[112]
No. 13.
Shell passed over between fore and mainmast, struck inner hammock-rail on port side, cut through netting and outer hammockrail, breaking a hole in third cutter.
No. 14.
Shell-one hundred and fifty pounder — fired from the ram Tennessee while alongside, the muzzles of her guns touching our port side; the shell struck the outer planking on the port side, pierced through the timbers and ceiling inside, exploded on the berth-deck, fragments of the shell going through the streaks of plank on the spar-deck, through the launch, first and second cutters; portions of the shell also went through the deck-plank and hatches on the berthdeck and dropped into the hold, scarring spardeck beams and deck-frame below fore and mainhatches from port side to starboard.
No. 15.
Shell struck grub-beam on forecastle, crushed the upper edge and glanced overboard.
No. 16.
Conical shot, or shell, struck the band on starboard side of mainmast, eighteen feet from the partners, pierced through the mast-band and buried its length in the mast.
No. 17.
Shot struck the forward starboard-quarter of the mainmast, sixteen feet above the partners, scoring one and a half inches.
No. 18.
Shell struck collar of fore-stay, shattered trussle-trees, forward lower cross-tree, heel of fore-topmast, and lodged in forward nut of trussle-trees.
No. 19.
Shell struck port side of main-top, crushed a hole in deck of top, and glanced overboard.
No. 20.
Shot through smoke-pipe.
In the collision with the rebel ram the porthead pump was crushed in, two feet below the water-line.
The copper on the stem and portbow was peeled off by the iron plating of the ram.
The ship received considerable damage by being run into by the Lackawanna.
She crushed in the after-part of the main-channel, broke two of the main-chains and spar-crane, with the spars that were stowed, namely, spare-main and mizzen top-gallant and mizzen royal-yards, the main-rail, hammock-rails, netting, bulwarks, top-timbers, outer planking; timbers and ceiling, from gunwale down to two feet of the water-line, were crushed in and broken on the starboard side abaft the main rigging, from the after-side of No. 10 gun-port to the forward side of No. 11 gunport.
The deck-knees, diagonal and hanging, are broken, the iron diagonal braces are badly bent in-board, the spar-deck beams and deckplank moved to starboard; abreast of the fracture, the water-way is cut in two.
It will be necessary to caulk a large portion of the quarter-deck.
The gig-davits were broken, also her keel and planking.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant.
sir: In obedience to your order of the sixth instant, I respectfully submit the following report of damages to the rigging of this ship during an engagement with the enemy in Mobile Bay, August fifth, 1864, namely:
After-shroud of fore-rigging shot away, and one collar of the fore-stay shot away; also the lower boom topping-lift and fall and port forebrace; also port and starboard jib-sheets; also port and starboard fore-topsail braces; main topmast-stay stranded; also main topmast staysail halliards and main topsail-halliards and starboard after main topmast backstay stranded and mainlift shot away; also port and starboard crogicbraces shot away, and two starboard main topmast backstay screws carried away.
Very respectfully,
Robert Dixon, Boatswain U. S. N.
sir: In obedience to orders, I respectfully report the damage sustained in the Gunner's department of this ship, and the amount of ammunition expended in the action on the fifth of August with the rebel forts and fleet, to be as follows, namely:
The port one-hundred pounder rifle gun-carriage struck twice and completely shattered; No. 19 gun-carriage, starboard side, struck by shell, splintering right bracket, breaking bracket-bolt and knocking rear dumb-truck out of place; No. 29 gun-carriage, starboard side, scarred by shell bursting and having port-truck broken to pieces; No. 10 nine-inch gun-carriage, injured by being upset when in collision with Lackawanna; three roller hand-spikes broken and four ordinary handspikes broken, three nine-inch gun-tackles carried away, one one-hundred pounder rifle sidetackle-block shattered, one one-hundred pounder breeching and one nine-inch breeching cut with shot, one nine-inch bristle-sponge shot away, two rammers, nine-inch, broken.
Number of rounds expended in action:
powder.
Ninety-five charges thirteen pounds nine-inch, or one thousand two hundred and thirty-five pounds of powder.
Ninety-two charges ten pounds nine-inch, or nine hundred and twenty pounds of powder.
Twenty-seven charges ten pounds one-hundred pounder rifle, or two hundred and seventy pounds of powder.
shell.
Seventy-seven shell, five second, nine-inch.
Fifty-five shell, ten second, nine-inch.
Eighteen shell one-hundred pounder rifle concussion.
Three shell one-hundred pounder rifle Parrott, percussion.
Seven shell twelve-pounder heavy howitzer.
Six shell twelve-pounder light howitzer.
shrapnel.
Nine shrapnel nine-inch.
solid shot.
Thirty-three shot nine-inch.
Six shot one-hundred pounder rifle, chilled ends.
Very respectfully,
John L. Staples, Gunner U. S. N.
