The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1861-10-25
THE ATTACK ON WILSON'S zOUAyES!
FIGHT at the Passes!



The steamer Mcclellan arrived, from
South west Pass 14th, Fort Pickens 18th,
Tortugas 10Th aud Key West 10Th On
the morning Of the 9th about "a clock
the enemy attacked Col Wilson's position
in force Go. Il, Sd infantry, Capt. Hill,
and n men, Go. A, lst artillery, Lieut..
Taylor--s5 men in all, under Maj. Wedges,
met the enemy some distance above Camp
Brown. Maj. Vodges was taken prisoner
Immediately. Capt. Hill, taking COM
mand, engaged the enemy. Our loss was
four killed, twenty -one wounded'a and eight
4 prisoners The enemys loss was much
larger. Eleven of their men were found
in one heap Maj Arnold arrived after
daylight to the assistance of Capt. Hill
The command proceeded to point where
the rebels had disembarked just as their
steamers were leaving, and opened on them
a destructive fire. The enemy's loss, left
on the island, was % killed, 5 wounded,
and 33 prisoners. Many of the wounded
were carried off. Capt. Bradford and
Lieut.. Elms were killed. Three officers
were captured one of them, Lieut., James,
formerly of the u. S. Marines, was badly
wounded. Gen Anderson was in COM
mand of the rebels and was wounded in
the arm after disembarkng. The enemy
acknowledged the loss Of over 100. In
addition to the loss on our side above sta
ted, the Xouaves lost nine killed in their
camp, and eleven taken prisoners.
The Iouave camp was situated on San
ta Rosa island, about one mile from TT
Pickens, and was so distributed as to com
mand all the approaches to tie Fort,
and also to protect the batteries. The
rebel forces, fifteen hundred strong, en-
barked from the Pensacola Navy Yard. in
three large steamers, and landed on the
island about four miles above the camp.
1t was about 2 A. Nj. and very dark
They rapidly formed in three columns and
proceeded silently towards the Iouaves'
camp, hoping to effect total surprise. In
this they were but partially successful
The picket guard, stationed 600 yards from
the camp discovered and fired upon them,
giving the alarm, which saved the regi-
ment from humiliation. The attack OF
: the rebels columns was simultaneous, and
volley after volley was aimed upon the
volunteers They were forced to fall back
leaving their camp in the hands of the
rebels which they commenced burning
Fl. Pickens was by this time aroused, and
three companies of regulars came to on,
assistance The rebels then commenced
retreating to their boats closely followed
hy the regulars and small number of vol
1unteers, keeping up.a destructive fire up
|. on them, and killing and woundlng 1
large number The rebels finally rcache ]
heir boats but the steamers We're over
five hundred yards from the beach, and
cur men poured repeated volleys into the
crowded mass Every bullet told, and BY
the shouts and confusion OF the rebels /
: WINS evident we had obtained ample salts
: faction. The Zouaves were badly man
: aged, and Col Wilson very much cen
: snred for incfhcieney, not reaching thu
: scene until all was over The officers ant
: men lost almost everything. Maj. Newb,
had narrow escape from capture, bens
confined to his bed by dangerous illness
The regiment lost ten killed, sixteer
: wounded and nine prisoners The regn
9 lars lost four killed. twenty wounded, ant
!. ten prisoners The rebels, BY their owl
: statement, lost $50 killed, wounded am
: missing. We took 80 prisoners, includini
!. three doctors who were released.
The Mcclellan brings reliable account
. of the fight at the mouth of the Mississip
: pi. The rebel fleet consisted of six gul
7 boats, the ram Manassas and large mum
!, Der of fire ships, which filled the rive
!" from shore to shore. Our squadron, com
:. prising the Richmond, Huntsville, Waite
: Witch, Preble and Vincennes, and stor
: ship Nightengale, were at anchor inside {
!, Southwest Pass The Manassas drifte
y foul of the Richmond knocking hole i
: the quarter and stern, and doing but littl
:, damage. To avoid the fire ships tn
!, squadron got under weigh immediatel
:. and drifted down the river. The Ricl
49, mond, Preble, Nincenncs, and Nightengal
- got ashore on the bar, and while on shol
:. !. were attacked by the rebels. Only one
i their shots took effect, aud that struck I'll
: Richmond on the quarter They wei
- beaten off by the Vincennes with two gun
: she having thrown the rest overheard wit
- the rest of her armament and her chain
!, anchors, &c, to Tighten her. She W;
!, much exposed to the rebel fire, but n
= one person was killed or wounded in Il
=, - squadron The Richmond Prehle, N
Vincenncs were towed off next day by Il
Mcclellan. The Nightengale was st
ashore, but would probably get off ne
day.