The Smoky Hill and Republican union. [volume] (Junction City, Kan.) 1861-1864, 1862-02-20
Graphic Account of the Fort Henry Fight.

Graphic Account of the Fort Henry Fight.
The action was short, lasting little over
an hour, and admits of no very extended
description. There was continuous roar
Of artillery, whizzing of shot, explosion
of she'll, and now and then a cheer from
either bank, and then lull The rebel
flag was lowered to the dust, and the fort
was ours.
The gunboats left their moorings little
after twelve o'clock, and moved slowly in
the direction Of the Fort, in the Western
channel. The flag ship, Cincinnati, took
the lead, followed by the Essex, Carondelet
and St. Louis, and behind them the wooden
boats Conestoga. Lexington and Tyler As
they advanced above the head of the island,
the flag ship wore eff TO the westerly bank,
aud the st. Louis to the east, the Essex
and Carondelet taking positions between
them. Not shot was fred until within
five hundred yards Of the Fort. Captain
Porter then let fly from his forward guns,
and amid the widest cheers of the feet and
the array, the remainder of the boats joined
in, the guns of the Fort replied, and the
action had begun.
The gunnery of the rebels was excellent,
and the shot and she'll fell thickly on and
about the fleet. but without hinching hair,
the gallant tars stood firmly by their guns,
the boats all the time moving steadily up
the river. At times, the mingled reports
of the scores Of cannon, with the whizzing
of the rifed shells, were terrific beyond
description 1t would seem as if all the
iends Of the internal regions were let loose
and were shrieking through the air. Occa-
sioualIy there would be little lull, and
then again would the storm he renewed
with redoubled energy.
The garrison of the Fort fought bravely,
but it was hardly in the power of mortal
man to withstand the storm of iron which
hailed about them. The feet gunners
were every moment getting more accurate
range of their batteries, and were every
moment with steadiness which was mos:
appalling, approaching nearer and nearer to
them. TIE shot and she'll which they
hurled at them seemed to have no more
effect upon their iron fronts than so much
hail, while in return came thicker and
thicker the immense shot and shell from
the impervious crafts. The barracks were
fast being leyelled to the ground shell
bad just passed completely through the
headquarters of Gen. 1iglhman three of
their best guns were already disabled
Then came the news that the five or six
thousand men outside, terrified by the tie
mendous havoc which our shot was making
in the fort, aud the sbrieking of the shells
about them, and momentarily expecting an
attack from our land forces, were in full
retreat, and, of course, there was nothing
left hut to strike their flag and surrender
at discretion.
When the flag was lowered, the larger
portion of the garrison followed the retreat
ing force which had gone before them.
Gen. Tiglbman, his staff, Capt. Taylor,
Chief of Artillery, and some fifty or sixty
others, were the only ones who remained,
and, upon the arrival of Commodore Footc.
duly surrendered themselves as prisoners of
war. The officers, upon giving their pa
role, we're treated with the consideration
due their rank. Gen. Tglhman was FIRST
taken to the flag ship, and subsequently
transferred to the Uncle Sam, which is
made the headquarters of General Grant.