The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-10-20
IMPORTANT FROM The LOWER POTOMAC.
Anotncr Attack OF the Rebel Batteries ON
RAISING Vessels-A Chain Stretched
Across the River, &C., sc.

wamsc creek At nine O'Clock this morning during the
prevalence or very thick fog, tho booming Of heavy
gun was heard down the river II quickly followed
by several others, till the number reached nineteen
when the firing ceased for about twenty minutes when
II was resumed and kept up with scarcely any intermis
sion till eleven o'clock The number OF shots fred
| one hundred and four in all.
Al about halfpast ten O'Clock, after heavy
shower of rain the fog lifted and the sun shone out
clearly, when smoxe discernable apparently from
the Maryland Shore and the impression began TO prevail
that the fre Of the rebel batteries returned from the
Maryland side, somewhere in the vicinity of Budd's
Ferry The smoke was very heavy the Virginia siic
ana extended considerable distance along the Shore
The firing at one time very rapid the roar Of the
| guns almost incessant.
| At about half-past ten O'Clock Captain Hannum, OF
| the Reliance, came on board the Yankee, and took
| me on board the Hale, from tho quarter deck Of
which obtained a better view of the river
where tho cannonading going on. 1t was soon
apparent that the smoke from the Maryland shore arose
from two tugs, each Of which towing up schoo-
ncrs soon however, the unfortunate fact became too
apparent that Of the schooners had got adrf and
was setting in fast towards the Virginia Shore Still
wreaths Of smoke necessarily putting upwards
followed by the suen boom OF tho guns, us the two
steamers passed through that TERRIBLE fiery ordeal until
| at length the firing ceased
The utmost anxiety prevailed among the officers and
crews of the several vessels comprising the fota to
know what had been attacked whether there
| was any less in killed wounded. At length both
steamers reached Indian Head whore they lay to- while
their respective commanders board the Harriet
Lane to report to the Commodore
visited both vessels. On going board the FRS.
found her to be the little Resoute, which, under Acting
Master Budd had been such the rebels. She
| lie Inv Acti Mncia
energetic officer. learned that Lieut. Harrel command
ing the Union whose vessel hes below the batteries
which attacked the steamers, ordered Master Foster to
| tow UP the Fairfax, loaded with hay and cement
| and q small quantity OF furniture, and the Lydia
Ann loaded with coal, TO Washington. At the
| same time no gave orders to Master Hames, CT
the Rescue, to tow up the John Beatty and tho Dehla
structng them to endeavor pass the batteries tho
fog they could but if tho fog should lit before they
| got within range to return.
There they werc in the thickcs of the fog when one
battery opened the Rescue being ahead while they
under fire the fog lifted just tho Rescluto
chain that the rebels had stretched tho chan
nell by large pungy the Virginia shore to buoys and
the Maryland side The sudden jerk broke the tug
lines connecting the Fairfax with Resoutc and tho
former, being the Virginia side, dred of towards the
| rebels.
The fire hot that the captain Of the Fairfax had
TO abandon his vessel taking his along with him to
the Resoute, but leaving behind him all his clothing and
everything he had board. He had time to set fire
to the schooner or he would have done Captain Fos
ter was about to lower his boat, order to fro the
schooner but had he done the Resolnc would have
been inevitably sunk and the schooner starboard
side either sunk with her captured. He had there
FORE alternative but to make the best of his way up
the river Besides he was apprehensive of getting his
puIoJ tha cbo, tla
On examining the different vessels, found that the
had pane Of glass the pilot bousc the port
side broken either by twelvepounder rife shot or by
fragment of shell. The missile passed within an inch
two OF the OF the at wheel, passed
out OF the starboard window, which open Spliners
| Of glass scattered all around Of which
| struck a seaman the bridge of his nose but did
| not even draw blood. Another shot went through
| the forward awning Of the Resoute, and passing
| the sampson post Of the Lydia Ann, completely
shattered it, gripping the windass Another, thirty
two FOUNDER penetrated the after awning of the steamer
breaking the ridge pole within few inches of the
the Wheel and thence dagonayIhrough the corner Of
the after part of the trunk cabin passed across the
bows of this vessel my way to the Rescue found that
| the cutwater, Immediately beneath the bowsprit had
been shot away, evidently by thrty-two FOUNDER
Proceeding my way to the Rescue, found that only
about shots had been fred at her. but them
had hit. Both her schooners loaded with hay.
Coming up on the Resoute, 1 obtained some further
particulars. The Fairfax received fewer than twenty
shots her hull and several shells exploded in her hold
They scnsiby felt by all deck the sensation be-
ing like the lifting Of the vessel of the water and the
shock communicated to the Resoute and the other
schooner. Some of the shots actually went through
trusses hay feet thick and shot struck the Pipe
out of the mouth Of Of the Fairfax without
hurting him. Had the hay laden vessel, which acted as
breastwork to the Resolue not been the port side
the little steamer and both schooncrs must have been
inevitably sunk
An Of bravery deserving Of mention. When
the shot went through the forward awning Of the
Rcsoute and passed close to the at the wheel he
autted his post upon which Masters Mate Tole took his
MACE and quilted his perlous post till tho vessel
was out Of danger The shot that took of the sampson
most cf the schooner went very this gcntlemans
bead.
The firing extended through distance Of two miles,
embracing five batteries, from about midway between
Cockpit Point and Shipping Point, and thence to
chapawamsc creek There nine batteries
Yesterday in ALL but three in Of
ton and are expected commence operations
The information said TO have emanated from ntel
gent officer that there six miles Of batteries the
virginia shore, Incorrect as is proved by the opera
tons or this morning The rebels have a line of bat
teries not six, but fifteen miles In extent, moderate
corputatio-not continuous but nearly So and te
to be made so, il they not dsodged. They nov
at work replacing the abandoned battery at Freesin
Point the design evidently is TO fortfy the vho
line Of from that point to Potomac creek thougl
the only formidable line will be between Freesone Pon
} and Chapawamsic creek distance Of miles
roughly estimated by the chart, for the river widen
below the place, and the channel is tn
Maryland shore that batteries somewhat above Aqui
creek and between that and Potomac creek cannot in
jure passing vessels.
learned board the Resolu;e to-day, that spot
the Maryland shorc opposite Shipping Point, which ha
been overgrown with tall trees has been cleared cvi
IDENTIFY prevent the federal government from erecting
battery there unperceived by the rebels.
As the Resolue passed the Pensacola, the Mount Yer
non was going alongside with the President, th
Secretary OF the Navy and Captain Dahlgren board
boat lowered, and the dispatches from Commodore
Craven Secretary Wees taken board the Pen
sacoa by Captain Foster himself. The yards were
manned when the President board the Pensacola
and on his leaving salute Of twenyone guns was thun
dered forth.
Three tugboats-the Puscy Robert Leslie and another