The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1864-09-08
THE LOSS OF THE STEAMER GAINES.

Gold in New York, on the 81, was quoted at 2iih
THE LOSS OF THE STEAMER GAINES.
The following official correspondence, relative to
the loss of the steamer Gaines, will be perused with
interest
MOBILE, Alabama, August 8, 1864
The Hon. S. X. Mallory,
Secretary of the Vary, Richmond Virginia
Sir 1 have the honor to submit report of the
part taken by the Games under my command in
the action of the 5th instant, off Fort Morgan and
the circumstances which led to the Bleaching and
abandonment Of the ship.
The Gaines cleared for action about 30 A.
NJ, and in obedience to signal from the Admiral to
g follow his notions waited for him TO open upon
the advancing eneany-advaIsring 18th four moni-
tors in line ahead and fourteen wooden vessels by
twOs, each large ship having smaller one lashed to
her port side-the whole forming one complete line
of battle. AS soon the Tennessee delivered fire.
the Ganes-having placed herself next the Admi-
ral--commenced at about two thousand yards dis
tanee with her pivot guns upon the leading wooden
ships supposed to be the Hartford and her consort
at about 65O as nearly as can determine and con-
tinued TO deliver raking fire upon the leading
wooden ships until their passage past the fort
She then made one circle to prevent too close action
she was lying nearly i'll the track Of the ad-
yancing feet-and afterwards steered in nearly
parallel lines with the enemy distances gradually
diminishing, until she was within at least seven
hundred yards, and engaging with her port guns.
The enemy being now clear of the fort, was ena-
bed to direct attention exclusively to our little
squadron Early in the action shell exploded near
the steering wheel, wounding the two stationed
at it, and cutting the wheel-rope The ship was then
steered with the relieving tackles until the after
whcelropes could be Shortly after this it was
reported that the forward magazine filled with
smoke, anu thought to be on fire. This, on examl-
nation, luckily, proved mistake An eeven-inch
shot had entered the stan board bow, striking the
deck above the magazine, had broken it III, and
made 50 much dust that the gunner's mate, serving
powder Ill that magazine, thought it smoke, and be-
lieyed from the shock and dust shell had exploded
and fired that part OF the ship. He reported ac-
corlingly. This oceasioned>a short delay in the
serving OF powder to the forward division. The fire.
men of this division, with hose and buckets, went
promptly TO the spot, under the executive officer and
soon discovered the mistake About this time the
ship subjected to a very heavy, concentrated
tire from the Hartford, Richmond and Others at
short range, as the enemy passed me. Nearly their
whole fire seemed for time to be directed at the
Gaines The after magazine was now discovered
filling with water. Went below to examine it, and
found much wafer had accumulated i'll it, and was
rapidly increasing Not being aware of any shot
having entered near the water, that part of the ship,
and being unable to see any damage upon lnspec-
ton from the side which could have caused such II
leak, directed the executive officer with the car
penters mate to get into boat and make examina-
ton of the counter.
He found shot had broken i'll the outer planking
under the port quarter about the water llne and
which, from marks, seemed to have glanced below
i'll the direction OF the stern-post This could not
be stopped by OF the imp0sSiblty vi getting
to it, because of the flare of the counter AS this
break could not have caused all the water which
flowed into the ship, am OF opinion that 1t was
IA shell which caused the break, and had probably
exploded below water, under the counter, and had
started the timbers the stern post the ship had
received shock during Encouragement which shook
her from stem to stern, being much more violent
than that Of shots passing through. The bge pumps
were immediately worked, but there was no water IN
the engine room. Finding the magazines rapidly
filling, also, the after hold and shell room with no
water III the engine room, caused the after bulk
head of the engine room to be knocked down. SO as
To allow the flow Of water TO the bilge pumps. BY
this time the stern had settled some and the steering
became difficult. Under these circumstances, de-
terlnned to withdraw from action The enemy's
fleet had now passed.
