The Arkansaw traveler., 1882-12-24

force to disable the gunners who had fired them. Al one stage of the light the 1 Miami remained within 100 feet of the ram for thirteen minutes, and gave her a shot every twelve seconds. She fired I 20 shot. all six and nine-inch, the former having chilled ends and driven by ten pounds of powder. and yet not one oi these shot produced the least damage
 The Miami received seven or eight shot from the Albemarie, and had nearly all her bulkheads knocked into kindlings and her decks pretty we'll cleared of everything which could be carried away. One of her worst injuries was inflicted by shell from one of her own guns, which rebounded from the ram to her deck and there ex- ploded. She was leaking badly when the fight vas ended, but she had passed through such fight as would have shak- cn the nerves of Nelson. Every mis- sile which struck her was distinctly felt by every man aboard. and as beams. braces and bulkheads were riven and splintered it seemed as if the vessel was pounding on reef.
 . The Whitehead fought the ram at dis ,ances ranging from 700 to 1000 yards, using her one hundred pounder rified gun with chilled-tipped solid shot. She fired about twenty shot and received two or three, bu, had no casualties and was but little damaged. Her shot. and hers alone damaged the armer Of the ram. out only by denting it.
 The Ceres took no par in the hght worth recording. and consequently came out of 1t without casualties or damages to report.
 IL was getting too dark to see to train the guns before the ram Jeff the field. For more than three hours she had fought the whole federal fleet single-handed, and now retired of her own will. After O clock she codld have steamed out to sea Tn spite of all opposition, but her tender had surrendered and the steamer from which she was to be coaled and provisioned had run away to- avoid capture. The Abe marie had not sufficient coal to last her six hours. and only had provisions enough for one ration. While il cannot be claimed that she was defeated, she was neser,he- less baffied in her original object and was obliged to leave the field to the fleet.
 When the Albemarle Jeff her anchorage to stem down for the fleet the crew were instructed to keep perfectly cool and not let the ooncussion of shot confuse them. IL was given out that the ram was invul- aeFable. and that the enly moment ef danger would be when one of the port shutters was open. Most of the riie-men and some of the gunners filled their ears with cotton, and special instructions were given to keep clear of the sides of the ship.
 'fhe Aibemarie was confident of deieat- ing the fleet and getting out to sea, but after the capture of the Bombshell and the flight of the steamer the ram fought as fl to see how tong=she could endure the pounding. The eonfederates were never satisfied with the results of the fight A craft of her strength and power and so easily handled ought to have sunk two or three of the wooden fleet by ramming and sen, the others to the bottom with her enormous shot. What she actually accomplished was of not the least conse- quenee. She made only two attempts to ram a vessel, and instead of directing and concentrating her fire on one craft until disabling it, she engaged the whole flee, and wasted many Of her shot by wild fr- mo