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‘after one of the severest artillery duels ever sustained by a ship’ through a period of nearly three hours. Her armor was battered, but stood the battering fairly, quite disproving Mr. Stimer's assertion, previously noticed, of the superiority of five 1-inch plates over a solid plate of 41 inches in thickness.
On the night of September 8th an attempt to take Sumter by a boat expedition from the squadron resulted disastrously, not in great loss of life, but in the capture of a considerable number of officers and sailors, as well as the loss of several boats.
The demand for the surrender of Sumter had informed the enemy, and boats in tow of tugs from the vessels outside of the bar during the whole of the afternoon left little doubt as to an intended attempt.
He did not fail, therefore, to put a considerable force into Sumter for the occasion.
Commander T. H. Stevens was in command, and Lieutenant-Commander E. P. Williams, Lieutenants Remey, Preston, Higginson, and Ensign Craven, commanded the five divisions of boats.
A detachment of marines, under Captain McCawley, formed also a part of the force, numbering in all 400.
A request for the loan of some army boats brought the information that General Gillmore also intended making an attack.
It was about 10 P. M. before the boats, in tow of a tug, reached the vicinity of Sumter; ‘a sound of musketry, followed by shells from the adjacent forts, announced the assault.’
Before the Admiral reached the vicinity the conflict had ceased.
Of the 400, 10 officers and 104 men were taken prisoners, and 3 were reported killed.
Commander Stevens reported that on his way up he had communicated with the monitors Lehigh and Montauk and given orders to move up for his support.
When within 800 yards of the fort, the boats cast off from the tug, and final instructions and the watch-word were given.
Lieutenant Higginson's division was directed to move up to the
Atlanta, Ga. 1899.
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