678
their guns to bear. This coursewith that of the enemy wouldsoon have brought Tattnall’ssteamers in unpleasant proxim-ity, and in consequence theyturned abruptly, passed betweenthe headlands, and disappearedin the distance.
Soon after sunrise the nextday, three steamers commandedby Tattnall made their appear-ance in like manner. It so hap-pened that General H. G. Wright,of the army, and Captain JohnRodgers, of the navy, had goneon board of the Ottawa , underthe instructions of their com-manding officers, to make areconnoissance of the forts, andhad brought within supportingdistance the Paivnee , carryinga heavy battery, and the IsaacSmith, carrying one 30-pounderrifle. They were approachingwhen Tattnall was pretty wellout, and had opened fire on thesmaller gun-boats. Signal was
MAP OF THE NAVAL ATTACK AT IIILTON HEAD, NOV. 7, 1801. - T .
made to the Seneca, Pembina,and Curleiv to follow the movements of the Ottawa, and we went in, follow-ing Tattnall’s steamers, then in retreat, and firing on them, until we werenearly on an air-line between the two earth-works before named. Theyopened fire on us, at rather too long a range for effective work, with smooth-bore guns; several rifles were also used by the forts, as well as by the Con-federate vessels. One of our shells blew up a caisson in Fort Beauregard,and we soon became fairly informed of the number of the enemy’s guns bear-ing on the entrance, and in a measure as to their caliber. On signal, we wentout of action and anchored, without having received any material damage ; therigging of all of the vessels was cut more or less. After seven bells, “ when thesun is over the forevard,” Tattnall’s flag-ship Savannah , accompanied by asteamer, came out on the flats, or shoaler waters, to the westward of thechannel. They flew about somewhat wildly, had considerable headway, andthrew a rifle-shell occasionally, firing “ promiscuously,” but mostly at thenearest vessel, which was the Seneca. Her executive officer was directed tocall the eleven-inch pivot gun’s crew to quarters and fire a shell at ricochet,the distance supposed to be about 2500 yards. The gun was at once reportedready, and the request made to fire at an elevation. Appreciating the fact that
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*
7 Waicush
2 'Suseyu.ehct.nnct
3 Mohican.
4 Seminolet5 Pan-nee«? Unadillct,
7 Ottawa.
8 Pembina.
9 Tanclalia.
towed bylsnac SmiU
15 Pocahorvtai
16 RTBPorbes
Nautical Miles,