New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-08-23

deadly voleys. Thus, each succeeding ME passes
Of the range OF heaviest metal tie brave cam
noniers compelled to turn their Inunes away FROM
II and direct their fire the succeeding ME- 90 thet AZ
time more than five, and sometimes less tnan tnres
guns engaged in impeding the progress OF the meet.
But under such disadv the brave defend
els Of the fort give not up the contest
the safe cover OF casemated enbrssurea stand to
pieces the remains Of the LIST Tennessee
Heavy Artillery whose dark and bloody history Is writ
ten every Western battle field, and whose tattered
batte.fag has foated nom Fort Pillow to Vicksburg.
without once being polluted BY the enemy's toucha
There they stand exposed only the reking IRE Of
the heavy ordnance of the enemy bat ~ the email arma
ard Lcaiy hovitzers Of his sharpshooters squatted
o. the x. Iss they ss
hen they will In turn be allowed TO open on the vanc
foe; but aas their pieces are too light 70 PLAY havoc
with the triple curass Of the oncads, and their shot
hound off almost harmless from their sides.
| The disappointment Of the brave men can hardly b
controlled BY their daring leaders. A.. .,..os
Cap.s. johnson and Fisher were. In the absences Of
their gallant and refined Colonel Andrew Jncrsons
Jr thea under orders at Mobile directing their Efforts
But yan vain the hope TO arrest the progress o tns
iron monsters az under full head Of steam put on BY
their officers substitute for real courage they nfs
wildly and at random the little heroic band Which,
covered with the sand Of their unturfed parape WIZ
Dess with rage the passage Of the feet. 90
But bark potent voice. yet unheaId, 10 now adding
its grave and oninous sound 70 the aw ul concert
the Tennessee It is tho hero Of the Merrmao It 10
the Nesror VI modern DAYS the intrepid Buchanan WAC
lets loose the enemy the direfu dogs of war Al
hushed into that awful sound that rings IN our
the precursor and barbinger Of change 0f Tor.
tune II 10 the graz. haired veteran. who, standing
alone on the deck Of the Merrimac sunk the whole Of
the boasted Federal feet at Fortress Monroe and WING
made them pay dearly for the honor 10 have once
him among their bravest commanders. There again he
conrons Them each passes and fearful Of his blows
gives him a wide berth to the eastward, he pours into
them his steady and regular fire. first the Monitors
shyng off to the West at least ITO yards then the eau.
ming past hm in terror much OF his name as MS deeo
One, two, three. then SIX then ten, then tweyes
seventeen pass him afar on aud seventeen receive ~
rvth tha viulra haf
pale face and p0itrOon they rush down toward tbs
western shore far beyond his range W those who Jag
behind two engage the Selma each Of which co1ld hau
her upon her deck fancy jolly boat; three make oR
the Gaines which, in still greater dspropofop PUSHES
in their midst and boldly attempts 70 gr.ppe ,1 NOE
enterprise receiving in few minutes hiteen shvlS
through her hull and machinery, crippled and almoss
sinking sho appears. under the vyifying toueh Oh ~
gallant Bennett " recover mODeat the spasmodio
energies OF dying man; cxricatine herself by SUI
prle effort from the grasp OF her powerful enemy sps
beaches high and dry the solid sand her whole frame
shattered and exhausted by the effort, renders low
rumblng sound, US the death rattle OF a giant.
