unity was too tempting to be neglected, and the next morning,
despite a hot attack from the fort, he fired into the _Nashville_ until
she broke into flames and soon after blew up.

FAILURE OF THE ATTACKS ON CHARLESTON.

Naturally the desire was strong in the North to humble Charleston, where
the baleful secession sentiment was born and brought all the woe upon
the country. General Beauregard was in command of that department, and
he made every preparation for the attack, which he knew would soon come.
In a proclamation he urged the removal of all non-combatants, and called
upon the citizens to rally to the defense of the city.

A fleet of ironclads was always lying outside of Charleston, watching
for an opportunity to give its attention to the forts or city. One
tempestuous night in January a couple of rams dashed out of the harbor,
and, in a ferociously vicious attack, scattered the ironclads, and
compelled a gunboat to surrender. Thereupon the Confederates claimed
that the blockade had been raised, but no one paid any attention to the
claim.

An expedition was carefully organized for the capture of Charleston, and
placed in command of Admiral Samuel F. Dupont. The fleet, numbering a
hundred vessels, left the mouth of the North Edisto River on the 6th of
April, and on the same day crossed the bar and entered the main channel
on the coast of Morris Island.

A dense haze delayed operations until the following day, when a line of
battle was formed by the ironclads, the wooden vessels remaining outside
the bar. A raft was fastened to the front of the _Weehawken_, with which
it was intended to explode the torpedoes. The cumbrous contrivance
greatly delayed the progress of the fleet, which advanced slowly until
the _Weehawken_ had passed the outer batteries and was close to the
entrance to the inner harbor. Then Fort Moultrie fired a gun, instantly
followed by that of Fort Sumter, and the batteries on Sullivan and on
Morris Island. Then a hawser, which the Confederates had stretched
across the channel with the purpose of clogging the screws of the
propellers, was encountered, the _Weehawken_ was compelled to grope
around for a better passage, and everything went wrong. The _New
Ironsides_ made an attempt to turn but became unmanageable, two other
ironclads ran afoul of her, and matters were in a bad way when Admiral
Dupont signaled for each one to do the best it could.

After a time, eight ironclads secured position