
if yea, how long have you known him
About six months.
Q. Did you ever say to Chief Engineer Sinners
that the attack on the forts and batteries on
Charleston harbor made on the 7th April, 1868,
ought to have been renewed, or words 10 that
eifectY
A. No.
Y, Did you ever say to Chief Engineer sinners
that the iron-clal vessels engaged in making the
attack aforesaid were in fit condition to renew
tue attack, or words to that effect
A. No
q Did you ever say 10 Chief Engineer Stimcts
or in his presence aud henring, that the Com
Numbers of said iron clad vessels, after the Mt
tack aforesaid were hot Tor renewing the en-
Pngcment, or words to that effect
A. No.
Y We're or were not the iron-clnds in as good
condition on Wednesday, the 9Th day Of April,
1861 after they had somc slight repairs. to re
new the attack ms they Ind been to commence it
the lay before?
A. Very far indeed, from IT,
q Could the Monitors, on the 9TH day Of
April, 1868, have gone into Charleston in spite
OF guns, torpedOes, mud distractions, or on We'd
nesday, the sth, had the attack heen renewed
A, think not; certainly not according to
my opinion.
q Have you ever heard Rear Admiral Dupont
say, or Inns he, tn your knowledge, ever donr
nnything to lead you to think that he was pre-
JUDGED against tho Monitors Oh the 9Th day OF
April, 1865
| A. No, nothing to show that he was prtiu-
diced ! Ito not think he had n high opinion OF
them he could not have hal very high opinion
after my reports to himself aud the Navy de-
partmeni, ms well as the reports Of most Of the
other captains before the fight.
Z. Was or not the attack made on the forts md
batteries ut Charleston on the 9TH of April 1868.
an earnest onel
a. Thoroughly.
q Did tho iron clad Passaie, Of which you
had command, receive any, and If so, whit in
iure4 during the attack Of the eth of April
aforesaid?
A. She did receive many injuries the three
principal ones were The disabling of the H.
inch gun by shot on the turret, which bulgcd
the turret in and ihmtIcd the carriage in such a
way that it took ~ hours To get il into q condi.
tion TO work another shot broke oil piece uf
the ring under the turret which was caught in
some OF the machinery aud stopped the turret
| for some time, and caused il to work badly fol
some time after third shot mashed in the
pilot house aud forced up thu cover some three
inches, 70 as Ia lay open the iusids to shot, and
render the position of those who were managing
the ship one of considerable exposure, as they
were to II certain extent uncovered Il number o
other shots were received on the turret, side
armor and other parts of the vessel these wert
the only ones HAT were serious
q Do you know why the attack Of the 7ti
was rot renewedY
A. / have always understood that the rot
cads were not in condition to renew.
., Did you at any time after the engagement o
the lth of April make report to Rear Admir-
Du Pont of tho condition Of your weasel? II yen
when did you make such report
A. made Il verbal one in his presence on I'll,
evening of the engagement, and n written one
day or two after
q Did you over hear Rear Admiral Du Pom
say anything, or have you oil served him do any
thing which led you to infer that he was unwill-
ing 10 give the monitors fair trial in the attacl
on Charleston
A Never quite the contrary.
Q DO you know anything further respecting
the specifications of charges made by Admira
Du P0nt against Chief Engineer Sinners |
yea state the same as fully as though you ha,
been particularly Intercepted thereto.
A. did not hear any of the remarks said tt
have hccu made about tic Arngo, and think
hnvr nothing further To say
q. Have you any reason To believe, from any
thing said or done in your presence Ivy Admira
Dm Font, that the iaiurc Of Admiral Du pont l.
renew the attack Of tho 9Th April lSG3, OH Ill
forts At Charleston was owing to any preinlic
on his part against thu moritors?
A, M, / haven't
. BY The arcasea From what direction
would II shot necessarily have come to have en-
tered the pilot house Of the rassiic alter III
cover had hcen raised three inches on one side
ns yuu have described
H. A horizontal shot nearly, thiuk, wuu
have knocked the cover OIL anil think a nesrl
horizontal shot would hive entered it Nigh
have gone in in pieces and il might have unterr
whole, that IN, il the shot had struck from aboy,
! mean nearly horizontal with the cover.