Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1864-08-17
ERIpAY. Aug. z. 1854


pee, Monongahela, Oneida, Galena, Port
Royal, Metacomet, Octarora, Seminole
Itasca, and the Monitors Tecumseh, Man
haitian, Chickasaw and Winnebago, and
the Admiral's steam barge Loyal, got un-
der weigh at the anchorage off the entrance
to Mobile Bay at Sunrise, the Monitors in
advance, and the wooden vessels going to-
gether in pairs, the flagship taking the lead.
When within point blank range of Fort
Morgan, the vessels ahead were slowed
down to enable the line to close up, and at
this time the fort and rebel vessels opened
fire on the fleet, which was returned from
the one hundred-p0under PARROTS placed
on the bows of our vessels in the advance.
The Admiral waited until directly abreast
, of Fort Morgan, when he delivered sue
cession Of brOadsides from the nine-inch
guns of the Hartford with such precision
and CALLING effect that the rebels were
driven away from their guns, and the water
battery and fort were silenced. At this
time the Monitor engaged the rebel iron
clad ram Tennessee, which was discovered
lying in position to advance on our noble
Admiral.
At this moment the Monitor Tecumseh
struck torpedo, and was seen to rise and
disappear beneath the water almost in
stantly. The firing now became terrific,
and the fleet, although steaming ahead at a
full rate of speed, was completely envelOped
in flame and smoke. The rebel ram made
several attempts to run our passing vessels
down, but failed to do so, and in the midst
of all this boat was lowered from the Me-
tacomet, to pick up the survivors of our ill
fated Monitor. 1t was a beautiful and ap-
palling sight to witness this boat rowing
around on its sacred mission to rescue our
drowning men, with its beautiful flag flow
ing to the breeze, and the missiles Of death
and destruction striking and ricochetting
all around it. But the gallant officer (an
ensign, whose name / forget) heedlessly
kept on his way, and succeeded in rescuing
the pilot, one of the officers, and three men,
belonging to the Tecumseh.
With the exception of the Monitor our
fleet had by this time succeeded in passing
Fort Morgan, only TO be subject to CALLING,
raking fire from the three rebel gunboats-
Selma, Morgan and Gaines.
Our vessels, which were secured togeth
er in pairs, were now cast off, and the en-
gagement became general, which in short
time resulted in driving the ram and two
gunboats under the guns of Fort. Morgan,
while the Selma steamed up the bay, with
the evident intention of escaping to Mobile
After a chase of about forty minutes the
Selma hauled down her flag to Capt. JAR
rett, of the Metacomet. On boarding her
the cause of her surrender was soon appa-
rent-the decks were covered with the dead
and dying, and her scuppers were running
with their blood. Among others / recog-
nized the body of Lieut.. Comstock, with
his bowls torn out and lying across the
breech of gun, which he was engaged in
sighting at the time OF his death. He once
belonged to our navy. Language is not
adequate to describe the soul-stirring cheers
which went up from the throats of our
brave tars, and was re-echoed from one
vessel to another all through this terrible
ordeal; and our brave, noble Admiral has
eXemplitied in this fight that his theory of
''iron hearts and wooden ships" is correct
one.
At this time, while our fleet, with a few
exceptions, had collected together on the
west side of the bay, in the direction of
Fort Powell, and out of the range of Nor
gan's guns, the ram Tennessee was discov-
cred steaming in the direction.
The Monitors closed with her when in
range, and one of the most interesting naval
engagements of the war succeeded, and we,
in the smaller wooden vessels, were the
spectators.
A fight of some minutes ensued, when
Admiral Farragut, anxious to close the en-
gagement in summary manner, started
toward the Tennessee at full speed; at the
same time Captain Strong in the Monon-
gahela, struck the Tennessee amidships,
and withdrew in time to give room to our
Admiral to grapple his antagonist, Bu-
chanan. When the smoke cleared away
from the two vessels, white flag was seen
to wave from the Tennessees pilot house,
in token of submission, and Captain Jeraud,
who went in as volunteer on the Ossipee
as a representative of Admiral Farragut,
received the sword of Admiral Buchanan,
and that terrible engine of destruction
was ours, although gained at a great loss
of life.
Our loss in this fight is about two hun
dred and forty wounded, including the
brave Captain Cravens of the Monitor, and
one hundred of his crew, who went down
with him. Admiral Buchanan, of the Ten
nessee, was shot through the leg, below
the knee, and the leg will have to be am
putated.
Fort Powell, in Grants Pass, was blown
up last night after dark, and Fort Gaines
will soon follow. The rebel gunboats,
which sought protection under the guns of
Morgan, will be destroyed or captured by
our Monitors to-day, and the investment
and capture of Morgan must follow.
We have, by this great victory, effectual-
ly closed the port Of Mobile, and its cap
ture is only question of time, and Admi-
raj Farragut and the gallant officers and
men under his command, have established
another claim to the admiration and res
pect of their countrymen and those who
love liberty.
From The New Orleans Picayune, August7l
We are indebted to the courtesy of an
officer of the navy, who witnessed the ma
val engagement in Mobile Bay on Friday
last for the following interesting particu-
lars:
Between seven and eight o'clock on that
morning, the fleet moved in the following
Order:-Four Monitors and fourteen wood
EN- vessels, the Tecumseh leading the for
mer and the Hartford (flagship of Admiral
Farragut) the latter, advanced. The Moni-
tors were the Tecumseh, Manhattan, VIM
nebago and Chickasaw. The wooden ves-
sells followed in pairs.
The rebel ram, the Tennessee, and gum
boats Selma, Morgan and Gaines were w.
ing in wait under the guns of Fort Morgan,
ready to attack the Federal feet as it ap-
preached; it opened upon them with grape
and canister-the Hartford and other vessels
with such severity that nothing could
withstand the force Of the terrific attack.
The gunners Of Fort Morgan, in the mean
time, were driven from their guns, so fierce
was the. fire from the Federal fleet.
The Tecumseh, in passing the forts was
blown UP by the explosion of a torpedo.
The captain and all on board, with the ex-
ception of ten, sank with her. The Confed-
crate ram Tennessee, after first attacking
the fleet as it advanced, seemed to return
for shelter under the guns of Fort Morgan;
but after the fleet had proceeded some dis