New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-02-15

Sdtur5qa A. ~, Peb. S.-Tbe rain which COM
menced filling lest evening continued at intervals
during the night ard this morning cold and dis
NAL. At an early hour rapid firing Of nusketry and
field pieces was heard on tie Island and subsequent
y intelligence was brought that our troops had
gagged the enemy in force behind battery, tho
center Of the Island, and were having hard fight.
with considerable loss. The gunbosts Underwater,
Ceres, and Lockwood went up abreast VI and even
beyond Park Point battery, which opened on them;
20 thst If hopes had been entertained that the army
fores would during the night obtain possession Of it
by storm, they were not realized; for, though tho
battery did not use more than two guns the Rebels
still there in spite of the shower of she'll rained
on them for eight hours yesterday. The hrng was
kept up by the gunboats mentioned, and the South
field and Valley City. nearly hour the battery re-
plying but seldom, when a signal from tie flagship
closed the contest This was done to prevent our
land forces being fred in they should be ap-
preaching in the rear
Abont o'clock five Rebel schooners, towed by q
tug were seen approaching Wier's Point, from The
north loaded with troops presumed 70 DO reenfoIce-
ments from Nays Head. Tie piles not having been
removed from the channel, beeaufe the batteries stu
protected them, the re-enforemenls approached their
destination in safety, and were landed the Island,
at Wier's Point.
II b.ing part Of the plan OF operations previously
devised to remove the barrcade, Flag Officer Colds
borough confded that difcult work TO Lieut.. Jeiier
Of the Underwater. This officer organized On eXpe-
diiion consisting OF The Underwr ier, Ceres, Lock
wood, Putnam, seymour. Brinker. Valley City, and
Whitehead, and proceeded to the work of removing
that which Tue Rebels most relied on to prevent the
further progress Of the expedition, and open pas
sace into Abemarle Sound. They started at II p.
IN. Gradually feeling their way, they Teconnoitered
the entire line Of distractions within short range Of
three batteries. The Ceres finally effected an OPEN
ny. aud was tie fret to 20 into Albea arle Sound.
Returning she widened the passage, pretty much
aftertb manner one would effect an opening through
a rail fence. In attempting 10 follow her example,
the Putnam cot aground IN an exposed position. To
20 on without Der would be TO leave her to her fate
shond the batteries open. Therefore the whole ex-
pediion balted to get Der or which was not Effected
till two hours had elapsed then too late IN the day
for further operations. But the bsrricade OF The
enemy had been broken AID the eight boats that lad
done the work anchored in Albemarle Sound FOR The
night.
Saturday EreriHg, Feb ga victory has been
won that Will thrill every loyal heart in the land.
Not since the Government set out earnest TO
make a struggle for existence bias the rebellion re-
ceyed such blow az has been dealt Il by the expe-
diton whose progress from day to day has been
watched with 70 much interest. To the Rebels II u
worse than any Bull Run imaginable.
Ia pursning the record, l will recapitulae some
.; I'D fuef la
landing Of the troops began yesterday afternoon al
AsLley's Harbor (which, by the way, IS AS ht'ie
worthy Of the name b you can imagine, according
to tue plan previously arranged by Gen. foeter.
n troops were taken in small steamers 20 within
niont 400 feet of the shore which distance the entire
force in all about II goo men, were compelled TO
wade, a. every siep sinking to tue middle lu'o INC
soh bottom Thiswas a most tedious ana eAoaaS'iig
operation and the night was well advanced before
was corn,s.evu. Iue ram was laing, colu iof,oer
was blowing al the time, and the aen were COM
pelled 10 byouac on the ground without protection OF
any Kind. But there was 10 mgrauring. Inc
beach had been sheed by the Delaware and other
euuboafs which were hard by during the debaika-
tion IL wac az this point the enemy omitted ala OPP
poriuniy by failing 10 oppose the LANDING of our
forces who coniidanty expected 20 gan the shore Ia
the face Of muske;ry al least. And they bad good
reason 10 EXPECT as much, for il came out Ierward
that the Rebels 100 strong, with three pieces OF
artillery were stationed in the woods 10 oppose tue
landing But they could not stand tue shrspnei
nj our aunboat- that covered the landing and they
led rrecipitarelv in all directions. In their light,
they GOT entangled in the thick underground,
and became stalled in the swamp, aud were com.
tbatr xxia hav u. ALTA
ward captured.
Information obtained from various sources repre-
sented the Rebels in force, intrenched on what they
regarded AZ their stronghold near the middle Of the
island. from three 20 five miles ron tue place where
orr troops landed BY daybreak this morning, Gen.
Foster mad his brigade in motion TO attack them, fol-
lowed soon after by the brigades of Gens. Reno and
Parks. The advance was supported by SIX how
tiers. commanded by Midshipmen Porter and Ham
mond, and manned in part from the ieet. After
f,r5ipc creek Gen. Fosters force came up with
the enemys pckets, who fired their pieces and ran.
Striking the main road the brigade pushed on, aud
after marching a mile and a hslf came IN sight OK
tie enemys position. To properly under and its
great strength, in addition to what skiiul engineer
inc had dore the reader will bear in mind that the
island which is low and sandy, is cd; up and dotted
with marshes and lagccns. On The right and lett OF
tho enemy rnora-s. ceemed impossible, stretched
out nearly the entire width OF the island.
The upper and lower part OF the island beng
connected by the nsrrow neck ON which the battery
was situated. and across which lay the road, tho
battery Of three guns had been located so as to rake
every inch of The oauseway, which, FOR some
distance. was tie only approach 10 tie WORK. Gen.
Foster Immediately disposed lis forces Tor attack, by
plaeipg lie 18th Massachusetts, supported BY the
53J ns,sachuscs. in line, and opened with uiusketry