February 3, 1863, The Charleston Mercury
Yesterday forenoon passed in the city and harbor without any stirring news or incident of note. About one o’clock a telegram from Fort Sumter announced that a strange steamer, evidently an iron-clad, had just hove in sight. The number of the ordinary blockading vessels strung along the horizon was eleven. With a good glass the outline of the iron-clad could be plainly seen from the city wharves, and an endless variety of rumors and conjectures in relation to her identity and designs were soon afloat.
Meantime, another strange sail made her appearance in the offing. She – proved to be the British steam frigate Cadmus, 21 guns, bringing despatches for the British Consul and for the Petret, now anchored in the harbor. At three o’clock one of the boats of the Cadmus brought the despatches to the city in charge of a Lieutenant.
We have learned, from good authority, that the Cadmus brings intelligence that an expedition of a very formidable character has been prepared to operate against the City of Charleston, and that the enemy is now nearly ready for the attack. Mr. ROBERT BUNCH, the British Consul, has orders to go aboard the Cadmus and to get to Havana with the least possible delay. We understand that he expects to leave on Saturday next.
From the Cadmus we have information that the mysterious steamer off North Channel is the Yankee iron-clad frigate New Ironsides. She can hardly cross the bar, as she is said to draw nineteen feet water. Her object, for the present, probably, is merely to protect the blockaders from another attack. The Ironsides, it is believed, came from Broad River. The transports plying southward from Beaufort, N. C., are probably bound for Port Royal, as the rendezvous of the land forces of the expedition.
In our naval successes last week the enemy has had a foretaste of our strength upon the water. But the preparations for the attack on our city were matured previously, and it is not believed that our naval victory will either prevent or postpone it. It is well, however, that our defences are now complete, and that we were able to strike the first blow in the struggle to hold our good old seaport. That blow, we trust, will encourage our defenders, on land and sea, to redouble their activity and welcome to the assailants.