New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-01-19
Rebel Ircn-CIads BuiIding-Dnugcr Aherd
"A History OF Blumders-A Disaster
A Rcconnoissancc-To v.
Volunteer Engineer


Prom Our Special Correspondent
HLfoy HEAD s C.. Jan. 10, 1864.
Three iron-clad vessels are now in forward
etate OF Completion in Charleston. The Rebels have
three others already finished One of the vessels now
uidinc is modelled upon the plan Of the lronsideS and
asin;ended TO cary each broadde four heavy guns
The other two are Ike the DundeTberg The one last
begun has massive frame Of livc-oak Atechuical de-
scriptiou OF these vessels together with Official ie-
port Of their discovery has been forwarded 10 'sh-
ington from the Amy OF this Department The Navy
ms also been Officially notified The information upon
which these reports were founded was obtalned ~ INC
military authorities.
The existence Oi this new Rebel armament is 10"
proved hey Ond cayil or doubt. -
While the Nnon feet is losing vessels. and i\i"s
idio, the enemy IS putting himself IN cohoi,ion '1 ' "
formidable aggressOr. Unless move IN ne lsN, Ii
TcctOr is shortly BEGUN upon our size the he"> wiz
certainly make raid ont of tie harbor, ana may shA
MANY of our hockading vessels They con slip ont ~
night past oar slOW.saiue monitors, which could not
give chase 10 chem in their passage e. sea- once o e
eatSde line ~ tc hlockadiug fleet the ChaTic'to non
clad war-ship getting singy or IN concert may snA OF
capture our tcts, Els criatim While the Amercun lun
Nc has been smusng itself Ia watching the huilu ma
detention OF Rebel rams in Liverpool the CLYDE rE IN
French ports our Willy and astute cnen! ms o' az
ing himself 10 the teeth i0Y ocean warfare Meal ", 'h'
pn,a aaIsos this Department of Tie South Dave u,'
and ar carried ON upon Peace h-iahsi liHh
Nya Navy Yad Navigator and p,iImonterl M &, unOn
founliuc, who h6s dist nguishcG himself chieh! ~ ms
DELAYS and earned the distinctive title OF the iiine
McCnaran."
A remniscence on this occasion viii not be arn'ss.
When the naval assault upon Fort Sumter. J. SO - p
tember vas in pr par lion the lannehcs 'h.i E'tc 10
convey the brave sailors and marines to thcir undc
served disgrace and unhappy fate, were collected 10y
fhe Admiras order, in broad day light; thus informing
the enemy that he might expect 81 immediate assault
pclt
forces under q responsible commanding officer was
distinctly refused hJ the Naval Commander upon The
ground that Fort Sumter had been summonc, go sur
Tender 10 the Navy" IT, he urged Il to lr taken
by combined force in which the military ann p ooi
mated the nava t uould not be considered as having
succumbed 20 The navy. Fort sumter had been battered
down by the army under Gen Gilmore. mat cnlii 'h
soldier had prepared : stl0ng s'oIHing column 10 ns
sault the ruined fort lie naturally expected /. laye
had the honor Of appointing officer to ead re con-
bined attack. Such privilege should have been DIS by
al Tho rules o. courtesy observed among gentlemen as
wei a. by the comfy traditional between Tho two
brancles OF the national service
With the magnapimi'y tA3t distinguishes Cen. GIL
more. he offered 10 waive lis rights on condition that
che Of n naval officer should be placed INSIDE
sssed enyeoPe ey tho coainander Of The n t. and on
GIMP yu Tilh Inc Lame ~ competent Il NJ 'gg man
81 Placed by him. Tho CHIEF command 10 Ge,9nc uIOL
chat officer of the two thus named who should prove 20
have been longest II The ser'loe irrespective " mere
rank This fair proposal was entity REJECTED Jhe
naval attack fastened forward TO anticipate tact
known TO be imlcncms OF tie par! of the army Ihs
Admiral desired 70 reap all the credit Of the anticipated
event The assault eas made aud had failed fore the
military expedition fairly uudor way. such credit
ss TO be dc.iycd from an event Ike tbs i- gsuy
=
or natriot-wn envy lin. or desire suuti ci from
the fame Of the only achievement he ever devised OF
executed.
