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

war. Admiral Buchanan's previous ex
perlence with wooden vessels, when BE-
commanded the Merrimac in Hampton
Roads, encouraged him, for the Ten
nessee was much superior vessel; but
he did not have a Farragut to deal with
IN Hampton Roads. Farragut watched
Der approach from the poOp-deck of the
Hartford. When she came within range
the vessels nearest her opened fire, tC
which she paid little attention, continu.
ing IN straight line for the Hartford
The Aenon gahela, which had had heI
bow strengthened and an iron PROV fitted
struck her at full speed, without the
slightest effect on.
THE MONSTER,
but had her iron PROV carried away and
her stem crushed and splintered. The
Lackawanna next struck her with the
same result. Each vessel, after striking,
poured br0adslde against her iron sides
with no more effect than to dent them. The
tennessee kept up murderous fire on
the vessels that struck her, but continued
her course toward the Hartford. When
all was clear between the two fiagships,
they headed for each other at tull speed.
A direct blow was avoided by the Ten
nessee and the Hartford struck her on
the port bow. AS she came under our
port cat-he2d she so jammed the anchor
STOCK as TO cause the fiukes to ly up in
the air, as If in anger, TO tall with great
force on the roof of her easemate. Capt.
Drayton, who was standing on the fore
castle, seeing Buchanan's head above the
hatch on top Of the cRsemate, cried Infer
nal traitorP and threw his field-glasses at
MIN. Lieut.. Watson, at the same time,
fired his revolver at him, and Buchanan
quickly disappeared, Both vessels then
came side by side. We fought the port
battery with solid shot, which bounded
IN the air from her iron sides. clearing,
however, all loose articles, such as rail-
1ngs, boats, davits, flags, ETC., and jam
ming her port shutters so as to make
most of her guns useless during the rest
of the fight. 1t was supposed that at this
time, while experimenting one of his
Jammed ports, Admiral Buchanan was
severely wounded by a bolt loosened on
the inside by the shot striking the out
side. The Tennessee now passed astern
OF the Hartford, and the other ships took
up the fight in turn. The rams gums
did terrible execution on our berth-deck,
killing or wOunding most OF the powder
division. They were replaced by crew
from one OF the guns, while the Hartford
made a half circuit and headed again for
the Tennessee. The position Of the ram
prevented a fair blow, but as the two
ShiRr CAInC bOktJueI We puuISu III DEOdu-
side after broadside OF solid shot. While
very dense smoke envelOped the two
vessels we discovered the Lackawanna
bearing down upon US at full speed, in
tending to strike the Tennessee. Upon
discovering her mistake her engines were
Immediately reversed and-her helm puI
hard starbOard. Her force was broken
and square blow was avoided, but she
struck us two guns forward Of the mizzen
rigging, throwing two guns oyeron deck
carrying away the rail TO the mizzen rig
ging and cutting our side down to The
water. She then glanced off and pissed
under our stern. While this was going
on at the starbOard side, we continued
fighting the ram with our port battery.
The Hartford again separated from the
Tennessee, and after a hurried examina-
ton 1T was found that a large opening
had been made in the side, from the
water up, but that there was no serious
leak. Our three monitors had now ar
rived, their want of speed being their
greatest failing, and were seeking close
quarters with the ram, one on each side
and the third across her stern. An or
binary water bucket could have been put
in every dent made in her by a fifteen
inch shot,. The vessels not engaged IL
ramming formed rough line outside the
monitors and
POURED IN BRoADsIDEs
Of solid shot. The Hartford again headed
for the ram, after clearing the wreck
made by the Lackawanna and mailing G
tarpaulin over her injured side. The Ten
nessee now showed signs OF distress. She
had not fired shot for some time, and
seemed trying to work her way toward
the fort. Everything that shot could
effect had been swept away, and her fiat
hull and battered classmates were the only
targets for our feet. The admiral had
never shown such anxiety in any or his
previous battles. He wanted TO be con-
tinually with the ram, and only left her to
secure better position, or when crowded
by the other vessels. Lieut.. Watson, the
signal officer. was kept busy signaling
the other vessels how to conduct the fight.
The Hartford was again bearing down on
her on one side and the Ossipee on the
other, when white flag was waved from
the hatch on her casemate. The Ossipee
was so close that she with difficulty
avoided collision. She rounded TO and
lowered boat, which received the sur
render OF the Tennessee, after a desperate
fight of an hour. The swords Of the Off
GERS and men were brought on board the
Hartford, and the officers and men were
sent to New Orleans, prisoners OF war,
with the exception Of Admiral Buchanan,
who was sent TO the hospital at Pensaco-
la. Admiral Farragut, would not see him
Capt. Johnston, who surrendered the Ten
nessee, explained that her steering ap
paratus was defective and disabled. Her
smoke stack was shot of close to the deck
and the smoke and heat between decks
almost suffocated the men. Her port shut.
ters, which worked on piyOts, were nearly
all damned by our shot. so that the guns
were useless during the latter part OF the
fight. She was very much denied and
some OF the plating was loosened, but
none of the shot went through her sides.
The white flag caused an immediate
cessation Of firing, and 1t was received
with loud cheers from every vessel. The
feet anchored where we fought, the Ten
nessee among us with prize crew and
dying new Union hag. The Hartford
was terribly torn and riddled in this en-
gagement. On the berth deck the mess
things, hastily laid aside, mess chests,
clothing partitions, splinters, etc, were
all jumbled together, almost covering the
entire deck, while mingled with the debris
were the Killed and wounded Of the
mornings fight, together with those
Of the powder division killed by the Ten
nessee.
THE SIGHT FORWARD
Of the fore hatch was chastity one. After
the tight at the forts the wounded and dy-
ing were placed in this part Of the ship
and made as comfortable as possible.
These were massed together with those
kiliad later nv the Iouupaaen. some that