Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1863-02-12
THE NAVAL RAID AT CHARLESTON.

0lSt ult., uuIlnS INC oooOuiioy Va " 'hiOh
haze, two iron-clad gunboats came out Of
Charleston by the main ship channel un-
perceivable by the squadron, and COM
menced raid upon the blockading fleet.
Most of the latter were of the light class
of purchased vessels; two of the heaviest
men.of-war, the Powhattan and Canandai-
qua, being at Port Royal coaling and re-
pairing. The Mercedita was the first vessel
attacked. Her officers and crew had been
particularly watchful during the night
to look out for suspected vessels, and at
8 o'clock had slipped her cable, and over
hauled q troop steamer running for the
channel, by mistake. She had returned
to her anchorage, and Captain Stellwagen
had gone to his room for a short time
leaving Lieutenant Commander Abbott on
deck, when one of the iron-clads suddenly
appeared. Her approach was concealed
by the haze and mist of the atmosphere
The vessel was Immediately hailed and an
order given to fire, but the iron clad being
close aboard and lying low in the water
no guns could be brought to bear upon her.
A heavy rife she'll was fired from the en-
envy, which, entering the starboard side of
the Mercedita passed through her con-
denser and the steam drum of her port
boiler, and exploded against her port side,
blowing hole In it some four or five feet
square, killing the gunner, and by the es-
cape of steam scalding number of the
men and rendering her motive power ap-
parently useless. Unable to use his guns
and being at the mercy of the enemy, who
was alongside on his starboard quarter all
further resistance was deemed hopeless by
Capt Stellwagen, and he surrendered.
The crew and officers were paroled, though
nothing was said of the ship, executive
officer Lieutenant Commander Abbott,
having gone on board the enemy's gunboat
and made the arrangement.
The iron clad leaving the Mercedita to
her fate to sink or not, next engaged the
Keystone State, Commander Leroy, who
was attacked by the other. Their fire was
CALAMITY returned, but she'll exploding
in the forehold of their vessel, she was set
on fire. Commander Leroy kept off until
the fire was got under when he steered
again for the iron clad, having ordered on
a full head of steam, determined to run
her down. The guns had been trained
and depressed for plungipg fire at the
moment of collision, and the ship had &C.
quired speed of twelve knots, when a
shell or shot passed through both the
steam chests wholly disabling her boiler,
and rendering her powerless Ten rife
shell struck the Keystone State, and two
burst on the quarter deck, but most Of them
struck the hull, being near and below the
waters edge.
The following is the report of the Capt.
of the Mercedita:
At four o'clock 1 laid down. Lieut..
Commander Abbott was on deck giving
an order to Acting Master Dryer about
recovering the anchor, when they saw a
smoke and the faint appearance of a vessel
close athand. heard them exclaim, "she
has black smoke :" Watch, man the
guns" "Spring the rattle y" I" Call all
hands to quarters" Mr. Dryer came to
the cabin door, telling me ga steamboat
was close aboard" was then in the
act Of getting my pea jacket, and slipped
it on as l followed him out. jumped to
the poop ladder saw the smoke, and tow
boat, apparently tug although thought
it might be a ittlspropeller for the squad
ron. sang out, Train your guns right
on them be ready to fire as soon as | Or
der" | hailed the steamer: "Ahoy
stand clear of us and heave to. What
steamer is that ?" I then ordered my men
to fire on him, and told him: " You will
be into u.s. what steamer is that ?" His
answer to the first and second hail was
"Halloo !" The other replies were indis-
tinct either by intention, or from having
spoken inside of his mail armor, until in
the act of striking us with his prov, when
he said: This is confederate states
steam ram" | repeated the order Fire