The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1862-02-15

| Ottctdt Report OF the Battte.-C0,a-
gratvlations Of Stanton and Nc
Czellan.
- CINCINNATI, Feb. 2.
The Gazette and Commercial 8
Caifocorrespondent gives the following
accounts of the COMMANDMENT and cap
ture of Fort Henry:
Yesterday, at 1890 P. M. the gum
boats Cincinnati, ST. Louis, Carondolet
and Essex, the Tyler, Conestoea and
Lexington bringing up the rear, ad-
vanced boldly against the rebel works.
going to the right OF Painter Creek Is
land, immediately above which, on the
east shore OF the river, stands the for
ti6cations, and keeping out of range
till at the head of the Island, and within
a mile of the enemy. Passing the Is
| laud in full view of the rebel guns, We
steadily advanced, every man at his
quarters. Every ear was strained to
catch the flag officers signal gun for
commencement of action. Our line of
battle was on the left, St. Lonis next,
Carondolet next, the Cincinnati, for the
time being the flag ship, having on
board flag officer A. III. Foote, and next
the Essex. We advanced OH line, the
Cincinnati being n boats length ahead,
when, at 1890 the Cincinnati opened
the ball and Immediately the three ac-
companying boats followed suit.
The enemy not backward gave an
admirable response, and the fight ragged
furiously for half an hour. We stead
| lily advanced, receiving and returning
storms of shot and shell. On getting
within three hundred yards of the enc
my's works we came to stand and
poured into them right and left In
the meantime the Essex had been dis
disabled and drifled away from tho
scene of action, leaving the Cincinnati,
Carondolet, and ST. Louis alonc en-
gagged. At precisely forty minutes past
one the enemy struck his colors. and
such cheering, such wild excitement as
seized the threats, arms and caps of
the four or five hundred sailors of the
gunboats can be imagined. After the
surrender, which was made to Flag Of.
ficer Foote by Gen. Lloyd Tilghman,
Iwho defended his fort in the most de-
termined manner, we found the rebel
infantry encamped outside the fort,
numbering four or FIVE thousand, had
cut and run, leaving the rebel artillery
company in command of the fort to
their fate. The fort mounted seventeen
guns, mostly 80 and "a Founders, one
being magnificent l0inch Columbiad.
! Our shots dismantled two of their guns
driving the enemy from the embrasures.
One of their rifled s2.pounders burst
during the engagement, wounding one
of their gunners. The rebels claim to
have bad but eleven effective guns,
worked by fifty four men-the number
all told of our prisoners. They lost
five killed and ten badly wounded.
The infantry left everything in their
flight and q vast deal of plumber has
fallen into our hands, including large
and valuable quantity Of ordnance
stores. Gen. Tilghman is disheartened,
and thinks it one of the most damag-
ing blows of the war.
In surrendering to Flag Officer Foote
the rebel General said, / am glad to
surrender to SO gallant ain officer
Flag Officer Foote replied: You do
perfectly right, sir, in surrendering, but
you should have blown my boats out
of the water before l would have sur
rendered to YOU" In the engagement
the Cincinnati was in the lead, and fly
! ing the flag officers pcnnant, was the
chief mark. Flag officer Foote and
Capt. Stembel crowded her defiantly
into the teeth OF the enemy's guns.
She received thirty shots, some of
them going completely through her.
The Essex was badly crippled. When
about half through the fight, and crowd
ing against the enemy, ball went
through her port side forward port,
through heavy bulkhead, and square
! ly through one of her boilers, the escap-
ing steam scalding and killing several
of her crew. Capt. Porter, his Aid,
S. Ii. Britton, and Paymaster Lewis
were standing in direct line of the pass
ing balls; Britton being in the centre
of the group, a shot struck him on the
top of his head, scattering his brains
in every direction. The escaping steam
went into the pilot house and instantly
killed Ford and Mcbride, the pilots.
Many of the sailors at the rush of the
steam jumped overheard and were
1 drowned. The Cincinnati had Que
! killed and six wounded; the Essex had
six seamen killed, and two officers and
seventeen men wounded, and five mis-
sing. No casualties occurred on board
i the st. Louis or Carondelet, though the
shot and shell fell upon them like rain.
! The. st. Louis was commanded by
i Capt. Leonard Paulding, who stood
slupon the gun-deck and fought the guns
4 to the last. Not man .finched, and
with cheer. upon cheer sent shot ard
shell among the enemy.
| Secretary Welles has received the
following dispatch
U. S. FLAG SHIP CINCINNATI OFF FIR Henry
sr.s-gs TENNESSEE RIVER Feb. 8, 1862
/ The gunboats under my command,
the Essex, Com. Porter; the Caronde-
let, Com. Walker; the Cincinnati,
Com. Strubel; the st. Louis, Lieut.
commanding Paulding the Conestoga,
Phelps the Tyler, Lient. commanding
Givern, and the Lexington, Lieut.. COM
handing Shock, after severe and
r