Today in History:

221 Series I Volume XIV- Serial 20 - Secessionville

Page 221 Chapter XXVI. ATTACK ON FORT M'ALLISTER, GA.

our part, the 8-inch gun having been disabled at 11 o'clock and the 10-inch generally overshooting the mark.

The following are the circumstances which have caused a belief that Numbers 1 was injured in the engagement: The last shot fired at her was from the 42-pounder. It was reported to have struck near the turret and low down toward the water line. Immediately after she was struck a volume of smoke or steam issued from her side in a manner not witnessed in precious engagements, and which caused a remark that she was on fire; at the same time 3 men rushed out of her turret, but shortly returned. She then blew her whistle three times, when Numbers 2, which had already weighed anchor and started downstream, returned, and coming up to Numbers 1 were discharged-or discharged themselves-without aim up the river, one of the shot striking in the middle of the stream near the obstructions. These circumstances were, in whole or in part, witnessed by Mr. Motte Middleton, Assistant Engineer McAlpin, the officers in the battery, Lieutenant Elarbee in the marsh on the other side of the river, and the maneuvers of the two vessels were also witnessed from Rosedew by Assistant Engineer Postell. Captain McAllister's pickets at Cottenham report that the enemy were working on one of their iron-clads all night after the engagement.

Lieutenant Elarbee and 4 men of Captain McAllister's company went over into the marsh opposite the fort the night before on a call for volunteers for that purpose. They attained a position from 200 to 250 yards from Monitor Numbers 1. On the officer stepping out of the turret to ascertain the effect of his shot one rifle was fired at him, but missed, upon which he immediately turned to re-enter the turret, but was shot in the act, stumbling forward, and at last entering only with difficulty. Numbers 1 fired grape or canister at the men in the marsh immediately after this and once subsequently, but without hurting one of them. Lieutenant Elarbee, from his position, had a nearer view of Numbers 1 than any one has yet had of one of the monitor fleet. Numbers 1 is supposed to be the Moutauk. He reports that her ports are always open; that her guns run in and out of battery, and that they are loaded from the muzzle. He could distinctly hear the words of command, "In battery," &c., and saw the hands of the men and the staff of the reamer protruded through the port in loading. He also reports that in Numbers 1 the muzzle of the gun when in battery protrudes about 6 inches from the port. He could see nothing of the same kind in Nos. 2 and 3. He could observe no injury done by our shot to the turret, the only observable effect being a whitish streak on the iron. The shot either glanced or were broken to pieces. One of our shot is reported to have struck about 6 inches from a port. According to Lieutenant Elarbee's observations, and also Mr. McAlpin's, the turret of Numbers 1 during this engagement turned only one way, the revolutions being to an outsider uniformly from left to right. Lieutenant Elarbee also observed that the motion of revolution was not even and continuous, but affected by a marked trip at regular intervals. The turret appeared to be sometimes arrested temporarily in its revolutions; whether from design, imperfect machinery, or injury from our shot could not be ascertained.

The mortar fire of the enemy did no damage to the works during the day. They resumed firing at 6 p. m. and continued their bombardment until 6 a. m. the next day. Only one shell struck any part of the works, and that opened a crater of about 4 feet in diameter and 2 feet deep in the top of the covered way leading from the main work to the mortar battery. To sum up the effect of the seven hours' bombardment


Page 221 Chapter XXVI. ATTACK ON FORT M'ALLISTER, GA.