Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1861-10-23
THE WAR NEWS! +!
The Reported Disaster TO the Federal
BlOckading Vessels.

The Northern press, it appears, do mot
place implicl reliance on Com. Iiollins'
report of his victory over the Federal
feet at the head of the Passes ii the
Mississippi river. The New York Tines,
in the course of long article, says:
There is enough about ii to mako US
doubt whether it is 50 much a disaster to
our fleet and so great victory to Holins
as he represents. And first, it is evident
that but small part OF ou' squadron was
engaged in the fight. Hollins says we
had forty guns in the engagement
Probably we had the Nincennes, % guns;
preble, l6 guns, and Water Witch, guns
in all 3S guns. That would loave tho
Niagra, the Savannah and the Richmond
in all so guns-out Of the fight alto
gethor; which we presume was the case.
This would agree with the report of Oct.
4, which stated that the Water Witch,
and two other vessels, were above the
bars Of the passes, protecting the erection
Of batteries on the sand spit. II this work
on batteries shoald be allowed TO 90 on
ono week, said the dispatches to Rich
mond, on the 4th inst the five Passes Of
the Mississippi will be commanded by
the Nationals. 1t seems probable that
Hollns got all the gunboa,s together thu I
he could, and started down to the mouth
OF the river, to drive away the protecting
sloops Of war, if possible, and capture or
dlsperse the mea engaged in erecting bat
terles on the sand spit. lfso, it appears
by his own report that lie failed. He
speaks OF sinking the Preble, and driving
the other vessels aground; he talks OF
'peppering" these vessels after they got
fast in the sand. But why didn't he des-
troy them? Was anything more easy
than to riddle with shot and shell such
helpless objects as grounded vessels,
which he was near enough to pepper" so
well with his little feet taat had not suf,
iered casually?
THE REBEL IRON CLAD VESSEL.
For some time the people of New Or
leans have been threatening that they
would break the blockade and destroy
our vessels, and to prove that they meant
what they said, they set about construct.
ing a vessel that was to effect this object,
though they were somewhat troubled as
10 the shape, size, &c, that this affair was
TO be. Tie name sac was 10 be called a.,
80 disturbed them much, ard at last i,
became known to the people as 1.-THE
thing" or the "rondescript"
The desprtch states tina, "our iron stea
mer sunk the Prebie with her iron PROV"
and as it was the intention OF the rebels
10 cover this vessel with iron armor, it
may have been the same one that vas
building but this is hardly probable, as
it was launched but short time ago, and
could hardly have been got ready in so
short time. The great probat ility is
that their iron clad steamer, with winch
they claim 10 have done 50 much damage,
is the propeller Enoch Train, formerly OF
Boston-a vessel that was published 10y
some New Orleans Merchants for the pur.
pose OF towing, on account Of her great
strength, she having immense power in a
small compass. When We heard from her
last they were encasing her with railroad
iron and adding to her bow strong iron
prov for pushing or smashing against o
vessel. The Enoch Train is propeller OF
about 400 tons burthen, is one hundred
and twenty eight feet lorg, twenty six
feet wide, and twelve feet depth of hold
This was her measurement before being
altered by the rebels. She was built in
the year 1855, and was strong, though
not very fast boat. The other vessels
composing tho rebel aset We are, ofcourss,