New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-04-14

t;on-nayal action known TO mankind have al
resav made an attempt TO describe the raking
ing intensity of the concentric fire Of the Rebel
works. / might ill page after page with descriptive
phrases without rejecting anything like the reality
of It's fury. The facts and figures respecting It's
effect upon the monitors give below will convey
better idea of its character than vain word
painting. -...
Under It the Captains Of the Weehawken. Passaic,
Montauk. and Patspsco were working with might
and main to come abreast with tbeir badly-steering
vessels of the northwest facs of the fort directed
in tbs order Of battle, firing all the while their guns
now a. Sumter then at Moultrie. Bat they were
sin under the fire Of the northeast face, when they
discovered three lines Of floating distractions, with
another consisting of row Of piles across the whole
barbor short distance beyond. They endeavored
TO gain the narrow passage left open through the
first but found themselves unable TO exercise suf-
Gent control over their vessels 70 do 90. While
making this attempt the turret Of the Passsc was 90
bent in by single shot 10 make the working oil
the ll.inch gun impracticable. short while after
the turrs refused altogether to turn, deprving her
of all offensive power. The 200-pounder Parrot Of
the Patapsco also became early disabled.
But, aside from these damages to two tho fact
that not one Of the four could make Roadway past
the batteries rendered their stay nnder the heaviest
fire useless, and hence turned about and steered
back after having been in concentrie range nearly
an hour. The motion OF the Weehawken was very
much impeded by the Ericsson raft chained to her
bow. torpedo exploded close to her port side, but
did no. ipAct any damage. On the way up the
Patapsco's screw caught in kind Of network Of
chains and cable, KEEP! aoat by barrels and perpen'
dcular by weights. For while it seemed as though
che could not be extrcaed from the mesh, but in the
end worked clear.
The Catskill, Nantucket, Nahant and Keokuk,
had the Same experience. When the Catskill and
Nantucket got entangled with the Ironsdes, the
last mentioned steamed ahead Of the three others,
but all four got into action shortly after each Other
and about the time those that had preceded them
were turning back. The enemy had by no means
spent the force Of their fire upon the fret four. The
increased number of assaants seemed to spur them
on the contrary, into doubling their energies For
nearly half Nh hour the scene Of action was wrapped
in intensified sheets of flame, clouds Of smoke and
sprays of water Then the impasssbiliiy Of the OBJ
sructons compelled the last four 10 follow suit with
the first.
The Catskill, Nantucket aud Nahant had kept
, their course halfway between Forts Sumter and
Moutrie and received the hottest fire Of and reply.
ing to both. The Keokuk had stood more to the
left, and como within 800 yards Of Fort sunter,
, the fire OF the whole northeast face Of which 1t
, seemed to sustain for some time alone, without
being able to FIRE moro than three shots in reiurn-
from what cause will show below:
About fifteen minutes before o'clock a signal
was made from the flagship TO cease firing and
withdraw from the enemy's FIRE. Shortly after 5
o'clock the Monitors, followed by the Keokuk, were
within bail Of the 6ag-ship and the fire Of the enc
{ nv stopped. In dropping down. the Nantucket
aimed few shots at Fort Wagner, which were the
Q last fred on our side.
o When the vessels were nearest the distractions,
the pilots made out the iron.clad rams Palmetto
f State and Chicora, with wooden gunboat, standing
a toward them from the city. After approaching
within mile Of the distinctions, they came, how
ever to discreet halt, and did not venture to
I gage the Monitors.
Upon coming out Of range tho haichways Of the
Ironsides were opened and we could once have
full view Of things around us. As reached the
spar deck, the Ksokuk was just passing our star.
board side, with Capt. Rhnd limpng abou! the for
WAru turret. A bibHb Picechscu' 'ici
sides and turrets showed innumerable holes. She
was evidently used up. The Nahaut, Patapsco, and
Nantucket aso passed, and the commanders Of each
reported more or less damage. The pilot-houso Of
9 the former was badly shattered.
But the full extent of the injuries to the ironclads
a was not known until their commanders personally
reported them to tho Admiral in the course Of the
y evening. The Keokuk had 90 shots in all; 10 on
tie water-line az starboard. port Is in the after
: turret five Of them through / Wbi!worh steel
pointed shot remained sticking in the walDi twelve
in the forward tuuet 70 Of them througb) Is on the
slopinQ sides Us starboard, 10 port; through
: sheeting on after turret 10 through smoke-stack
Il through, 3 glansed) 4 through the boats, 2
glanced oil the deck; cut signal staff 8 or went
4 through the flag
r The New-Ifonsides was hit between sixty and
seventy times, but sustained no material damage.
One of the shuttesof port five, port side, knock
ed off an eeven-inch she'll lodged in the bow be-
Y tween the sides and the handbags. A shot passed
{ through the smoke-stack, and her bulwarks were
a much shattered.
, The wechawkeu was struck ffsy.nne times
The tu-ret was badly dented and workeS with dif'
3 fculty. Many bolts in the pilot-house had peen
r loo'eped and driven through.
The Montauk was hit twenty times; the Passaic
fityeight times In addition to the damage already
> stated, her pilot-house much weakened by the
! loOsening and driving through of the bolts. The
Nantucket was struck ffty-one timeS, and had her
turret stopped twice by shot. The Catskl received
abont the same number Of shots. Both the latter
had their decks almost torn open by riled bolts.
The Patapsco was hit between forty and fly