The National tribune., 1891-12-10

lion. Among the Things said winch attracted
my attention the most was this statement:
"When Commodore Iugraham assumed COM
mand of the naval forces around Charleston he
built several ironelads attacked and broke the
Federal blOckading squadron, driving the
blOckading fleet out 10 sea-" / wrote a letter
cOntradicting that statement. Perhaps there
are people even at this late date who still be-
lieve that the blOckading fleet was really driven
out 10 sea on that Saturday morning. Jan. 81.
1868, but such was not the case. i know there
was much said about this affair in the Charles
ton papers; how their ironclads had attacked
the Yankee fleet, had captured and sunk some
Of their vessels, and had driven the whole
blOrkading fleet out TO sea; in fact, the block
ade had been raised, according to their story.
But there is always two ways Of telling a story.
Now, happened to DO in that Yankee feet,
and 10 fell 10 my lot TO be on board the vessel
1.-THE Keystone State) that suffered the most ia
that engagement. IL Is true the Mercedita was
captured and all hands paroled and the Key
stone State was disabled that morning.
We were engaged with the Chicora about two
hours, from about Ais in the morning till day
light. The two first shots fired by the Chicora
struck us on the starboard side Just above the
water-line, and both shells exploded on the
berth deck. killing and wOundiug many Of the
men. i had just got out Of my hammock, and
tho explosion Of the shell, which was hut a few
feet from me, threw me violently backward
against the side of the vessel, piece of the
shell tearing my shirt and cutting my arm
slightly near the left shoulder. l was some
what bewiidered at first, having just jumped
out Of my hammock out Of "a sound sleep. In
fact, at FIRST thought the vessel had blown up,
but when got on deck / soon saw what was
the matter. rebel ram was alongside Of US.
So we had it with the Chicora for about two
hours in the dark, blazing away at one an
other.
was assisting at one Of the quarterback
guns on the starbOard side. We soon got TO
know when the ChicOra was going 10 fire. as a
light would appear and then instantly the fash
of the gun would be seen. This, / suppose,
was when she would open her port to fire.
This continued till daylight, when a shot
from the Chicora struck Us on the port side in
line Of the smokestack, which went crashing
through the KeystOne's side into the boilers
Ii is hardly necessary to add that that shot dis
abled us. Instantly the vessel was enveloped
in steam. Up TO this time we had only a lew
men killed, but many were below on the birth
| deck, wounded. being attended 10 by the Doctor.
| The hot steam killed every wounded man be-
! low, including the Doctor and his Steward.
Now. the question is, IL the rebel irOnelads
| ChicOTa and Palmetto State had driven the
| Yankee feet out to sea, why did they not come
| up and take Us INTO Charleston / will answer
| that question myself: Simply because the gun
boats Quaker City, the Memphis, and others
/ had come to our assistance. The ChicOra
turned and left US steaming in toward Charles
/ ton with other vessels of the fleet in pursuit.
/ Surely this did not look much like driving the
| blOckadng feet out TO sea?
boat was lowered from the Keystone and
a hawsor made fast 20 the gnnboat Memphis,
and this vessel steered her course 10 Port Royal
| with the Keystone i'm tow. Ii must be remem-
| bered that this was done in plain sight of the
| ChieOra. Surely no stronger evidence need DO
/ given than this to show that the fleet was not
driven out to sea; but it shows that the rebel
/ iTOncads were afraii 10 meet some of the yes
sells on the blockade that were regular built
/ war VESSELS and carried heavier guns than
either the Mercedita or Keystone State.
| Now that the nc ion over aud we were
/ being tOwed 10 Port Royal, We had time to look
around us and see the sad havoc that had been
| done TO the Keystone State aud her crew. The
vessels sides and deck were torn in many places
by the explosion of shells. We had about 20
men lying dead on the spar-deck, and over
that number lay wounded in different parts OF
the vessel. The marine guard seems 20 have
| suffered most; out of Is men eight were killed
tho Orderly Sergeant, two Corporals and five
privates leaving but five privates out Of the
| guard, and two of these were slightly wounded
| We arrived at Port Royal about sundOwn. The
| first Naval officer to board US was Commodore
Dupont. The New Ironsides was lying at this
| place. having but lately arrived from Philadel.
phia. Commodore Dupont ordered this vessel
| 10 proceed immediately to Charleston. aud she
steamed ont of Port Royal that evening Thus
| ended the affair with the rebel rams off Charles
ton. i never heard of them making another
| attempt to drive the Yankee fleet out To sea
The next day. Sunday, Feb. !, 1863 we buried
our dead at Pay Point-E A. LA Bay, a Ma
rine on the Keystone State, COB Mercy street