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The assault on Fort McAllister--
Fort McAllister has been made the object of seven attacks from the Federal fleet. That the reader may better understand the position of affairs, we would state that Fort McAllister is situated on the right bank of the Ogeechee, and occupies the farthest point of mainland jutting out into the march. The river flows straight from a point about a mile above the fort to a distance of about a mile and a half below, where it makes a bend and runs almost south and behind a point of wood, thence onward to Oshawa Sound and the ocean. During the afternoon of Monday three iron Monitors — the Montauk, the second supposed, from the descriptions in the New York papers, to be the Passaic, and the third the Weehawken — steamed up from behind the point of wood, rounded the bend, and came up to within a short distance of the fort, the Montauk about 1,000 yards off, and the other two in the rear, some hundred and fifty yards from each other. Here they Anchored in line of battle for the next day, and the night was passed in quiet, both sides no doubt busy with preparation for the work of the morrow. Around the point, and a little over two miles distant, lay three mortar schooners and an old steamer, which also took part in the fight and kept up a rapid fire throughout.--Such was the force and disposition of the enemy. The Montauk and another iron-clad were armed with one 15 inch and one 11-inch gun each, and the third with 8 inch rifle guns. The mortar boats threw 10 and 13 inch shells. Our battery remained us in the former fight, except that it had been reinforced with a 10 inch columbiad. Another part of our force was a detachment of rifles, Capt. McAllister, under command of 3d Lieut. B. A. Flatbee. These men went up the river and crossed over the marsh by night to a point about two hundred and fifty yards from the Montauk, and in full rifle range, where they dug out a rifle pit in the mud, and remained the greater part of the fight, it is believed, not without important success, as will be seen hereafter. Thus stood matters up to a quarter to nine o'clock Tuesday morning, when our troops, wearied with waiting on the enemy, opened on the Montauk with the rifle gun. The 8-inch columbiad, 42 pounder, and 10 inch columbiad, followed suit in the order in which they are named, all directing their fire on the Montauk; indeed, she was the only one of the iron-clads that we shot at during the fight. The rent were doubtless much disappointed at not being "tested." The Savannah Republican gives an interesting recount of the assault, which conclusively proves that iron-clads against land works are not invulnerable: At nine o'clock the Montauk fired the first gun and was followed by her associates in rapid succession. Thus commenced the firing on both side, and the deadly strife was kept up steadily for seven and a half hours without the slightest intermission. Considering the strength of the combatants reportorially, and the immense weight of metal thrown in terrific grandeur there has been nothing like it since the commencement of the war; indeed history furnishes no parallel. It is estimated that the enemy threw some two hundred and fifty shot and shell at the fort amounting to some sixty of seventy tons of the most formidable missiles ever invented for the destruction of human life.--Only thick of 11 and 15 inch round shot, and rifle shells 8 inches in diameter and 17 inches in length, screaming along their destructive way like to many fiery demons, plunging into the earthwork's of Fort McAllister to the depth of eight or ten feet, or exploding with a voice of thunder and the jar of an earthquake, for more than seven mortal hours, over, around and in the midst of our undaunted little band of patriots. Form and quarter they stood to, their guns through it all, and at the close, with a defiant shot and shout of victory, saluted the retiring foe. Such a fire was never directed against mortal man before, and they came out not only unscathed but triumphant from the fiery ordeal. About mid- day a 11 inch shell struck the upright post of the 8 inch columbiad and slivered the entire carriage to stem; the gun was consequently lost to them for the of the day. The main traverse wheel of the 42 pounder was carried away by a shot and replaced within twenty minutes in the midst of a terrific fire. About a quarter past 4 o'clock P. M a shot from our 42 pounder struck the body of the Montauk, a volume of steam was soon to leave from her side, and her turret refused to revolve. She immediately weighed anchor, turned her how down stream, and retired from the fight. The fort gave her a parting salute as she rounded, to which she replied by two random shots--one of which went up the river, and the other across the march — as much as to say to her troublesome customer. "If I can't whip you go to the d — l" The fort fired the first and the last shot. In a few minutes the other two rams turned about and followed their file leader which, on making the bend below, was taken in tow by a steamer, as if in a damaged condition.