[81] bar. The Flag was alongside the Mercedita after, it seems, she had yielded to the ram, supposing herself sinking. The rams withdrew hastily toward the harbor, and on their way were fired at by the Housatonic and Augusta, until both had got beyond reach of their guns. They anchored under the protection of their forts, and remained there. No vessel, ironclad or other, passed out over the bar after the return of the rams in shore. The Unadilla was not aware of the attack until the Housatonic commenced firing, when she moved at toward that vessel from her anchorage. The Housatonic was never beyond the usual line of blockade. The Quaker City, in the forenoon, picked up her anchor which she had slipped to repair to the point of firing. The Flag communicated with the senior officer on board the Housatonic that forenoon, soon after the firing ended, and the blockade continued as before. No vessel ran in or out of the port that day, nor was any attempt made to run the blockade. The Keystone State necessarily was ordered to Port Royal for repairs. The Unadilla returned to her usual anchorage, after communicating with the senior officer, where she remained during the day. Throughout the day two small tug-boats remained apparently in attendance on the rams, under cover of Forts Moultrie and Beauregard. The prize steamer Princess Royal, which had been lying alongside of the Housatonic, was despatched to Port Royal, by order of the senior officer, one hour and a half after the ram had returned to the cover of the batteries and the firing had ceased, or about 9.30 A. M. These are facts, and we do not hesitate to state that no vessel did come out beyond the bar after the return of the rams, at between 7 and 8 A. M., to the cover of the forts. We believe the statement that any vessel came anywhere near the usual anchorage of the blockaders, or up to the bar, after the withdrawal of the rams, to be deliberately and knowingly false. If the statement from the papers, as now before us, has the sanction of the captain of the Petrel and the foreign consuls, we can only deplore that foreign officers can lend their official positions to the spreading before the world, for unworthy objects, untruths, patent to every officer of this squadron.Wm. Rodgers Taylor, Captain U. S.S. Housatonic. J. H. Strong, Commander U. S.S. Flag. James Madison Frailey, Commander U. S.S. Quaker City. Pend. G. Watmough, Commanding U. S.S. Memphis. C. J. Van Alstine, Commanding U. S.S. Stettin.
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Atlanta, Ga. 1899.
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