Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-03-27
w. ID. WALLACH.
LETTER FROM ISLAND No. 10

MISS RtDsr. . HtIeS Gb0re Island No. 10,
Thursday, March 20-l2 m, 1862
Our flagship has not changed position during
the past fOrty-eight hours. The Cincinnati
and ST Louis, after coaling yesterday, came
out into the stream alongside the Benton,
ready for any emergency. The Benton and
Mound City-the latter the lowest down and
lying on the Missouri side a. the point
shelled the enemy's upper battery all day, at
long range-25 miles-while the attention OF
the mortars was likewise directed to the same
locality. With the aid Of the glass it has been
ascertained that the enemy have six batteries
in sight along the Kentucky shore, above the
head of Island No. 10, mounting large num-
Der Of heavy guns-forty-n of which have
been counted.
At 1145 a. m. yesterday the enemy opened
on US from their upper battery, without effect.
From so to 3 p. m. they likewise engaged us
from the big guns on the head Of the island,
which is out of sight from where we lay-being
hidden by the growth Of young cotton wood on
the Missouri river shore points. Their shots
from the island battery reaching US, several
fell close, all around, the gunboats Mound
City, Carondelet and Pittsburg. We were on
the Missouri shore at the time, on the trans
port Wilson, lying just above, and observed
III the shot from this battery reached around
and beyond Us, coming clos enough to cause
the speedy removal to point higher up. The
expedition, consisting of .wo steam tugs, with
stores and fuel for six days, which left yester-
: day morning to explore channel across
through the sloughs and oVeThowed bottoms on
the Missouri shore to New Madrid, after work.
ing all day, and only fir ing g feet of water
(the tugs drawing )! and feet), returned to
the Benton, the expedition being failure, of
course. A canoe or skiff can make it, but it is
out Of the question with steamboat or tug
There is a fair land route, distance FIVE miles,
across to New Madrid, when the Mississippi is
within its natural banks-one which General
Pope could march his army across.
The country on both shores is overhowed for
miles, except in the rear of the enemy's bat
teries in front of US. This is the only high
land, the strip being from FIVE to eleven miles
in..width. and only i've miles across from the
head of Island 10 TO TiptOnyilie, which is TWEEN
ty-six miles by water. The enemy force on
this strip of dry land is reported to be II 900
A messenger just arrived from Gen. Pope to
Col. BufOrd reports that notwithstanding n
severe FIRE from cur batteries at Point Pleas
ant, four OF the cnemyS SunbOats, bound
down, succeeded in running the blockade On
Tuesday. one of the number, the fifth boat
was sunk. The enemy gunbOats. from below
have also been trying to fight their way up
past our Point Pleasant battery
Last night, between 9 and 10 O'clock sew
eral vOlleys of musketry was heard in the
vicinity OF the ordnance boats Judge Torrcnce
and Great Western, on the Missouri shore, two
miles above us. 1he COnestOga soon opened
out and shelled the woods in that vicinity.
From the noise in the immediate cotton wood,
il was supposed the enemy designed an attack
Or our ammunition boats; hence the alarm,
which proved to be stray horses and mule.
WsdiBg through the timber, hunting dry land
Bright, glaring lights, indicating the move
ments Of Rebel transports, were visible from
10 to Il p. m, on the Kentucky shore, from
the head OF the island up to the upper bat
terry. TIE Benton shelled the shores, but with
what effect we have not learned.
We have it from a reliable source that our
mortars have scattered their camps, and
knocked down several hOuses-One reported to
be Gen. Folks headqusTters-on the head of
the Island. Doubtless many lives were lost, as
the shells were seen by our pickets to burst in
and direetly over their camp.
A messenger, who left Hickman yesterday,
reports the enemy ; GOO strong, three miles
back of that point and nine miles this side Of
MON City. Their cavalry scouts have also
appeared on the heights back of town, await
ing an opportunity TO erect u battery on the
bluffs Just back of Hickman, and commanding
the river. From some unknown cause, Col.
Buford did not leave any force whatever at
Hickman, as we came down on Saturday last
The loyal citizens have asked Flag Officer
FOOte and Col. Buford for protection One OF
the gunbosts will probably return and lay of
in the river at Hickman, in order to preven,
the erection Of batteries
Lieutenant and several men, from Buford'
9th Illinois Regiment, yesterday, in a skiff
worked through the swamp. (being hidden in
the cOttOn-wood,T J to point within two hun.
dred yards of the upper fort. They only
report one gun-a whopper-left there. This
morning we can see three mounted at the
same place, inoieating that the Lieutenant
was mistaken.
THE SPLENDID SCENES OF THE BoMBARDMEyT
Correspondence Of the Missouri Democrat
Oecasionallypur solid shot struck the para
pet plumply, and an immense column of dirt
thrown into the air would show the execution
done. Now and then the she'll exploded d.
rectly over the fort guns, and the pieces could
be seen splashing the water in every direction
Amidst il all l could see the rebels running tC
and fro on the parspet, loading their guns
carrying of killed or wounded, and in all be-
having with the most spirited bravery. Two
or three guns were dismOunted, and some
heavy breaches made in their works, but they
struggled manfully to repair the damages,
perfectly defiant, as it seemed, Of the fearful
perils which surrounded them. =
''Good for Kitty :" shouts Capt. Wake, oi
the Carondolet, as one of the riHed shots of the
Mound City struck Just in the fort and cast up
an immense cloud Of reddish looking dirt
Crash" goes l0-inch she'll from the stern
Of the CarondOlet, just over which am stand
ing, the ship trembling in every timber at the
recOil, the spectator invOluntarily lodging the
shock the sulphurous smoke flying back in his
and the huge missile roaring in the air like the
sound of distant railroad train, coursing al
lightning speed. We watch its fight with in.
tense interest. Ii falls in the river in front Of
the psrapot, or perhaps passes over into the
woods behind, or merely Plunses directly into
the csrthwOrks- The sesmon on deck clan
their hands and dance wildly around ssGood
boy" to the gunner. "GOOd morning 20 You. y
10 tho Rebels g Put that in your Tock OF and
and never mind the change"
- Look at EN- runnin', shouts fellow with
glass at Els eye. Il sec their aag yet, ;" yelIs
another. "NOw they're loadin' their big 'un
Watch out. there she goes"
"Get out Of the way, gentlemen, ," shouts the
captain. LET US pay due respect to that fel.
low. Lie close" We all crouched behind the
pilot-house: but the shot is intended for the
Benton, and whizzes just over her deck, strik,
ing the water hundred feet astern. Crash u
go two almost simultaneous discharges from
the Mound City. " Boom :" thunders huge
mortar jast in our rear, while the prows Of the
c. T.ouis and Cipnipnaf; "a 90 -,