New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-03-08

line 81 GVo GunDOals, While me gAtn posc ho,.S
up in the rear kept the air filed with shells wnich
fel thick and elo, all around the position oil our
VatteIles. ,:,
The fight con- inued, the enemy steadily a1Vsnelns
81 ,vy up the river, and the shot ana she,' LA ,d
fifteen heavy rifed guns, tearing on. par ~ OR
puogiDg de en- into the earth aroupd anu " 80
batteries for nearly two bours, and un'iI n's eo".s
had raac, "a within the distance OF 100 yards Oh our
batteries. Having come in such close ooliln.'I =
could Si.tnctlv zee the effects oil our tno, "P ~
iron-s ased boats. We had given TWO OF 'uieo ~
directed siiots from our nGavy yum oL snG dr;fed
~ - beo,v The line Several shot struck another
l,oa. tearing her iron Gaze ana making nor 'ioe'
crack aud ,plintering them sr w tuvhe VI hsn'i
ming when tbe two fell back. linen 'hlid iecei'eu
sever4i shocks making her metal iNiG s"e -.
crack when tie whole line gave way ana icii oach
from orr fire until they passed ont OF range.
Tbus ended the severe anu close conflict o. our
heavy rnns and be enemy gunboats, testing trcic
strength and the power OF heavy guns 10 fess' ,he
The shot FROM our 3l-pound guns produced on'
ltle eject they struck and rebOnded apparently
dciug but Little dsmage; but am satisfied from cI"ee
observation that tie timber o. the frame WORK ga
not Withstand the shock from the i0lnch counu 'ads
or 32-pound yifled guns. These gunboats never re-
,ews tie attack. 1 learn from citizens hving on
hs river below. that one OF the injured guDb0ats
was sunk aud That Others bad 10 DC towed TO Caro-
This information may Iay not be true, hut IL Is
certain that all Of tie boats were repnsed ana olVeu
back sf,er IA most vigorous and determined attack,
and tnpt two Of the boats were badly damaged, anu
/ tba, n third was more or less injured:
a. ia difficult 10 estimate tie gallant DeariIt ana
bc,nic cououct If the officers and men Of oar bh'-
,nries VINO SO well and rersistertiv fought our
inns until the euemys Determined advance ofohsnt
lie boats ana guls INTO such close ana desperate
conflict. When all I'D their duiy 70 WELL II Is NJ
,.nsf i,fcss,ble 20 Discriminate. The captains a.
r.ady nsu,ed. snd their iieptenants Whose names,
inr ,ya,d OF oiioial reports, cannot Plve all &C.
serve the highest conInendsi1on
li.ut. O. ;. Martin whose company IL now 81
Columbus, n.y., but was ordered 10 that post ~
Nu;or.Gen. PolI1 commanded one of the guns, par
irslarIy attracted my attention ly bis energy ana
me judgment With which be fought bis gun. Inc
vyaddn having given ont, be pulled oil ls coat and
,sn,med il down vaGdiDg ana thus Kept up the
nm. nniii the enemy were finally Iepuised.
ON the evening VI tins day, we received Informs
ion of the arrival OF additional re-eiiorcewenis oi
the enemy of infantry, cavalry, and hgh artillery,
nv Steamboat, all Of which wee di;emvarhed anhors
distance below our portion.
p. THE BATTLE OF DOVER.
/ On the lIth instant tie enemy was busy throwing
ID; force az every arm around ne, extending his ne
Of investment around po-ilou, ana completely
enyelopipg az. On the evening o. this day we as,
c,rtained that lie enemy had received adaIiohii
re-en movements By steambOat. we were no" cur
rounded bv immense force, SAID ny persons t'houn'
Ia filtv.two regiments and every road ana iossbie
avenue OF departure were cut oil. with the certainty
that orr sources Of supply by tie river wono soon
be cut oB by the enenys batteries placed upon 'ne
river above u.
