The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-02-13

rear and off from its bed. That meant gun
No. disabled. The after turret was untn-
habitable and the gun damned.
Turning again to Forrest, ventured to
remark that could see no use in our stay
ing where we were any longer. l accord
ingly worked my way clear of the FIRE and
back TO the old anchorage, where most of
the vessels bad already arrived l soon
stterward reported aboard Duponts flag
ship and told him that had one plate torn
of for a distance of three feet close to the
water line and that there were eighteen
shot holes IN the region of the water line.
l also said that the vessel was rapidly max
ing water and should a sea come up ls was
doubtful il she could be kept afloat. The
/ next morning, at 4 O'Clock, a heavy sea
swell came ia and the Keokuk sank at her
anchors.
IAN the clothing possessed. with the ex-
ception of what l wore in the fight, lost
with the ship, and knowing that it would
take some time for the fleet to repair after
its first repulss, l asked for q two weeks
! leave of absence in order to refit. Dupont
| directed me TO carry north his dispatches to
the governor, and as the order answered
| the purpose Of enabling me to get a new
supply of clothing, it served in lieu Of
| leave of absence.
81 proceeded north on board one of our
| transports the day after the fight. Forrest,
my executive officer, / took With me. In
! ficer was permitted TO retain, If ne saw fit,
/ his first Lieutenant taking him with him
wherever he went.
"On .reachiug Hampton Roads l tele-
| graphed to the navy department that l was
| bearing Duponts dispatches. At Hampton
| Roads 1 learned of the intense excitement in
the north over the reported failure of the
| monitor fleet to silence Fort Sumter. The
| people, was told, would not believe the re-
| ports Of failure, nor we're the meager re-
ports which had been received in Washing
| ton fully credited by the government. On
points dispatches which bore were meager
| in the extreme. They told enough to make
plain the future Of the monitors, but the
details Of the engagement were almost
| wholly lacking. This was only natural,
owing to my hurried departure from before
! Charleston, and to the fact that, when l
left, Dupont had not received all the official
reports of his various captains.
| Realizing that l should be inundated
with queries and demands on reaching
| Washington, and fearful that l might in
some way commit my flag commander,
| decided to write out brief statement Of
the fight as l had seen it, and then to say
nothing beyond what l had written. This
| statement | wrote out on my way up the
| Potomac.
when reached Washington I for the
| first time fully realized the crushing effect
| which had been produced by the news from
| Charleston. wAssurrounded, but managed
to make my way after some delay to the
navy department. l was at once shown be-
fore Secretary Of the Navy Welles.
"Mr. Welles' face showed plainly the dis
appointment and consequent anxiety which
Dupont's report had produced. The old
gentlemen struck me as appearing very
feeble. He greeted me cordially and asked
for details l expected this latter demand,
| and determined that I should say nothing
I n.
l consequently Owed into my pocket, and,
pulling out my written statement, handed
| it to Mr.. Welles with the remark
There, Mr.. Secretary, is all l know of
the fight. You will find all the information
can give you Of the engagement in that
statement
1.-THE old gentleman took it, read il, and
| had about finished reading when in burst
Gustavus Fox. Assistant Secretary of the
Navy. Fox had just heard that l had ar
| rived, and was eager for news. He wanted
the details OF the fight, and in pretty gen
eral way did a good deal of talking Mr..
| Welles continued reading my statement,
and, when he had flushed, quietly handed
| it to Fox with the remark:
"'Commander Rhind will only state what
his report here contains
| Fox glanced hur iedly over my state
| ment, and then exclaimed
| THE President wishes to see you. He
has sent word TO say that he wished to see
you as soon as you reached Washington
"'Then we will go over to the white house
at once, said old Mr.. Wellss
"a few minutes later we were before the
| President Mr.. Lincoln looked anxious and
| careworn. The deep earnestness of the man
| impressed me at the first glance. 1t was the
first time l had ever seen him.
{" is it true he asked, that the monitors
| could do nothingP
"'Quite correct, sir answered.
90! but something must be done, he said,
and he said it so earnestly that felt for
him. For moment every one was silent
until the President, with q determined slap
of his hand against his leg, declared: 'Some-
thing must be done. We must take Charles
toni
''Old Mr. 'Wellesshad in the meantime
stretched himself at full length upon a
lounge. He appeared tired out with care
and anxiety, but he Strengthened up at this
remark
"'You can never take that place, Mr..
| Lincoln | said, with monitors. Nothing
short of a combined land and naval force
will suffice TO reduce Charleston
"'But Sebastopol,' broke in Fox, was
taken by British feet, and Sebastopol
| mounted 1870 guns.
"Now, Gus Fox and l had been midship-
men in the navy when boys aboard the old
Ohio. We had chased each other many a
tIIuo dDOuG the SleeTdRS OL luab snlp, ana
| didn't propose that Fox should turn me
down at this time of life.
Look here, Fox l said, If Sebastopol
had 100 guns, Charleston has got 1 200 guns.
| Not in point of numbers, mind you, but in
point Of strength of position, weight Of
metal, caliber. and service Of batteries, all
of which, in comparison with Sebastopol,
give Charleston a strength equal TO 200
guns, and you never will take the place
| with a monitor feet
"Just then Charles Sumner entered the
| room. He came in unRunounced, and i'm
mediately entered into the conversation.
Apparently he had the confidence of the
| President and enjoyed an undisturbed
entree. At that period Hooker's star was
in the ascendant. Great things were be-
lieved possible OF him. Sumner listened
just long enough to what was being said to
get the gist of the conversation, when he
Interrupted with the testy remark
1--WE shall have to send Joe" Hooker
down there
IF had been ANNOYED a few minutes be-
fore by Fox's rambling, Summers remark
made me downright mad. Nobody knew
better than did what our brave fellows
before Charleston had been thorough, and
on the spur of the moment turned on the
Massachusetts man with the remark:
"'Mr Sumner, we men down there at the
front think we know what is needed more
lAA--- "a