The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1862-04-03
TIE SIEGE or NEW MADRID-SEY-
EN DAYS. OPERA lions GALLANT
CONDUCT OF OUR TROOPS,
New MADRID, Mo-, March |,

NEW MADRID, MO-, N0GCn IL, lOOZ.
did not intend to write you again until
success crowned our efforts. To-day can
say our victory is complete and overwhelm-
ing. Ten days ago We arrived here, and
opened up Il ltle entertainment for the
chvalrv, strongly idtrenchc at New Mad
rid. We had nothing but few batteries
of light artillery, while they played on us
with from five to six gunhoats, aud eight
32-pounders upon the walls of two forts.
Gen. Pope at once saw his position, and
sent back to Cairo for four siege guns - "a
Founders. He kept, in the mean time con-
stantly harrasslug the enemy, without on
posing his own men, awaiting the arrival of
his guns. He likewise. during the darkness
of one night, had riie-pits dug, and bat
| terry of Parrott runs planted upon the river
| bank at Point Pleasant, seven miles below
New Madrid.
Gen. Plummcr was placed in command,
The first introduction 10 the chivalry were
few l2-pouuders and shower of musket-
balls, well aimed, ut Il couple of fine trans
ports we'll laden with luXuries and comforts
for New-Madrd and Island No 10, They
suddenly wheeled about and left Tor Dixie.
Such all insult must be wiped off the bank
of the Confederate river, and forthwith a
gunboat was dispatched to shell Plummer
out OF his holes. But the gunboat came Il
little too near, and forthwith port-holes and
pilot house received hundreds of musket-
balls from the sharpshootcrs; and it speed
lily moved to the opposite side of the river,
in easy shelling distance, and for seven days
from one to three gunboats have done their
best to dislodge the gallant Plummer, and
without success,
The honor of this patent method of whip
~, oh I,a ,riu IN
Pope, as but few officers had any idea it
would succeed This little timely thought
has prevented the enemy carrying troops or
munitions of war on transports, either up or
down the river, and left lis ali the rich sup.
plies we to-day found at New Madrid. But
of the fight and flight
On Wednesday, March IL, our four guns
arrived. We drove in their pcliets at sun
down, and thousand spades were noise
lessly making trenches and preparing hasty
projections for the guns. They were III
position before daylight, and as the fog lift
ed from the marshes and the river, -four
shells were gently thrown over into the up
per fort, much to the astonishment and IN
dignation of the gentlemen from Dixie. In
few moments nine gunboats were III posi-
ton, some of them throwing 64-pound
shells, and eighteen 32pounders upon the
two forts now doing their best to send us
all, as the boys say, "tc the happy land OF
Canaan"
The 10th and 10th Illinois wero placed
in the trenches as sharpshouters, and the
39th, 27ti, 63d, and ADJ Ohio reg .meuts were
placed on the TANKS and in the rear to sup
port the battery, The list Regular Z. ). In
fantry, under Capt. Mowery, manned the
guns. Fortunately they had been well drill
led as artill0rists, and behaved admirably
Col. Bissells engineer regiment were most
valuable aids While | have no desire to
puff any regiments, must say the 39th and
27th Ohio regiments deserve great credlt Tor
their GOODNESS and bravery. On Wednes-
day evening, two companies OF the 2lth and
two of the 37th. all under Lieut.-Col. Ken
nett, were ordered to drive in the pickets
of the enemy without firing Il gun it pos
sible so that the engineers could lay out
the earthworks and prepare for the guns.
They came upon the Rebtl pickets and drove
them in without firing gun.
The Rebel pickots us they retreated, hred
voley upon volley hut did not wound a
man. These four companies took position,
an / remained upon the field until this morn
ing making SO hours. The balance OF these
regimcns took position. at o'clock on
Thursday morning and remained at their
posts until this morning. They were just
in range of the guns from the fort and bat
terry, so they flew at the guns they support
ed, and ior II hours the shot and shell flew
about and over them like hsil. The two
regiments were protected by a low bluff OF
slough, beside with pocket,knives and
bayonets they scooped out the dirt so that
as small an amount of Ohio humanity as
possible should be exposed. II is perfect
iy safe to say that 100 shot and shell struck
within from four to six feet uf the seth
without killing a single man. heard men,
this morning. proverbially prolane say,
"Well, it is no use talking, hut God was
with the Ohio boys yesterday"
The casualties that occurred append be-
low. Three of the 9th had their legs shot
off with the same ball. Col. Fuller saw the
ball, he thought, almost spent, and remarked
il might break some poor follows leg yet
it broke through the fence, knocked on
three legs, and continued on its way. One
s2-lh ball struck the ground, bouneed ara