Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 10.
Frank Moore, Ed.

At five minutes past four P. M., the Keokuk left her consorts and advanced, bow on, gallantly to within nine hundred yards of our batteries. She received our undivided attention, and the effect of our fire was soon apparent. The wrought-iron bolts from a seven-inch Brooke gun were plainly seen to penetrate her turret and hull, and she retired in forty minutes, riddled, and apparently almost disabled.

At twenty-five minutes past five P. M., the whole fleet withdrew. The iron-clads had been under our fire for two hours and twenty-five minutes. The Keokuk has sunk, one monitor was towed south on the morning of the eighth April, instant; several were apparently injured; and the fact has been demonstrated, that iron-clads of the monitor class are not invulnerable.

The enemy's fire was mostly ricochet and not very accurate; most of their shot passed over the fort, and several to the right and left. The greater portion of their shots were from thirteen to fourteen hundred yards distant, which appeared to be the extent of their effective range; some shots were from a greater distance, and did not reach the fort at all.

For the effect of the fire of the enemy upon the fort, I would respectfully refer to the report of Engineer.

One eight-inch columbiad, old pattern, chambered gun, exploded. This gun was being fired at about one degree elevation, and it is my opinion that its bursting was caused by the shot rolling forward, when the gun was run into battery. In firing at low degrees of elevation and at depression, sabot shot should be used.

One forty-two-pounder rifled gun was dismounted by recoil, and temporarily disabled.

One ten-inch columbiad was disabled, by having the rear transom of its carriage shot away. Both guns were again ready for action in a few hours.

The garrison flag received a shot through the Union. The regimental flag was much torn by fragments of shell.

The garrison, consisting of seven companies, First South Carolina artillery, was disposed of as follows, viz:

First--Captain D. G. Fleming, with Company B, seventy-eight men, in command of east parapet battery, assisted by Lieutenants F. D. Bake and Iredell Jones; Lieutenant J. M. Rhett, Company A, although on sick report, was assigned temporarily to Company B.

Second--Captain F. H. Harleston, with Company D, seventy-four men, in command of north-east parapet battery, assisted by Lieutenants McMillan, King and W. S. Simkins.

Third--Captain J. C. King, with Company F, in command of north-west parapet battery, assisted by Lieutenants A. S. Gilliard, John Middleton, and W. H. Johnson.

Fourth--Captain J. C. Mitchell, with Company I, seventy-eight men, in command of west parapet battery, assisted by Lieutenant J. S. Bee.

Fifth--Captain J. R. Macbeth, with Company E, seventy-seven men, in command of mortar battery and east casemate battery, assisted by Lieutenant J. J. Alston.

Sixth--Captain W. H. Peronneau, with Company G, seventy-seven men, in command of north-east casemate battery, assisted by Lieutenant E. S. Ficklin.

Seventh--Captain C. W. Parker, with detachment Company C, fifty-five men, and detachment Company E, in command of north-west casemate battery, assisted by Lieutenants G. E. Haymworth and K. Kemper.

Eighth--Lieutenant H. Grimball, with regimental band, fifteen men, in command of second tier casemate battery.

Ninth--Lieutenant Clarkson, with detachment of twenty-five men of Company B, Charleston battalion, posted in second tier of casemate as sharpshooters.

Lieutenant-Colonel Yates, having reported for duty on the morning of the seventh of April, was assigned to the immediate command of the parapet batteries.

The casemate batteries were under the immediate command of Major Ormsby Blanding.

The following is the number of guns brought into action: Two seven-inch Brooke guns; four ten-inch columbiads; two nine-inch Dahlgrens; four eight-inch columbiads; four eight-inch navy guns; seven banded and rifled forty-two pounders ; one banded and rifled thirty-two pounder; thirteen smooth-bore thirty-two-pounders; seven ten-inch sea-coast mortars.

The following were the officers of the staff:

Lieutenant S. C. Boyleston, Adjutant; Captain T. M. Barker, Assistant Quartermaster; Captain S. P. Ravenel, A. C. S.; Reverend N. Aldrich, Chaplain; Sergeant-Major, C. P. Grunshig, and Quartermaster-Sergeant, William Nicoll. Lieutenant Charles Inglesby was Officer of the Day. Lieutenant J. G. Heyward was Officer of the Guard. Lieutenant E. P. Ravenel was acting Ordnance Officer, assisted by Lieutenant James B. Heyward, Lieutenant of Ordnance.

The medical department was under charge of Surgeon M. S. Moore, assisted by Assistant-Surgeon Samuel Muller.

Mr. Edward White was present as acting Engineer Officer.

The members of the Signal corps were T. P. Lowndes, Arthur Grimball, and Joseph W. Seabrook.

Several officers of General Ripley's staff were present during the engagement, and in the absence of General Ripley, tendered their services to me.

Captain Benjamin Read, A. A. General; Colonel Edward Manigault and Colonel St. Clair Dearing were present, having tendered their services also.

Mr. Lacoste also was present, and rendered efficient service.

With regard to the conduct of the garrison, it is impossible for me to draw any distinction. Officers and men were alike animated with the