Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1862-04-30
FROM FORT PILLOW.
Especial Correspondence of the Chicago Times
OFF Fort Pillow,


MISSISSIPPI RIVER, April Is.
The investment cf the fourth great Rebel
stronghold on the Mississippi river by the
army and navy of the Federal Uaion is now
fairly commenced, and it's reduction is but a
question Of time. send you with this map
showing the situation of the Rebel works, to-
gether with the topography of the adjacent
country, with the position of our fleets and
land forces, as well as those Of the enemy.
Fort Pillow is situated upon the east or
Tennessee banks of the Mississippi, ON the
face of the First Chickasaw BluFs- a range
of high headlands reaching an altitude in
some places of one hundred feet above the
low water mark of the river. These bluffs
are of peculiar formatiuH, rising TO a height
of fifty feet. and then failing back from TWEEN
ty ii thirty performing table or levelspace
beyond which they again rise abruptly to
their greatest altitude. Upon this table the
principal Of the Rebel works are situated
though there are one or two small batteries
sunk in the bank below, after the manner of
the shore batteries at Donelsoa. The works
were commenced early last summer, and COM
pleted before the commencement of operations
at Columbus. They We're originally intended
to mount on hundred guns, which number
were at one time actually in position there
but the greater number were subsequently,
withdrawn for use at Columbus and Island
No. III, leaving the present armament-as re
ported by deserters-but twenty guns. These
are, however, mostly of heavy calibre inclu-
ding one l3 inch Armstrong piece. The gar
rlson of the place, according to the best infor
| nation that can be obtained, does not exceed
five thousand.
The works upon the land are supported by
| fleet of six or eight gunboats, of which the
old screw revenue cutter McRae is the fag-
ship. This fleet is under the immediate com.
mand of the traitor Hollins. Besides the
McRae, he has in his feet the captured Span.
| ish or Mexican war vessel Marquis de la Ha-
bana, and five or six old New Orleans tow
boats, the sides of which are protected by
single tier of railroad iron placed in an up
right position upon the main or boiler deck,
| and leaning against the upper or saloon deck,
and forming an inclination not dissimilar in
angle to, though much higher than, our gun
boats. Upon line dropped from the upper
to the lower deck, falling from four to six feet
| inside of the outer edge of the main deck,
they have constructed substantial timber
bulkhead, extending along the sides of the
boilers and engines, between which and the
iron classmates bales of cotton are packed,
thus furnishing very formidable wall, capa
| bic OF resisting any ordinary cannon shet
The fronts of the vessels are similarly barri
caded. The prows are sharpened and sheathed
with heavy IRON, and to each is attached q
huge knife, designed to cut into and destroy
an enemy's vessel. This class of boats mount,
some four and others six guns. The two first
mentioned carry much larger rarmaments--the
McRae being reported to have fourteen guns
| aboard.
1t seems little strange that with vessels OF
such formidable character the rebels should
shrink from a contest with our gunboats. Yet
such appears to be the case. One would think
they would at least desire trial of the strength
of their boats; and such did appear to be their
desire at first. On Sunday morning last they
appeared in front of our gunboat feet-which
was moored in Needham's Cutoff, half way
between New Madrid and Fort Pillow-where
they appeared anxious TO give battle. When
first seen they were beyond the reach of our
guns, and Com. Foote, in order to coax then,
little nearer, drew his feet up around bend
in the river, a ruse intended to deceive the
enemy, and which worked most admirably
for no sooner did they see our feet moving
up the stream, as they supposed, than they
gave chase, imagining that Com. Foote was
seeking to escape them. But as soon as they