The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1862-02-28
Our Military Correspondence.
CAPTURE or FORT HESRY-cAPT. PHELPS Ex.
rEDITIoN CP THE TENNESSEE.


cnsionally, giving you tho particulars Of tho
war operations in this section. II tho
promise has not hcen pupctu6lly kept, il has
not been ontiroly my fault. Matters of
uctve operations have been upon so limited
u scslo that thought they could bot littlo
interest you. or others, however 90 much
ongagod. At last | have something more
than of our skirmishcs on tho Cumberland
and Tonnossoo, TO writo of.
You are. long before this. doubt not.
apprscd Of the gallant and important
achiovomont of Flag Officer Fcoto, in tho
attack and capture of Fort Henry, on tho
Tennessee River, at tho State lino--a very
strong fort and camp, mounting eighteen
guns OF very hoavy calibro, besides tberc
boing a number OF tho pieces rifod. !
would horo state, that tho Flag Officer has
laborcd necessarily and untirinely in his
efforts to extemporize an Infant Navy, and
that with but very littlo means at his com.
mand. But his energy and zoal have, at
last, noarly brought their construction to
finish; at least so much so that, on the Sd
inst. he had four Of tho now boats in such u
condition that he concluded to mako a test
OF their power and strength before land
battery. although his crews wcro mostly
fresh recruits from the Army. almost on
tircly unacQuaintod with tho management
and drill of such heavy ordnance Fort
Horny was the spot selected for combined
movement of the Army and Guuboat Flo
tiila.
Con-. Fooie. with the Cincinnati, St.
Louis, Carondolct and Essex, came up to
Paducah, on Sunday evening. tho 2,l inst,
whcrc no mot the second division, consisting
OF tho old boats. tho Taylor, Capt. Gwinn.
tho Lexington. Capt Shi,k. and the Con.
estoga, Capt. Phelps, Capt. Phelps com.
mancing tho division. On Monday evening.
the Flag Officer, with his first division, pro
cccdcd up the river. expecting tho army
from Cairo would follow early tho next dnv;
but. as IL is usually, thore was the delay of
u day. On Tuesday evening, the Conesioga
and Taylor wont up, and tho Lexington
conveyed the lost transports with troops.
Tho Conestoga and Taylor. Immediately
upon their arrival. commenced removing
tho torpcdoes, or informal machines, from
the rivor. aud removed six of ihem in the
course of tho day. would gladly give YOU
a description of those nondescript imple.
ments. but my descriptive powers. am
full. would not boar me out. Suffice il
to say that they arc iron cylinders, both
ends being made conical; near ono end, on
tho side, thore is plunger, working in an
air.tight stufiing box, which, IN the inside.
Is connected with the trigger Of percussion
lock; the Other end, on mo outside, 10 con-
noctcG with lever with humorous long
prongs, tho pressure upon which was cal.
culatod to explode the powder and burst
tho thing They contained about seventy.
five pounds Of powder, md were heavily
anch orcd In an upright position in the
watcr.
On tho 9th inst. at about . past elovcn
o clock, tho first division took tho lend up
tho river from tho Army oncnmpmcnt, fol.
lowed, at 500 yards distance. by tho second
At haifpast twelve, tho Flag
opened his fire, at the distance of about ono
milo from tho fort, which was tho signal for
full frcs all around. lie kept advancing
slowly ia limo, tho four now boats abreast,
delivering tho while most terrific fro
and this was continued for an hour and one
fourth. when tho fort surrendered. The
second division was not idle, but got in easy
range for their shell, and kept up vigorous
fro during the whole time, although greatly
exposed, not only to direct fire, but TO tho
ricochot shots intended for tho other boats.
Tho guns of the fort woro. during tho ac-
tion, well served, and hailed perfect storm
of iron around. on, and even into tho grim
which wore so steadily advancing
for it's destruction. Tho enemy had ono
80 FOUNDER rifled gun, with which they
complImented the old boats
but, fortunately, it burst at the seventh dis
charge, aud they wero thwarted 10 their
plans for the annihlation of tho second di-
viainn / If nf tho nlv
toners had hit US once, you would have tho
onerous duty of giving your hopeful friend
nm obituary notice. Tho Essex had her
boiler pierced. killing and woundIng thirty
men, among the latter Capt. Porter; she was,
consequently, obliged to drop out of tho
fight. ~. .......0.,
Capts. Phelps and Stomblo wero appointed
by tho Flag Officer to receive the sur-en-
dor of the fort. There were the tents
and quarters, clothing and bedding for about
20. 600 men, taken with the fort. forgot to
say they retired all OF their army in hot
haste, save only enough to servo tboir guns.
b Capt. Phelps was ordered, with his d.
vision, TO proceed up the river, in search
OF tho Robol steamers and gunboats, aud,
as far rs no thought discreet and proper to
60. After tho formalities Of the surrender,
and awaiting IN hour or two for our army
to como up. in order to hold tho place. tho
Taylor, Lexington and Conestoga proceeded
to carry out their orders. and 60 into Se-
cessia. Wo had grea; difficulty in opening
the draw 10 the splendid railroad bridge that
crosses tho river 20 miles above Fort Henry.
There were thrco or four steamers tbrco
miles up the stream, and, whom they passed,
they had, in their great haste no doubt,
forgot to leave the tools TO turn it with
but, after the delay of about one hour. it
was opened, and wo hastened on after tho
fieoing boats. At 10 o'clock, they woro
forced to run one ashore and burn il and.
at 2 o'clock, they we're forced to burn two
moro. Ono of them contained q largo
amount of powder, which exploded when
We were within about 1000 yards, With groat
force. the conclusion being sufficient to
break oil the fastenings on the doors Of this
ship. 1t felt, to those on board, as if 1t
picked the vessel up, and then hurled 1t
down into the water. At Cerro Gordo, n
nero river landing place, we captured tho
Rebel gunboat Easport, which was there
lying, undergoing tho process of casema.
ting, nearly everything being on board and
at hand 20 complete her, with the exception
OF her armament. Thoro was, likowise,
with her half million feet of
choice lumber, considerable of it being yel.
low pine. The prize, taken all together,
will nearly pay tor the finishing of itself,