The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1862-04-24
FOrs Pillow, or Fort Wright---SOn to


FOrs Pillow, or Fort WrigEit---'SOn to
Richmond"
| Com. Foots flotilla and Gen. Pope's entire
army-15,000 to 20,000-are now investi-
eating Fort Pillow, or more properly Fort
Wright, which is 70 miles above memphis, l62
below Cairo, and 81 below New Madrid
The great trouble seems to be to find piece
of dry land to alght upon The army and ma
Wy are both sanguine of speedy victory, but
| do not share their anticipatons. | think the
rebels will make most stubborn resistance
here, and that we shall be held in check until
the great pending battle at Corinth de-
cides the matter. If we gain the victory there,
they are outfanked, and will yield the position
If not, we must take it by hard fighting. Re
port puts the strength of that place at a hand
red and fifty guns and II 900 soldiers think
the latter item is an over estimate, as Beaure-
gard has drawn heavily upon all these out
posts to swell his ranks at Corinth.
/ correspondent of the st Louis Democrat
relates the incidents that took place with the
Mississippi feet, while Oh their way from New
Madrid to Fort Wright:
At seven o'clock this morning, ten or twelve
transports, all crowded with troops from the
boiler to the hurricane deck, rounded the bend
above US, and gained the rear OF the heet
While our force was thus accommodating, by
looking below, across a "neck of woods
its torturous course long trains of smoke could
be seen rising up betraying the approach OF
| four or five rebel steamers. Three OF them
proved to be guhboats. They formed in line
| of battle on the first bend of the river below,
and quietly looking on at the extent of our
squadron seemed determined to arrest its fur
Their progress south.
| The flag officer could not suffer this impu-
dence. The Benton,s lines were lOosened, and
she Immediately headed down upon the rebel
gunboats, with signal for the other gunboats
to get under way flying from her main mast
This was quickly obeyed, and as six of our
ugly, horrid looking monsters settle low down
| in the water, with dense volumes of black
smoke pouring out of their chimneys and OBJ
securing every thing behind, bore down upon
the front of the rebel boats, our interest and
suspense were awakened to degree which
surpassed everything that transpired at Col
umbus or Island No TO- The sight bore the
the air of desperation. We thought hand to
| hand conflict was about to ensue, that broad
sides were to be taken and given in close
quarters.
LITTLE SHOOTING ON BOTH SIDES.
/ The current of the river was with our boats
and the distance between them and the enemy
rapidly deminished. They were sgnalled to
close up. In a few minutes we were within
range. Why don't the Benton open fire? was
an anxious inquiry that passed around, but
scarcely had it been made when cannon at
her bow answered it. The shot fell short.
The elvation was insufficient. Away went
another gun. Then another shot was sent
! bowling at the rebel gunboats, which, up to
this time, appeared as bold as lions. At this
! iuncture the Cafond0let, which had steadily
preserved the left, seconded the efforts Of the
Benton. The Cincinnati, steaming down on
The St. st. Louis Mound City and Pittsburg
were close in the rear.
Capt. Paudng, of the ST. Louis, could not
brook any longer his disposition to fight, ac-
cordingly paid his first compliment to the con-
federate navy The rebels threw two shells
at us in return, and then, with@n evident dis
taste for the warmth into which the contest
was waxing, headed down the river, and were
soon out of reach, and little later, out of sight
Both of their shell burst little over and be-
tween the Benton and Carondeet, and were
thrown with much grea ter accuracy than our
own.
COUPLE OF DISTINGUISHED REBELS CAP
| TURED AT ISLAND NO, ~.
Brig. Gen. CAN'T is young-from his ap-
pearance but little over thirty, l should judge
tall, slender, decidedly brunette, with an
agreeable fund OF conversation and quiet good
manners. He is courteous, and with far less
swagger and pOmposity than most Of the South
ern leaC ers; he is what most men of the world
would style good fellow, who likes to take a
drink and tell or listen to an amusing story.
He does not appear to possess much character;
seems to have proclivity for fastness; to be, in
word, careless. pleasant easy dispositioned
man, more in the habit of obeying his feelings
than insulting his judgment.
He speaks of the surrender of the island
uyi4 nv
any of those grandoise mannerisms for which
the resudo chivalry are proYerbial. Appar-
emily frank, OPEN ingenious and Indicated,
he is calculated to become popular, and laughs,
and talks and smokes and drinks with the
Union officers and civilians he meets, as if they
were his best and oldest friends The NOR
row evidently docs not distress him. He is
like brutus; one of those who sleeps O. nights
and refuses to disturb the future because it
can't disturb him.
When CAN'T, as you are aware was elected a
member of Congress on a Union ticket before
the commencement of the war, but never rep
resented his constituents on account of the Sc
cession Of his state, made that fimous speech
at Memphis about dying ten thousand deaths
before he would ever submit to LIncoln's hire
lings, he must have been inspired by sense
of cock tails, and meant nothing of the sort; as
/ have no doubt he would tell any one that
W9ulu dSR MN dUcuI tLdb pTGClOuS OF
gasconadng inebirety.
Major General Mackall, quite a different
person tfom CAN'T is. l presume, about fifty
years old; heavily set, rather shortin stature,
with dark mustache and beard sprinkled with
gray He is OF dark, swarthy complexion,
with an unpleasant blue eye and decidedly
sinister expression OF face. He is dull looking,
morose, sullen; has an uneasy and dissatisfied
air, would indicate that he suspected and hated
every one except himself, and was not even on
the best of terms with that important individ-
ua
should imagine him man of violent pas
sions and vlndctiye feelings, without faith in
any one; entirely selfish, bat energetic, perse-
vering, obstinate. He is very reserved, prob.
absy from his surrounding circumsta nces; talks
| in low tone with some of the rebel officers,
but manifests no disposition to speak to any
other person
!