Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-03-18

the monitor Tecumseh, which went down
with nearly hundred men on board, and
the Philiippi, dispatch boat which
grounded IN front Of Fort Morgan, and
was blown to pieces after the feet had
passed IN. Capt. JOuett, of the Metaeomel
sustained the flagship throughout the
fight, after he captured the Selma, al
though his vessel was too frail to ram the
Tennessee. When an opportunity offered
he would slip in and give her a broadside
OF his l2O Founders. Commander George
Ii. Perkins, who was passing the block
! AIDE on his way North, hearing of the i'm
pending battle, asked to be assigned 20
duty, and was given command OF the
monitor Chickasaw. He fought her we'll.
From the time his guns came in range OF
the Tennessee he did not leave her till
she surrendered. He located, across her
stern, and when she moved, he moved,
and when she stopped, he stopped, all the
time hammering her with IL inch solid
scot, as if determined to make an opening
in that end Of her. He jammed her STEM
port shutters, and is supposed TO have
disabled her steering gear. When she
surrendered, he hauled alongside, and
towed her abreast Of the flagship. ON
that afternoon he went down to Fort Po-
well, and after engaging it alone for half
an hour he brought out the barge lngo-
mar from under its walls. On the follow
ing morning, after engaging Fort Gaines
for an hour, he again went under the
walls of Fort Powell and brought out an
other barge. The Oneida suffered most
at the passage of the forts. She brought
up the rear of the line and received the
full fire from the forts after the other ves-
sells had passed. Her captain. J. Il. Null
laney, had his arm shot of nd was
wounded in the leg. A shell set her on
fro and ha antorp1 har hniIarc anm-
pletely disabling her. The Galena COM
mander, 9. II. Wells, which was dashed
alongside, pulled her through and to an
anchorage with the other vessels in the
bay. Commander j. Ii. Strong, OF the Mon
ongahela, with our own Lieut.. Watson,
were the two most noted for their fine
Christian principles and piety and were
the two
HARDEST FIGHTERS IN THE FLEET.
Strong, who was chaplain as well as
captain of his ship, was the first to run
his vessel against the Tennessee, and con-
tinued to ram and fight her until his own
ship was in sinking condition. Indeed,
it was the younger blood, forming the
middle and rear of the line, that forged
ahead. compelling the vessels that falter-
ed in front of the fort, to enter the bay or
he run down, and afterward calamity
sustaining the flag ship all through the
struggle with the Tennessee. On the
night OF Aug. 8, Commander de Kraft
came in through Grant Pass, bringing the
mails to the Hartford. On Aug. 6 Fort
Powell was Ombarded from Grant Pass
by Commander de kratfGs vessel, and
from the inside by Commander Perkins
| The enemy evacuated that night leaving
a train to the magazine which exploded at
1890 p. m. The Tennessee was not ne
elected. A crew was selected for her
from the different vessels, who immediate.
ly went to work clearing her port shutters
repairing her steering apparatus and put
ting on a new smOkestack. On Aug. 8 a
boat went down 10 Fort Gaines under a
flag OF truce to demand its surrender.
Col Anderson with his staff came aboard
the Hartford and they were received
kindly by the admiral, who took them TO
his cabin. where the surrender was
agreed upon. Our troops occupied Fort
Gaines on the following morning. Gen.
Page, who commanded Fort Morgan, in
answer to a demand for surrender, eX-
pressed a determination to defend the
fort to the last extremity, and prepara'
tions were at once made for its lombard
ment. Gen. Changers troops we're landed
| 4 miles in it's rear and cut off all com
munication. Heavy guns and men were
| also landed from the fleet TO assist the
1 no buC guns NGiG XIV III ROoltAOh
| they opened fire until Aug. 81. Forty
heavy guns and mOrtars, some OF them
within 500 yards Of the fort, kept up a
continuous fire night and day. The Ten.
nessee, which had been repaired, would,
with the other iron-clads, drop down and
shell the fort for a portion of each day. The
feet had been divided into three parts,
each engaging the fort for four hours,
when it would be relieved. After break.
fast on Aug. %. the whole feet took posi-.
ton In front Of Fort Morgan, and together
with the shore batteries made one of the
most
FURIOUS COMMANDMENTS
ever witnessed. During the day several
fires broke out in the fort, and at O'Clock
flames again shot up from the fort, and
there were but few shots from the fort
afterwards. At daylight another fire
broke out, and it was evident that they
were having troubled time in the fort. Al
sunrise the white flag was displayed from
the rampant, and the feet anchored where
they lay. The fort was battered into q
sbapeless mass, and there was wreck and
confusion everywhere. The garrison
troops were worn and jaded, but by their
bravery and endurance they won the re-
spect Of the VictOrs. This victory put
Farragut in possession OF Mobile bay.
This was all that could be done, for there
was not water enough over Dog river bar
to permit our vessels 10 reach the city OF
Mobile. After a short visit TO Pensacola
and New Orleans the Hartford sailed for
New York, aud her crew was discharged
at the Brooklyn navy yard, Dec. "A 1864
Ofthe $50 men that formed her crew when
she sailed from Philadelphia, three yeare
before, but forty remained. Some had de.
serted, many died from the nialarial dis.
eases Of the Mississippi, and the balance
were killed or wounded In battle. Many Of
those that remained will carry the scars
OF that cruise TO their graves. or the Off.
GERS but three emained-Admiral Far.
ragut, Lieut.. j C. Watson and Lieut.. Her.