The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1898-05-26

little bunting battle-fags Of the Confed-
crates. Among them / saw two cOlors
which had belonged to the same regiment,
the 37th n. Y, l think. These were cap
that was taken there is actually inscribed
as victory the word Fair Oaks, which was
the engagement in which the regiment had
lost its first color.
June 19-I embarked on board a small
steamer to visit Drewry's Bluff, on the
James River, the scene of the repulse OF
the irOnclads, Monitor and Galena. The
stream exactly opposite Richmond is very
shallow and rocky, but it becomes navl-
gable about mile below the city. Drewry's
Bluff is about eight miles distant, and, be-
fore reaching it, we had to pass through
two bridges-one OF boats and the other
wooden bridge. / was shown over the
Notifications by Capt. Chatard, Confederate
States Navy, who was in command during
the absence of Capt. Lee. A fOtilla of
Confederate gunbOats was lying Just above
the distinctions, and nearly opposite to
the bluff. Amongst them was the York
town, alias Patrick Henry, which, under
the command of my friend Capt. Tucker,
figured in the memorable Merrimac at
tack. There was also an ironclad called
the Richmond, and two or three smaller
craft. Beyond Drewry's Bluff, on the OPP
posite side Of the river, is Chaffin's Bluff,
which mounts - heavy guns, and forms
the extreme right of the Richmond de-
lenses on that side of the river.
At the time of the attack by the two
Federal ironclads, assisted by several
wooden gunboats, there were only three
guns mounted on DrewTy'S Bluff, which Is
from so to 80 feet high. These had been
hastily removed from the Yorktown, and
dragged up there by Capt. Tucker on the
previous day. They were either smooth
bore 32-pOunders or S-inch guns, l forget
which. During the contest the Monitor,
Notwithstanding her recent exploits with
the Merrimac, kept herself out OF much
danger, partly concealed behind the bend
of the river; but her cOnsOrt, the ironclad
Galena, approached boldly to within 500
yards of the bluff. The wooden gunbOats
remained considerable distance down the
river. After the fight had lasted about
four hours the Galena Withdrew much
crippled, and has never, l believe, been
known to fame since. The result OF the
contest goes to confirm the opinion ex-
pressed to me by Gen. Beauregard-vlz,
that ironclads cannot resist the plunging
fire of forts, even though the latter can
only boast of the old smooth-bore guns.
A Capt. Maury took me on board the
Richmond, irOnclad in which vessel l saw
a finch treble banded Brook gun, weigh
ing, they told me- Il GOO pounds, and capa-
BILE of standing charge OF 20 POUNDS OF
powder. Amongst my fellow-passengers
from Richmond / had observed very
one soldier. Capt. Maury informed me that
this individual was being taken to Chaffins
Bluff, where he is to be shot at II noon to-
morrow for desertion.
/ hear everyone complaining dreadfully
of Gen. Johnston s inactivity in Mississippi,
and all now despair OF saving Vicksburg:
They deplore its loss, more on account OF
the effects its conquest may have in pro-
longing the war, than for any other reason.
No one seems to fear that its possession,
together with Port Hudson, will really en-
able the Yankees to navigate the MlssIs-
sippi; nor do they fear that the latter will
be able to prevent communication with the
trans Mississippi country.
Many of the Richmond papers seem to
me scarcely more respectable than the
New York ones. Party spirit runs high.
Liberty of the press is carried to its fullest
extent.
June 2O.-Armed with letters of intro
duction from the Secretary OF War for
Gems Lee and Longstreet, left Richmond
at 8 a. M, to Join the Virginian army.
was accompanied by Sergeant OF the
Signal Corps, sent by my kind friend Maj.
Norris, for the purpose of assisting me in
getting on. We took the train as lar as