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

Statement of firing by the United States steamer New Ironsides during her several engagements with the rebel fortifications in Charleston harbor.

date.	rounds fired.	hits by enemy.	distance.	object.	remarks.
1863.			Yards.
July 18	805	4	1,400	Fort Wagner	At anchor.
July 20	168	13	1,300	Fort Wagner	At anchor.
July 24	464	5	1,200	Fort Wagner	At anchor.
July 29	183	2	1,200	Fort Wagner	At anchor.
July 29	25		2,500	Fort Sumter	50-pounder rifle on spar deck.
July 29	2		1,900	Fort Gregg
July 30	329	2	1,800	Fort Gregg	At anchor.
July 30	1		2,250	Fort Sumter	50-pounder rifle on spar deck.
Aug. 17	400	31	900	Fort Wagner	Most of the hits were from 10-inch guns in Wagner and Gregg. At anchor.
Aug. 17	30		1,700	Fort Gregg
Aug. 17	2		2,700	Fort Sumter	50-pounder rifle on spar deck.
Aug. 18	118			Fort Wagner	Under way; distance varied from 1,200 to 1,400 yds.
Aug. 19	50		1,100	Fort Wagner	At anchor.
Aug. 20	158		1,150	Fort Wagner	At anchor.
Aug. 20	2		3,400	Rebel Steamer	50-pounder rifle on spar deck.
Aug. 21	70	1	1,300	Fort Wagner	At auchor; hit from Sumter; 11-inch shot, solid.
Aug. 22	115			Fort Wagner	Under way; distance varied from 1,100 to 1,300 yds.
Aug. 23	90	4		Fort Wagner	Under way; distance varied from 1,100 to 1,300 yds.
Sept. 21	41	7	1,000	Fort Gregg	The hits were from Gregg and Moultrie; ship at anchor.
Sept. 2	9		1,500	Fort Sumter
Sept. 5	488		1,300	Fort Wagner	At anchor.
Sept. 5	32	1	1,800	Fort Gregg	Hit from Gregg.
Sept. 6	184		1,300	Fort Wagner	Firing to meridian.
Sept. 6	38		1,300	Fort Wagner	At anchor; firing from meridian to sundown.
Sept. 72	152	24	1,200	Fort Moultrie	These hits were from Sullivan's Island batteries; at anchor.
Sept. 8	483	70	1,200	Fort Moultrie

Respectfully submitted,

Sir: In the Army and Navy Journal, of the sixteenth instant, there is published a review of the service of the “monitors,” by Rear-Admiral J. A. Dahlgren. As this review does not give this vessel credit for the service performed by her, I respectfully ask your attention to the subject, in order that the statement may be corrected at the Navy Department.

On the twenty-ninth of July, 1863, this vessel went into action with Fort Wagner, followed by the Patapsco; the New Ironsides joined in the action also. The presence of the Passaic in this action is not mentioned in the review.

On the thirty-first of August, 1863, the most serious engagement for iron-clads that had taken place to that date occurred between Fort Moultrie on. one side, and the monitors Patapsco, Weehawken, Passaic, and Nahant, on the other, the detachment being under command of Commander T. H. Stevens, commanding the Passaic.

The conflicts with Fort Wagner and Battery Gregg, on Morris Island, each using two guns on the water face, were but trifling actions for ironclads ;but every collision with the batteries on Sullivan's Island that has taken place by daylight has been formidable. This action of the thirty-first of August, 1863, was of such a character.

During the action the Passaic grounded about half a mile from Fort Moultrie, and was severely hammered by the fort before she floated off. This engagement is not mentioned in the review.

On the eighth of September, 1863, the most remarkable action between iron-clads and sand batteries was fought under command of Commodore S. C. Rowan, between the batteries on Sullivan's Island, on one side, and the Ironsides, Patapsco, Lehigh, Passaic, Montauk, Nahant, and Weehawken, (aground,) on the other. This action, lasting for three hours, terminated in silencing the fire of the batteries on the island.

During this action the Passaic was at the head of the line, having received an order from the Commodore, as she was going into action, to go well up and engage Battery Bee. In this action the Passaic was hit in fifty-one new places, which were easily counted after the action, and I have no doubt that she was actually struck oftener than I have reported. Strange as it may seem, the presence of the Passaic in this action is not mentioned in the review.

I feel especially concerned about the omission in reference to this vessel, on the eighth of September, in consequence of the great efforts that were made on board to keep her in an effective condition.

This was very difficult to do in consequence of her turret having been jammed on the night of sixth of September, which had caused the spindle and pilot-house to take up motion with the turret, thus disabling the steering gear. Ingenious expedients