The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1862-04-10

Y unfortunately, she was not cOaieo aDu
had no steam. Every moment was
growing more precarious, when fortu-
nately, after drifting about a quarter of
mile, she struck agiinstthe Cincinnati
and was made fast until morning. The
storm lasted about four hours, raging
with terrible vehemence, and tossing
the steamers about on the mad waves
like cookie shells. Luckily the S@al-
low was the only one blown from her
moorings.
1t was during the height Of this
storm that Col. Roberts performed his
daring mission. Yesterday morning,
the flag officer, Captain Phelps, Col.
Buford, Secretary Scott and other Off
GERS, held a conference upon the flag
ship, at which it was decided to make
a night reconnaissance of the upper
battery, the details of whiah were left
to Col. Buford. He selected Col. Rob-
erts and forty picked men Of his regi.
ment to be the chosen few. Each gun
boat furnished a yawl, manned by six
of their hardest seamen. AT two
o'clock, in the very thickest of the
storm, the little party embarked. The
Flag Officer and his subordinates, with
Col. Buford, stood upon the deck Of
the Benton, giving the final orders.
The yawls set out upon their perilous
Journey, and they retired anxiously
awaiting the result. iafial 14ii
Col. Roberts had previously made
several very close reconnoissances at
night by pulling through the over
flowed brush, and had well ascertained
the locality OF the battery.
The boats were manned as follows:
St. Louis cutter, John V. johnson,
commander.
. Benton cutter, Geo. p. Lord, com.
mander.
Mound City cutter,-Scoville, COM
mander. a-sas
Pittsburgh cutter, commander.
Each of the cutters also carried a
coxswain, and was manned by ten men.
The boats were all in charge Of first
master Johnson of the St. Louis. The
soldiers were picked men of company
A, each man armed with FIVE shooter
Colt rifle.
The following was the plan laid out:
The boats were to approach the battery
in line, pulling slowly till at the point
of the bar, after which, when 500 yards
off, the st. Louis, Benton and Pitts
burgh should run abreast, the Cincin-
natl and Mound City in the rear as re-
serves, and this plan was carried out to
the very letter.
With muffied oars and under cover
of the friendly darkness, the boats adj
vanced cautiously along the edge of the
bank. Owing to the furious violence
of the storm and the darkness, they
passed the bend unperceived, until they
were,within a few rods of the battery.
ForTne instant, binding flash of
lightning glared across the water re.
vealing to The rebel sentinels dark OBJ
jects approaching them. The next in.
stent the impenetrable darkness closed
in. The sentinels fired wildly three or
four times, the shots passing over the
boats without doing any damage, and
then incontinently fled to their tents,
which were pitched upon high ridge
some distance back from the battery,
evidently impressed with the alarming
idea that the whole Lincoln fleet was
upon them, and that immediate ami
hilation stared them, in the face. Our
boats made no reply. Not word was
spoken. In two or three minutes they
touched the slope of the earthworks.
The boys sprung over the parapet,
sledges and files were busy and a few
vigorous strokes told the tale. In less
than three minutes time all the guns
IN the battery aoere spiked completely
and Thoroughly. They were six in
number, all Of large calibre-two sixty
tours, three eighties, and one of them
splendid niueinch pivot-gun with
cushion lock, which received the per-
sonal attentions Of Col. Roberts Draw.
ny arm. 1t was undoubtedly the Lady
Davis. Tn an iuconceivably short time
the boats were on their way back, plow.
ing path through the surging waves
at the imminent risk of submersion, as
the current was washing against them
with fearful velocity. All arrived safe
ly, however, at the gunboats, exultant
over the glorious accomplishment OF
their important and dangerous mission.
The extreme darkness prevented
learning the plan of defense. 1t was
found, however, that the embankments
were very high, affording good protec-
ton. There were 10 case mates,
however, nor any protection against
shell. 49, et
The news Of this daring and coura-
geous exploit passed through the fleet
like wildfire this morning and caused
the most enthusiastic expressions upon
every hand. Col. Buford was in costa
cies Assistant Secretary SCOTS usu
ally placid and imperturbable face was
lii up with n smile of secret satisfac
ton, and the Flag Officer found no terms
too ardent with which to express his
praise of the gallant fellows feat. Il
was in its every phase, one of the most
daring exploits of the war. The oil
dest pilots upon the river say that the,
cannot remember in their river exper.
fence so terrible storm Of the samt
duration upon the Mississippi, and car
scarcely credit the fact that q boa
could live in the raging waters aud fu
riOus current of last night, !uf