April 13, 1863, The Charleston Mercury
Proudly this thirteenth day of April, the second anniversary of the surrender of Fort Sumter, dawns upon the city of Charleston. The boasted iron-fleet, which was in three hours to have reduced our defences and pulverised the walls of Fort Sumter, battered and discomfited by our skilled artillerists, after tarrying five days within our bar, probably to repair damages and get orders from Washington, has gone. Abitt, excessit, evasit, erupit!
Yesterday afternoon at three o’clock the Monitors crossed the bar – three of them steaming, the other three towed by wooden vessels. Most of them passed southward, and were soon lost to the view. It is likely that they have gone to Port Royal, whither one of their number, worse injured, probably, than the rest, had preceded them four days ago. The Ironsides frigate was also towed beyond the bar, and at dark yesterday had resumed the position she lately occupied as the flagship of the blockading squadron. It is stated, however, by observers that her steam pump has been kept steadily in motion, that her water line has been raised by the removal of a portion, at least of her armament, and that she has been careened, evidently undergoing repairs on one side.
From the Stono River we also get intelligence that twenty-four of the transports, recently anchored in that stream, have disappeared – whether to remove troops, or only to bring more to Folly Island, with a view to the capture of Morris Island, we know not. But, at any rate, the progress of the great Yankee movement towards Charleston, both by land sea, has been suddenly stayed in the first and most dreaded advance, and our people, while they may not rejoice in the expectation that their final ordeal is passed, can at least enjoy a breathing spell from anxiety concerning the water approach, while every exertion should be given towards the security of Charleston otherwise.
In announcing to the public this almost ludicrous, hardly expected and most gratifying conclusion of the vaunted attack of the steel-plated Yankee armada, crippled, defeated and driven back in an engagement of not two hours and a half with a few admirably served batteries, we cannot forbear to invoke, as a proper spirit of profound thankfulness to the Giver of Victory, and of humble, prayerful trust in Him for a continuance of the providential mercies which, beginning with the reduction of Sumter two years ago, have signally marked the progress of operations in this quarter.