The National tribune., 1884-09-18
THE NEW IR0NSIDES.
The Blockade Of Charleston---Bom-
bardment of the Forts.

and more going into the navy, / thought /
would join the latter service.
i joined the frigate New Ironsides, one of
the most formidable vessels we had in the serv-
ice, having been built by Cramp & Son early
in 1862. She was an iron-plated frigate of
$500 tons, and carrying 16-heavy guns-14 IL
inch, and two 200-pound rifles. Her iron
armor was immense weighing thousands of
tons. Her port shutters alone weighed $4,000
pounds, which were raised and lowered by
tackle from the inside. They were for the
purpose of preventing shot and shell from get
ting on the gun deck in time of action These
shutters efectually did their work on several
occasions in the many actions III which this
monster took part before the walls of Forts
Sumter, Meultrie, Beauregard, Bee and others
near the city of Charleston.
This ship was commanded by Capt Turner,
afterward Commodore and ear-Admiral, and
one of the finest men that ever trod a deck
She sailed from Philadelphia in August, 1862,
bound for Fortress Monroe, on a trial trip, with
out spars. Her immense size, weight of armor
and battery compelled the Captain to return
and get in her spars, she being bark rigged.
She again sailed for Fortress Monroe, and
after a stormy passage of four days, reach
ed it in safety. There we relieved the frigate
Minnesota and the original Monitor, which was
afterward lost off Hatteras. We then pro-
ceeded to blockade the mouth of the James
River, lying near the wreck of the frigate Cum
berland and the burnt hull of the Congress.
This position was held by us until the 10th of
January, 1863 when we received orders to pro-
ceed TO Port Royal, and reached that port after
stormy passage of eight days. We immedi-
ately began to get our ship in fighting trim,
and had nearly completed our work when the
Keystone State came in port, bearing the dead
bodies of 20 of her crew and 19 wounded-the
result of an attack the night before from the
Charleston ironclads i'll endeavoring to recapt-
ure prize (the Princess Royal that had been
taken by our fleet.
We Immediately received sailing orders and
arrived off Charleston early next morning. We
found our fleet anchored off the bar notwith
standing the report that the blockade had been
raised by the ironclads. Our ship lay there
with the rest of the bockading squadron until
the memorable attack on Fort Sumter by the
entire ironclad feet, which took place on the
9TH of April, 1863, in which our fleet was badly
worsted. In the attack the Ironsides could not
be controlled by the pilot in charge, and had to
take the fire of Sumter, Moultrie and the other
forts without a return. During this action she
lay over torpedo containing 1000 pounds of
powder, which was attached by an electric
wire in Sumter The party who had charge of
this job fixed the attachment so that it could
not explode, thereby saving over 500 lives.
| The Keokuk, commanded by Capt. Rhind,
| sailed under the guns of Sumter, and was struck
/ 80 times, and hauled of in sinking condition,
| going down next morning without the loss of
a man, all having been rescued by a tug boat
and part of the crew of the Ironsidcs.
! This engagement was one of the hardest that
took place on the Atlantic Coast, excepting
| Fort Fisher, where our good old ship held the
center of the front line, and did some noble
work. In Admiral Porter's report of that en-
gagement think he states that the ironclad
| feetdid more effective work than all the wooden
| feet combined.
After our defeat on the 7th of April, and the
! Ironsides not having fair show in that engage
ment, it was the desire of the crew to have salts
| faction. The Admiral lDupont) was appealed
| to, and he said another attack would be made
| in a day or SO; which announcement was salts
| factory to all-otficers and men. We lay in
| side of the bar commonly called Charleston
| Roads, until the 18th Of April, and no attack
| was made. He then gave orders for the entire
feet TO recroSs the bar and resume our former
| stations. This was looked upon as an act of
| cowardice by the crew of the Ir0nsdes, and
| they determined to treat it as such. When the
Admiral came on board from the James Adger
| this temporary flagship we gave him the usual
| honors accorded to his rank. The James Adger
| lay off the bar and took part in the action.
Ii is customary when an officer of high rank
comes on board for the crew to man yards and
| show him the respect due his rank. When
| Dupont left the Ironsides the usual courteses
must follow his departure. On this occasion
the program was not carried out to the letter.
| All the men were piped up and manned the rail
for we had no spars at this time, being in fight
| ing trim.
The Admiral went over the side and the men
were ordered to cheer by the executive officer,
George 4. Belknap but not a man opened his
mouth. He again gave the order to cheer, but
it was the same. The Captain, being on deck
repeated the order, but all to no purpose-the
minds of the crew of the ship were made up
and the great Dupont sailed away to Port
Royal.
The news of our failure to capture Sumter
and the city of Charleston soon reached Wash.
ington and Dupont was relieved in a few days
by John A. Dahlgren, who held command Of
the feet until the close of the war, and, ] be-
lieve, with satisfaction to the Department !
also believe that the action Of the Ironsides's
crew on Duponts departure from that shif
and his having been relieved soon after by the
Department, preyed upon his mind and brough1
that Admiral to an early grave, as he died &
short time afterward.
Admiral Dahlgren took command of the fee
and displayed much energy, and lost many
hours rest-day and night-in his vigorou.
. campaign against the rebel stronghold, not
withstanding his delicate health
Capt. Turner refused to serve under our new
Admiral and was relieved by Capt. Rowan, nov
!. Vice-Admiral of our Navy, who carried u
; through 25 engagements without the loss of
man, except one officer Ensign Howard), VIII,
was killed by the captain of torpedo-boat
which nearly destroyed the ship. This rebe
was afterwards captured and sent to Fort La
fayette.
do not believe it was the intention of th
Admiral or the Department to capture th
J city or Charleston, for it could not be held b,
the forces at our command at that time. Their
| were SO many heavy guns lining the channel
{ which was very narrow, that it could not b
taken and held without the assistance of th
! army. The port was effectually closed and
blockade runner seldom got by our feet Fiy
out of six were either beached or burnt, re
! suit brought about by the watchful eye of th
! officers and men of the feet.
The monitors did picket-duty during th
r night, and lay between Forts Sumter and Moul
i trie, and would retire before daylight in th
morning. One one occasion monitor wen
!: ashore during the night, and in the mornin
. Moultrie, Bee, Beauregard and several othe
r forts opened on it.
| Admiral Dahlgren ordered the entire fro
feet to the rescue. The Ironsdes being 30
feet long and 15 feet out of water, she pu
herself between the rebel forts and the strande
It monitor which she efectnaliy sheltered wit
d the assistance of the rest Of the ironclade flee
s and saved her from destruction. This actio
d was kept up for nearly two hours, and at th
}. end nearly all the guns in Fort Moultrie an
{ the other forts were either dismounted or dis
! abled. During this action the monitor wa
d working for her own safety, and at high waite
n came off all right and anchored below the fee
t, While this monitor was aground she returne
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