The daily morning journal and courier., 1904-02-27
END OF THE OLD

in the Hawkeye state was given to a vessel of the United States navy. Way back in the days of the civil war there was an old ironclad war vessel which bore the name Keokuk, although 1t had short and tragic career. It was one of an old type of monitors that proved impractieable, and it was shot to pieces by Confederate guns in It's first and only engagement It's remains perhaps still lie submerged beneath southern waters. ters.
 The story of the old Keokuk and it's fate was recalled to old residents of this city by a writer in the local press, who recently said:
 Between 1860 and 1864 there were several submersible monitors, one of which was the Keokuk, which was not much of a success. for she was struck by storm of proiectiles. riddled like 4 sieve, and forced to beat nasty re- treat. There are not many people who know that a Federal gunboat was named after this city, but the boat is mentioned in some of the more exhaus- tive histories of the civil war. and the boat may be personally known to some of our veterans. d. The Keokuk was not a boat that could navigate be- heath the water, but one which submer- ged to great extent thus offering but little of her surface to the guns of the enemy. What became of her is not i known, but the Keokuk probably found her way to the iunkshop or sank into the depths of waters. A picture of this boat should be procured, if such thing is possible, and placed in the public library"
 Admiral Miller of the United States navy, writing on the subject, says:
 'The Keokuk was named for the great chief and not for the city of that name" He further says that 1.-TWO guns of the Keokuk, or at,least one of them. were skilfully raised by the Con federates and mounted on Fort Sumter. The Department made contract for raising the vessel, not for it's value, but as an obstruction to navigation, but whether she remains at the bottom of the harbor or not, would take me little time to find out"
 According to Admiral Miller, the Keo- kuk was built by Builder Whitney in New York in the spring of 1S62-3, and was called a third-rate ironclad of SIT tons displacement, and carried crew of ninety-two men. She differed essen- tially from the Ericsson monitors, hav- ing two turrets, each carrying one gun only, and had higher freeboard. Early in the morning of April G. 1863, Rear-Admiral Dupont's fleetapproached the line of the Confederate blockading squadron in front of Charleston, $. C., and the monitor KeolSuk was sent with the coast survey schooner Bibb Com mander Boutelle) to buoy out the bar.
 Of the notable engagement in which the Keokuk went down there is a dearth of detail in the ordinary history of that period. From the most exhaus- tive accounts of the affair I condense. The submarine steamer Keokuk was commanded by Commander Alexander c. Rhind, who had done much valiant sea service and became eminent in the navy. It was at the famous attack on Charleston, $. C., by the Federal forces that the young boat met her early fate. The fleet moved shortly after noon of April z, 1883, in accordance with Rear-Admiral Dupont's orders, as fol lows:
 'sThe squadron will pass up the main ship channel without returning the fire of the batteries on Morris Island, unless signals should be made to commence action.
 ''The ships will open fire on Fort Sum. ter when within easy range, and will N, take up a position to the northward ant westward of the fortfication, engaging its left or northwest face at a distance of from LOGO to 800 yards, firing low, an( aiming at the centre embrasure.
 s-The commanding officers will in struct their officers and men to care fully avoid wasting a shot, and will en join upon them the necessity of pre- lcision rather than rapidity of firing.
 Each ship will be prepared to relrde every assistance possible to vessels tha may require it.
 The special code of signals prepare, for the ironcad vessels will be used il action.
 After. the reduction of Fort Sumter it is probable the next point of attacl will be the batteries at Morris Island.
 "The order of battle will be the lin ahead in the following succession:
 "d) Weehawken, with raft, Capt John Rodgers; t2) Passaic, Capt. Perci wal Drayton; (3) Montauk, Commando Johne L. Worden; (D Patapsco. Com rnander Daniel Ammen; (5) New Iron sides (flagship,) Commodore Thoma Turner; (6) Catskill Commando George w. Rodgers; CD Nantucket Commander Donald McM. Fairfax; s Nahant, Commander John Downs: @ Keolxuk, Commander Alexander ( Rhind'
 Besides these, there was a reserv squadron composed of five additiona vessels. of which Capt J. F. Green wa the senior officer, held in readiness t support the ironclads when they at tack the batteries on Morris Island"
 After an hours delay was caused b the fouling of graphing irons attache to the Weehawkens torpedo raft, tn fleet passed Morris Island unmolestet but shortly after o'clock P. M, whe the vessels came in range of Fort sum ter and of the batteries along and Sulli vans Islands. the signal was given fo the opening of a concentrated fire fror Fort Moultrio Sumter, Putnam, Beaure gard, and from the entire line of batter les.
 At first it appeared the Weehawke was getting all the shots. That boat ge