Litchfield enquirer., 1862-02-13

THE GREAT VICTORY IN TExxEssrn. sn...r- DER OF FoRr HENRY ON THE TESnEs.,s p,n.. CAPrURE OF THE REDEL CoMNASDxn Avn sr~. TY OF HIS MEN. FLIGHT OF FouR TuousAHp OF THE REBELS ine Clnclnnati Gazette and COmmereiaps Cairo correspondent, gives the following particulars Of the bombaroment and capture of Fort H.n,v from which we copy:-
 CINCINNATI, Friday Feb. :. Yesterday at l2A P. M., the gunboats Cinein- nati' st. Louis, Csroudelet and Essex. the Tylsr. Conestoga and Lexington, bringing up the Fear. advanced boldly against the rebel works. roine to the right of Painter Greek Island. imm.d;.,s. ly above where, on the east shore of the river stands the Qualifications, and keeping out ofrnnae Gill at the head of the island, and within d Wiia of the enemy, passing the island in full view of the rebel guns. We steadily advanced. every man at quarters, every ear strained to catch. tks Flag Officers signal gun for the commenesmsns of the action. Our line of battle was on the lsfs. the St. Louis next, the Carondelet next the Cin. clnnatl (for the time being the Flag ship, hav- ing on board Flag Officer Foote,) and the nsxa the Essex. We advanced in line; the Cincinnati . boats length ahead, when at ll:3O the Ciucin- nati opened the ball, and immediately the three accompanying boats followed suit. The enemy was not backward, and gave an admirable re- opVuoC, OuU tuC uSut E1kou IuTlOuSly Tor nolI aA hour. We steadily advanced, receiving and re- turning the storm of shot and shell, when Rss- ting within three hundred yards of the snemy's works we came to stand, and poured into hin right and left. In the meantime the Essex had been disabled, and drifted sway from the scene of action, leaving the Cincinnati, Carondslss esd St. Louis alone engaged.
 At precisely forty minutes past one, the sne- my struck his colors-and such cheering, susA vilN auk s.nH kA caps. of the four or five hundred sailors of tAs gunboats can be imagined. After the surrendsr which was made ts Flag Officer Foots, by Gsn. Lloyd Tilghman, who defended the fort in most determined manner, VIC found that the reh- el infantry encamped outside the fort, number ing four or five thousand, had cut and run, leav- ing the rebel artillery in command of the fors.
 The fort mounted seventeen guns, most of thsm. 32-pounders, one being . magnificent lO-incA columblad. Our shots dismounted two of thsip guns, driving the enemy into the embrasures One of their rihed 32-pounders burst during the engagement, woundng some of their gunners.- The rebels claimed to have but eleven effective guns worked by ffty-four men-ths number oil told of our prisoners. They lost five killed and ten badly wounded. The infantry left every. thing in their flight. vast deal of plundsr Ass fallen into our hands, including large and val uable quantity of ordnance stores.
 Gen. Tilghman is disheartensd. He thinks 10 one Of the most damaging blows of the war. In surrendering to Flag. Officer Foote the rebel 0sa. eral remarked, "I am glad to surrender te e gallant an officer" Flag-Offcer Foote replied, " You do perfectly right, Sir, in surrendsrins, but you should have blown my boat out of the water before would have surrendered to you"
 In the engagement the Cincinnati was in the lead, and flying the Flag Officers penuant, was the chief mark. Flag-Otflcer Foote and Capt. Stembel crowded her de6antly into the teeth of the enemy's guns. She got thirty -one shots. some of them going completely through her.
 The Essex was badly crippled when about half through the fight, and crowdiug steadily against the enemy X ball went into her side. forward port, through the heavy bulkhead and squarely through one of her boilers, the sseap- ing steam scalding and killing several of .ks crew.
 Capt. Porter, his Aid, L P Britton, Jr., snd Paymas'er Lewis, were standing in direct line of the balls passing, MT. Britton being in the centre of the group. A shot struck Mir. Brit- ton in the top of his head, scattering his brains in every direction. The escaping steam went into the pilot house, instantly killing Messrs. Ford and Bride pilots. Many of the soldisrs, at the rush of steam jumped overheard and were drowned.
 The Cincinnati had one killed and six wound cd The Essex had six seamen and two officers killod seventeen men wounded, and five mise ing There were no casualties on the St. Louis or Carondlelet, though the shot and shell fell upon them like rain.
 The St. Louis was commanded by Leonard Paulding, who stood upon the gnnhoat and wrought the guns to the last. Not man finch cd, aud with cheer upon cheer sent the shot and shell among the enemy.