The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-07-01
CID lRONSIDES APPEARS.

In January, 1863, the grand old IRON
sides Uhc finest war vessel built during
our war; came steaming to our fleet and
dropped anchor Just outside the bar.
This was the first indication that we
hu ] of the coming attack. She was
our flagship until the balance of the
S squadron arrived. Many were the ru-
mors now as to when the attack was
to take place and how, and who was
to command, etc. 1t was not until
March that we began to hear anything
definite and not until Sunday, April s.,
1863, that any more vessels came. Our
fleet now was composed of the sloops
of war Housatonic, Canandaigua and
Powhattan. the gunboats Unadilla, HUI
ron and Wissahickon, together with
side wheel steamers and yachts for
dispatch boats.
This Sunday April s. was a lovely
spring day, and along in the forenoon
the monitors began to arrive, being
towed in by steamers and large tow
boats. There were eight of the iron
clads, seven being the same pattern as
the original Monitor which was so
sickening to the Merrimac. and the
other the Keokuk. looking more like a
huge turtle with her round back and
two turrets, while her snuffy nose
would shoot under the waves and rise
again like a thing Of life.
At 10 a. m. the fine steamer James
Adler arrived with Admiral Dupont,
who went at once on board the Iron
sides. The sight of this mixed fleet
was inspiring indeed, and no one dared
utter anything but Success to Our
Banner in the Coming Conflict"
PLAN OF ATTACK.
Charleston bar was some three miles
wide and extended UP and down the
coast many miles. To understand the
mode OF attack, I will state that there
were three channel entrances to
Charleston harbor. The northern
channel crossed the bar six or eight
miles north of Charleston and ran
close to shore down to the harbor. The
center channel crossed the bar nearly
east of Charleston. while the southern
channel crossed some seven miles be-
low Sumter and followed the coast up
to Sumter This latter channel was
the one selected a" the one to be taken
by the fleet. Sumter was on the south
side of the entrance to the harbor, Fort
Moultrie was on the north side and be-
yond and around her were sand bat
teries, all heavily mounted with Uncle
Sans guns and others supplied by
John Bull. They were all prepared TO
give the fleet warm reception and
fulfilled their calculations in this re-
spect. In the channel were torpedoes
and heavy chains stretched across TO
entangle the vessels
Monday April 6. was spent by our
fleet in completing the preparations
and in getting the iron fleet over the
bar through the southern channel and
into the coast channel when they
should be ready for the morrow's at
tack. At 5 p. m. the wooden fleet took
their proper stations to watch for
blockade runners. and at sundown all
was quiet off Charleston.
THE COMMANDMENT
Tuesday. April T. the sun rose clear,
and the crisp spring air betokened a
day fit for the grand events TO tran
spire. At sunrise our glorious old flag
waved from every vessel, while Sum-
ter, Moultrie and the batteries flung
out the rebel ensign-seeming to say
"Come on, we are ready" The wooden
fleet was anchored together some six