Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1862-05-16

this region.-1racener.
THE CONTEST on THE LOWER
MISSISSIPPI.
The achievements Of the National arms on
the lower Mississippi, fall not whit behind
in display of romantic daring and ingenuity,
wha; Las been So often shown elsewhere IN
this wAr by our gallant navy. The prepara-
tion Of the rebels to sink, burn and destroy
the Union vessels if they attempted to a.
cend the river were on mos. extensive
scale, and no doubt the confidence OF the
rebel leaders in their power 10 resist all at
tacks was unbounded. But all ava:led them
nothing Their machinery OF attack and
defense tell beio.e the power brought to bear
On them like the ropes Of tae Phils;ines be-
fore the strength of Sampson.
The correspondent; ol he b ys,on Journal,
whic Eaper has the first detailed account
Of the fight. sives stirring descriptions OF
these actions from which We taFe the TO-
lowing
BEsIEucroN OF IuE FInE-sHirs.
Ga the evening of the 18th, l witnessed the pre-
paration which had been made by the mortar feet
for the destruction OF the FIRE RATS Signals were
made to the schooners to send out each an unarmed
boat with axes buckets and grapnels, and In an
incredibly short time the river was alive with
boats.
eoon after dark a brilliant ight was discovered
above Fort jackson, which rapidly increased, and
moved slowly down the river. AS soon as II came
around the point in plain sight OF the reet boats
were ordered away from the ships, gunboats and
sehooners, to engage the flaming enemy. Pr mpuy
they rowed up and dashing boldly upon the ieo"'
were soon storning II with water
The steamer Wes;feli got under way and ran
her iron clad PROV plump into the tre-sbip, and
graphing with IT steamed down the IlVer Win TIE
flames in tow, while she threw streams Of water
upon them from her engines. The scene which
followed the attack was highly exciting and anus
ing Our sailors showed by their daring activity
Sat they could fight FIRE as well as rebels, and ~
iess .iine than i; takes describe the action,
they h. quenchei tie ia mes and frustrated tie
second ~tte-pt Of desperate enemy.
Anoilvr hrt boat came down on the morning Of
the ls,h, but far.' no better.
TIE "susouITo >.yY- DgIv.S ur RIVER.
Before the commenceme< Of the bomt ardment,
| q feet Of half dozen rebel s.-amers were seen
| living below Fort Jackson. The .auLs had no
sooner began to tar up the earthwc.ts around
the tort, and the shell from our gunboats to fall
ia close proximity to the steamers than the e.'ire
Musquito Navy o. the redoubtable Hollins
tirei precipitately up the river, and took up po
| sition behind the woods where, with single eX-
| ceIticn, they remained
| orESISG oP IHE BoNEARDNESr.
Socn the enemy opened FIRE from Fort Jackson
upon the gunboa:s aad Queens division. The
frs, shots were fred upon the parapet guns Of
Fort jackson, and principally directed at the
Westfcld, which, being loftier than the regular
| gunbosts, served prominent mark for the reb-
els. In few minutes eight shots fell sround and
cal, hut none struck her.
The first bomb was fired aboul half-pAst eight
o'clock, and before ten all the mortars were par
ticipating in the b imbardment Of Fort Jackson
upon which all their fre cl the first day was con
een;rated.
Fo.t Jackson disclosed heavy Iifei gun which
threw shells JuI.ei to be lj0-pounde:-, which
fell ,hickly all around. The she'll from cur gun
boats were seen to fall in the fort. and by a
cessiou Of well directed shots, the rebels were
driven from the parapet Of Fort Jackson, and the
ba-bet:e guns silenced IN one hou! af;tr the CON
Iuenceu.ent of the action.
six days and five nights the huge defenders Q.
the Union kept up continuous roar, belching
forth dense volumes Of sulphurous vapor, AMI
tbuudering their demands for a surrender about
the heads OF the beleague-ed garrison who moth
solid shot and she'll, the last exploding over the
iOtiila and gunboats.
Atnish, tie scene presented ty tie bombard-
ment auiuliy brilliant.
Men were posted q; the masthead oi each NOR
tar vessel to give direction to the NIB, by order
ing q man stationed al the wheel to change the
helm, as he desired the current t. swing the ves-
sci, and from the tops of the ships We could see
the shells iall-row on tie ear,hworks outside Of
Fort Jackson, then in the moat, throwing Up
k,.,I 10 az az nv uh
| foatel the rebel bunting
-ug ADVANCE OF THE sQUApRes.
Thursday, AplI -, 1862, at Aalf-past three
| o'clock, tie naval squadron, under command Of
| Flag Officer b. farragut, which had been wait
| ing the resul, of six days bombardment Of the
retel Notifications of the Mississippi, 60; under
way and steod VI attack Ports jackson and st.
Philip.
At the app:oaen Of the ships tie r=Ss!s On shore
lighted their signal lights, aud set their ATS in
blaze, in order l. enable them to see tne ships
As the ships passed they poured TOst terrific vol
leys iato tie feet, but they all passed except the
PInola, Winoaa ard kennebec, which were disa-
! bed and 1bligei to retire
The enemv had held hi. FIRE since o'clock On
the afternoon G. the 22i, aid during the nigh; Of
the attack battery o: three guns wac erected
below =. PHILIP. tearing on the shiis after they
had pissed
ILtou. CHOU: tie night TIT l-,si solemn siiilaess
-rignod tarousLOL: tie squadron, broken eu!y IS
the deep boom Of tie Inoitars, which kep: up
.tt@ty FIRE On the fort. Slowly the ships move
up against the current; the course Is slow and
steady; the guns a-e all iranel sharp On me bow
The two Lies g. shiIs run parallel, foil wed ty
the :.Lbua's wLicA hive aii ;ae!F naS;s t-ken
csi.
The ucr.a. feet los; b.t vLe u.An killed aLd six
wounded. une schooner was sunk ty sho; from
tic forts. Une from tie forts killed OF wound
e3 every men at Tie rife gun Of the Winons. cne
inaL eai in tive ! icces, and half Q! his tody
fel! overheard. The iisIrie: Lane had one killed
ami one wounded. = mortar schooner cleared the
parape, Of For; Js .,ii will shIapnel and siere'd
the water ta.tery ~ an enfladng FIRE.
{ IN. farragut, IL has letter to Cmmant
er Porter, thus graphically describes lis a.
sage of the Forte under fire Of ali their guns:
"D.a, Foru:-we had a rough time Of it, as
Beggs will tell you; but, thank God, the number
of killed and wounded is very small, considering.
This ship had two killed and eight wounded.
Ne destroyed the ram in a single combat between
her and the cid Mississippi; but the back
cd u, when be saw the Mississippi ming a; him
=, rarppantly and he dGdged her and ran shore
where smith put two or three broadsides into him,
and knocked him ali to pieces. The ram pushed
IRE rat; on to ne, and in trying TO avoid IT 1
rar this ship shore, d.then be pushed tie FIRE
raft 20 ne and got the ship on FIRE all along
one side.
thought i, was all up wiki Us. tu: We put it
cut and 60; If again and proceeded up the river |
fighting our way. We have destroyed all but two |
CT the guntcats, ami those have t. surrender with
the foits.
! intend 10 follow up my success and push ior |
New Orleans, and then come down and sttent TO
the forts. So you hold them in sfa,u quo until |
get back. think il you send flag of truce and |
demand their surrender they will Go il, for their
intercourse with the city is cot OF
We have cut the wires above the Quarantine, ]
and are now going ahead. l took 800 to 400 /
prisoners a: Quarantine. They surrendered and |
paroled them not to take up arms again. could
not stop to take care o; them. If the General