But yonder yonder near the western shore the Sell
raked fore and cit by the broadsldes Of her anaSo
MSS is swept by their shot and her decks covered win
dead and dying sHs ss ike tn nay paw w %ur"hy falls
into the hands OF the enemy, who triumphanuy ra4.s
their infamous stars and stripes over the immaculate
Meantime. tho Morgan has Rugged in the eastern
shore. and, exchanging rapid shots With two o. the
! -,
the unequal contest aud thus save at least one of QUE
gallant ships, after receiving only slight injuries wen
did sue act the brave ship for a. the Ganes ana selma
were already disposed Of would have been Deset ~
not less than Of the most powerful gupDoat1
With the gallant deed OF Capt Harrison. who on the
same night took up his vessel to Mobile, keeping up
running fire with LLrce Of tie enemy the world 10 as
ready acquanted but what they know nots that wneu
size started and his noble had pledged them
selves their sacred lives and honor to blow her W
| sooner than let her fall into the enemys hands
And now all anxious eyes are turned TOWARDS tho
Tennessee which still In the midst OF the channei'
proudly and detantly to expect the combined ei
forts VI the heavy crafts now lowering on er
TANKS and rear bat she soon realizes the TACT mat they
raid Of her, even In the proportion 81 seven 70
one They intend drive her under the cannons OF the
fort and leave her there until eaten up by the worns
starved OF coal aud provisions she viii fall IN easy
prey into their hands. 80 - Z
awake from deep siumDer aud her whole frame snak.
ing with anger vbrates through the iron nostrs OF he9
powerful machinery, she emlts htsslng sound as Toe
explosion VI her long restrained fury; and suddenly
wheeling round she darts with her utmost 81 eed steI
the miscreants As she steams up westward 10 guess
OF the arrant crew her broad plimsS OF black smoke
and snow white steam rolling back in heavy clouds ~
her wake her pointed ram cleavng the waves IN twain
she realizes the very image Of courage and power CON-
bined aud appears 20 eyes like the Levathan Of
biblical mythology On on she PUSHES and rs she neaTg
the western shore, the enemys Meet seateIs every
dreetionfour towards town. and eleven. with the twd
monitors north and south VI her. Stu she keeps on
her frantic race driving them before her, When sooner
than be beached they finally turn and accept the cha
ienvo There In the midst OF thirteen vessels, two o1
which more powerful than herself with eight guns
against 30 she engages the fight gives the hrst ngna1
aud makes the first charge.
hounds now rusbes and one rips another open
knocks down and snashes third under bis poweriuA
claws then falls back to take fresh spring, and makes
for the vital part Of the yelping curs linus brave
buchanan darts right and lett forward aud rear es
each vessel in turn and though his speed not equal
TO the promptness Of his lion heart yet each time ne
rushes towards one OF them, the Latter hastily backs
beyond his reach
Atlast getting courage. they form around him, al
more than a mile distant. complete senfclrcie sno
Tennessee in the centre and concentrating their ire
upun her hid broadsde after broadside INTO her nanKs.
Yet abe moves not but gives back shot Or snot Dow
for how steel for steel emitting Dire at once from eacn
OF her portfolios. 50 severely pune hing res Oh NEE
eareen over shore. She keeps up the unequa eoh'
test in spite of the fearful odds against her.
| As the conflict was waxing warmer anxious grouos
were formed the ramparts OF the iorts "atcnlns AZ
silence the progress of that unparalleled eh
Ga geent The fort has long since ceased nring except
when contemplate Federal craft formerly the Duch-
end believe thinking no doubt that the entrance wa
free to all up braggingy to seek adntanee snu
heinz Turned over TO the sergeant be, with con.
| temptous smile sent through her heavy 'Brooks,
which soon settled her account when the Morgan de-
tailed PARTY Of men ~ and burn her up, the cteW
having taken to their boats ana escaped
| In the midst of the group stood our General VINO
alone had spy glass and in whose Intelligent ana in-
irresistible features reading the progress OF the
ght far better than with tho naked eyes, Suddenly he
drops the glass from his eye iases n again and IN
Low voice muters 10 himself " She has ceased firing"
And true IL was the noble ship had struok her coors
not that she tired that she was conquered but
as we learned afterwards. because her rudder
chains had parted ana she had become the iners ana
mass unable any longer 10 confront TIE
foe or turn upon the base vuiures who had stood sc
of from her. gathered around like all beasts OF prev
which come to but from the h'ing nesns