Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-05-08
ON THE TENNESSEE.
FLEET-sURGEON CoNRAD's STORY
OF THE RAMS GREAT FIGHT
ENTIRE FEDERAL FLEET FIGHT HER.
Admiral Buchannn's Sudden Atrnck
After the First Engagement-his
ror,,,uae when wounded-AccOunt
oftbe Surrender In Mobile Bay.

On the staff Of Admiral Franklin Buch-
anan. OF the Confederate navy, as meet
surgeon on the ram Tennessee in MS
oeht with Farragut's fleet in Mobile bay
was DIR. Conrad, now Of Winchester, va
DR.. Conrad, says the New YORK sum- re-
Gently told the following story Of the
experiences inside the Tennessee on that
occasion:
The bay Of Mobile was Of infinite use
and importance to the Confederates' VINO
guarded and held 1t by two forts-Mor-
gan and Gaines-at its entrance by
holding it they held safe the city OF Mo-
bile from attack by water; 1t could only
be captured by a combined army and
navy attack, so 1t was safe depot for
blockade runners, easy to go out of and
enter. and II II was such to the Confede-
rates how much greater was 1t to the
Federals? For they were compelled TO
keep their large blockade fleet outside.
exposed to all the storms Of the Gulf. Ihey
could only be victualled and watered by
going away. one al a time. TO Pensacola,
their only port; their sick had to be
transported 10 the same place. and the
wear and tear both TO vessels and crews,
was fearful, as a constant, vigilant, and
never-ceasing watch, both by officers and
men, had to be kept up day and night.
The officers were in three watches. the
men in two, guarding themselves against
night attacks by torpedo-boats or assault
by the Confederate gunboats and seeing
that no vessel came out and that none
went in. All this had TO be endured or
the bay captured and held by the feet.
This was finally determined on by Far
ragut, and he only awaited the arrival
of ironclads to make sure his end. Find
ing this plan determined on the Confede-
rates bestirred themselves At the ham
let Of Selma, on the river above, they
built one ironclad on the plan Of the Mer-
rimac, their resources being exhausted
TO do even this Slowly the wooden
structure approached completion, then
more slowly was IL ironed all over above
the water line then towed down TO Mo-
bile where 1t was equipped with S-inch
rifle guns.
Then, when officers and men, provi-
sions and water had been taken on board,
all ready for action, she started down
the Days nearly I'M y iAAAtSf " ~ NNN
side in rough water and attack the
enemy's wooden fleet before the iron
clads arrived. On arriving at the bar OF
sand caused by Dog Run emptying into
the bay, IL was found that the bar had
shoaled TO such an extent that the IRON
clad, now christened the Tennessee, drew
three feet more water than there was
under her. The only expedient that Of
fered itself which was safe and speedy
was to built of huge square timbers two
enormous alright tanks, each as high
as a two-story house. They were TO be
towed alongside Of the ram and sunk TO
the waters edge by opening the valves.
Then. all dashed together securely,
making one vessel. as it were, OF them,
the water was pumped out Of these
tanks, and. the air entering. they by
their buoyancy, lifted the huge ship clear
OF the bottom. Then steam-tugs towed
her over the bar This was done in May.
1864.
Finally one day we were towed over the
bar down the bay. Then casting loose.
we steamed out to attack the Federal
feet Reaching the passage between the
two forts. we encountered rough water
and found that. owing to want of buoyan-
cy. we were in great danger of being
waterlogged and sunk by the amount Of
deep in the water solid and motionless
as cast-iron platform or raft. and every
sea tumbling over her came inboard in
such masses that the fires in the engine
room were nearly put out and the empty
vessel itself filled with salt water. Dis
comfted. we put back under the fort in
smooth water, and all thought Of attack
ing the feet outside was dismissed. Then
the defects which this short cruise of ten
hours had developed were looked into.
Our engines had been taken from an old
river-boat. They were weak and old. and
could only force US through the water
about two miles an hour They could not
be strengthened by any method. The
rudder chains. by which the ship was
steered. were found TO be exposed TO the
enemy's shot. being in their whole length
outside the iron deck: they were covered
over by slight coating OF iron rail The
capacity Of the ram nboard 70 accom-
modate her crew was fearfully deficient.
All officers and men, when the weather
admitted slept outside on top of the iron
shield and decks, but in rainy times il
was awful TO endure such close quarters
at night. We bore 1t in June and July.
under the sloping sides OF the shield in
shape like the roof Of a square house.
about IL feet In height and As in length.
vi jury IotH Aunlral buchanan ana stan
came aboard. for. from his information,
fight was imminent.
THE FEDERAL FLEET.
On August /. 1864. we saw a decided In
crease in the Federal feet, which was
then listlessiy at anchor outside OF For;
Morgan. In the Gulf. This reinforcement
consisted OF ten wooden frigates. all
stripped 10 'girt 'ine" and clean TO,
action. their topmasts sent down on deck
and devoid OF everything that seemed
IKE extra rigging. They appeared like
pfize-nghters ready for the ring Their
we knew that trouble was ahead. and
wondered 10 ourselves why they did no,
enter the bay. On August 90 we noticed
sno.her ADDITION TO the already formida.
e'e neet-tour strange-looking, long. black
monsters, the new ironclads. aha the,
were what the Federals had been so anx,
h .ous'y waiting for. AT the distance OF
.o,r miles their long, dark lines coult
ony De distinguished from the sea. on
winch they sat motionless. by the con
snuous volume OF thick smoke issuine
Hoin their low smokestacks, which an
peaied to come out OF the ocean itself
1hese curious looking craff made ,hai,