The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1863-04-17
LATE NE VS..
ATTACK ON CHARLESTON.
The managcment OF aud Disasters
TO tho GunbORts.
from Trlbuno,s Account.

and at fifteen minutes before two the
whole feet was in motion in the order
given above. At 2 1-2 o'clock the bat
teries on Morris Island had been passed
by the first four Monitors without draw
ing the fire of the enemy.
Shortly before three o'clock, tho IRON
sides showed disobedience TO her rud der,
her bow swinging to the strong ebb tide,
and threatening TO bring her on the
shoals to her right. She was, therefore,
course. Meantime, the first four Moni-
tors had continued on toward the fort.
The enemy allowed the Weehawken TO
come within 500 yards Of Fort Moultrie,
when two shots across her bow from this
fort opened the action.
The Ironsides had again got under
weigh and approached within 1000 yards
of Fort Sumter, when she once more be-
came manageable, and was again OBJ
liged to drop anchor. TIE Monitors
ahead Of her had then reached the con-
verging point Of the FIRE Of Cummings
Point battery, Fort Sumter, Fort MOul-
trie, anda work between Fort Moulfrie
and Moultrieville, known as Battery Bee.
A sheet Of flame and volumes of smoke
extended from Morris to S%ullivan's
Islands, inaugurated what has been un-
d ,ubtedly the m st terrific cannOnade of
the whole war, if indeed, it was ever
equalled in the history of the world.
A perfect torrent of shot and shell was
poured upon the Monitors, wrapping
them some times almost entirely in spouts
Of water thrown up by the striking Of
projectiles.
The Monitors continue their way, re-
plying vigorously from their batteries to
the. enemy. They passed the northeast
face Of Fort Sumter, but when they came
near its angle with the north-W estern
face, they made out, at a short distance,
three distinct lines of distractions, con-
sisting of floating logs with torpedoes at
Tackled, and networks of cables held
perpendicularly in the water by weights.
The Patapsco got foul of one of them,
and could not make her screw work for
some fifteen minutes, but finally got
Gear. A torpedo exploded close to the
bow of the Weehawken without, how
ever, doing any damage.
The vessels all steering very heavily,
the narrow passages throughout the line
Of distractions could not be reached
After several vain attempts, the four YES
selves turned about and steamed back
down the harbOr, all the while sustaining
a heavy fire, and responding with their
guns as vigorously as they could.
The Patapsco had her 200 FOUNDER
Parrott gun disabled by its own recoil
early in the action.
The turret of the Passaic was bent in
and cramped her ll-inch qua 80 as to
prevent its working. Shortly after her
turret stepped revolving, and che lost all
offensive power.
The Ironsides had, meantime, vainly
struggled to come closer to Fort Sumter
Tbs rebel gunnsrs finding her 9 fixed
mark, piled her freely with shot and
shell. Her position was such that she
could not bring her broadsidos to bear
until about 4 o'clock, when she got al
opportunity to deliver her fire at Folt
Moullrie.
This was the only offensive demonstra,
ton made by her during the action.
When Admiral Dupont found that he
could not readily move the Ironsides, he
signaled to the four iron-clads behind
her TO pass ahead and 60 to the support
of the four vessels already engaged.
In trying to pass by, the CAtskill anc
Nantucket brushed the IrOnsides on the
port and starbOard sides, but after awhil,
managed to get away, and moved on.
They, and the Keokuk and Nahant
came under the concentric range of tht
. forts and batteries about the time thu
other four Monitors were turning back.
They nevertheless advanced, with thei
guns at work, briskly past the notth-eas
face Of Fort Sumter, until their cours,
was likewise impeded by distractions
The Catskill, Nan ;ket, and Nahanl
= received the united fire of both Fort
. Sumter and Moultrie,
The Keokuk had steered q little NOR
to the left, aud for a while received thu
c fire of Fort Sumter alone. She fred tn
n gun in her forward turret but three times
= when it became disabled.
4 Her after gun could not be brought T.
bear effectively, and was thus rendered
useless. After continuing under tn
united fires of all the forts and batterie
for about three-qusrters of an hour, a.
the Monitors and the Whitney Batter
came back in obedience to q sigr o. froI
the tlag.shiLs
n The Ironsides had already dropper
h back some distance out of range Of For
> Sumter. At five O'clock the entire flee
, was out Of range, and the action ceased.
' The striking Of the heavy missiles use
j by tie rebels against the sides, deck.
10 and turrets of the Monitors, the rever
+. beralions of their own moastrous gun.
a the plunging Of shot and shell into II
surrounding waters, the dense smok
0r now hiding the forts and batteries froI
view, then broken by sheets Of fame, IN
l. uncertainty as TO what new obstacle
Internal machine might be encounters
by tho iron clads, the difficulty Of pro
40 perly m~anmuvreing the vessels, the anG
ions suspense Of the inhabitants Of II
, irOn-bOats as g. whether victory or do
10 feat was TO crown their eiIOrts-all thi
r made the scene one Of unparalleled il
terest and excitement.
mt Eleven large holes, apparently runniI
through the walls, some of which we
about three feet wide, were made on d
ut east face Of Fort Sumter, showing Tia
our fire was not altogether Intellectual.
.s- The Monitors fired altogether abo
$50 rounds.
The numerical weakness of the Lar
"a forces rendered their direct cooperate
in the attack impractieable. Upon II
Navy deyOlYed the main share Of {
work, and all the fighting was done by
alone.
WAsHINGToN, April 15.-RichmoI
papers Of the 18th contain the followir
al. Charleston, April l2.-Last night I
steamer StOueWall JacksOn- formerIv I