Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1864-01-28
Failure Monitors In the Charleston Fight
Testimony Of their Officers.

J, Testimony O their Officers
Secretary Welles, in bis late report, communicates
If some interesting testimony to the performances o
his monitors in the attempt of Admiral Dupont to TAKE
Charleston We make the folio wing extracts
. Captain Dayton, who commanded the monitor Pas
q sale, says:
At the fourth OF from XIinch guns, was ptruck
in quick succession in the lower part of the tnrret by
two heavy shot, which hug 10 its plates and beams
and forcing together the rails which the XI-nch
carriage worried, rendered it wholly Useless for the
mander of the action several hours being necessary
put it again in working order Soon after it dis
covered that there thing the matter with the
turret itself, which could not be moved, and
nation it found that part of the brass ring un-
derneath it had been broken off, and being forced in
board had damned CLEARING this the turret could
again be moved, but for some time gularlY. lit
tie after very heavy rife shot struck he upper part of
the turret broke all of s eleven plates, and then CLAN
cling upward took the dollhouse yet with such force as
to make udentation of two and half inches, ex-
tending nearly the whole length Of The shot The blow
was to considerably mash the pilot house.
bend il over open the plates and squeeze out the top
80 that On one size was lifted up three inches above
The top which it rested exposing the inside of the
pothouse, and rendering it likely that the next shot
would take of the top itself entirely.
Captain Rodgers, of the Weehawken
Two or three heavy shot struck the side armor
the place. They have broken the iron that it
only remains in splinered fragments upon that spot
exposed.
| The deck was pierre 80 as to make hole, through
which water into the vessel but it not large.
Thirty six bolts were broken in the turret and good
many in the plot-horse but as these are concealed
| by iron lining, l have means of knowing how
many.
Captain WoGden, of the Montauk
desire to say that experienced serious embarrass-
ment in oeuVeripg my vessel in the narrow and un
certain chanUeI, with the limited of observa ton
afforded from the pilot house, under the rapid and
centrated fire from the forts the vessels of the feet close
around and neither compass or buoys to guide
After testing the weight of the enemy's fire. and OBJ
serving the distractions am led to believe that Char
lesion cannot be taken by the naval force present.
and that had the attack been continued it could not
lail to result in disaster.
Commander Ammon of the Patapsco
Forty-saven projectes of the enemy struck the
sell NJ damage done which disabled her, although
injuries received which multiplied would 60 So
Forty belts of the smoke stack were broken and
chain around it will be necessary to its continued
curity
ects of this class making it impossible to fight them
advaptageously to avoid dangers, or to make salts
factory reconnaissance.
Another question of great Importance as relates to
their Efficient employment is the character of the bat
terry If it is proposed to batter down forts with
inch gum then it is quite plain that we have to come
within distances at which heavy ordnance, if employed
heavy batteries against cannot fail In the end to
injure or perhaps disable US.
| Commander Rodgers, of the Catskill:
Twas surprised to ind even with this severe fire,
that these vessels could be much injured in short
a time, two three having passed me during the
ton to which some disaster had happened This yes
sci was struck twenty times, but without any
rous injury except shot upon the forward part of
the deck which broke both Plates the deck pankng,
and drove down the iron stanchion sustaining this beam
about inch causing the deck to leak
Commander Fairfax, of the Nantucket:
Our fire was very slow necessarily, and not half so
observable upon the walls of the forts the rain of
their rife shot end heavy shell upon this vessel
After the third shot from the 15nch gun the port STOP
per became jammed, several shot striking very
the port and driving in the plating it was not used
again.
As the aeet withdrew the forts materially sackened
their fire evidently not wishing to expand their
milton without some result. Certainly their firing was
excellent throughout fortunately, it directed to
some half dozen iron. clads at tme The effect OF
their fire upon the Keokuk together with that of their
heavy rife shots upon the monitors, is sufficient proof
that any vessel could not long have whstood the
concentrated fire of the enemys batteries. am con-
WINGED that although this class of vessels stand
very heavy fire. yet the want of guns will reLder
them comparatively harmless before formidable earth
works and forts. must say that am disappointed
beyond measure al this experiment of monitors over
coming strong forts. 1t was fair trial.
| 1t. Beardslee, of the Nantucket
One rife shot struck on the lower corner OF the Is
inch port, denng the outer plate about and half
inches and bulgiDg the whole thickness much as to
prevent the port stopper from swinging. This shot
was received after the third fire of the 15inch, and
disabled the gun for the rest of the fight, not be-
ing able to open the port. A 0-nch shot struck d.
recy opposite and the top of the turret starting
number of bolts and breaking the clamperng inside
During the action the turret became TANNED. Upon
examination we discovered SIX or seven botheads and
nuts that had fallen inside and into the around
the bottom of the turre rendering it necessary to key
| the turret higher in order to ceer them. Upon at
tempting revove the turret again to-day found that
another had fallen since the first removed. The
pilot house was struck onee square HIT but doing no
damage The side armor was struck nine times-Once
below the water line number of the side plates are
started SO much that another shot in their vicinity
would in my opinion, knock them of One bolt
driven through the iron and is buried 10 the oak One
of the deck plates is started from blow on the side
arraor The smoke stack was rddled in the upper Sec
ions and received five shots in the lower sectionsone,
solid lOnch fell, after striking upon the deck, and
was hurried.
The steam whistle was cut of. The deck plate
cut in twelve places One shot cut through tie lion
and about inches into the beam starting the plate
several bolts and the plankng for feet below
This was directly the Andrews pump, iu the
CINE room. The others not serious The first dis
charge of XV-inch gun blew Of eight of the heads OF
the hoIte securing the muZze box. The discharge OF
the Xnch gun or else the bow of shot on the turret,
lifted one of the perforated plates top: These plates
arc not properly secured. The other turret plates in
the XV-inch port is started about one-tourth OF
an iuch-the pext layer in LEES degree. Two OF the
guides to the XI carriage carried away through,
the gun not being properly compressed. Some o. the
gear to the engine bell disabled at the first fire.
causing trouble and confusion in getting orders promty
convened from pilot house to engine room.
Capt. Downes, of the Nahant: