From Washington

WASHINGTON, May 19.

No official dispatch has been received from Com. Goldsboro about the expedition up James River.  It comprised the steam frigate Susquehanna, three gunboats and tug Wave.  The latter mounting one gun.  They found the first rebel battery at Dog’s Point deserted.  The rebel flag was flying over the battery at Hardy’s Point, 15 miles above Newport News, but on landing was found deserted.  Also all the rebel batteries between there and Jamestown, with guns mostly dismounted.  Near Jamestown they met a squadron under Commander Rogers, which had previously gone up the river, and learned from them particulars of the fight at Fort Darling, and the disaster to the Naugatuck.

Goldsboro’s expedition was last heard from Friday, and was still going up river, securing most of the ordnance left by the rebels.

The general evacuation below Fort Darling doubtless gives Goldsboro a chance to bring up mortar boats, &c., to act effectively against the fort.  James River and banks are now clear of rebel soldiers.  The Monitor and Galena were the only vessels run by Dog’s Point and Hardy’s bluff batteries.  The remainder of the fleet stopped below.  Of twenty-eight shells which struck the Galena eighteen penetrated.  None did the Monitor any damage, all glancing off.  Both returned down river Friday last.  The Galena is not materially injured.  They doubtless followed Goldsboro, Saturday up the river.

The universal topic is of course the President’s proclamation, denouncing and repudiating the conduct of Maj. Gen. Hunter.  It was understood yesterday that the President would await advice of the authenticity of the alleged proceeding of Hunter, but to-day it was too obvious that the mischief would be irreparable, if immediate action was not taken.  The effect in Washington has been most happy and reassuring.  The grand patriarchal spirit manifested, yearning for the good of the whole nation more than ever, exalts the President in the confidence and love of the people, and increases the sway he has over al extremes of political parties here represented.

The circuit court to-day appointed three commissioners for adjudication of cases arising under the fugitive slave law.  Seven arrests only were made to-day.  There seems to be concurrent jurisdiction claimed by the military authorities, regarding the fugitives under their protection, therefore it cannot be said the law has full course.

This morning about 50 of the citizens of the adjoining counties of Maryland, proceeded to the White House, accompanied by Messrs. Crissfield, Calvert, Webster, and Leary, representatives in Congress from that state, who had a conversation with the President regarding the interest of their constituents, as involved in the fugitive law.  They say the President promised a response on some other occasion.

The U. S. military telegraph has an office open and working, in a saw mill, at the 14th mile post from Richmond.  The lines to the various camps and stations between headquarters and Fort Monroe are in good condition and working admirably, under the personal superintendence of F. F. Rekert.

WASHINGTON, May 20.

Hon. Edward Stanley is on the eve of departure for North Carolina.  He to-day received his commission as Military Governor of that State.  He is invested with the powers and duties of that station, including the power to establish all necessary offices and tribunals, and suspend the writ of Habeas corpus, during the pleasure of the President, or until the loyal inhabitants shall organize a State government in accordance with the Constitution of the United States.  His powers are exactly similar to those with which Gov. Johnson, of Tennessee, is invested.

An army officer, just arrived here, from Port Royal, denies the published statement that at the last accounts our pickets were within four miles of Savannah.

A private letter from an officer of the flotilla, speaking of the recent engagement, says: The iron-clad Galena was maneuvered so beautifully and saucily that she passed five or six times as close as she could get, and silenced one of the batteries; she then passed and repassed the second battery six times, but finding they were using so much ammunition, for which we expect to have better use further up, Rogers, the commander, ordered the wooden vessels to run up, whilst he in the galena lay just off the battery, and disconcerted the rebel gunners.  The Galena then followed, but the buoys have been displaced so that the pilots lost their bearing, and run the galena ashore, and she is still aground.  None of our vessels are seriously injured.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Wednesday Morning, May 21, 1862, p. 1

The James River Fight

PHILADELPHIA, May 19.

The Bulletin contains the following additional from Fortress Monroe:

The repulse of the gunboats is generally regarded as a very serious affair.  On the Naugatuck seventeen are reported killed by the explosion of the gun.  The boat made a useless fight and was withdrawn.  The Galena was riddled with shots, and the loss is supposed to be heavy.  The Monitor was struck repeatedly, but is said to be uninjured.

Affairs are quiet at Norfolk.  There have been several attempts lately to assassinate Union soldiers.  Yesterday an affair occurred causing some uneasiness.  Colonel Brown, of the 20th Indiana, stationed at Portsmouth, went out of town to take a ride; soon afterwards his horse came into town, wounded and without a rider.  It is feared the Colonel is killed or captured.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Wednesday Morning, May 21, 1862, p. 1

From Fortress Monroe

BALITMORE, May 20.

The boat from Old Point has arrived, but it brings no news.  It was reported that the Naugatuck was taking on board a new gun yesterday.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Wednesday Morning, May 21, 1862, p. 1

A Federal Repulse On The James River

The Gunboats Beaten off at Fort Darling.

WASHINGTON, May 17.

The following has been received at the War Department:

WASHINGTON, May 17.

The gunboats Galena, Monitor, Arostook, Naugatuck and Port Royal were repulsed from Fort Darling 7 miles below Richmond, yesterday.

A Portion of them have returned to Jamestown Island, near this place in James River.

Seventeen of our dead have already been buried, and there are numbers wounded aboard the vessels, including Lieut. Morris.

The 100-pound gun on the Naugatuck exploded the first fire.

(Signed)

DAVID CAMPBELL,

By authority of

GEN. McCLELLAN.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Tuesday Morning, May 20, 1862, p. 2

Shelling of Sewall’s Point

BALTIMORE, May 9.

The special correspondent of the American sends the following relative to affairs in Hampton Roads and the Peninsula:

FORT MONROE, May 8.

This has been a most stirring and exciting day at Old Point, and all are anticipating the early fall of Norfolk.  At 11 o’clock the steamer Naugatuck was observed raising steam, and about 12 o’clock she moved out by the side of the Monitor, which vessel also cleared her decks for action, taking down her awning, and stood forth in full fighting trim.

11:30. – The gunboat Dacotah has just moved up on line of battle, together with the sloops of war Seminole and San Jacinto.  The flag ship Minnesota was also under steam.

12 o’clock. – The Naugatuck has moved up towards Elizabeth river, followed by the Monitor and Dacotah in line of battle.  The San Jacinto follows slowly.

Heavy firing can still be heard in the direction of James river, where, you have already been informed by telegraph, the Galena and other boats of gone.  The Susquehanna has just gone up in the meantime, the Dacotah, Monitor and Naugatuck have reached the channel and taken a position near Sewall’s Point.  The Dacotah fired a shot towards Craney Island.  A second shot from the Dacotah struck the beach at Sewall’s Point.

12:30 – The Susquehanna moves up and takes the lead of the San Jacinto and Seminole – no answer from either.  The Dacotah and Seminole are steaming up Elizabeth river.  The Naugatuck is lying off towards the mouth of the James River.

Presently, the Dacotah and Monitor approached Craney Island and Sewall’s Point.  The Dacotah fires every few minutes alternately at Sewall’s Point and Craney Island, the enemy making no reply, although the balls reached their intended destination. – The Monitor is taking the lead.  Meantime the Seminole and Susquehanna open upon Sewall’s point, and two shots are fired from the Point, the latter falling short of the Monitor, which is now a mile above the other vessels.

12:40. – The rebels are firing rapidly from Sewall’s Point, principally on the Monitor, while a succession of shells are being poured on the enemy from the Susquehanna, Dacotah, Seminole and San Jacinto, broadside after broadside.  The Rip Raps also threw occasional shells at Sewall’s Point.

12:50. – The Susquehanna, Dacotah, San Jacinto and Seminole are pouring shells and the Monitor threw her first two shells full a mile and a half from the Point.

FORT MONROE, May 8.

Shortly before noon to-day the Monitor, Naugatuck, Seminole, Susquehanna, Dacotah and San Jacinto, in the order in which they are named, steamed up toward Sewall’s Point – Capt. Lardner, of the Susquehanna, in command of the expedition.

As soon as within range, fire was opened with a shot and shell against Sewall’s Point.  Most of the shots were good ones.  It was nearly half an hour before a reply was made from the Point.

The Rip Raps next opened fire, and then the Naugatuck for the first time.  Several shots were fired from the single gun on the extremity of the Point, when one from the Monitor struck in the vicinity, doubtless disabling the gun, as it has not been fired since.  The position of the Monitor was far in advance of the rest of the fleet, and she continued in motion until within a mile or two of the Point where considerable execution must have been done by here accurate firing.

The Naugatuck kept in the back ground, the range of her Parrot gun enabling her to do so.  Sewall Point battery replied briskly.  The Rip Raps fired occasionally.  A continual fire was kept up from the gunboats.  On account of the distance, no details can be given.  Nothing occurred till two o’clock, when the firing was very feeble from the Point.  The Monitor about this time returned from her advanced position and joined the fleet.

At 2:15 a very dense smoke arose rapidly from the Point, caused probably by the burning of the rebel barracks and other buildings.  At about half past two o’clock, the Merrimac made her appearance, when the fleet returned with the exception of the Monitor.  The Merrimac is still (5 o’clock) off the Point.  The Monitor is ready to attack her.

1 P. M. – The Monitor is now within a mile of Sewall’s Point, moving slowly forward and firing.  The enemy are also firing briskly from Sewall’s Point at the Monitor and shells are falling thickly around her.  Craney Island is also joining in the fight, and has thrown shells at the Monitor, one of which exploded directly over her.  The Monitor moved steadily forward, and occasionally firing, and receiving shells and shot from the rebel battery with perfect indifference.

2 P. M. – The monitor has fallen back, and lays alongside of the Susquehanna, probably for the purpose of communicating with her.  The Naugatuck in the meantime has been throwing shells into Pig’s Point, and the fleet has also thrown a number of shells in the same direction.

2:15 P. M. – The Monitor and Dacotah are moving along again slowly up the mouth of the Elizabeth river, and dense black smoke has commenced to arise from Sewall’s Point, indicating that our incendiary shells thrown there have fired the barracks.  The Dacotah continues to throw her shells directly into the point.  The vessels by constantly changing position destroy the range of the rebel gunners, but they are, however, making quite a determined fight, their works giving us almost shell for shell, shot for shot.  The Monitor has laid out of action for nearly an hour, and is probably cooling her guns.  The Rip Raps battery has the range of Sewall’s Point perfectly.

2:45 P. M. – The Merrimac now makes her appearance on the scene.  She has just passed from behind Sewall’s Point, and is slowly running down toward the Federal fleet.  Simultaneously with the appearance of the Merrimac the Monitor started from behind the wooden vessels and moved up to meet the enemy.  The larger vessels have drawn aside and left.  The Monitor and Naugatuck are now in the approaching path of the Merrimac.  The vessels of the fleet had been lying quietly at anchor for the last half hour, when the signal from the flag ship ordered them all to return.  The Susquehanna leads the way, followed by the San Jacinto, Seminole, Dacotah and Monitor, being all apparently using the greatest speed towards the fort.  To the spectator, this seemed rather mortifying, but as they moved down in line the Monitor was seen to halt, and the San Jacinto and Dacotah also followed her example, leaving the Susquehanna and Seminole moving ahead.  The four steamers and the Monitor having taken their position the Merrimac also halted, and the vessels stood there not more than a mile and a half apart – the Merrimac apparently unwilling to come further down and the Monitor unwilling to go further up.  The Minnesota also steamed up in front of the fortress wharf, followed slowly by the Vanderbilt, when both stopped.  After laying in this position the Minnesota turned round and steamed back, and the Vanderbilt turning slowly backed water down the river.  Whilst this maneuvering was going on firing had entirely ceased from all points.

3:30. – The Merrimac now turns round and steams back toward Norfolk with her rebel flag flying.  The Dacotah again proceeds up towards the Merrimac and the Monitor starts toward the mouth of the Elizabeth river.  The Dacotah is now within easy range of Sewall’s Point, but the batteries there do not open on the shore.  The Monitor has stopped and the Merrimac is lying stationary about a mile from the Craney Island Battery.  Here commenced an important movement, which cannot be made public just yet.  The Vanderbilt and Arago have now steamed in front of the wharf.  The Merrimac has run back under the guns of Craney Island, and the Monitor is steaming off towards here at full speed.  The Minnesota is also coming up again at full speed, the effort being to draw the rebels again.  For the past two hours the fleet has been moving back and forwards, but the Merrimac still lies under the guns of Craney Island.  The Minnesota, Arago and Vanderbilt have gone back to their anchorage, and there is no prospect of a fight to-night.  The troops are going on board the transports, and the war vessels, including the Monitor, have all returned to their anchorage.

The President viewed the action from a tug-boat lying about a mile in rear of the fleet.  He has just returned, and as he passed up the wharf was vociferously cheered by the troops.

Our fleet have retired.  The Merrimac is again steaming up.  An officer of the Seminole states that the rebel staff on the Point was twice shot away during the bombardment.  The first time it fell, it was picked up and a rebel in a red shirt jumped on the ramparts with a stump of the staff and flag, and waved it, when a shell struck him killing him and it is supposed others near him.

Of the many shots fired at the fleet by the rebels, not one struck our vessels. – Some went over their masts, but most fell short.  The rebels could be distinctly seen from the vessels carrying all of their wounded and dead.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Saturday Morning, May 10, 1862, p. 1

From Fort Monroe

FORT MONROE, May 8, A. M.

The iron-clad ship-of-war Galena, and gunboats Arostook and Port Royal started up the James River this morning.  They have passed Dog’s Point battery, and heavy firing has been heard up the river since their departure.  They will cut off the river communication with the rebels south of the Chickamacomico.  Instantly after the gunboats started the rebel tug J. B. White came out in front of Newport News, having left Norfolk this morning with a crew and two citizens on board, on a mission to Tannery Point.  By previous consent, they ran over to Newport News and surrendered to Gen. Mansfield.

Sewall’s Point is being evacuated.  The Monitor, Naugatuck and several gunboats have just left for Sewall’s Point.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Saturday Morning, May 10, 1862, p. 1

From Washington

WASHINGTON, April 29.

A dispatch received from Gen. Halleck says:  “It is the unanimous opinion that Gen. Sherman saved the fortune of the 6th, and contributed largely to the victory of the 7th.  He was in the thickest of the fight, had three horses shot, and was himself wounded twice.  I respectfully ask that he be made Major General of volunteers.”

Lieut. Robinson is ordered to the command of the battery of E. A. Stevens, commonly, but erroneously called the Naugatuck, now at fort Monroe.

The Secretary of the Treasury is now prepared to pay all indebtedness of a date prior to the 1st of Feb’y, in cash, of the month of Feb’y of 40 per cent in cash, of subsequent date 30 percent cash.

The emancipation commissioners met to-day.  Several petitions were filed, and during the morning thirty or forty persons waited on the board for information regarding the mode of procedure.

Tribune’s Dispatch.

WASHINGTON, April 29.

The War Department has issued an order for supplies of arms and clothing for the loyal blacks to be enrolled in Gen. Hunter’s division.

WASHINGTON, April 30.

Brig. Gen. W. T. Sherman in accordance with the recommendation of Gen. Halleck has been nominated for a Major General.

A letter received here from a gentleman high in authority in Tennessee, contains the following:  “Say to the P. M. General that we are succeeding beyond our most sanguine expectations.  As soon as the rebel army is driven beyond the limits of Tennessee the state will stand for the Union by an overwhelming majority.  I hope the government will be impressed with the absolute necessity of the army entering East Tennessee.  They are murdering and plundering our people by thousands.  Their acts of inhumanity and barbarity are without parallel.”  The letter concludes:  “Great God!  Is there no relief for that people?”

The Post Office department has re-opened the following offices in Tennessee: Murfreesboro, Springfield and Franklin.  If the administration should not in all respects meet the expectations of the country, the failure will not be for the want of volunteer advice on war, financial and slavery questions.  Numerous letters proffering it, being constantly received from all parts of the United States, and even foreign lands.

