Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1864-01-27

Z IOItA v HlIIIlI2,: SOOI LII "
lieve that Charleston cannot be taken by
the naval force now present, aud that, had
the attack been continued, it could not fail
to result in disaster. =.
81 Commander Ammeh, of the Patapsco:
Forty.seven projectiles: of the, enemy
struck the vessel. No damage was done
which disabled her, although injuries were
received which multiplied would do So
Forty bolts of the smoke stack were broken,
and chain around it will be necessary to
its continued security: -" - -
g. ]. think want of vision one of the most
serious defects of this class, making it i'm.
possible to fight them advantageously, to
avoid dangers, or to make satisfactory re.
connoissance. "'@ % .'''1'5',' =
Another question of great importance,
as relates to their efficient employment, is
the character of the battery. Ifitis pro.
posed to batter down forts with 15.inch
gun, then it is quite plain that we have to
come within distances at which heavy ord.
nance, if employed in heavy batteries a.
gainst Us, cannot fail in the end to injure
or perhaps disable US. .bg@< aAes-1si 2.
Commander Rodgers, of the Catskill {:
I was surprised to find even with this Sc
we're fire that these vessels could be so much
injured in so short time, two or three hav-
ing passed me during the action, to which
some disaster had happened. This vessel
was struck some twenty times, but without
any serious injury, except one shot upon
the forward part Of the deck, which broke
both plates, the deck planking, and drove
down the iron staunchions sustaining this
beam about one inch, causing the deck to
leak. r.. - -. 49, -. -
e Commander Fairfax, of the Nantucket I:
Our fire was very slow, necessarily, and
not half SO observable upon the walls of the
forts as the rain Of their rife shot and heavy
shell was upon this vessel. After the third
shot from the 15-inch gun the. port stopper
became jammed, several shots striking very
near the port and driving in the plating it
was not used again. -. s.ss1 ~
:. AS the feet withdrew the forts material.
ly slaekened their fire, evidently not wish
ing to oexpend their ammunition without
some result. Certainly their firing was ex-
cellent throughout; fortunately, it was d.
rected to some half dozen iron:clads at a
time. The effect of their fire upon the Ke-
okuk, together with that of their heavy
rife SHOT upon the monitors, is sufficient
proof that any one vessel could not long
have withstood the concentrated fire of the
enemy's batteries. I am convinced that,
this class of vessels can stand a
very heavy fire, yet the want of more guns
will render them comparatively harmless
before formidable earthworks and forts.
l must say that I am disappointed beyond
at this experiment Of monitors
overcoming strong forts. 1t was fair trial.
Lieutenant Beardslee, of the Nantucket {:
One rife shot struck on the lower corner
of the 15.inoh port, denting the outer plate
about one and half-inob, and bulging the
whole thickness, so much as to prevent the
port stopper from swinging. This shot was
received after the third fire of the 15.iucb,
and disabled the gun for the rest of the
fight, We not being able to open the port
A 1Q-inch shot struck directly opposite, and
near the top Of the turret, starting mum.
Der of bolts, and breaking the clampering
inside. During the action the turret be-
came jammed. Upon examination, we dis.
covered six or.seven bolt heads. and nuts
that had fallen inside and into the recess
around the bottom of the turret, rendering
it necessary to key the turret higher in or.
der to clear them. Upon attempting to re.
volve the turret again to-day, found that
another had fallen since the first were re-
moved. The pilot house was strack once,
4 square hit, but doing no damage. This
side armor was struck nine times-once be-
low the water line. A number of the side.
plates are started so much that another shot
in their vicinity would, in my opinion,
knock them off. One bolt was driven
through the iron, and is buried in the oak.
One of the deck plates is started from q
blow on the side.armor. The smoke stack
vas riddled in the upper sections, and re-
ceived five shots in the lower sections-one
D solid 10-inch, fell, after striking upon the
deck, and was secured.
The steam whistle was cut off, The deck
plate was cut in twelve places. One shot
cut through the iron, and about two inches
into the beam, starting the plate, several
bolts, and the plauking for some feet below.
This was directly over the Andrews pump,
in the engine room. The others are not Sc
rious. The first discharge of 15inch gun
blew off eight of the heads of the bolts Sc.
curing the muzzle.box. The discharge of
the 11.inch gun, or else the blow of shot
on the turret, lifted one of the perforated
plates on top. These plates are not proper
" secured. The other turret plate, in the
l5.inch port, is started about one.fourth of
an inch-the next layer in less degree.
Two of the "guides" to the 1l.carriage
we're carried away through the gun not be-
ing properly compressed. Some Of the
gear to the engiue.room bell was disabled
at the first fire, causing trouble and confu.