Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1863-02-05
IMPORTANT FROM CHARLESTON.
AN EXPEDITION OF IRON-CLAD GUNBOATS
ATTACK OUR SQUADRON.


The Richmond Dispatch of the I'd instant has
tclegraphic dispatches from Charleston to the LIST
of February which purport to give the details ofa
serious disaster to our squadron off Charleston,
stated to have been inflicted by feet Of iron.clad
rebel gunboats on Saturday last, and which had
caused great rejoicing wherever reported through
out the Confederacy
We insert below these rebel dispatches, though
their statements are supposed to be much exagge-
rated, intended probably for the foreign world.
Gen. Dix, in command at Fortress Monroe, has
rebel news from Charleston to the Sd instant, at
which time the port was thoroughly blockaded the
Federal iron-cad gunboats lying inside the wooden
vessels The former were not with the fleet at the
time Of the attack on tho 3lst ultimo An attack
upon the city was momentarily expected on the 3d.
CHARLESTON, JANUARY 81 1868
This morning the gunboas Palmetto State Capt Rut
ledge, and Chcoa, Capt Parker accompanied by three
small seamsrs-the Gen. Clnch, Elwan and Ches erAed
all under the command Of Com Ingraham made an attack
on the bio, ksders and succeeded in sinking two aud Grip.
ping third The engagement commenced at o'clock.
The Palmetto State, with Commodore Ingraham on
board opened FIRE upon the Federal gunboat Merceda
carrying eleven guns and hundred and fifty eight men,
which was soon sunk ia FIVE fahoms water Her COM
mander, Capt Stelwagen, with boats crew. came on
board and surrendered One shot pierced her boiler,
going clear though Capt Stellwagen and crew wero
paroled by Com. Ingrahsm
Capt Tucker Of the Chcora reports sinking another
Federal gunboat and the disabling Of the steam hip Qua
ker City The latter was set on ,e by the Chicora and
hauled down her flag 70 surrender but afterwards man.
aged to escape using only wheel She was very ser.
da mayed
The number Of the blockading feet outside at the time
OF the attack thirteen with two first class rgates
the Susquehanna and Cauandagua.
lhs Federal loss is very 1t complete sue
cess on our part, with not man hurt Our aunboats
were not struck. All the bocksders have disap.
Pesred There is not to be seen within Eve miles
with the strongest kind of glasses Our boats are now
returning to Charleston The following ia the official de
spatch
Son Board GunJoat Palmetto STATE
went cut last night. Tbs vessel struck the MERGE.
da when she sent boat board and The
ofrcersand crew paroled Capt Tucker thjpks ba
sunk vessel and another on fire. when she struck
her flag The bockadng feet had gone TO and
eastward out OF sight. d N. INGRAHAM
Flag Officer COMMANDING
Ninetyour prisoners including three negroes from the
Yankee sunboat Smith, arrived here this morning
CHARLESTON, JANUARY 81, 1858
Our gunboats Palmetto State and Chcora have reached
the wharves They were enthusiastically cheered by an
of citizens who had assembled to greet
them Statutes fred from all the forts and batteries
Net man was hurt on side, and guuboats were
not struck by the enemy.
Our attack on the fleet complete surprise 10 The
boekaders each running away without caring for the
Others II supposed that nearly all the crew Of the Mer
cedta pershed the Palmetto State (Which enQsped her,
having no boats and fighting at the time could render her
no assistance The Quaker City struck twice and one
of her side wheels slmost torn off The Fedora. gunho.t
John Smith captured the Stone yesterday had eight
killed and fifteen wounded Fer chief engineer Turner
killed.
Yankee gunboat came to the mouth of Stone river this
afternoon and fired FIVE Shots but retired She did
no damage, and no one hurt on our side
CHARLESTON, FEBRUARY l. 1868
The results Of the naval engagements yesterday arc two
vessels sunk four set fire. and the remainder driven
away.
The foreign Consus here had meeting last piebt AMI
were unanimously OF the opinion that the blockade had
been legally raised.
The following ofhcal proclamation has been issued:
HEADQUARTERS LAND AND NAVAL FoRcES
Charleston, IS. CO. January 81, 1868
A. aoou. Evo O'Clock tns morning the Confederate
States bockadng fleet off the harbor the CITY Of Charles
ton and sunk dispersed drove off and out Of sight for
h0lnder
signed commanders respectively of the Staes
naval aud land forces in this quarter do hereby Formally
declare the blockade by the United States Of the said city
of Charleston g. CO TO be raised by superior force Of
the Confederate safes from aud after this 3lst day of
January, A. D. 1868
9. L BEAUREaARp, General COMMANDING.
ID. N. ISGRAHAM,
Flag -Offcer Com. Naval Forces in south Carolina
TiceHty btockaders the bar to-day
The gunboat John P. Smth, captured fsom the Fede.
rails in Stone river is safely anchored under the
of Fort PembertcD. She has one Parrot oup ten snch
guns, and S4pounder She will soon be re,dv for ea
CAPTURE OF THE GUNBoAT J. SMITH
CHARLESTON, JAN. 3l.-Several days ago Gen Rn,ev
dispatched force OF artillery, commanded by Lsnt ri
Yates to James Island with the des On of attacking thu
Yankee gunboas in Stone river about eight mes fro,
the city Lieut. Col Yates posted his guns IN
number IN semc rcle, sire tcLiDg both aide. tbe
river around the guuboa p Smith, and ut four O'CLOCK
yesterday afternoon opened concentrated fire upon her
She replied with broadsdes The engagement lated one
hour when the gGnboat hauled down her
Internationally, with ons hundred and eighty urisonars
She carried eleven guns Many Of her crew wer k;,la
and wounded Our loss only man wounded Oth.r
very important movements are in progress here
FROM vICRsBURG
MOBILE JAN. 3-The Advertiser and Rso;.,., Ia .
despatch, dated Vicksburg Goth ulumo Which a
Scouting parties appeared ths morana on The river hnL
opposite Vlcksbug, and burnt tour houses under ,h
range OF our batteries They supposed to be erecting
batteries opposite the town There are no ne
among the feet" '''
FIVE FEDERAL TRANSPORTS Drsrpovpn