On New Years Day the chartered army boat Edwin
Lewis ran upon an oyster bank in the crock between
holly ana Long Islands, broke It's back and ncd Will
water In the absence OF prOfe ssiOnal wreckeIs IL mus
proyo a total loss. The Edwin Lewis YVES sidc.w wheel
tgh.pressuIe steamer. l2j feet long, drawing yerl
Ettlo water, and wa7 very useful a. transport io
stores 10 90 through the inside tracks between th
3narshy islands. when the rough. on MOn0h!
Jan. A. a torpedo intercepted in stono River float
ting down upon the gahpcat faVnce. IL We vi we o
style: a lagerbeer keg. fitted with conlca ends .
wood; charged with powder, and cOntIlyed 80 as =
explode when driven by the current upon he SIDE OF
resse in It's path.
Another style Of torpedo has lately been dug out 0
She GARTH at spot whence the Rebels Ged IN osoIde
after their illstaIred attack Oh the MarhcAead, Of
christmas Day This deViish cCntTiyanoe was place.
where soldiers expected 10 have gone Oh
Gharge at double quick Ia p rapid advance Of skiT
snishers II was Constructed WIN ae,ale &C. fr
80 make which JEFF Davis is laying violent hands OF
trpentiDe in the Southern Conlederscy. IN add toI
10 these q bursting charge Of powder and hlins
of cotton which last being thrown in al directions by
the explosion, end saturated with the burning com
onnd is meant 10 torture more than 10 Kill The ig'
zion of the powder provided for by rct On mate
These diabOlic cOntryences are supposed io be The
hsndiwork Of the late jas. Stewart Of Alabama. for
rnerly teacher OF chemistry at West Point Military
School. NtW-York.
On the sti inst the brave and patriotic commander Of
fhe Pawnee guIboat, lying in Stono River made
Reconnaissance in the T. :. sloopofwar Cimaron To-
ward Legaroyillo, a village on Johns Island, south
ward Of Folly. In this neighbOThOOd th" IeDels n!t
continually trying 10 annoy rear by building bot
teries driving in pickets. attempting 10 scout, and
Other such pettiiOgging proceedings Aiter vigorously
Smelling the woods and making thorough examination
of the shores Of Stono River for considerable distance
the Cimaron returned. She met with no opposition.
By Charleston papers Of the 30ih Of December, We
learn that resolutions have been introduced in The
Rebel Congress az Richmond TO enroll the blacks free
and slave vi the entire ConfedeIacy. Paracoxcally
AZ is proposed that they shall not De armed Another
kesOlutOn has been offered 10 enlist the croOcb %
louisiana ostensbly ~ their urgent and Otreiteraec
requests by ere0cs" is understood the mixed breed
of negroes and those whites speaking other than h,
FDelish language. This measure looks toward th'
fmpressnent Of free cOOTed persons Of African descent
In Louisiana. All such people should. therefore be
come special objects Of and protection on the par
Of the u. S. military and civil authorities Ia the South
West.
The Eew.York Engineers are 10 be increased by tn
enrolment OF 900 Col Serrcl went North upol
the Fulton 20 superintend the selection OF the recruits
No corps in this Department has been more intimate,
connected with the military successes that have beer
achieved than the Engineers. And their Colonel j
worthy Of thcm-worhy too Of the high confidence a'
esteem In which be is and always has been held b.
MajOrGen. Gilmore.
Re-enlstments Of troops veterans under tie heav
Sounties offered by the Government, progress iyOrab
in this Department. The interests OF the service pre-
elude the publication Of particulars to this mat
Ter. q. Il.
Rsuba rdnent of ChaPIeston--A COnstan
Rain Of Shells into the City-Rafsini
Ceiored Troops Removal Of IEeadquar
ters.