March 9, 1863, The New York Herald
Our Port Royal Correspondence.
PORT ROYAL, S.C., Mar 3, 1863.
The career of the famous rebel steamer Nashville is ended. After having made several successful runs in and out of Southern ports, cleverly eluding our fastest cruisers, and landing large and valuable cargoes, she entered Warsaw Sound some six months since, and passing up the Wilmington river, through St. Augustine creek, and into the Savannah river, safely arrived at Savannah, where she discharged an assorted cargo of immense value to the rebels, and immediately began to load with a cargo of sea island cotton for Europe. Her movements coming to the knowledge of Admiral DuPont, he augmented the naval force in Warsaw Sound, and also strengthened that in Ossabaw Sound, rightly apprehending an attempt to run the blockade at that point, failing to elude it at Warsaw.
When the Nashville attempted to run out of Warsaw Sound she found it so closely and effectually guarded that the plan was given up, and she returned to Savannah. In a few days she again steamed down the Wilmington and Burnside rivers into the Vernon river, which, uniting with the Ogeechee, flows into Ossabaw Sound. Here were found the Seneca, Wissahickon and Dawn closely guarding the avenues to the sea, and again she was thwarted. She then proceeded up the Vernon river, and laid up behind a six-gun battery near Montgomery, and in this position she remained for some weeks, but found no opportunity to elude the sleepless vigilance of the naval officers who, night and day, guarded the rivers. Some weeks since the Admiral learned that they had discharged her cargo of cotton, and were fitting her up and heavily arming her as a privateer, with the intention of fighting her way out and joining the Alabama and Florida in their destructive cruises against our commerce. This report was certainly a startling one, especially when it was additionally reported that the Fingal or an iron-clad was to come down from Savannah to aid her in destroying our blockading fleet and in giving her free access to the sea. About this time she passed from the Vernon into the Big Ogeechee river, and anchored above Fort McAllister. Heavier vessels were immediately sent to Ossabaw to thwart this scheme, so full of destruction and desolation to our unprotected commerce. Fortunately the Monitors Montauk and Passaic arrived about this time, and the former was despatched to Ossabaw, while the latter was ordered to Warsaw Sound.
The Montauk, Captain Worden, immediately ran well up the Ogeechee, and took her position at a point where she was out of range of Fort McAllister, and the Seneca, Wissahickon and Dawn, with the mortar schooner C. P. Williams, laid below, effectually closing the river to the Nashville. After the first attack on Fort McAllister by the Montauk, supported by the gunboats, the Nashville was towed up the river several miles and covered with boughs, to convey the impression that all ideas of attempting to run out had been given up, and that she was […..]up for the season.”
This ruse was too transparent to induce the blockading fleet to remit for a moment their vigilant watch, and the would-be privateer gained nothing for the trouble, as events will prove.
On Friday afternoon last a tremendous column of dense black smoke was seen up the river, and it was quite apparent that the Nashville was steaming down towards Fort McAllister. Her spars were subsequently seen; but night came on before she had reached a point where her hull could be discerned. It was evident that she was coming down to attempt to escape under cover of a dense fog which enveloped everything, making it impossible to see a ship’s length. Under cover of this fog and darkness she came within a shore distance of the fort, and above it, and then ran aground. A midnight reconnoissance in small boats, with muffled oars, determined the fact that she had not passed below the fort, and picket boats were posted near the obstruction to alarm the fleet in case she attempted to pass them. The night passed slowly, and morning came without an alarm. Daylight revealed the Nashville ashore, with a tug alongside, essaying to extricate her from her dangerous position, but without avail. She could not be moved, and the tug took to her heels as soon as the Montauk, Seneca, Wissahickon and Dawn steamed up towards the obstruction at daylight, and prepared for action. The Montauk pushed up to the obstructions and opened fire upon the Nashville, while the gunboats directed their fire upon the fort. After firing three rounds the Montauk obtained the range, and succeeded in bursting a fifteen-inch shell upon the Nashville, which set her on fire. The fort replied instantly to the fire of the Montauk, addressing its attention exclusively to the impregnable Monitor, with a view of drawing its fire from her to the fort itself.
