February 9, 1863, The New York Herald
PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 8, 1863.
The iron steamer Princess Royal, in charge of Acting Master Edward Van Sice, arrived off the Navy Yard today. She brings highly important intelligence, both as relates to her capture and the rebel attack on our blockading squadron at Charleston, showing conclusively that there is no foundation for the assumption of the rebels departure of the United States fleet, only two vessels out of the eight or ten having been disabled or obliged to leave.
It appears from the statement of an intelligent eye witness that the cause of this attack of the rebel rams on our squadron was owing to the capture of the Princess Royal – the captain and pilot of that vessel having escaped ashore during the darkness of the night and communicated intelligence to the enemy.
The Princess Royal endeavored to run the blockade by way of Beach Inlet on the 29th ult., but was discovered by the pilotboat Blunt. On signal being given the Unadilla proceeded towards her and captured the prize without other assistance. It was then discovered that the captain and pilot had succeeded in getting ashore by a small boat, carrying important despatches to the rebel government. The Unadilla carried her to the side of the Housatonic, and laid there till daylight, when a thunder of guns was heard, accompanied by sharp flashes of fire. It was supposed that our fleet was engaged in making, or the Alabama or Florida were endeavoring to force, an entrance. At daybreak two rebel iron clads were seen coming down from the direction of Stono Inlet towards our fleet.
They attacked the Mercedita first. One ram struck her on the water ridge, keeling her over, and at the same time firing a shot, which entered one of her boilers, causing the death of three persons, including a gunner, by a shot and steam. The ram then hailed the Mercedita, and Captain Stellwagen lowered one of his small boats, after leaving one of the plugs out; allowing the water to enter it. The ram answered our hail by replying, “Confederate ram Palmetto State. Do you surrender?” This was repeated three times, Captain Stellwagen replying at such inquiry “I am in a sinking condition.” The rebels answered, “God damn you to hell, if you don’t surrender we will blow you out of the water. Send your boat aboard.”
The boat which Captain Stellwagon lowered then conveyed his lieutenant (executive officer) to the side of the rebel ram, and the officer asked to be admitted on board. This was refused. The lieutenant then repeated Captain Stellwagen statement that we are in a sinking condition.” The rebel officer replied: “You can’t sink lower than the rails; we cannot take your aboard.” The officer then gave his parole, as demanded, and returned to his ship. The rebels were thus successfully deceived as to the condition of the Mercedita, thinking she was in a sinking condition. She laid in shoal water, and hence their reply that “she could not sink lower than her rails.”
The ram then steamed towards the Keystone State, and sent a shot through her steam drum, causing the death of twenty-one persons – twelve by the shot and nine by being scalded by steam. Fifteen were wounded, and are lying at Port Royal, some in a precarious condition. In the meantime the United States gunboat Housatonic engaged the other ram, driving her away. At half past six o’clock in the morning both rams left the scene and proceeded up to Charleston.
During this attack on our fleet, the Princess Royal, which laid near the Housatonic, and was the chief object of contest on both sides, succeeded in getting off, mainly through the energies of Third Assistant Engineer Thurston, who piled into her fires all the inflammable material at hand. Her escape is chiefly owing to his endeavors, as well as her safe arrival at this port, notwithstanding the severe gale which prevailed during her passage from Port Royal. Although the coal was the anthracite with which our navy is supplied, she made ten knots an hour on her trip with ease in the heaviest storm. Her usual rate is fifteen knots.
The Mercedita steamed down to Port Royal, escaping with only one of their boilers injured. She arrived safely at Port Royal, and would be repaired in a day.
The Keystone State was entirely disabled, but was towed down to Port Royal by the Memphis.
The rebel statements that the federal fleet had entirely disappeared from the port of Charleston are entirely unsustained by the facts.
The fleet consisted of the following vessels: The Unadilla, Housatonic, Augusta, Quaker City, Keystone State and Mercedita, besides the pilotboats Blunt, Memphis and other vessels.
During the daytime our blockading fleet are not particular as to keeping to the station, and on the day of this assault most of the vessels sailed towards the Keystone State to ascertain her condition, and whether she wanted any assistance. This may account for their apparent absence at the time of the visit of the foreign consuls, as mentioned by the rebel papers. Our vessels, as usual, resumed their positions at dark.
The United States steam frigate New Ironsides, Commodore Thomas Turner commanding, arrived the next day to reinforce the blockade. The following is a list of her officers:
Commander – Thomas Turner.
Lieutenant Commanding and Executive Officer – Geo. E. Belknap.
Surgeon – Marius Duvoll.
Chief Engineer – Harman Newell.
Paymaster – A. W. Russell.
Lieutenant – Henry B. Robeson.
Acting Masters – Geo. W. Donett, John M. Skilling and John M. Butler.
Assistant Surgeons – Wm. T. Plant, Ed. Kirshner.
First Lieutenant of Marines – Henry A. Bartlett.
Second Lieutenant of Marines – James B. Young.
Ensign – Charles W. Tracy.
Acting Ensign – Henry Ranney.
First Assistant Engineer – N. B. Pullis.
Second Assistant Engineers – O. H. Lucky, Robert L. Harris.
Third Assistant Engineers – Everett Battle, H. C. Beckwith,
Wm. S. Wells.
Captain’s Clerk – Frederick Mason.
Paymaster’s Clerk – John F. Dinson.
Acting Master’s Mates – Shanger S. Hand, Benjamin F.Morris, George H. Bradley, Thomas F. Harvey, Robert Sheppard,
Charles W. Howard.
Electrician – Thomas Burnett.
Gunner – Charles Stuart.
Carpenter – Theodore H. Bishop.
Sailmaker – John A. Birdsall.
The following are the officers on board the Princess Royal:
Acting Master – Edward Van Sice.
First Assistant Engineer – H. C. Victor.
Acting Assistant Engineer – W. D. Bates.
Third Assistant Engineer – R. A. Thurston.
Surgeon – Dr. Bacon.
Acting Master’s Mates – Charles M. Hall and Chas. Myers.
Dr. Bacon leaves tonight for Washington, with special despatches.
Information is also brought by the Princess Royal of the attack by the iron clad Montauk on Fort McAllister on the 28th ult. She was not at all disabled. She received seventeen shots in her side and twelve in her turret, without receiving any injury whatever. Although engaged for five hours, she returned to her anchorage for want of shells. It being foggy next morning, she did not return to the attack.
The Princess Royal has aboard, besides a large amount of arms and ammunition, complete machinery for the construction of an iron clad ram, also as a passenger an intelligent English mechanic, who is well versed in the process of making and hardening projectiles. Her value is variously estimated, but she is doubtless worth a million of dollars. Her possession by the rebels would have been incalculable, and well worth the efforts they made to obtain her by the attack on the blockading squadron.