Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1862-05-15
,vpoRTaST FROM THE WEST.
CAIRo. NAV IL, 1862

CAIRO, May IL, 1862,
H.. dssneration OF the rebel cause in the
m'.;s.;ppi eliminated yesterday in an at
,.ck on the hotilla.
T,rly on Saturday morning eight OF their
hSa.;s came round the point above the
s" and boldly attacked our fleet
W The Cinci matt, which was stationed at
40 mint where the rebels came up to on
Wv %;dsy did not attract them I'LL the fleet had
n,,sed above her
pes, coon "A she WAS seen a simultaneous al
- from the whole of their gunboats was
S .Se mon her, with but little effect, as the
nm we're poorly aimed
'Tbe Cincinnati in the meantime had
III 4 into the stream, when an iron-clad
aa snnposed to be the Mallory, advanced
!" ,be face of the continued broadsides from
-. ,orn,ar, until within forty yards, and be-
-, faster sailer, succeeded in moving be-
W., the Cincinnati and their right hand,
"bsn men appeared upon her decks, pre-
1,rsd TO board with grapnels thrown out,
h PS;ob d,,In vas frustrated by throwing hot
',o,or from the steam batteries OF the Gin
H .;,D,t. In the meantime the rest Of our
.., hoa,, had arrived on the scene of action
.Dl engaged the rebel fleet.
The Mallory, undaunted by her failure,
,,,visd on a full head of steam and came
'',,,j, the Cincinnati, evidently intending
4 70 ran her down. ... -.
Cant Stembell, in command of the latter,
v,i,d until the rebel monster was within
twenty wards, when he sent brcadside into
her from his Parrot guns, which did fearful
execution.
The Two boats were so close together by
this time that it was impossible for the gun.
,ers of the Cincinnati to swab out the guns
and it was only by bringing the steam bat
terIes to beat upon her again that the Nal
ory was compelled to haul off,
Capt Stembell shot her pilot with his re-
yolver, and was himself wounded by PTS
to shot fired by the pilots mate of the Nal
ory
While the engagement between the Nal
ory and The Cincinnati was in progress, oul
shots exploded the boilers of one of the rebe
,unboats and set fire to another, burning her
10 the waters edge.
The air was very heavy, and under cover
u 1.-THE dense smoke which hung over the I'll
YER the. rebel fleet retired. but were pur-
sued, until she gained shelter under the gun
Of Fort Wright.
None of our boats were injured except tn
Cincinnati. The damage to hsr is so Sigh
that she can be repaired in twenty-foul
hours. -FOUR men were wounded on her
iucludi 1g the masters mate. No other casu
alhes are mentioned.
When the smoke cleared away, broad
side from the flagship Benton was sent afte
the Mallory, and shortly after she was seer
to careen and went down with all on boa rd
The steamers Courier and City of Alton
arrived this afternoon from Pittsburg Land
mo, with news to noon of Saturday, up t,
which time no general engagement had TAX
en- place.
On Thursday, the I'd, battalion of tn
Seventh Illinois cavalry, under command G
Major Applington, accompanied Gen. Pain
nom Pennington, on reconnaissance of th
ssmy's position.
When about two miles out, the scout
who had been sent in advance, ceme bac
and reported force ofrebel infantry in an
bush in the woods oe both sides of the roa
leading from Farmingtan to Corinth.
After consultation, the federal force ad
vanced, for The purpose OF ascertaining tn
rebel strength, and were surrounded, bl
/ cut their way through the rebels, who hs
formed on the road, and made their wa
Il back TO camp, bringing of the body of
Major, who was killed. Four of them we
h wounded. s- ..ss
4 Adeserter who came in subsequently sa,
h the rebels lost 40 killed, wounded and mis-
ing, of whom Lieutenant Colonel and Ca
tain were killed.
! On Friday, the rebel Genera Brags's [
vision attacked Gen. Paine's division, in p
stiOn, two miles beyond Pennington.
sharp engagement followed, our men fightir
Oravely, making several bayonet charges {
the enemy, who we're repulsed with gre
Slaughter.
Large reinforcements of the rebels bavil
arrived our troops returned to Farmingto
We lost nearly 200 in killed, wounded al
missing.
No particulars are received.