Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1864-10-07

AN''I ANsuAhS' tuV bJ DIOsu
sides, but apparently doing no injury t,
the ram. Ships steaming ahead fast A
ga 9 inch solid shot passed through ou
' starboard quarter bulwark, tearing away
a large cavil aud out through our pos
quarter deck, hammock netting. slight,
wounding one man stationed at the engin,
bell.
, a short time previous TO this, tho
monitor iron clad Tecumseh. was seen 10
t, rise somewhat out Of water, and then
sink instantly, y,carrying down all on hoard
except three officers and thirteen men
ten of whom were picked up by the gun.
boat Netaeomet, in the midst OF a terrific
fire. The loss of this noble and formida.
bic vessel-of-war. was caused by a devilish
machine or torpedo exploding directly y
under her bottom. At about $40 the
Tennessee, the most formidable iron clad
ram ever built, and commanded by the
Admiral Buchanan (of Merrimac notorie.
ty) now determined to intercept the course
Of the wooden ships, steamed rapidly to.
wards the Brooklyn.' delivered broad
side, then passed down the line towards
the Lackawana, evidently thinking to run
her down; but that ship beirg fast, with
her consort, succeeded in getting out OF
the way. The ram now passing through
the line. came down across the bows OF
the Monongahea and konnebec. which
ships were steaming ahead fast, in hopes
to run down the monster by the great iron
&c ,t,t, hnronrxo b.In I,,t
succeeded in avoiding the terrible blow,
and swung around the bow OF the ksnne-
bee, passing SO cIosc, that the ilake of our
port anchor became fastened in one OF tho
iron dayits Of the ram carrying it away,
together with her boat, and leaving the
dayit en- our anchor. She passes on
now the | / inch gun Of the kennebec is
depressed and all ready to fire, and a,
the ram is in proper position, the lock
string is pulled, but the primer being de-
tec;ive. the gun misses fire. At this mo.
mcnt the ram fired u percussion rifle shell
from one of her monster rifle guns, which
passed through our spar.etng, water
WAYS, tearing away a portion Of the spar
deoI, went through on to the berth deck
AMI exploded among the men employed
passing Ammunition woundl1g severely
one officer. aud two men tone Of whom
Las since died) and several others slightly.
Alter failing to fire several tlmes more at
u, owing to defective primers, the ram
passed on to iae rear Of the line.
At S.2O the lashings were cut off, and
the ships tsrwei ia two lines. Alter the
ram had got sone distance in the rear OF
The line, turueI and steamed directly back
for the feet, apparently detyng all Of US
10 stop her in her passage up the Bay .
defend the city against any attack We
might make upon 1t; or else her COM
mauder having perfect confidence in her
limpregn.blity, resolved to fight and de-
stroy the whole feet in the bay. Prepa-
ra,ions were Immediately made to give
her all that could possibly be wished in
the way OF fighting. Signals were made,
ordering the monitors and the powerful
steam sloop Nonongahels, (also ra'n) to
run down the Tennessee at full speed"
Then commenced the most terrific naral
battle, hnown 10 the history Of the 'corLd,
comparison with which, the encounter be-
tween the original monitor and the Meri-
mac, OF the capture of the Atlanta by
the Wehawken sink into insi igniiicance.--
In the first OF these, it was simply an in
decisive encounter OF one vessel with an
other IN the second instance four or FIVE
shots from the Wahawken, sufflced to
conquer and capture the Atlanta. But
in this case, it was defiant challenge OF
one monster ram to fight a fleet OF II
vc.sel.-all Of which were well app iuted
Vessels OF war, with the most modern and
improved machiney and armament. The
Mon5ngaheIa being the fastest OF those
srl.cted, was the first to attack. Turning
head on at full speed, she steered boldly
for the rebel ram, and in breathless sus-
pense we waited :or the moment Of collls-
ion. 1t came, but no decisive result fol-
lowed; an Instant, and they separated
ana passed each other, and in passing,
great toagues Of flame flashed from each
TIE Tennessee seemed the least affected
by the collision and kept on her way to-
wards the fleet; while the Monongahela,
apparently disabled, swung off. The next
) antagonist was one of our monitors, which
grim aud black. stood directly for the
rebel who nothing daunted appeared will
lug to accept the new challenge then
another collision, and again the heavy
boom Of great guns sounded through the
air. When the smoke cleared off and We
could see, there appeared to be no dam
aee done to either Of the TWO.
1t now appeared as if nothing but
continuous pounding Of heavy metal upol
, the iron clad sides Of the Tennessee, could
have any effect; and the Brooklyn, Hart
ford, Lackawana, and some one or tive
other of our heavier wooden ships movec
towards her line Of advance, with the
purpose of getting position from wh'ci
, they could pour upon her, whole broad
: sides from heavy guns. Again with val!
or worthy Of better cause.-the issue was
met, and as each of the above mentioned
ships passed the monster, with the muz.
! zles OF their guns almost touching did
they interchange the heaviest FIRE ever de
. liyered from the sides of ship, since
men commenced to war. And now an
, other monitor approaches the scene ol
: oonhict ard agaid collision; again the
! deaiening war Of heavy guns. This ti~'
: ,ha.a .nnea red 10 be some result, which