The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1864-06-10
The Fight with the Rebel Ram Al
bCmarIe.

A correspondent of the United States Ar
my and Navy Journal gives the following
| graphic account Of the battle between the
suHtoat Sassscus and the rebel iron-clad
ram AlbemaIle, near the mouth of Roanoke
river, on the afternoon of May 5. Af,er de :
scr oit.g the operations of the Mattabesett
and Wyalusing, which ended in the surren-
| der Of the rebe! steamer BombShell, the
writer proceeds to describe the encounter he
tween the Ss.,acus and the Ainc,!I ,.le- one
Of the most unusual and reaalkad.e naval
conflicts Of this or any o.her VIZ, in which
the conteuding forces were 50 remarkably
sproportionate, and the resu!; 80 contrary
to preconceived ideas Of iron-c!ad "invinci-
biIity, that i; may justly claim 10 take an
historical position Oh the same page that re
cords the brilliant exploits of Decatur and
John Paul Jones:
The Aloermar!e vas about ei.ht hum
dred yards distant, AID the S.ssacus vas Just
in the position We most desired. Tne ram
appeared to be steaming slowly, as if wait
ing for events, but using her guns rapidly all
the time, throwing 100 pounder Brooke's
rifle shot and shell with spirit aDd energy.
Fortune seemed most favorable, AID cur in
,repid commander, determined to close with
our antagonist, seized the opportunity with
out hesitation, and ordering four bells ="
again, and again repeated, as previously ar
ragged with the chief engineer, who was ac-
quainted with cur design, the ship was head
ID straight for what was supposed to be the
ve@keSt part of the ran, where her casemale
OF house joined the hull. Our fires were
clean, We had thirty pounds Of steam, and
with throttle wide open, the Sassacus dashed
at her grim adversary. We seemed to move
frishtlully slow, but each moment increased
our speed, as the intervening space grew
less, till we attained the rate of nine to ten
knots, when we struck our iron foe a fair
perfect, ri hit angled blow, without glance Or
side. The shock to our ship was not nearly
SO heavy as We expected. Something gave
aay. Was it our ship? Were We cut down :?
No ihank Heaven it was the iron-clad, and
as her bacKhull was forced under by our
b,w, till the water flowed over it from side
10 side, We thought our foe was going down,
and could hardly repress a shout of exulta-
ton, in answer to the ringing cheer with
which cur comrades on the WyalusiDg greet.
ed or bold grapp!e with the monster.
After We struck her, the ram drove a 100
FOUNDER Brookes shot through and through
| her from starboard bow to port side. Our
stem was forced into her side, and keeping
up our headway, We careened her down be-
meath our weight, and pushed her like an
inert mass before US, while, in profound ST.
leEce, our gunners were training their heavy
ordnacne to bear on our astonished enemy.
Now a black muzzle protrudes from the rams
open port, and the leaders of our Parrot
rle, standing on the side, serve the gun
within fifteen feet Of that yawning cannon
mouth. 1t was grand reproduction of the
old dqys Of 'broads;ds TO broadsde anG
yard arm locked to yard but the immense
gus, now grinning defiance across the few
feet Of space which separated thea, each
one carry the weight of metal OF whole
tier of The old tine cannonades, rendered
this duel of ponderous ordnance a magnti-
cent and imposing spectacle.
Still We pushed her, broaa.ide-to, before
Us our engine at full speed, pressing our bow
deeper and deeper into her. Still she gave
way, and now We threw hasty, anxious
glance toward our coDsorts. Were they
coming TO assis, US? Would they seize the
golden chance we 50 nvilingly held out to
them, and pushing on to the monsters un-
guarded side, help US to crush her down out
Of sight forever? Not a sound; not q
movement; not a gun. All was quie: as
the night throughout cur feet. 1t was a
grapple for life. A silent but fearful strug-