New-York daily tribune., 1862-04-14
the echoes Of both rsveroerated un one "as mug
.iugushsble from the other.
sppCTlCIF

A GRAND SPECTACLE.
Every Rebel battery opened, but the enemy bred
wildly. They were excited. and evidently thoughs
The whole feet were running the blockade. They
discharged their guns in any and all positionso the
right and left and in front, up the river, down the
river across the river with The hope Of in,imidang
us in what they believed to be our general attempt TO
pass their guDf A number Of shots came toward tne
BENTON. but none of them struck her-most falling
short. Some struck the Kentucky shore to the lett
and few shells burst in the air about 200 ysrdf
asern of The fagsp. No one cared for the sho' 'ha
shel directed at the Benton. We were thinking Of
the men on the Pttsburg.
Hall an hour passed, and the Piiisburg unleas sunk
or crippled must have gone by tho entire eight oa.
teries; yet her tigpa guns had not been hsafu'
Until o'clock the stern Of the Benton was crowded,
though the rain still fell in torrents; the enemy
meanwhile firing frequently az if they feared another
eupbost was attempting the blockade. Volleys oi
npshe,ry were heard from the island at Intervals
until daylight, but for what purpose no one eouio
divine. At this hour, 3 O'Clock, we have just learned
the Pittsburg was not struck by single Rebel shot,
rs. Orypolr BENTON. Or IsL,Sp No. lo}
TUBspAy Midnight. April z. 1857.
A MYSTERIOUS VESSEL.
few minutes after nine the marine pacing The
after deck annou,eed light sstern, and boa
approaching. Instantly glasses were in re9usl'lon
and vessel was seen coming up stream at dls
tapce Of some two and q half miles
PREPARATION FOR ACTION.
Tie Commodore determined 10 he prepared iorhiiy
event. Capt. Phelps ordered the men to their posts
The new 5O-pound Dahlgren rifed guns, which
shoot admirably, and are said to have thrown shel'
nearly five miller, were ran out, and the gnners PIE
pared for action. A fight Was anticipated aud th'
officers aecended the deck TO obtain q fall view q
the engagement.
All was prepared, and the gunuers were waiting
tor the word " fire." with their pieces bearing upon
the approaching vessel, when four sharp whis.lc'
were heard. Then It was concluded that the boat
mug, be Union craft, and her signal was answered
by the Benton aud t,ig ordered 10 go down and hai
her.
The gurneIs still remained at their posts, and the
return OF the tug was waited with much anxiety.
Again the four whistles, end the boat stopped NJ
L fearful of receiving our ire. The signal was an
swered once more. while ths little tug went putins
Of through The darkness.
I. was soon discovered that the apPJoaohin.
stranger was q sing, fteamboat; but no one could
divine whether her L" inier.s were wicked OF
charitable"
PACIFIC PROPOSITION By TIE REBELS.
At the expiration Of thirty minutes the tug csine
aiong.ide and Lieut.. Bishop stepped npon the stem.
with two young men dressed in sTay Uniform ana
evidently Secession soldiers. They were conducted
to the Commodore's cabin, and remained there for
more than an hour, the Object Of their mission being,
meanwhile, yariously discussed on deck.
That it must bo II proposal Of surrender ws-
generally agreed, but why the enemy sbould send
two underlngs on such important business was a
nodose question, the sole satisfactory response to
which was thut the chief Rebels had run away, and
loft the inferior officers to propose and dseuss the
matter of surrender to give them time to escspe win
the bulk OF tie arms and army.
THE CoMMoDOEE's RTsPoSsr.
Though nothing definite was slated, il was soon
understood by the few that the me,sengeFs wtrc
Lients. Geo. S. Martin and /. s. Mcdowell Of the
artillery, who proposed conditional surrender,
which was promptly refused by the Commodore,
with the response: Z" II yoa do no, surrender un-
condilonally, shsll open on your works at day
light with all the gun and mortar boats" He In
formed them also, that hc would send Capt. Phelps
with them, TO receive their answer, which, they
ssd, they were not then prepared 10 give. Tie
lieutenau,s were In very good humor on the Benton
drank glass Of wine with Lieut.. Bishop and jes'ed
about their rather embarrassed situation and eoDinc
ment to close quarters on tie isanj.
/ SURRENDER or THR ISLAND.
/ Again the tug steamed of with Caii. Phelps snt
the young Rebels, and the Secession irsnspcr, DE
Soto went back TO No. 10, and no, til after midnight
did Lieut.. Mcdowell return TO the flagship with the
expected intelligence that the island wss surrsn
depd. The De Soto conveyed him 10 No. 10, and
then went over - the Missouri shore, and hauled
down the immense fog Of truce, an entire sheet she
bad attached TO her flagstaff. Knowing these iscts
lie few who were still up sought their quarters, f.,
the feet transport Aps departed for Cairo with the
( glad intelligence.
VISIT TO TIE ENEMI'S WORKS.
/ Early this morning the Commodore deputed Colo
mel Baiord of the 9Th Illinois tO take posse o
the Island and he went down on The n. w. Ora
ham, and rased the Union coors over the place,
where number of white flags were flying The
two gunboats 81. Louis and Mound City, also de.
scended the stream, and coon after Captain Phelps
one two officers Of the Benton and several CORE.
spondents proceeded the tug Of the agsbip TO The
batteries on the Kentucky and Tennessee shore.
The shore was entirely deserted az we had OK.
pected, and not d single Rebel wac found there save
one poor, sick Tennosseean, whom bis companions
had abandoned. A sicb prisoner sad he waa glad to
be taken. he Lad been impressed into tie service,
and bad his heart in the cause that many Of
the Confederates were Ike him, and held no ii.i. b
in Secession or tho eades Of the trcncernnb move.