Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1862-03-28
THE SIEGE AND CAPTURE OF
NEW MADRID.

The capture Of the Formidable rebel p
sition at New Madrid, No. was most I'M
portant one, not only on account Of the great
amount of cannon and stores taken in tae
place, but because Of the fact that the place
is 5elotc Island No. 10, and fully commands
the river thus cutting of the rebel forces and
gunbOats above, from all escape by way Of
the river. The best account we have seen Of
the siege is given by correspondent ct the
Cincinnati Commercial, from which Se *
tract freely;
Nrw MADRID, No, March Il.
Ten DAYS ago we arr vsd here, and opened up
little entertainment for the chivalry, strongly
intrencbed at New Madrid. We had nothing but
few batteries Of light artillery, while they
played on u with from I've TO six gun0osts and
eight 32-pounders upon the walls u two forts -
cen. Pope at once NV his position, and sent back
to Cairo for four siege guns 2I-pounders lie
kept in the mean time. constantly harassing the
enemy, without exposing his own men, awaiting
the arrival Of mis- guns He likewise, dining The
darkness of one night, had rias-pits dug. and
battery Of Parrot guns planted upon the river
hank at Point Pleasant, seven miles below New
Madrid.
The first introduction to the chivslry were
few l2-pounders and shower Of musket balls
we'll aimed, at a couple Of fne transports well
laden with Injuries and comforts Tor New Madrid
and Island No. 10. Tnev suddenly wheeled
about and left for D xe. such an insult must be
wiped the bank Of the Confederate river, and
forthwith 4 guubost was dispatched TO shell Plum
mer out Of his holes. But the yunboat came d
little TOO near, and forthwith port holes and pilot
boa received hundreds of musket balls from the
sh ,5p shooters; and it speedily moved TO the OPP
p side Of he river, in easy saeling distance
a4d for seven days from to three gunboats have
done their best to disiodge the gallant Plummer,
tui without success.
rne honor Of this patent method Of whipping
eu boats should be given u Gen. Pope. as but few
officers bad any idea it would succeed This little
ely thought has prevented the my ying
troops or munitions OF war transports, either
up down tn river, and left all the 1ich sup
plies to-day found at New Madrid.
On W ednesday, March u, our four guns sT-iVed.
We drove in their pickets at suDiOwn, ana thou
sand spades were noiselessly making trenches aud
preparing hasyy projections for tho guns. They
were in position before daylight, and the fog
lifted from the marshes and the river, four shells
gently thrown over into the upper fort,
much 10 the establishment and indignation of the
gentlemen from Dixie In a few moments nine
gunboats were in position, ONE Of them throwing
64-pouud shells, and eighteen s ? Founders upon
the two forts were doing their best = send ALL
as the boys say, " 10 the happy land Of Canaan"
The 10th and 10th Illinois as sharpshooter
and the seth, 9Th, Esd, and 45d Ohio regiments
were placed on the TANKS aud in the rear to sup
port the battery. be LIST Regular U. 5 IofantTy
under Capt Mowery, name. tue guns. Foriu- !
nately they bad been we'll drjllsi artillerists
and behaved admirably. For u hours the shot |
and shell few about the Ohio regiments like hail
They were protected by low bluff. besides with |
pocket-Lnives and bayOnets they s,ooped out the |
Il 1T hats al unuf rf hmm
as possible should be exposed 1t is safe to |
say that 100 shot and she'll struck within four to
TO six feet of the 29th without killing a single |
man ! heard men, this morning, proverbislly |
profane say Well, it is talking, but g cd |
was with the Ohio boys yesterday"
The casualties that occurred append below
Three of the 9th had their legs shot of with the
same ball. Col Fuller saw the ball, be thought /
almost spent, and remarked it might break some
poor fellows leg; yet it broke through the fence,
knocked IF three legs and continued on its way.
shells frequently buried so near that exploding
would cover with dirt twenty men. Gems. Pope 1
ano Stanley rode down and witnessed for a tune
the hiring, and they remarked that il was a mira
Gle that few were killed and wounded. One
round shot from the enemy struck one of our
large guns on the muEIle and ocked a piece out
# 1t SIX ches long, uniting it or further ser
vice, at the time killing Two men ana
wOunains or more. The boy, toward even
ing, sot red oil lying fat: and If he 6rins
Ceased Tor a mom. n every iellOs would jump w
Anu II 10 be hea'd a mile.
As night zpproa he'd he sank in the u
horizon, and before midnight there came Oh a
moe teir.fe thunderstorm. mId tuis storm our
n'ea sto"d To their .sts, ana novel still nearei
" tneH enemts- Amid the same storm, ihs
excaEation OF tort and barracks took plac-; foI
10 ss daylight appeared, not an enemy wa, seen
upon tne works Our flag was SOM fv.tinx al
both forts