The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1862-04-18
ISLAND No. 10 FINALLY CAPTUR-
ED BY OUR TROOPS!
GREAT VICTORY!
On ISLAND Ten, MISS. RIVER,
Tuesday, April. s 1862

On ISLAND Ten, MISS RIVER,
Tuesday, April. s 1862
Island Ten has been abandoned The
rebels have departed in unglorifed haste,
with the exception Of some five hundred,
who have surrendered as prisoners of war
Our victory is complete in all except the
capture of the whole rebel force, the great
er part of which is scattered through the
swamqs of this region, and may yet be sur
rounded or overtaken. The plans of Com
modore Foote have been work., ont 70 ,ns
letter, and lie result is the most glorious
triumph yet Of the gallant little navy of
the west. 1t is triumph which should
insoribe the name of Flag Officer Foote
| high N tue history of our country, on the
| page with that OF GoIdsboro and Dupont
"a trio of commanders, who have brought
honor and renown TO the American navy.
The Carondo!et, having run she block
| ade, proceeded forthwith to the perform
ance of her allotted duty, The rebels, 10
oppose any attempt that might be made to
cross the river, had planted cannon-field
pieces along the left bank of the river
for a distance of twelve miles, extending
from above New Madrid to below Point
Pleasant. The Caroudolet proceeded to
the latter place giving the rebels an oc-
casional broadside by the way. Rever~
| sing her course, she then moved up the
stream, and opened her broadside guns
Breadside after broadside was discharged
| as she moved slowly and steadily UP the
stream. The rebels fired their guns as
she approached and fled in confusion
those Of them who were not slain. Thus
twelve miles of rebel batteries were litter,
ally swept out of existence When the
Pittsburg arrived Sunday morning, she
found the work accomplished. One gun
boat took position below, the other above,
the army that was to cross, and there wait
eG to receive any rebel craft that might
venture to approach from either direction
with "tioody hands and hospitable," but
rather moist, ''graves." ..-
At twelve o'clock Monday our transports
emerged from the bayou through which
they have been 50 long making their slow
and toIlsome progress, and were once more
upon the broad river, but on the other
side OF the enemy's position Immediate- |
ly they commenced the performance of
their allotted duty, which was TO transport |
our army across the river By nine o'clock I
last evening, nine Thousand men had been
terrled across, and the EXPECTATION was
thai by two o'clock to-day $4,000 men
would be III a position they were to occu-
Ply. At that hour q simultaneous attack
would have been made upon the reb
ell position by the gunbeats both above
and below 1.-The mortars would again have
belched their thunders, and one of the big
gest tights with big guns which the world
ever witnessed would have been seen-if
the rebels had not run away which
they did Of this fact the flag officer was
apprised by the rebel steamer which came I
out last night.
The steamer was the De Soto, Red
river packet as am informed by the blue
sldeboard on her upper works The tug
which went off to her brought the rebel
Lieut.. Mcdowell, a sprip
Of St. Louis rebelism, on board the flag
ship. The young man informed the Com
modore that he hal come from the officer
In command of the confederates on .he
island with orders to surrender the island
to the flag officer of the fotiIla Commo
dore Foot replied tina, be would receive 5
the surrender, but he asked somewhat
sharply where the rest of the command
was. The officer sad they had retreated
Where had they gone to? They had
gone to Hick--, really, Mr. McDoweIl
did not know. The commodore said 1t
was improbable that an officer should
have no knowledge Of the movements of
a command so short distance from him,
but the rebel persisted in saying that he
did not know where the main body of the
force had gone He had unwilingIy Civ
en- an iDtimation, however, and The fac
officer dispatched a tug forthwith to bring
Col. Buford on bsard. Capt Phelps. of
the navy, was then sent on board the re
bel steamer, TO accompany the messenger
back to his commander, in order to ascer-
tam The true situation Of things as near
~ as possible. Nothing of Importance.
however, was learned beyond the fact
that the main body of the rebels had fled,
and those still on the island were terribly
frightened IN expectation that the gun
boats were about TO attack them above
aud below, while they would again be sub
ected to the murderous hail of our NOR
'ars' with their only avenue of escape cut
otf. The steamer returned. bringing
Lieutenant Martin, an artillery officer, up
op whom the command of the island had
1evolved after the disgracefuI fight of his /
superior officers. Meanwhile, the gun ,
boat 81. Louis had been ordered to 90 up I
1t once to Hickman an join the Louisiona I
or active work. in case the rebels should !