| Finding the ship would sink in q short time and
thinking might be able to reach the shore, now
about two three miles distant, withdrew from
| action and made the best Of my way towards the
fort, steering the ship principally with the side
wheels which position reached without embarrass-
ment from the enemy thankful to an opportune
| Iain-squali which shut me- from view-and placed
her bow upon the beach, within five hundred yards
| Of Fort Morgan, at about $50.
am happy to state there no confusion nor
panic under the circumstances OF our position, but
| that every work was done with deliberatlon and
| without undue excitement. The ship delivered
! lire to the enemy at the moment Of striking the
| shore.
| At the time of beachng, tho magazine was nearly
filled; had caused all the powder to be removed
to the cabin; the shells were removed as rapidly a.
possible, but not before many of them had become
submerged. The usefulness of the ship having been
destroyed by the enemy, 1 devoted myself and crew
to the preservation of all valuable materiet; and
landed all the powder, shell, shot, gun equipments
| &c, which gave to the general commanding al
Fort Morgan, to whom thought they might be use
| full i'll the expected siege. The were then
landed, with their bags and blankets, musk ets cut
/ lasses, and small-aIm ammunition, and the ship
abandoned at IL o'clock with her battle-hags flying
/ and her stern settled far it could-about two
/ fathDmS [ did not SpIke the because they
could be secured by the fot and could not be taken
| by the enemy
Having thus left my command, it became neces.
sary to devise retreat Tor my crew-they We're mol
necessary to the fort, as waa informed when Of
fered their services. Already l had secured two
boats belonging to the Teunessee-leit by her at an
| chor, and with four boats Of the daines-One hav.
| ing been destroyed by shot left the fort at {
/ O'Clock r NJ and reached Mobile at o'clock A NJ
| on the 9th, with hundred and twenty-nine otf-
GERS and men, small arms, &e, and SIX boats; passed
the enemys fleet without observation, and reported
myself and to the senior officer for further ser
| vice. Not a man was lost by struggling, and
| brought up the wounded. The dead were buried on
the afternoon of the 5th in the forts burial ground
| We had only two killed and three wounded. The
surgeons report of the casualties herewith ELI
| close.
| Whilst running the gauntlet up the bay, became
apprehenSive OF capture, of being forced T. land
| and make march to Mobile the Morgan was being
| chased by the enemy; as knew it was her intel-
tion to pass near the Eastern shore, and could set
l
/ upon the boats. Under these circumstances, deem
ed it prudent to drop the signal book into the sea-
| l did SO.
The officers and crew of the Gaines, for about ten
or fifteen minutes, were subjected to very heavy
| fire from the enemy at short distance, and, ali
proud to say stood it with great gallantry There
were two or three exceptional cases only. Without
1 casting censure upon any by my silence, cannot
withhold the expression Of my thanks to Lieutenant
| PAYNE, Passed and Assistant Surgeon lglehart,
| Second Assistant Engineer DeBois Gunner 0ffutt
| and Paymaster's Cleik Wilson, lin charge Of tl,s
supply Of shells to after divison for their examples
| OF cooness and gallantry under the trying circum
| stances of this combat against an Overwhelming
force, and the influence it must have had among the
| crew, most Of whom had never before been III ac-
tion. Frequent interviews with these officers caused
/ me to regard them with admiration
The ship received seventeen shots In her hull and
snoke-stack of these, only two can be said to have
caused her any distressthat which caused the leah
and the cutting the wheel ropes.
As is usual and proper when a ship Is lost, bee
the Department to order court vi inquiry to nyest
gate the causes which led to the abandoning Of the
Gaines l am, very respectfully,
Your ubedient servant,
| j. W. BENNETT, Lieutenant Commanding.
1 CoNFEpERATE STATES OF AMERicA,l
NAVY DEPARTMENT,
/ Richmond, August 2S, 1864.
| Lieutenant Commanding j. " Bennett, Poc,soaa
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