Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1862-12-19

taking 10l prisoners, who were safely lande,
= on this side
AT half past 4, two bridges were finished
opposite the city, where the troops immedi
ately began to cross over. PEW '
The enemy were soon driven from the city
back to their line Of works. s't <'@
The two bridges in front of Gen. Franklin
were successfully laid early in the day, bu,
his troops did not cross until the two uppe,
ones were ready.
| A sufficient force is now on the opposite
side Of the river to resist any attack that is
likely to be made.
1 The rebels fired but few guns in the morn
ing, and none in the P. NJ, although their
guns were in easy range.
| During the forenoon the rebels burnt the
R. R. bridge outside Of the city. Between 80
and 40 houses were burned, mostly in the
business part Of the city. During the day
between 5000 and 5000 rounds of ofamunition
were fired by artillery. Everything is
quiet tonight. The predictions are that a
battle will be fought tomorrow
ST.. LOUIS, Dec. IL.
Gen. Blunt telegraphs to Gen Curtis that
the rebels with whom he fought the battle of
Prairie Grove. near Fayetteville, Arkansas,
have probably crossed the Arkansas ,iver-
The enemy left all of his wounded and the
most of his dead on the field. One hundred
of their wounded have died since the battle
/ 0nd >ho~ .ocAl L.
wounded mortally. The total loss of the ene-
my is estimated by Gen. Blunt at nearly 1000.
Our loss is about 200 killed and 500 wounded
most of the latter will recover
| Gen. Heron puts the loss of the enemy
at from 500 to 700 killed and $500 wounded,
and estimates our loss higher than Blunt.
Col. Black, of the 37th ILL.,, is among the
killed, and Maj. Thompson ofthe Goth Iowa,
among the wounded. The enemy lost five
Co.onels.
| New YORK, Dec. IL.
1t is reported the rebel steamer Flenda is
cruising in the Gulf under command of Capt.
Moffit. The steamer is probably the Ovette,
although we have no intelligence of her es-
cape from Mobile. -
New York, Dec. IL.
! The pirate Alabama, until close upon the
captured vessels, carried an American flag
The crews of the vessels, except Capt Sim
clair, of the T. B. Wales, were kept in irons
till they reached Martinique.
| Semmes said she was the twenty third YES
sci he had burned. The second mate and 8
of her crew joined the Alabama, the crew of
which now numbers $50 men.
| Upon the arrival of the San Jacinto at
Martinique she furnished the brig Hammond,
then i'll port, with rockets, to be sent off when
the Alabama was leaving port The San
Jacinto also kept two armed boats plying
about the harbor, at night, but they did not
observe her exit
The Alabama was furnished with pilot by
the French authorities, and was, it is sup
posed, piloted out by channel unknown to
the San Jacinto. The Hammond was imme-
diately seized by the French authorities, and
was still in custody when the schooner Alice
left. The San Jacinto was three miles out to
sea when the Alice came out
The cargo of the T. B Wales was valued
at $200,000 The Alabama went to Mantin-
ique to receive coal from an English brig; the
latter also brought her two Armstrong 100
Founders. The brig went off with the Ala
bama.
It was reported at st. Thomas that the
Alabama had been pioted into the harbor of
st. Johns, few miles above, and was there
taking in the coal and guns. Semmes boast
ed of having been at one time within seventy
miles Of Sandy Hook.
Especial to Herald
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF PoroxAc,(
"a ...... -. December II, 3 pm.
Between and o'clock this morning the
pontoons in charge of the 18th and 18th N.
Y. engineers, under command of Gen. Wood
bury, proceeded to the river bank, where
with infantry supports, the attempted to
throw 3bridges across the river.
A dull haze so obscured the movement that
for time>it was not discovered by the rebel
pickets. The pontooners had succeeded in
partially constructing the bridges, when the
enemy suddenly opened brisk and deadly
fire of musketry along the banks of the river,
and from the windows of houses, compelling
cessasion of work and returning to cover
of the surrounding hills. "a
The men again formed, and, about 6
o'clock, the attempt was renewed, but the
rebels had now been thoroughly aroused, and
with reinforcements of sharp-shooters swarm
ed to the opposite bank and houses. Nothing
daunted by the hot fire which the enemy
poured in at the re-appearance of our troops
the pontooners went gallantly to work.
But in vain. A storm of bullets enveloped
them and planks of the boats were riddled by
every volley. Once more they were compel
ed to withdraw, and fell back to the ridge of
hills running parallel with the river. It was
evident that the rebels determined to use the
houses of the city for a defense, contrary to an
implied agreement in a correspondence which
was recently passed by a flag of truce.
Orders were given to our artillery to open
fire on the city. Accordingly Benjamin's s
Edwards, Muhlenburg's, and other bat teries
of the 9th corps, together with the batteries
of the corps on the right and left of the city,
commenced almost simultaneously lombard
ling. o -.,n-.1
The fog was so dense that it was impossi-
bic to see but short distance beyond the
edge of the river; houses, however, in which
rebel sharp shooters had ensconced them
selves, were plainly visible, and to their fire at
tention was for time particularly directed,
and the effect was their partial demoliti on
in short time.
| After the first fire they became untenanta-
BILE by the rebel riAemen, who retreated to the
rear of the town, where they took shelter,
behind buildings as yet unharmed.
Seven observation-disclosures becan. e gen.