Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1863-04-14
TELEGRAPHIC.
Sunday Nights Dispatches
Tho Charleston Rat.,e.

ton, with the information of the entire attac
which commenced at 3 O'Clock and lasted thFe
hours.
The Keokuk passed half mile above FoI
Sumter, where abe met distractions, and 0
which time terrific firing was kept up on bot
sides, when she received ehot that passed
through her between wind and water, from whic
she sunk in eleven hours
The Nahant was within two hundred yards o
Fort Sumter In the action and received shel
at the junction of the turret with the deck
which prevented the turret from revolving au,
rendering her useless for the time. The Iron
sides received one hundred and fifty shots, sus.
taining no damage futher than starting few
bolts.
The rest of the feet is uninjured, aud hauled
off, the object OF the Reconnaissance being ac.
complished, which was to ascertain the localit,
OF the obstruction. Our entire loss was twC
killed and seven wounded. As the Sanfort
LEFT, some iron-c!ads were going to blow up thu
Keokuk.
WARRINGTON, April l2.-The steamer Flsm
beau arrived here this afternoon with dis-
patches from Admiral Dupont to the Govern
ment. The report from the several command
ers had not been received up 20 the time Of the
departure of the FlambeaH, Wednesday night
From other than official sources It 10 ascer-
tained that the vessels composing the feet ad-
vanced upon Charleston, on the 7th, in the fol-
lowing order:
The Weehawken, Capt. Rogers; Paasaic, Capt
Drayton; Montauk, Capt. Worden; Patapsoo
Capt. Ammen Ironsides, the flag ship, Com,
mander Turner, with Admiral Dupont and his
staff on board; next followed the Catskill. Cant.
Geo. Rogers; Nantucket, Capt. Fairfax; Nahabt,
Capt. Downs and Keokuk, Capt. Rhind.
In thia order they proceeded up the main
cha mel, arriving within seventeen hundred
yards OF the main forts. The Ironsides became
unmanageable, owing to the tide and the mar
rowness of the channel, and was therefore
obliged to drop anchor to prevent her drifting
ashore, and owing to these circumstances, she
signalled her consorts to disregard her motions.
The remainder Of the squadron continued on
its course and soon came within easy range of
the rebel fire from all points. The obstructiops
of the channel from Fort Sumter to Moultre
interfere with the progress of our ships.
In consequence Of this and the position of the
Ironsides as above stated the plan of operations
was deranged, and the space for mar muyerlnp
being only from five hundred to one thousand
yards, the vessels were obliged to prepare and
at once engage the forts aud tho adjacent bat
teries.
The signal had been made for action at half
past 3 O'Clock P. M, by the Ironsides, but the
rebels had previously opened FIRE on the leading
vessels.
The contest is represented as in the highest
degree exciting, presenting fearful scene of
fire belching from all points on the land and
water-a continuous roar of cannon.
In the course of thirty. or forty minutes the
Keokuk WAS in sinking condition, and was
obliged to withdraw from the fire and seek an
anchorage below the range Of she enemy'e
guns. lev minutes sfterwaTd, all the vessels
Withdrew from a signal from the flagship, il
being deemed impracticable to continue any
further hostilities.
The Keokuk was within FIVE or six hundred
yards OF Sumter, and was completely riddled
being struck, from oil the batteries in range
at least ninety times in thirty minutes Tn,
shot was from rebel cannon OF the heaviest cal
ibre. Capt. Rbind, her commander, received
a confusion on the leg from q flying fragment
OF his vessel, which only slightly famed him.
Twelve of the men were wounded, together
with Acting Ensign Mcintosh, who had charge
OF one of the guns The injuries are supposed
to be fatal.
The next morning, finding it impossible to
save the vessel, Capt. Rhind called tug, which
took ell his men on board. few minutes
thereafter the Keokuk sank. The persons be
longing to the ship lost all their private effects
On Wedn esday the squadron remained at
snchor in the main ship channel
1t is said the number of meu in our feet was
only about eleven hundred, with thirty guns
while the enemy had, it is supposed, at least
three hundred guns, the best in the world.
The injuriea to the vessels, excluding the
Keokuk, are represented to be of such char
acter as will require but a short time for re-
pairs. The casualties among our men were
remarkably few, including one killed and three
wounded Oh the Nahsnt. The advantage Of
our fleet being in possession OF the narrow OF
narfOws, the circuit of the blockade tWo-thirds
the former distance, none of the batteries fred
upon our vessels untii they reached the vicinity
OF the main forts.
New YORK, April IL, Midnight. follow
ing dispatch has been received from a gentle.
man on board the steamer Mary Sanford, Moore
head city, N. c., via Fortress Monroe 18th:
We passed the feet off Charleston on Thurs
day, 9th inst, at 10 A, NJ weather clear and
pleasant. The Monitors were ranged slong the
beach off Cummings Point, all in good order
We we're boarded by one OF the pilots OF the ex-
ptuttlUu, Huu bthb6u tuhb Tue ltOublQe5 and eoV-
en- OF the Mouitors attacked sumter Tuesday
the 7th, and passed some distance above the
forts, receiving some two hundred shots. A
pointed shot of English manufacture penetra-
ted the iron-clsd Whitny battery Keokuk, snt
she sunk in twelve hours after, near the beach
The other Monitors passed through the shower
OF shot and shell uninjured, or with trifiing dam
age. The casualties reported were very few
Capt. Rhind, OF the Keokuk, was slightly in
jured by bolt. The Quartermaster and eli
men on board the Nantucket we're killed.
Asregards the future movements report, ar,
conflicting. 1t was positively stated by one o.
the pilots who boarded US, that the Monitor
would withdraw over the bar, and further &C
tion for the present would be suspended. Th
was subsequently coroborated by . reporter 10
New York paper.
An officer from the Joseph Adger, who pre-
viously boarded us, stated the engagement
would be renewed about P. M, and adde
that the Admiral expressed his belief Of sue
cess No torpdeoes are reported to have explo
ded.
We left the feet at noon. When about twen
ty-fve miles north, we heard heavy firing.
The above was private message addresse
to Col, Sanford.
Great Union Victory i'm Tommessee-
Van Dorm KOnaed.