The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1862-06-12
PRICE TWO CENTS.

psvona y IN o'clock y. NJ and several morning,
a. hshsls we're bars,ng from heat. Several nres
ssea urourh tbs trees Craighead Point, evidently
within The nsghborhcod OF the fort. Tho infantry
forces On sls southern shore Of Crsighsad
foins sent word 70 Commodore Davis late In the
sftsfooon Of wednesday the fortcations were do
ssrs and the nrss and explosions during the night
confirmed The opinion Of al.
LocAuos % Fon rnlow-A nnIIlAxr PIAs ron m
Fort Pillow ID situated on the First Chickasaw Blsn,
ne Tennessee shore of ths Mississippi river, about
ssvsniy miles above Memphis. The or bluffs
IL rssry north and south. and above them tho river
makes bend nearly a. right angles TO the bur. tho up
PEI end Of the latter being just at ths termination Of the
bend AZ this point small stream, known Coal creek,
the Misssipp separating the blun from the bot
tom land boyoad Early In tho week previous to the
surrender Captain Schimmcrhorn, Of the Forty sixth
Indiana infantry made several surveys neay Coal creek,
and aseeriged that the rebels had picket station as
their upper battery ths stream and that the ssn
mol was kept hsre during the night and withdrawn ct
daybrsak. Captain schulmsrhorn conceived the bold
Idea Of attacking from this point with faw companies
Of Infantry and, entering 81 tho upper work, would be
able 70 spke In succession all the guns Of the
fort without bong uncor any OF their lrs. Above
Coal creek are several bayous which II necessary
TO bridge before troops could be moved with certainty.
Several days had been spent in his work. and Tues
day last Captain sch'nme hafn was within rev hun.
drsd yards of the creek engaged in building pontoop
raft for crossing tho creek, not being fordabls His
design to attack the following morning a
the picket withdrawn AM there every prospect
that he would DO successful In the action OF Tuesday
Of tho shells fell hm and hs supposiDg him.
self discovered abandoned his and returned his
camp. By the time he learned the Of affairs
too late for him 10 complete his bridge and the
evacuation occurring the following day removed the
opportunity for carrying out his plans. As is, Captain
schmmsrhcrn deserves great credit for tho under.
taking.
TAXING PossrssroS.
On Thursday morning orders issued for the gun
boats and to get under way and down 70 the
now deserted fort The rams Switzerland and Monarch
got in motion before the ponderous gunboats could
swing from their moorings, and steamed slowly past
Craghsad Point and outward towards the frowning
cG in their front. AL eyes were strained 70 per.
ceive If possible sign Of human occupstion but the
bluG tenantless when Ferdinand Dc Soto dis
covered that great river. The landing was soon
reached, and party Of soldiers springing shore
climbed the parapet Of the works and unfurled the
Union flag for the nrst time from Fort Pillow. cheer
from the advancing gunboats and Transports and
in short time the rebel fort1ca.ions alive with
Union soldiers. Rt
DESCRIPTION or FORT Pillow
Fort Pillow s by far the strongest position yet selected
on tho river for rebel batteries Tie bun rises ab.
rupty from the about hundred feet, and ct all
points very difficult Of ascent except where arti6cial
used Along its base FOR nearly thresfourths
OF mile strong works have boon constructed about
twenty eot above tho level Of the river The gacs 70
the highest possible angle for earth be placed and
only be ascended in places where the have
dug small steps foot holes At regular intervals along
the whole distance the work s properly Fashioned, most
Of the bastions being built OF sand bags pankng and
ranimed clay. Scme OF them designed for mounting
guns, but most OF them Cor but All Of the guns
protected by embrasures though Of them
ascnatsd. The walls Of the eb constructed
the strongest possible Of them and in fact
the baston being Of granite, chsoled and built up
with great and nicely. Tho guns mounted
Arm plank nooriDgs commanded the entire river be.
tween the Fort and Craighoad Point The batteries
built bench tile base of the Cliff upwards Of hall
mile in length by hfty yards In width Several springs
gush the base OF the blun which abruptly like
wall OF granite and afford caar the within
the fort Four bomb proof and well constructed maga
placed intervals in Of the batteries 10
the least exposed positions Near some Of the guns
holes which the could retire whenever threatened
with bursting shos-probably imitation OF the famous
holes" OF General Bragg at the in front Of
Fort Pckeps. "a
TIE SUMMIT THE MuYr.
The slope OF the face Of the blur IL at an angle
Of fifty or fifty five degrees, and Its height 10
upwards of hundred feet. On bench shelf about
half way up Tho bluff is a work mounting two guns,
which swept tho river in their 'front.' On the summit u
the bluff series Of extensive Geld works,
extending in the aggregate from Eve miles, and
all provided with ditch In front that could only b.
leaped by an agile man: These works follow xigzag
series Of ridges and hills that stretch back
the river into the interior and they extend from
Coal crse the northern point OF tbs bluff point
beew the lowest OF the batteries few batteries
constructed on the summit Of tho bluff over
looking the river and mounting six guns, of them
hundrs enty FOUNDER OF recent manufacture.
The road the river to the top Of the elevation
in tho side Of the cn and has steady though not
steep ascent throughout steps for footmon have bssn
in the blua at various points. Tho trees for half
mile the Of the works have been cut de-
stroy ell chance Of shelter for an approaching enemy
| GUNS pEsxRrED WORKS.
The rstreating rebels had taken away the largsss
part Of their guns, and attempted 10 destroy the
remainder. The works a the base Of the biuH
would than fifty guns. but thsrs were bus
ten remaining. three OF which exploded. Two sD
the hill also burst and probably the %
the sounds that came to on Wednesday night
The gun carriages less burned, some OF
them still smoking The guns were carefully spiked and
their muzzlcs wsdgsd with ball stands Of grape One
huge 100 pound riasd gun had been burst the entire
brssch being projected than thirty feet. One gun
which had been elevated and fred mortar was stil
in position abandoned BY the rebels In the entire fore
there we're found twelve unexpodod and three expodsd
guns and three morars The entire armament Of the
fort must have been much larger. M
OBSTRUCTION RRmrs.
What the rebels unable TO from the fsrt
they had TO the flames. Camp squpage sup
plies cotton SPADES wagons, &c, had been burned, 70
gsthsr with new aud apparently well built house,
which had been the headquarters Of the oommsnding
officers Several casks Of moasses had been spilled, and
the mixture Of clay and trsacs formed BY NO means
pleasant compound In It's adhesion to each pedestrians
boots single tent had been left standing, side
Of which was the figure Of huge pelican, and on the
other the words "Nsw Orleans boys dont for Yam