The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1864-01-23

announcer question Ot great uiipos4aec :. fesa.'
to their efficient employment h the character q" Tue
battery. II It Ia proposed 10 batter down forl'
with 10 inch gsU, then IL 10 quite plain mas ~:
have 10 come within distances at whichneary
ordnance, II employed In heavy batteries agNas'
us, cannot fail ia the e0d TO nare or perhaps dis
able us. X
Commander Fairfax, Of the Nantucket;
Our fire was very slow, necessarily, and hoi >aif
so observable upon the wa!l<eCf the fofss as we
rain of their rife shot and heavy shell was u'l
this vessel. after the third shot from the XV-c
gun the port stopper hecanie ahmed, seVeIai sHht
striking very the port and driving IN ih' plat
ing. II was n used again.
ened their fire, evidently not wishing TO expend
their ammunition without some result. CerIaihiy
their firing was excellent throughout. FoIsuhatey
ii was directed to some half dozen iron clads al
time The effect of their fire upon the ksosHk,
together with that of their heavy ffs siiet upon
the monitors, Is sufficient proof that any one resSe
coald not loH. hare wttkopl til. concen'rdtTofef e q
he enemys batteries. am convinced iia,, a't.ous''
this class of vasses can stand a very heavy hre,
yet the want of more guns VIII render uiem com
parativeIy harmless before Formidable eaftawof&S
and forts. ! must say that am disappointed be-
yOad measure at this experiment OF m0nitonoVer-
coming strong forts. 1t was faif triai'
Lieutenant Beardslae, OF the Nantucket
One rife sho; struck on the lower ofthe L.
inch port, deniing the outer plate about one and n
halfinch, and hulging the whole thickness 80 mneb
as to prevent the port stopper from swinging. MS
rch and disabled the gun for the resi- o the igt,
we not being able to opea the part. iasss b
Shnt struck directly opposite, and Hear tsEsf3 OF
the turret, starting number of bolt aud treaki Z
the clap rjng inside Daring the action the turret
became jammcd. Upon examination, we dlscov
cred six or seven bolt t-heads and nuts that had
fallen inside and iato the RECESS around the bo,onl
OF the turret, rendering re,c2sSaiv to key the tut
ret higher In order TO cea them. Upon attempt
ing tn rsvnve the tufrai again TO DAY, found that
another had fallen since the first were removed
The rii honsc was struck once n qIare hi, hut
doing 10 damage. The side arUOr WAS struck nine
times once below the water line. 4 number OF the
side plat ,s started so much that adother shot
in their vicinity would, in my opinion, knock then,
off. One bolt was driven through TIE ion, and is
buried in the oak One ot The dead plates starIen
foia Li0w ca the side arr;Gr. The smoke stack
was ridded in the upper sections, and received
Ave shots In the lower scciions--o1e, solid 10
inch. fell after striking upon the deck, and
cured.
captain Downes, Of the Nahant
We soon began to suffer from the effects of the
terrible aud believe almost unprecedented fire To
which were exposed, and at 80 the turrct re
iusea 10 .u-l, having come jammed from the ef
fectS OF three blows from heavy shot, two of th
the composition ring about III" base OF the rilo,
house Zone OF these breaking Off piece or iron
weighing seventy eight pounds ffoel the Interior
tGat assisted to keep the house square its beat-
iags, throwing il with such vi !ence T. the othcr
side Of tie house, striking bending, and d iaagii!n
steering gear in its course, that il bounded from the
inside cn,an ami fell hack into the centre Of the
hOuSa,) and the other on the OUTSIDE of tar et,
bulgnc it in and driving of the Is inch apron
bored the inside to keep in place the gun rails
and down the main trace OF t4Irpt.
The bUt heads dying from the inside nf the
pilot house at th; same time struck down the
piio,, Mr. Sof"id, twice struck, and ser=esss; an,
the QuaIt lmasicr. Edward Can':, i,a!El$ina;. IA
ally injuriug wh f;ciufed skull, leaving me-
alGnc the pilot mouse the steering gear hecumi NJ.
at the same lin, di-auangeh. We were within
N,rfsh i,Ii, F.lx lfrE t,f.
ana undcr the concentrated fire OF. | .aiuk, one
hundred guns al short lnge, and The oh>tTuctnns
close aboard. Hut fortunalriy .pt the pfcVem es
steering gear III working order al time to prevent
Gi-a>r"ps results, And getting my vessel once
more under command y,,dcaYo.e.. "a renew ,he
action, after repeated futile Efforts to turn the
guns on TO the fort, concluded Ia retire for time
tom close action and endeavor 10 repair damages
!sTVIATt)G OF A'NoVICd.--A most Interesting
ceremony took place last week a. the Ur-ul;uc
Convent, in Columbia, :. G.. Ths was The rrcop-
i!on of young lady into The community The
C;treltnian, Of sunday, gives the following par,cu-
lars:
The sisters of this institution are bound by their
vows Ia chastity, poverty and obtdience. "A can
did,e fox membership, after bciag aim tied iGto
the cnnTent, passes two yaa.s nnyice, the
end OF which time il is al her option 10 return TO
the world or to assume the fiaai vow which birds
was Miss Fenne, formerly Of Pensacola. SEe
was to enter upon her n0viiate.
Tie ceremony began with The entrance into the
chapel of a youthful candidate and the NJ other :
p2rior, accompanied by procession OF nans, who
walked In double fife, will! isht-i :apeTs il their
hands. The Inter. separating or either side. LEFT
the young lady, with her superior. before the Il fish
Gp. The appearance OF Miss pennei at tais mo-
meut was interesting indeed She dressed as
a bride, in white Italian silk, with orange flowers
In her hair She wore, also, ornaments of rihies
So, in pearl. VBc costume had d beautiful s,,i:i-
CaGce,
Ater a few questions to whet,,er she entered
the convent of her own if-e will, the Bshop in
quiet discourse, proceeded to explain the nature
and objects Of the community. This concluded
the andda,e was led from the chapel by the NJ D.
ther Superior and in very short while was again
conducted back, having In her tref absence ex
changed her bridal robes for the babi! Of the order
Then followed the presentation Of III rosary OF
beads, aud the most touching ceremony Of all -
Pros,ra:i z hcrsefupon the floor The young maiden
c0vered with a black pail, typilying ;Inr death
TO the world. On her body, she lay thus. flow
ers were .irewn as upon CORPSE by several lit lie
girls ayrayFd in white. WHO Stood near.
During the ceremony some beautiful hymns wese
sung by choir Of the youthful pupils OF the insi-
tuition The whole proceedings were full OF So
lemnity and pa,hos.