--This conclusion is supported by the testimony of our pickets, who report that her pilot house was taken down and the men were at work on her during the whole of that night and the day following. Thus ended the fight with the exception of a slow but continued fire, which was kept up from the mortar boats from behind the point of wood throughout the night, in order to prevent repairs on the fort. If, however, did little or no damage, nor did it cause a suspension of the work for a moment. The garrison being pretty well worn out by the labors of the day. Major Schnaff's battalion of sharpshooters volunteered to make the necessary repairs. Though under fire these brave men continued their work throughout the night, and at daylight the dismounted columbiad was again in position, all the breaches repaired, and the fort in complete order for another trial of strength with her formidable antagonists. At dawn the men were again at their guns; but hour after hour passed and no enemy hove in sight. The Yankees had received their fill, and concluded to let us alone. Lt. Elarben and his little band had taken their position under cover of the marsh, within rifle shot of the enemy's rams. It was one of extreme peril, being not only exposed to a raking fire from the gunboats should they be discovered, but also in a direct line with the fire from the fort. During the fight an officer made his appearance on the deck of the Montauk with glass in hand, and presented the long wished for target. A Maynard rifle slug soon went whizzing by his ears, which startled and caused him to right about, when a second slug apparently took effect on his person, as with both hands raised he caught hold of the turret for support, and immediately clambered or was dragged in at a port hole. It is believed that the officer was killed. The display of awning on the Montauk the day following, and the funeral on Oshawa, Friday, give strength to the opinion. As soon as this shot was fired, the Montauk turned her guns upon the marsh and literally raked it with grapeshot. The riflemen, however, succeeded in changing their base in time and avoiding the missiles of the enemy. Not one of them was hurt. Too much credit cannot be bestowed on this daring act of a few brave men. The damage done to the garrison was confined to the wounding of one man in the knee, and another slightly in the face. Considerable havoc was made in the sandbanks in the fort, and the quarters of the men were almost entirely demolished. The officers' quarters received two or three shots, but suffered no material damage. Inside the fort, and to the rear and left of it for half a mile, the earth was dug up into immense pits and furrows by the enemy's shell and shot, a large quantity of which has been gathered up, and will be returned to the Yankees in a different form, should the occasion offer. It is almost incredible that our troops should have remained under such a fire for so long a time and not one of them be killed or seriously wounded. Indeed, their safety would seem to throw suspicion on the whole account of the fight. But it is all true and why it is so cannot be accounted for on any principle of natural law. The escape was miraculous, and can only be ascribed to that. All seeing eye that wateriest over the actions of men, and that Omnipotent. Arm which is ever stretched out to uphold the right and shield from harm the cause of the just and oppressed. We might name a number of extraordinary incidents that occurred during the bombardment that battle human reason and irresistibly turn the eye of the require up to Him with whom all things are possible. A shell fell and exploded in the pit of the rifle gun, where a number were serving, and but a single fragment was left on the floor, yet no one was hurt. Several officers were lying in the door of the hospital, and four or five others standing around outside, and not ten feet distant, when a 5 inch shell struck the bank and rolled down to the very door-sill and exploded. All were burnt with the powder, but not one was turned by a figment of iron. Where they went to who can tell? An officer of the fort, whose word no one will dispute informed us that the shells from the mortar boats at night, or many of them after being aimed and coming in an exact crave for the fort ever a distance of two miles, when nearing it, without any natural cause, and as if by army gentle unseen hand, were turned aside and felt to the right or left. All were amazed at the remarkable phenomenon, and puzzled to explain it.
The Daily Dispatch: March 16, 1863. Richmond Dispatch. 2 pages. by Cowardin & Hammersley. Richmond. March 16, 1863. microfilm. Ann Arbor, Mi : Proquest. 1 microfilm reel ; 35 mm.
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