It is not probable that smuggling goods into Virginia from the Chesapeake bay and adjacent waters, will much longer be profitable speculations.  The numerous recent captures show several regulations are strictly enforced.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Thursday Morning, May 1, 1862, p. 1

The Iron Battery Naugatuck

The government is soon to be place in possession of a small but staunch iron gunboat, the gift of Mr. Stevens, contractor for the famous floating battery at Hoboken.  This craft was originally a canal boat, and has been fitted up at Bordentown, N. J., with a screw propellers, water-tight partitions, and at the contrivances for sinking her to a fighting depth which have been introduced in the great battery.  She is, in fact, designed to illustrate on a small scale, the principal novelties and merits of that mammoth concern; and at a preliminary test to which she was subjected some months ago, in the presence of a large number of army and navy officers and scientific gentlemen, she was found to work admirably.  She could be entirely submerged, with the exception of her gunwale, in a few minutes, and could be quickly turned about, like a [teetotum], in her own length.  Since those satisfactory experiments, Mr. Stevens has still further strengthened her and improved her sailing and fighting qualities, and is now prepared to turn her over to the Government free of expense, for active service.  Her name is Naugatuck.  Her dimensions are those of an ordinary canal boat, and she will be sent by canal from New York, where is now is to Washington.  Her speed above water, is ten knots and hour, when submerged to the depth of 7½ feet, about seven.  She can carry coal for twelve days, and a crew large enough to work the vessel and handle her armament.  The latter consists of a single 100 pounder of the Parrott pattern, which experiments have proved to be perhaps the most formidable rifled gun in the world. – Whenever the Naugatuck is sunk to her fighting depth by the admission of water to the chambers in her bow and stern, her entire machinery, steering apparatus and vulnerable parts will be below the water line; and nothing will be exposed to the enemy’s shots but a narrow strip of white pine, (which does not splinter,) constituting the gunwale, and the gun itself.  Her small size and the scantiness of her exposed lines, would enable her to approach close to a hostile vessel in a dark night, and deliver her 100-pounder with terrible effect.  The Naugatuck will start for Washington at an early day.  Captain Faunce, late of the revenue cutter Harriet Lane, has, by directions of the Government, inspected this novel craft during her preparations for service.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, March 29, 1862, p. 4

BALTIMORE, March 26 [1862].

The steamer Naugatuck arrived here this morning.  She is now lying off Ft. [Mc]Henry.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Monday Morning, March 31, 1862, p. 1

Latest From Fortress Monroe

BALTIMORE, May 20. – The boat from Old Point has arrived but brings no news.

It was reported that the Naugatuck was taking on board a new gun yesterday.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, May 24, 1862, p. 4

A Federal Repulse on the James River

The Gunboats Beaten off at Fort Darling – Seventeen killed on board the Flotilla – the Naugatuck’s 100 pounder Burst.

WASHINGTON, May 17.

The Gunboats, Galena, Monitor, Aroostook, Naugatuck and Port Royal were repulsed from Fort Darling seven miles below Richmond yesterday.

A portion of them have returned to Jamestown Island near this place, in James River.

Seventeen of our dead have already been buried and there are numbers of wounded aboard the vessels including Lieut. Morris.

The 100 pound gun on the Naugatuck exploded on the first fire.

(Signed.)

DAVID CAMPBELL,

By authority of GEN. McCLELLAN

Later.

WASHINGTON, May 18. – No official report of the gunboat affair on James River has been received.  Messages received indicate an opportunity to do better in future.  The river is now clear of obstructions to within eight miles of Richmond.  At that point there is a heavy battery on a high bluff.  The river is temporarily closed to navigation by sunken vessels among which are reported the Yorktown and Jamestown, piles chains &c.  The Monitor could not elevate her guns to reach the bluff, which rendered her useless.  The banks of the river are filled with rifle pits from which an incessant fire was poured on our fleet, a part of which were engaged within six hundred to a thousand yards of the main battery.  After an action of four hours the fleet finding it impracticable to silence the battery on the bluff withdrew.

