Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1905-06-15
More Mimic War.

The mimic war Wnlcn was PioO' Pi'"'~N
Tuesday night between six ana seven
miles below this city was confined at in-
tervals last night. Many people gather
Ell nm Windmill Hill, the eminence at
Battery Rodgers and on the river front
m witness from afar the workings OF the
searchlighis, the glare Of rockets and the
Aash of guns. The moon shone brightly
and the shimmering Potomac never
looked prettier. Shortly before ten
o'clock searchlights at Forts Hunt and
Washington, it is supposed, detected
suspicious-looking vessels which were
endeavoring to sneak by those strong
holds, and the forts belched forth a. rain
of fire and forced them to run out OF the
range of the guns. This perfor rance
was kept up at intervals throughout the
night. As was the case Tuesday even
ing, the excursion steamers from Wash
ington aud this city carried large crowds
to River View and Marshall Hall from
which points the engagements" were
witnessed to advantage. The steamers
we're running until late hour.
The engagement closed with an attack
at 5 O'Clock this morning by the double
turreted monitor Terror and the con-
yerted gunboat Siren. Thevessels moved
ND the river under cover of an almost
impenetrable fog which rolled up stream
from Marshall Hall shortly before a. m.
At 4:45 the signal station down the nyer
had informed Col Roberts at Fort Wash
ington that the ships were advancing,
but at 4:59 when the Terror rounded
Marshall Point, according to telegraphlc
information, it was impossible TO discern
an object more than miles below the
fort. Under the circumstances Col. Rod
erts issued orders for an independent
action" Battery commanders immedia-
tely got their individual range finders
busy and waited for the first appearance
of the ships through the fog. The action
commenced at $40 when Capt. Wilson,
commanding the Mt. Vernon battery at
Fort Hunt, had aglimpSe through mt
in The mist of the Terror at 2, 900 yards.
He opened with his three S-inch guns
and fred ten rounds before the l2-inch
batteries at Fort Washington found the
range and commenced firing at the tar
get.
A few minutes later the Siren was
made out and both ships, as they sailed
no the stream, received round after
round from thu batteries on both sides
of the river. The range decreased, un-
til, as the ships were passing the fort,
the guns were being fred point blank.
The order to cease firing was made at
5:9S. Just after the boats passed, the
fog lifted, having covered their advance
ali the way up. Above Fort Washing
ton the boats turned and retired down
the river. As they passed between the
Notifications the artillerymen mounted
the parapet and gave three cheers for
the navy. The Terror replied by salut-
ing with her fog horn. The Siren and
Terror remained throughout the night
below Marshall's Point and sent half a
dozen whale boats and harges into the
mine-feld to lift mines and counter
mine in preparation for this morning 8
atrack. From $3.50 last evening until
an hour and half before this morning S
attack these boats were being constantly
picked up by the searchlights and the
big guns and rapid fire batteries were
6guratively peppering the sailors with
hail OF shot. About 4 O'Clock
this morning party of sailors landed at
Fort Hunt dock. Later they said they
came ashore for drink of water All
landing parties, however. are prohibited
in these exercises, so the commanding
officer turned out a Krag-Jorgensen
party and there was theoretical hand
to.band conflict between the gunners and
the blue Jackets, after which the sailors
were permitted to return to their boats
and 90 back to their ships. The con-
structive result of the early morning
battle was the utter demolition OF the
navy contingent and the second saving
of the national capital. Shots were fired
by the 8-inch battery in Fort Hunt IN
addition to 100 shots from the Pinch
guns across the river, Theoretically
only 10 shots each were necessary to
sink the Terror and Siren. The UNI
pires fred rockets from shore to shore as
each of the small boats during the night
were constructively put out OF acton
while they were engaged in removing
mines.