d 81 , Meeting Of the general officers, called hy
csn. Fjoyd. Il vgss unanimously determined 10 give
The enemy battle next day q, daylight 10 as 10 cut
ol4p route OF exit FOR Our troops 10 the interior OF
he country and thus to saye our army. We had
kpowedee that the principal portion OF the enemy
Corce. were uassed in encGmpment III front OF our
extreme left, commanding TIE teo roads leading
r;o the interior one OF which must take III leav
{ ING or position. We knew that be had masaed II
,calnpmeut another large force on the Union Ferry
: Road ouposi,e the center of left wing. Hi
= f,esb arrival o. troops, which encsmped tie bank
of the river, two and half miles below us, irou
which latter encampnent stream OF mem troops
was continually pouring around us on his ine OF IN
yestnent, nnd thus strengthening his general en-
q csn,rinent on tie extreme right. AT each Of In
enca,nuIoerts. aud on each road he had position,
battery OF field artillery, and 2i-pound iron guns o
siege carrI,ges Between these eDcappments on the
s rosds was "a thick underground OF brush and black
lack making u imp0ssitle 10 advance or nsneEyei
Z any considerable body OF troops.
! 1De ulan OF attack agreed rpon, and directed By
Cen F.oyd TO be cXecuted was, that with tie main
BODY Of he force Of our left wing, should attack
the r. BIZ wing Of The enemy, occupying and resting,
lnou the hgt- reaching 20 the bank OF the river,
aecoupanied by Col. Forests brigade Of cavalry;
that Big Gen. BGcner Will the forces under HE
command aud defending the night OF our hoe, should
5 strike the enemy's encanpinen' aud force, on
the Niun's Ferry road tnat tue ici,e u.osr '"i
lehman should hold ms position, and tina, each com
u inau6 should leave in~he trenches troops 70 mold TINS
l. IL, nches.
In hi. order of battle it easy to be seen tha
u Il -. attack wa successful and the enemy !Ouied
= hat Ina retreat would be along his line Of inycsi
e ,n.nt toward the Wins Ferry road and thence 10
b, ,rard his reserve AZ the gunbOats below. III O'bc
r. voris nv success would roll the enemys force il
e ,ei,eat over upon Gen. Buckncr, when by bis at
tack in flank and rear, We could cut up the enemy
! o. fx 10 ron
Accordingly, dispositions were made t. attack thi
II ,neray at ; 0 clock a. IN. the 18th. moved on
Of my position to engage Tie enemy ~ les tnal
u one half hour our forces were engatec lie Wa
d prepared 10 meet in advance OF Ais enelmp
d iiuerf and be did meet me before / assumed
line Of battle and while was moving against bin
1 without any formation for the engagement Wa
much embarrassed in getting the command III 20
si,ion properly 10 engage The Toe. Having o1irI
Gated myself from the position, and ial ly engaged
i him we fought him for nearly TWO hours before
made any decided advance upon him. lie copieste'
Ire field most stubboTnly. The ioss OF both armie
was heavy ai THE portion OF the Ied--the enemy
ua,ticulsrlv as discovered by RIDING over the Ieid
sner the fight, with Gen. Floyd. TIE enemy hav
iug been forced 90 weld this portion OF the held
retired slowly around toward the WuD's Ferry
road Blckncrs point OF attack. lie aid not retreat
tut fell back fighting Ne, coniesiing every inch o
gIourd.
The light was holly and stnbborrly contested OF
both sides and consumed the day al II o'clock {,
drive him back as fur as the center, where Gen
packner's command was to flank hin. ! was aDx
ioosly expecting TO hear Gen. Buccaneers command
open FIRE IN his rear, which not takirg place, wat
apI1ehensiye Of some misdpprehenJon Of o-derr
and came from the field Of battle within the work
10 learn what was the matter. L ulele found 10,
command Of Gen. Bncaner nasseG behind the ridg,
within the work, taking shelter iron, the enemy
artillery on tie Wins Ferry road, 1t having beer
forced 10 retire from the battery, as learned from
him NV force was stin slowly advancing, drivinl
the enemy toward The battery. | di rected Gen