The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1861-11-01
SPIRIT OF THE REBEL PAPERS.
FURTHER DETAILS OF THE ATTACK ON THE
NEW ORLEANS BLOCK AIDING FLEET AND
THE FIGHT WITH WILSON'S ZOUAYES

THE BATTLE OF THE MISSISSIPPI PASSES.
We have already published several brief
rebel accounts of the alleged successful at
tack by Commander Hollins on the block
aiding fleet at the head of the Mississippi
Passes below New Orleans. From the
Richmond and Petersburg papers of the
18th and 18th instants, we get additional
particulars, united, it must be remembered,
with the usual amount of rebel bombast and
distortion. We fear, however, that our
feet has met with rough handling. The
following dispatch, dated New Orleans,
October 18th, appears in the Richmond pa.
pers:
The expedition under commander Hollins
consisted OF the Manassas, the iron.clad ma.
rine battering ram, with one Sd Dalbgren
gun; the steamer Calhoun, the flag ship,
with one 24.pounder, and two l8 Founders,
Dalhgren guns the steamer Ivy, with an
eight inch 32-pounder, rifed the steamer
jackson, with two eight inch columbiads !;
the steamer McRae, with 64>pounder,
mounted on pivot, four eight inch colum>
biads and 24-pounder, riaed the steamer
Tuscarora, with one eight inch columbiad
and a 32.pounder, rifed and the cutter
Pickens, with an eight inch columbiad and
four 24.pound carronades. The blockad~
ers had the Richmond, Vincennes, Preble,
Water Witch, and the schooner Joseph H.
Toone, in all SO guns.
On Friday night our feet started from
Fort Jackson, the Manassas leading the
way. The night was intensely dark, and
the Manassas ran into vessel, striking her
twenty feet. Appealing shrieks were heard
aboard the doomed ship. Signal rockets
we're fired, the enemy beat to quarters, and
perfect iron hail fell upon and around the
Manassas, during which her machinery be.
came deranged.
The Tuscarora and the Watson came up
wife five barges, which had been cut loose
and set adriit on the stream.
When the morning came our fleet COM
menced to pursue the retreating enemy, and
a heavy cannonading began, which lasted
until eight o'clock. Several shots struck
the Richmond. The shots from the YAM
KEGS were badly aimed, as they did not
touch one of our vessels. When the firing
ended, the feet returned to the city, with
the prize schooner Joseph H. Toone, loaded
with coal, which had been deserted during
the night. A large quantity of lumber,
which had been intended for the cOnstruc
ton OF fertilization at the head of the
passage, was burned. The prizes captured
were the Joseph II. TOone and Laurel, be.
longing to the Federal steamer Richmond,
which latter was laden with cutlasses. The
vessel sunk was not the Preble, but the Vim
cennes. Three vessels OF our expedition arr
rived on Saturday night
THE ATTACK ON Wilson's ZOUAvEs.
The Richmond Enquirer has a full &C
count of the fight at Santa Rosa Island.
The rebels claim to have driven the Wilson
Zouaves into Fort Pickens, capturing be-
tween thirty and forty prisoners, and large
amount of spoil and money, but admit that
their own loss was heavy in killed, wounded
and prisoners, but does not give their num-
bers. One of the accounts says:
The Zouaves were taken almost COM
pletely by surprise but as soon as they recov-
cred, fought desperately. At times, how
ever, they acted cowardly, but upon the
whole gave us some pretty warm work.
We finally succeeded in driving them into
Fort Pickens, killing quite a number of
them, and taking some thirty or forty pri-
soners and lot of camp equipage and other
trophies. Some of our men have brought
away money, hats, caps, guns, swords, pis-
tolls and pieces of Bily's standard.
Our men acted with great GOODNESS, and,
having accomplished the object of our mis-
sion, we returned to the mainland. As we
did so, we found that the balance of the
regiment was advancing to reinforce us, but
finding US coming back they also returned
to the camp.