Our loss is 13 killed and 11 wounded.  Full particulars expected to-morrow.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, May 24, 1862, p. 4

Exit the Merrimac

Our skeleton in the closet has crumbled into dust, and nervous people inhabiting seacoast cities can sleep o’ nights hereafter without fear of being awakened by the thunder of the Merrimac’s guns at their very doors.  This vessel – the one navel success of the South, that accomplished the rare feat of compelling an American frigate to strike her colors to an enemy, and whose advent into Hampton Roads marks an era in conflicts at sea – was scuttled and sunk by the rebels to prevent her falling into the hands of our naval forces.  Her loss is more damaging to the rebellion than if an army of 50,000 men had been killed or captured.  Better to have lost Savannah, Charleston, Memphis or Richmond, than have destroyed this naval monster without a fight.  Had she gone down, as did the Cumberland or the Varuna, firing until the water closed over her, all the world would have wondered, and Southern valor, as well as Southern skill, would have claimed a proud page in the history of battles; but the pitiful panic which must have possessed the councils in which her destruction was determined upon will bring contempt upon the Confederate cause, even in those foreign circles whose interest or whose humor it has been to sustain and countenance the great rebellion.

It is to be regretted, for many reasons, that this vessel did not venture on another conflict with our fleet in Hampton Roads.  Her first exploit proved the folly of building any more wooden frigates.  The contest with the Monitor on the second day was of great scientific interest, as showing the relative value of heavy ordnance and thick iron plating in an actual sea fight.  The third fight, if a chance had been given, would have demonstrated the value of a swift steam ram against an iron clad vessel.  The Vanderbilt, the Arago, and the Baltimore, as is now well known, were in readiness to make the attempt, at least had she ventured into deep water or got out of the range of the guns at Sewall’s Point.  But this experiment is now postponed until another war takes place, for the rebels have no vessel left that a few guns would not sink with ease.

It is more than probable, although it has been denied by the rebel press, that the Merrimac was seriously injured in her contest with the Monitor, so much so as to disable her for another fight.  The report that she leaked continuously is no doubt true.

The destruction of the Merrimac is of the utmost consequence to us in the progress of the war.  After the occupation of Richmond the Galena, the Monitor, the Naugatuck and a large fleet of wooden vessels can pay their respects to Fort Sumter and reduce it promptly.  Gen. Hunter is already drawing his lines about the city of Charleston, but his work will be greatly expedited by the cooperation of these invulnerable vessels.  Iron-clad batteries, as against forts, were first tried by the rebels upon Sumter, but they took months to erect them, and finally opened fire upon a half-starved garrison of seventy men, let us show that the same work can be done against greater odds, and with much less fuss and waste of powder. – {N. Y. World.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, May 17, 1862, p. 3

The Advance upon Richmond – Treasure from California

NEW YORK, May 14. – A Fort Monroe letter of the 12^th states that McClellan’s pickets were within 16 miles of Richmond, that the Monitor and Naugatuck had passed City Point towards Richmond, the Galena following.  The rebel steamers Yorktown and Jamestown were at Rockets, near Richmond.  These are only rumors.

The Champion, from Aspinwall, brings $484,000 in specie.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, May 10, 1862, p.

A Richmond Editor Alarmed

FORTRESS MONROE, April 14. – A Richmond paper contains an editorial exhibiting considerable fear for the safety of that city. It intimates that the Monitor, Naugatuck and [Galena], all armored vessels, might easily come up the James river, and by their invulnerability and powerful guns take and keep possession of the city. To prevent such a result, it proposes that the channel of James River shall be obstructed by stone, which it says is abundant for the purpose, and should be used at once.

The Merrimac has not come out, and nothing has been seen of her to-day. The tide has been low, and this may have kept her in.

Early in the morning a rebel tug ran out from behind Sewall’s Point but returned. Later in the day there was a large fire in the woods on the point, apparently from the burning of the brush, and gave rise to some speculation that the rebels were building a new battery there.

– Published in the Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, April 19, 1862