The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-01-03

past Fort Morgan whenever the officer
commanding it saw proper to DO 80.
What welwere puzzled about was in re-
gard to the time that it would be done.
We could see that the fleet outside had
been heavily reinforced but we thought
that possibly it was or account OF the
presence of the Tennessee in the lower
bay. Still we were not surprised when
on the morning of the 9th day of Au.
gust, 1864, ne saw the Federal feet NOV.
Inc in double line straight for the chan
mel. 1t. was magnificent sight, but by
no means pleasant one to the Confed.
crates stationed at the land batteries and
on board the Tennessee and her frail
wooden tenders.
The advancing fleet numbered eighteen
vessels in all, fourteen of which were
| wooden ships of war, not man traps like
our own, and four monitors.
| Two Of these monitors, the Tecumseh
and the Manhattan, were far more pow
erful vessels than their predecessor of
Hampton Roads fame, for each carried
two 15.inch guns instead of 11-inch guns
like the old Monitor. !, The other two
! monitors we're double. turreted and
mounted 1l-inch guns. ~ -
The enemy's wooden ssssels were
dashed together in pairs, So that if one
should happen to be sunk the crew might
be rescued by her consort. They. came
steadily on, answering with their thun.
dering broadsides the fire from our land
batteries and vessels. If only they could
be made to stop and fight it out, the old
adage that zone gun ashore is worth ten
afoat," would still be made to hold good.
But that, very properly, is no part of
Farragut's programme, and the Federal
feet moves rapidly on.
Suddenly shouts of triumph are heard
| from our water batteries. There are only
three monitors where moment ago there
were. fourl One of them has suddenly
disappeared beneath the waves. Sunk,
perhaps, by torpedo.
The monitors were steaming in advance
of the enemy's wooden vessels and near.
er than the latter to the Confederate bat,
teries. The sinking of the monitor was
followed by pause in the advancing
feet. the pair of vessels in the lead,
which, we afterwards, learned, we're the
Brooklyn and the Octarora, stopping to
signal.
Then it was that Farragut displayed
the impetuous bravery characteristic of
him. His flagship, the Hartford, with
the; Metaeomet, commanded by the GAL
liant Jouett, lashed to her side, was the
second in the line, and they dashed on
past the halting Brooklyn, and were soon
out of reach of our 6re. &;
Tie Tennessee made for the Hartford, J,
withfthe aope Of ramming her, but the
latter had the heels of us. Want Of
motive power was the great defect in the
Tennessee. The Hartford being safely
in the bay, We gave our attention to the
rest of the feet that were now rapidly
following the lead of their Admiral be.
yond the reach iof our shore batteries.
Owing to their vastly superior speed,
they eiuded all our efforts to rap them.
and got safely in.
z &. OUR WOODEN aUNBoATs. ~.
The Selma, Capt. Murphy, had gal
lantly taken position ahead of the Hart.
ford and Metacomet, and kept up rak-
ing Sire on them during their advance up
the bay, but finally, she was compelled
to trust to her heels for safety, and even
then she trusted in vain. The. .Metacom-
ct soon overhauled her and forced her, to
surrender. The last she'll fred at@the
Selma struck down Lieut.. Comstock, the
brave young officer who commanded her
broadside guns. A fragment of the shell
tore sway his breast. "Stand to your
guns, men p were the words that he
barely had time to utter ere he fell for
ward dead.
Z Capt. Bennett in. the Gaines had
fought his ship until she was on the
point of sinking under his feet. Then
he beached her, set her on fire and es-
capped with his crew in the ships boats.
The Morgan had not received scratch
and there was talk of court martial,
butt probably athe crowding of great
events towards the close of the war pre-
vented ;it.is49 &C. -,
..1NTo THE JAWS OF DEATH"
VI The enemy 8 feet-were now anchored
perhaps couple of miles mp the Bay,
while the Tennessee lay at anchor off
Fort Morgan.
What was to be done with her?
As. q regiment is to an army corps, so
was the Tennessee to the feet that had
just entered Mobile; Bay
Ninety:nine men out of hundred
would, in BnchaDan's place. have de.
lciaed dthat the ship should remain where
she was and share the fate of Fort Nor
gan.
Not so with him. All retreat had been
cntDffsfor the Tennessee. She was like
2 man doomed to die, and the brave old
Admiral determined to sell her life at
the highest, possible price.
S The Tennessee got under way and
steamed directly towards the great hos.
tile feet. Like the charge of the Light
Brigadef 9at Has not war, but specta-
cle.H There was speedy signalling from
the; senemy's flag ship, followed by the
slipping OF cables and the movement of
the whole feet towards u.s.. Two Of their
heaviest vessels, running nearly at full
speed, one after the other struck US
:amidsbips with their iron .prows. The
"knuckle" saves us and ne keep on our
course, heading directly for the Hartford
and saluting her with our bow gun as we,
neared her. She two was making straight
flor us-the. two old Admirals were com.
ing to close quarters truly but just in
time the Hartford very properly sheered
clear of US. AS the.two vessels passed
one another, close aboard, the Hartford
delivered broadside. We tried to re-
turn the. compliment, but. two of our
three guns missed fire.
By this time the whole feet were
tumbling in upon us, freely using their
prows aud their great guns. Against the
former the knuckle still protected us, but
the latter soon reduced the Tennessee to
helpless wreck. The rudder chains
were gone, the armor had been crushed
in by the 15.inch shells of the enemy's
monitor, and the gallant old Admiral
lay wounded by the fragment of she'll.
| Nothinp remained hut to surrander. and