Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1862-02-20
SECOND DAY.

SECOND DAY.
FRIDAY FEBRUARY IA
COMMODORE FoorE's OFFICIAL REPORT TO TIL
SECRETARY OF TtFE NAVY.
.. WASHINGTON, Feb. l6, 1862.
The following despatch was this morning
received at the Navy Department from FlaG
UNITED STATES FLAG SHIP ST. LOUIS, |
NEAR FoRT DoNELsoN, via PADUeEH Feb. Is, 1862.
To Hon. GIDEON WELIEs, Secretary of the Navy
made an attack on Fort Donelson yester
day at three o'clock P. N, with four iron-claG
euhboats and two wooden ones, and after one
Hour and quarter severe lighting, the latter
part Of the day within less than one hundred
yards of the fort, the wheel of this vessel and
the tiller of the Louisville were shot away,
rendering the two boats unmanageable. They
then drifted down the river. The two remain.
ing boats were also greatly damaged between
wind and water. This vessel alone received
ffty-nine shots, and the others about half that
nnmber each.
There were ffty-four killed and wounded in
this attack, which we have reason to suppose
would, in fifteen minutes more, could the action
have been continued, have resulted in Che cap,
ture of the fort bearing upon us, as the enemy
was running from his batteries when the two
gunboats drifted helplessly down the river from
disabled steering apparatus, as the relieving
tackles could not steer the vessels in the strong
current
When the fleeing enemy returned to the
river battery guns from which they had been
driven, they again hotly poured fire upon US.
The enemy must have brought over twenty
guns to bear upon our boats from the water
battery and the main fort upon the hill, while
we only could return the fire with twelve boat
guns from the four boats.
One raed gun, aboard the Carondelet, burst
during the action.
The officers aud men in this hotly contested,
bat unequal fight, behaved with the greatest
gallantry and determination, all deploring the
accident which rendered two of our gunboats
suddenly helpless in the narrow river and swift
current
On consultation with General Grant and
my own oficers---as my services here until we
can repair damages by bringing up compe
tent force from Cairo to attack the fort, are
much less required than they are at Cairo-I
shall proceed to that place. IL. ...
have sent the Tyler to the Tennessee river
to render the railroad bridge impossible.
.. r..-.... A. H. FOOTE,
Flag. Officer commanding Naval Force Of
Western Division
The following is special despatch to the
Missouri Democrats
CAIRO, February ie-P.M.
Commodore Foote reached here at twelve
o'clock last night, on board the g"nboat Con-
estoga He stormed Fort Donelson Friday
afternoon with the gunboats st. Louis, Louis.
vile, Pittsburg, Carondelet, Tyler and Cones
,oga, and, after fighting little more than an
hour, he withdrew.
Fifty four were killed and wounded on our
gunboats, pilots Riley and Hinton, of the ST.
Louis, being among the latter Commodore
Foote, while standing on the pilot house of the
st. Louis, his flagship, was slightly wounded.
The st. Louis was hit sixty-one times. Two
ghuboats were disabled the Tyler aud the Con
estoga, and remained out of range of the
enemy's guns.
The line Of battle was as follows The St.
Louis on the right, next the Louisville, then
the Pittsburg and Carondelet on the left.
The ehemy's firing was very accurate They
had three batteries, one near the wa ter, one
fifty feet above this, and a third fifty feet
above the second The upper one mounted
four eighteen Founders. This one was held in
reserve until our boats got within four hundred
yards of the fort Our FIRE was directed prin.
cipaIly at the water battery
One of the enemy's guns burst, and mum,
Der were dismounted. The enemy could be
seen carrying the dead out of the trenches
All the gunboats were left up the Jumber-
land except the Conestoga She left there
yesterday morning
A rihed gun on the Carondelet burst, killing
six men. The rudder of the Pittsturg was
shot away. ..-.... .-..
The above statements of the fight were re-
ceived from gentlemen who were on board the
st. Louis during the engagement -.. -..
The mortar boats left here yesterday morn
ing. ~ ..--.. -. .--. .-. 49,. r-s