The National tribune., 1882-04-01
lCoSCLUSIoN.l
OUR FIRST FIGHT

lCONCLCSION.l
OUR FIRST FIGHT
was at the mouth of the Ogeechee River
where Fort McAllister stood, about twenty
miles from the city of Savannah. 1t was in
February, 1868. The iron-clad II0ptduk
had been making demonstrations i'll that
locality for several days, and by firing across
neck of land had succeeded in sinking the
confederate privateer Nashville, which cir
cumstance encouraged us greatly. At about
nine o'clock one morning We moved up To
attack Fort McAliister. The PaSSaic led
and was closely followed by the Montauk
and PotGpscO. In our naval attacks the YES
sels usually took position according to the
rank or seniority of their commanding Off
GERS. Our vessel led, because Captain Dray-
ton was the senior officer, and as no higher
officer than himself was present, he command
ed all three vessels. When we came within
1900 hundred yards of the fort our further
progress was barred by line of piles driven
diagonally across the river. / would sug
gest that each iron-clad of the future should
be provided with machinery for removing
should be a vessel expressly equipped for
such service. Having got that far, and not
being able to get any further, We anchored
and commenced banging away. / don't
think we did much damage We cannon
AIDED until 4:30 in the afternoon, and fired
away great deal of costly ammunition
We knocked a great deal of sand out
of place, and then knocked it back again
Two guns in the fort were dismounted The
enemy fired steadily in reply. The PaSSGic
was struck twelve or fifteen times by shot
and shell, but bore the terrible thumps with
out apparent injury. Once during the day,
in company with two other officers, stepped
outside the turret to watch the effect of our
shots, but a party of sharpshooters crept
down through a swamp on shore, and speed
lily drove us into the turret. Late in the
afternoon our little feet weighed anchor and
started down the river to its old position.
When we had proceeded in that direction
about half mile, mortar shell fired by the
enemy struck the deck of the PdSSaic and
made small hole. 1t did not strike advan-
tageously, nor explode and hence the dam
age was not serious. 1t came to us like a
surprise party, for we thought the battle
was over, and all our officers and a large
portion of the crew were airing themselves
on the deck at the time. In the whole DAYS
fighting, to the best of my recollection, not
a man on our feet was killed or wounded.
Probably none of the enemy were slain. It
was good deal like two men in complete
armo1 beating one another with sand-cIubs
TIE GRAND ATTACK ON CHARLESTON.
"On the 7th of April, 1863, we made our
grand attack on Charleston. Seven monitors
and the ironclad NeW IronSides had crossed
the bar on the previous evening At about
o'clock on the afternoon of the 7th Captain
John Rodgers now Rear-Admiral) led the
way in the WeehG,oken. Our vessel was the
second one. We started forward in single
file, according to the seniority of captains,
and moved up to within 500 yards of Fort
Sumter The feet was commanded by As-
miral Dupont, who was accounted one of the
best officers in the navy. He had taken Port
Royal, and was then in the zenith Of his
glory. Everybody in the fleet expected that
or no Instructions, even if we lost a monitor
or two. When the distractions were reached,
however, we were halted, and, encircled by
500 pieces Of confederate artillery, began our
vain battle. If the command had been given
to 90 through the distractions, the task
would have been accomplished. Dupont
lacked the nerve for such business He had
brave feet, but, taking counsel with his ex-
treme prudence, adopted what was really
the most desperate course. He kept Us there
under that tercely concentrated fire ard ac- !
compllshed nothing. The Pds3dicwas struck |
elghty-four times Her piiot-hosse was
DuIged IN and looked as though it had been |
struck by an anvil. The turret and guns
were disabled, and orders were signaled to |
US to retire. After we got out of the enemy's !
range there was at least half ton of broken |
shot and shell on our deck. The battle WAS |
well contested, and under ordinary eircum- |
stances the country would have been toleroblv
Batisfied. Expectations concerning the mon
TORS had been aroused to such AN ex+r.r,o
pitch, however, that Dupont was shelyed.
and he died soon afterwards. In the feet
that night the greatest disgust prevaiTod
and opinions concerning Dapont were 90
freely expressed, both by officers and mon
that the language was almost mutinors
The battle lasted an hour and 3 half, and NOT q
man in the feet was killed or wOupdaa III.
Ecokuk was badly damaged, but not TO a
serious extent. A good many holes were
knocked in her deck, and they should have
been plugged up that night. The matter
was neglected, however, and she sunk the
next morning at o'clock. The weather was
rough, and the surges swept her decks and
she soon went under No lives were lost.
The damages to the PGSsaic necessitated a
"trip to New York for repairs. But for the
Instructions in the harbor the feet could
have gone straight up to Charleston. The
artillery fire would not have stopped uA