Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1846-07-21

we End the following letter III tho NoFiot K
Herald of Thurs1sy. |, was received by gem
sumo. as q letter bag from tao s.. Mays vas
received there the 23i 1T.
1. S. SH.r s.. IAaY's
OF Tampco, June l.. 1916.
Tho war grows apace. On 10 S.a last. we
discovered tie enemy erecting another fort on
The north side Of the entrance 10 tue river. aud
At O'Clock, p. n, g7s tie =.sip under weigh
under topsails, stood II, and when within rnle
Of the forts ana guaboa!s, the latter, three ii
numbar, and sonning abo4! one hundred. opened
fire upon ". Being on lee shore ard ii shosl
water, VIC were not able 10 tire more than eight
shots. before 1t became necessary 70 claw OF,
which We did; bat at three O'Clock returned aui
continued the firing until "o had fired 20 shells,
and - round solid SHOT. In tue las. recon;rc.
the enomy returned our fire. with about ten sho.
from ! ) pound guns, four Of which passed
Us, two fell directly under fore foot one
passoa between tbs fore and main top mast, and
one over the foot; tho others fell IL distance.
Tho first sholl which burst over the fort eject
cd every soldier from the nsighborllood. the whole
Of .hom taking Immediately 70 the woods. One
Of our shells passed between one oftle schooner's
mas.s, and exploded beyond her, fgagnen. hay-
ing struck tho bowsprit ard huIwarks. tearing
both considerably, we have learned, since tho
fight. One corner of tho custom house was
knocked down. house on the north sile Of
the river was fired by tho explosion Of shell;
and soldier u, the fort on guard BY the bursting
of another shell, exchanged his musse, for vacan-
cy. it having been shattered, believe. withoo:
lnjurIng his valuable person.-Harinc driven tho
party from the embryo fort, NO retained to our
anchorage at half past three O'Clock.
We were net satisfied. however. with this en-
gagement: for yesterday we projected plan for
cutting out the Eunboats, and accordingly a.
dusk hoistcd out all boats, arrived there. the
launch bearing nine FOUNDER in the bows, ana
At ID o'clock Z. II. got under waigh and brought
tho ship nearer tho shore, about ono ard half
miles OIL II takes longer tmo 10 describe the
nnuc Of this affair than can devote to il now.
We had desired to mako the attack before the
moon rose, bat could not. At IL O'Clock she was
lifting hor head above the horizon when our ivc
boats lctI ship. every thing having been Iroyious-
" arranged By orr gallant captain. Mind vou
We not only had the difficulty of capturing three
heavy gunboats with 30 or moro men III each,
and to qaell Fort Of which VIC had to pass
Withn fifty yards, but there vas bar to be
crossed, but first to be found.
We pulled into the shore with naHied oars
actually feeling our way, for ono time VIC
would DO quite in tho breakers. and thon too far
seward with strong tide bonsath aud a byigh:
moon above US, every thing seeming % conspro
ngninst our daring expedition. In seeking our
way 10 tho mouth Of tho river, wcro obliged
10 pass near the shore fora distance of209 yards,
and the noise consequent upon tho difficulty Of
finding way through passage of which we
knew nothing. BETRAYED US 10 the scnhncs along
tho shore who rapidly communicated with the
and i: conveyed intelligence with
the gunboats, that unknown 10 us. our foe was
watching our every increment. However, at
about A. NJ. We had dscovered tho narrow
entrance 10 tho mo2th of the river, and were
pulling in, when. within 200 yards Of the Fort,
near which We Ind to pass, much u aur surprise.
as you may imagine. bang, went doz,a nlHsl.cts.
and tho balls whlzed cbodt our oars. We laid on
our oars, and IN iigo minutes after the firing Of
fnuskets commenced, the gun IL tin launch WINS
trimmed. md SLOT drive \ gun rathor heavier
than one If the gun boats succeeded 70 this; the
shot passed clear Of ua. md tho run IN tho launch
was loaded and fired again, when tho firing ashore
ceased. There also fired from tic launch
4 few carbjuas.
At this time We had not passed. the na.nt and
after getting inside we should have been obliged
70 pull at least 800 wards before reaching the
objec. of the expedition. The enemy being
already the alert, and with superior force, II
would have boon almost madness 10 proceed,
and tho object would rot have compensated
for tho sacrifice VIC should have made. Besides.
lie passage through which we haa to pass was not
vide enough 10 admit Tho boats except In single
lie, 50 tba: The gnnboats would Gayo ralled US
fore and aft before VIC could have como along
side or them. If we had passed the Fort, be-
eve We should have carried the boats to q Ger
ainty. We had with - men and marines;
ho lSt and ID Lioutonants, Master. and all the
iiids. except ,. We returned 10 the ship at :,
4. n. much iatigued and disappointed. | viii
write - By this conye vance, AID tell him Of
he next days fight. ours, &c.