The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1862-02-12
Ite11,e fe5m Fort Henry.

Vveeks mast. has Been located at Paducah,
furnished us, yesterday morning, with some
interesting particulars in connection with
the capture of Fort H enry which exhibit !
the genius and bravery of Commodore |
FoOte and his gallant tars in a still clearer
light. r.i4a94 e-
The rebels had constructed their fortii-
cation with the especial object of resisting
an attack from the river. The Fort was
situated on low ground, so that no difficult
ty would be experienced in sweeping the
river for distance of two or three miles.
They felt confident that no boat-be it IRON
clad or not-could stand up against the
iron storm that they were prepared to
shower upon it. The guns were carefully
mounted by experienced and expert artil-
lerists, and the garrison had been under
training for some months by an expert
enced officer, formerly connected with the
US. navy. They had accurately obtained
the range of all points between the Fort
and Panther Island, and felt a secret joy in
/ witnessing the approach of the feet they
| felt SO confident of annihilating. Deter
mined, however, not to spare any effort
/ calculated to annoy their adversaries in an
attack on the Fort the rebels had carefully
| planted several torpedoes in the principal
channel of the river, between Panther Is
land and the main land. These were quiet
.Iy removed, without accident, by little
tug, sent in advance by Commodore Foote.
Some of these explosives contained from
eighty to one hundred pounds of powder.
/ Our informant did not learn how the rebels
designed they should ego off" but sup
posed it was calculated that the boats would
strike some of them in their upward pas
sage. and the conclusion would cause them
to explode If such were their amiable in
tentions, they were most signally disap-
pointed.
Mr. Giles states that the gunboats had
not stopped when the rebels surrendered,
but were steadily approaching the fort and
pouring in an iron hail. The Essex, under
Commander Porter, devoted her especial
!, attention to the fine 1O-inch Columbiad on
the rebel Notifications which was being
handled with great precision and effect
The Captain of the gun on the Essex al
ways retained his fire until the Columbiad
was discharged, and then delivered his shoI
in hopes of dismounting or otherwise dis
, abling the formidable piece. At last {
) beautiful line shot struck on the rampart'
; immediately in front OF the Columbiad
: throwing tt.a mad in every direction
= considerable quantity entering its muzzIe
= In the hurry and confusion of the engage
e ment the rebels failed to clear the gun
: and ramming charge home, it would no
3 90 of, and the gun was entirely useles
S during the remainder of the engagement
J, The load yet remains in the piece, and
d will require some ingenuity to extricate it
h Mr.. Giles was politely shown around tn
g CarondeIet by her commander, but coul'
see no injury that she had received WORT
+ mentioning. The rebel shots seemed t.
8, hav e made no more impression on her irol
It sides than small indentatons, similar t
# what stout boy might make in pin
+ board by shooting marble. As GU
u readers have already learned, there wer
q no casualties on either the st. Louis o
: Carondelet.
l. In addition to the foregoing items, Nj
= Giles brought US a piece of one of the rebt
p gun carriages, which is shiyered an
A. powder-burnt in a manner exceedingl
20 frightful to a laudsman, who has had n
Id experience 10 witnessing the effects of larg
g, cannon balls.
e Some difficulty appeared to exist in Il
We shells of our gun boats, but few Of them e.
o.. plodinga as designed. Had it not have been f
a. this trouble the probability is therebels wou
n. have been annihilated in half the time the
n actually held out. This, in the end, prove
va fortunate, as the comfortable quarters
which the rebel infantry were housed an
ne which would have been totally demolishe
b. had the shells performed the work for whiS
mr. they were intended--are left standing Fl
re the convenience of soldiers who are 10y
be to their government
es The frightful effect of the shots from Il
,r- gun boats were seen for some distan
around the fort. Mr.. Giles says he saw OF
ho large white oak tree, at least two feet
- diameter, and distant from the forti6catiC
/, near mile, which had been cut complete
5. in two by ball, and felled to the groun
- The fort itself was badly riddled, the ran
ESQ parts being fnrrowed and ploughed up
the balls, while the dismounted guns al
RS overthrown sand bags give evidence of
~ precision in Workmanship on the part
re the federal gunners, not calculated
nd stimulate the hopes of the rebels at Fo
"a Donelson or Columbus z-z
'eu It8
rs. - ----
RdS- The following soldiers belonging
the the 25th Regiment, died in ST. Lou