Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 8.
Frank Moore, Ed.

[133] with a rack lot into them. On an arm attached to the carriage there is a pinion for running out the gun, and by raising the arm the rack is thrown out of gear to allow the gun to recoil.

The arrangements for working the battery, and the implements and machinery employed, appear to be very good.

quarters for officers and crew.

The cabin is large and comfortable for an iron-clad vessel.

The ward-room is situated immediately over the engine, and is open to it, and although sufficiently commodious, we are of opinion that it would be impossible for officers or others, to preserve their health, or to live there comfortably for any considerable length of time in the absence of a better and more perfect ventilation than is at present provided.

The quarters of the crew are excellent, and exceedingly comfortable for an iron-clad vessel of her description. These quarters consist of a roomy berth-deck, with rooms fitted up on either side for the junior officers.

The berth-deck communicates with the casemate by means of a large hatch, and is provided with two large ventilators through the deck, outside of the casemate.

When in port and in moderately smooth sea, it is believed that the berth-deck will be found to be sufficiently well ventilated to insure a reasonable degree of comfort to the crew; but when the ventilators are unshipped, it is believed that the one blower now on board (and which is also used for forcing the fires) is not sufficient to produce a proper circulation of fresh air.

The steering arrangements appear to be very defective, and the accommodations for the pilot and helmsman bad. These defects can, however, be easily remedied and at a small cost.

machinery.

The machinery of the vessel consists of two geared non-condensing engines.

Cylinders twenty-four inches diameter and seven-feet stroke, with poppet-valves arranged, as is the usual mode on board of western river steamers.

These engines were taken out of the river steamer called the Alonzo Child.

They are placed fore and aft in the vessel, geared to an idler-shaft by spur gearing, with wooden teeth, and from the idler-shaft to the propeller shaft by bevel cast-iron gear

boilers.

There are four horizontal flue-boilers, twenty-four feet long, placed side by side, with one furnace under the whole of them; the products of combustion returning through the flues are delivered into one smoke-pipe.

The engine and fire-rooms are insufferably hot, and very badly ventilated.

injuries received in the action.

The injuries to the casemate of the Tennessee from shot are very considerable. On its after-side nearly all the plating is started; one bolt driven in; several nuts knocked off inside; gun-carriage of the after pivot-gun damaged, and the steering rod or chain cut near that gun. There are unmistakable marks on the afterpart of the casemate of not less than nine eleven-inch solid shot having struck within the space of a few square feet, in the immediate vicinity of that port. On the port side of the casemate the armor is also badly damaged from shot. On that side, nearly amidships of the casemate, and between the two broadside guns, a fifteen-inch solid shot knocked a hole through the armor and backing, leaving on the inside an undetached mass of oak and pine splinters, about three by four feet, and projecting inside of the casemate about two feet from the side. This is the only shot that penetrated the wooden backing of the casemate, although there are numerous places on the inside, giving evidence of the effect of the shot.

There are visible between forty and fifty in dentations and marks of shot on the hull, deck, and casemate, varying from very severe to slight; nine of the deepest indentations on the after part of the casemate, (evidently being eleven-inch shot,) and the marks of about thirty of other calibres on different parts of the vessel.

There are also a few other marks, being, however merely scratches or slight indentations of the plating.

The smoke-stack was shot away, although it is not improbable the heavy ramming by the Monongahela, Lackawanna, and Hartford, had previously prepared it for its fall.

Three of the wrought-iron port shutters or slides were so much damaged by shot as to prevent the firing of the guns.

There are no external visible marks or evidences of injury inflicted upon the hull of the Tennessee by the severe ramming by the Monongahela, Lackawanna, and Hartford; but inasmuch as the decks leak badly, and when there is a moderate sea running in the bay, her reported usual leakage of three inches an hour being now increased to five or six inches an hour, it is fairly to be inferred that the increased leakage is caused by the concussion of the vessels.

The Tennessee is in a state to do good service now.

To restore her to the state of efficiency in which she was when she went into the action with this fleet on the fifth instant, it will be necessary to overhaul much of the iron plating on the port and after sides of the casemate, and replace some of it.

The iron gun-port slides or shutters, which were damaged, must be either removed or repaired.

A new smoke-stack is required and additional ventilators should be fitted.

Blowers are required to produce proper ventilation in the engine-room and on the berth-deck.

When these small repairs and additions shall have been made, the iron-clad Tennessee will be a most formidable vessel for harbor and river service, and for operating generally in smooth water, both offensively and defensively.