The Montauk, though repeatedly hit, disregarded the fire, and continued to fire upon the Nashville, bursting three fifteen inch shells in succession in her, and each time setting her on fire. The flames were soon under fine headway, and totally enveloped the ship. A heavy one hundred pound rifle gun forward became heated and went off, exploding in a dozen fragments, and scattering timber in all directions. In a comparatively short time the flames reached the magazine and ignited the powder, which exploded with tremendous force, blowing the ship into fragments and ending forever her notorious career. The river was soon filled with floating fragments, charred and blistered, of the wreck, and all of the Nashville that got to sea was in such a shape as to cause no alarm in the future.
While the Montauk was engaged in so effectually using up the Nashville, the gunboats were maintaining a hot and effective fire on the fort, knocking the work about the garrisons and ears in such a manner as to entirely discompose them, and make their practice comparatively harmless. The Dawn was struck once by a thirty-two, but little damage was done. None were killed or wounded on our vessels, through the fort, after it was discovered that the Nashville was gone beyond all hope, and no fire could change the purpose of the Montauk, turned upon the wooden gunboats, and rained a shower of shell and rifle projectiles about them. Their practice was exceedingly bad, and nothing resulted from it. What the damage was done the fort is not of course known. Our fire was well directed, and many excellent shots were made, which must have occasioned some casualties among the defenders of the work. To what extent, we must rely upon rebel statements to inform us. As the only object for the attack was accomplished in the total destruction of the Nashville, the fleet was dropped down the river, out of range, and the contest terminated, the results exceeding our anticipations, although undoubtedly less gratifying to the rebels.
The Nashville was a splendid steamer, equally as fast as the Alabama, and surpassing in speed the Oreto, very heavily armed, and manned by a set of desperadoes, who would have been perfectly at home on the ocean, sinking and destroying defenceless merchantmen, but running away from any war vessel of her own class. The damage inflicted on our shipping on a former cruise was nothing to the vast destruction she would have carried wherever our commerce extends, had she been able to elude the blockade and reach the sea. But, thanks to the commanders of the Seneca, Wissahickon and Dawn, for their skill, sleepless vigilance and cool bravery while incessantly watching the privateer, in preventing a second career of depredation; and great praise to Captain Worden, of the Montauk, for his determination and skilful disposition of the forces under his command, for her complete destruction. In entirely disregarding the fire of Fort McAllister and addressing himself to one object, that of the destruction of the Nashville, he evinced a cool bravery that was more commendable. He and the officers under his command deserve well of their country for their gallant and valuable services.
The Monitors Nahant, Patapsco and Passaic have been sent to the Ogeechee, to try their guns and test their turrets in action with Fort McAllister. They, with the Montauk, will probably attack the enemy today. Indeed, as I write, the deep reverberations of the heavy guns are heard, and no doubt the action has begun. We shall not learn the result in time to transmit it to the HERALD by the steamer Fah-Kee today. The HERALD’S correspondent at that point will furnish a full and detailed account of the affair.
The gunboat Marblehead captured a few days since in Warsaw Sound a small schooner, loaded with cotton, which had come down from Savannah intending to run the blockade of Nassau. About thirty bales of the staple were sound on board. She will be discharged, and sold here, and her cargo will be sent North for sale.
Late Charleston papers announce the capture of the rams Queen of the West, and the iron-clad gunboat Indianola, on the Mississippi. I am unable to give details of the affairs, as I have not seen the papers.
The Adams Express steamer Fahkee, sails today for New York via Beaufort, N. C. She carries a good freight and quite a number of passengers. The Fah Kee is one of the fastest and most comfortable ships on the route, and under Capt. Hildreth and Purser Wandell; she will become as popular as her owners could desire.