The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-03-13

was packed with the expectant populace
every hour, waiting the news Of the com.
Ing foe. The .house-tops inthe southern
part oil the city, and even on Murray Hin,
were peopled by human beings straining
their eyes to the sea. Excursion boats
made frequent trips far beyond Sandy
Hook. The yachts Of the New York
Club bruised off Fire Island TO watch for
the hostile ships. The daily newspapers
OF the city established telegraph lines TO
all high points on Long Island, and pub;
lished extras hourly. The wild specpla;
tor on Broad street, and even the little
Arab OF the CUTTERS made "pools" on the
probable hour Of the arrival of the enemy,
At the first intimation Of any now phase
in the situation, INGREDIENTS would leave
then business, the bulls and bears their
speculations, and women their homes to
hear what had happened The saluing
guns on the forts startled the masses like
shock morning and evening, as If they
were the yeanDons' opening roar" In good
earnest The excitement Of the political
canvass was. lost, except that men cursed
the administration and dared not hope
better things, Of Davis or Greeley, The
whole city writhed in tho throes OF
deadly fever of anxiety and madness.
THE HOSTILE FLEET IN SIGHT,
Early on the morning of the Esd q
whole fleet OF excursion steamers, tugs,
yachts and pilot boats were observed by
the terrified people desperately stretching
all canvass and putting all steam in the
race up tho Narrows. The whistles Of
the steamers rcsounded, and the guns on
the yachts blazed forth, telling the tale as
plainly as by word Of mouth. The ex-
pectcd enemy was at hand The tower.
ing Commodore had been sighted,
lplunging along off Fire Island, while
nine other huge vessels flying the British
flag had been discerned on herlarboard
bow and astern Of r. At2 o'clock that
afternoon the sullen roar Of the distant
guns was heard at sandy Hook.
Admiral Porter at once sent the Colos.
sus, the Tennessee and the Florida to the
Narrows, himself accompanying them in
tug-boat. The size and number Of the
cnemy's ships forbade any idea OF meeting
them away from the effective assistance
OF the forts, and it had been determined
to make the final fight directly in the
Narrows, where all the guns OF Forts
Hamilton, Wadsworth and Thompkins
could be brought into action simuitane.
ously with the guns Of the ships, and
where 1t was hoped the contracted space
would prevent the enemy advancing
except one at a time. Consequently, BY
3 o'clock Of the afternoon, with the moni.
tor Colossus in the /, middle, the three
American war ships drew up at the Mar,
rows, and there lay waiting for the
formidable foe that had already com.
menced the work of war far down the
lower bay. low '... ... ,. ,s.,...
TIE cANNoN's OPENING ROAR.
The English feet had been twenty days
steamfng across the Atlantic. 1t had had
fine weather and had kept well together.
Ten OF the fleet had been detached to at.
tack Boston Harbor, ten had already
veered away for Philadelphia, ten more
had been ordered to move upon WASH
ington and Baltimore, and there remain.
cd ten to carry out the attack on New
York. Admiral Hayden, in the flagship
Cerebus, remained in direct command OF
the latter expedition, and with his squad.
ron, composed OF the Commodore, Wan
derer, Mmotaur, Fearless, Bellerophon,
Thunderstorm, Agincourt, Briseis. and
Bulldog, all iron-clads, rendezvohsed off
Sandy Hook. The reduction Of the land
battery on this point9was tho work of
twenty minutes. ,Halfsa dozen sixty.
pound shells sent with marvellous acCu.
racy from the guns of the Cerebus and
Commodore wereisufficient to demolish
that frail earthwork, upset the guns be.
hind it, and send the detachment OF ar
tillerymen flying toward Long Branch for
dear life. The squadron at once steamed
up. to the West Bank and threw shell or
two into thatapology Of fortifcatiOn,l
dismantling it with equal ease and,
promptness. 1t being then nearly dark
the whole fleet cast anchor, threw out
picket boats, and waited for daylight to
commence the more arduous task OF pass.
ing the NarrOws and possessing the city
ITSELF One vessel. alone,f the Briseis,
steamed1or and rendered. the night
uncomfortable to the men inthe fortsGnd
on the American ships by Smelling at ir-
regular intervals. yasA heavy fire from all
sides was returned, but in the morning
che British ironclad looked as bright and
serviceable as eyer, while the bulWarks of
the Tennessee were sadly rent. and at
least one gun on Fort Wadsworth was
dismounted ll5g3 a.. piaas. IT,. uL
THE FIGHT IN THE NARRows. .51
The English fleet got under way for the
decisive battle the next morning at about
0 o'clock. The huge Commodore led the
way. The Briseis, having done night
duty, dropped to the rear. The Cerebus
followed the Commodore, with the Fear
less alongside Of her, while the rest Of the
squadron followed In order two and two.
The result Of the encounter between such
unequal forces could hardly be doubtful,
and yet seldom has hopeless battle been SO
desperately waged. All the forts opened
upon the squadron simultaneously. The
monitor Colossus with both her turret
guns followed Immediately, and a second
afterwards the two wooden ships spoke
with their broadsides. The heavy mis-,
siles beat like hailstones upon the thick
hides OF the Englishmen. Whitened seams
where the balls scarihed the paint could
be traced upon their surfaces, but nothing
more. Not ashudder Of the huge bulk,
not sudden stop or dlsarrangement of
machinery, not a started riyet or loosened |
bolt could be discerned. The huge enemy
stalked on amid the deluge Of iron as un.
concernedly 6s q ;fhinocefos hpelted with |
paper pellets. But upon the American |
phfNu and fnrfu thu nEFanf M tho M am x1n 1
fire was eminently disastrous from the
first. The Tennessee and florida had
their sides battered in in twenty minutes,
but still desperately held their ground.
The stonewalls ofFort Hamilton were
drilled and quarried out Of shape, and the
heavy guns upon the earthen battery top.
Piled over ere the battle had ragged an hour.
Fort Tompkins was completely silenced,
and Fort Wadsworth was disabled from
returning more than random shot ere