Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1862-04-16
w a r M g w S .
Official Report of Com. Foote from Island
No. 10.


Hon. Gideon Welles. Secretary q the Nary
have TO inform the department that since
I sent the telegram last night announcing the
surrender to ME of Island No. 10, possession
has been taken of both the Island and the
works upon the Tennessee shore by the gun
boats and the troops under the command Of
Gen. BufOrd
Seventeen officers and three hundred and
sixty-eight prirates, besides one hundred of
their sick and one hundred meG employed
upon the transports, are in our hands uncon-
ditiopally as prisoners of war.
| have caused hasty examination to be
made Of the forts. batteries and munitions of
war captured. There are eleven earthwOrks
with seventy heavy cannon. varying in cali.
bre from 80 to l00-pounders, rifed. The
magazines are well supplied with powder,
and there are large quantities of shot and
shell and other munitions of war, and also
great quantities of provisions, four steamers
ahoat have fallen into our hands, and two
others, with the rebel gunboat Grampus, are
sunk, but will be easily raised.
The great floating battery of the enemy
of sixteen heavy guns, turned adrift by the
rebels, is said to be lying on the Missouri
shore, below New Madrid.
The enemy upon the mainland appear to
have fed with great precipitation after dark
last night, leaving in many cases balf prepar-
ed meals in their quarters, and there seems
to have been no concert of action between
the rebels on the Island and those occupying
the shore, but the latter fed, leaving the for.
mer to their fate.
The works, erected with the highest engi
neering skill, are of great strength, and with
their natural advantages would have been
impregnable, if defended by men fighting in
a better cause.
combined attack Of land and naval for
ces would have taken place this afternoon or
to 0morrow morning had not the rebels so has
tily abandoned their stronghold. To mature
these plans of attack had required twenty
three days of preparation.
Gen. Pope is momentarily expected to ar
rive with his army at this point, he having
successfully crossed the river yesterday under
heavy fire, which no doubt led to the hasty
abandonment of the works last night.
| am officially informed that the two gun
boats which so gallantly ran the fire of the
rebel batteries few nights since, yesterday
attacked and reduced a fort of the enemy op-
posite dismounting eight heavy guns
| regret that the painful condition CT my
foot, still requiring the use of crutches, pre-
vented me from making personal examina
ton of the works. | was therefore compelled
to delegate Lieut.. Commanding S. Phelps
Of the flag ship Benton.
A. II. FoorE, Flag Officer,
Commanding Naval Forces.
Gen. Popes Official Report.
ExPEDITIoNARY FORCES,
New MADRID, Mo-, April 9.
MAJOR General II. ". Halleck:
The canal across the peninsula opposite
Island No. l0-and for the idea Of which |
am indebted 70 Gen. Schuyler Hsmilton-was
completed by Col. Bissell's Engineer Regi
ment, and four steamers were brought through
on the night Of the 9Th The heavy batteries
| had thrown up below Tiptonville complete.
ly commanded the lowest point Of the high
ground on the Tennessee shore, entirely cut
ting off the enemy's retreat by water his re-
treat by land has never been possible through
the swamps. GA the night Of the 4th, Capt.
Walker, of the navy. ran the encmy's batter
les at Island No. 10, with the gunboat CarOn
delet, and reported to me here. On the night
of the 9th the gunboat Pittsburg also ran the
blockade. Oar transports were brought into
the river from the bayou, where they had
been kept concealed and at daylight on the
7th had Paine's division loaded The canal
had been prodigiously laborious work. 1t
was twelve miles long six miles of which
were through heavy timber which had to be
sawed off by hand four fact under water.
The enemy has lined the opposite shore
with batteries, extending from Island No. 10
to Tiptonvile, Merrweather Landing, to pre-
vent the passage of the river by this army.
| directed Capt. Walker to run down with
the two gunboats at daylight on the 7th to
the point selected for crossing. and silence
the enemy's batteries near it. He perform
ed the service gallantly, and here bear tes.
timony to the thorough and brilliant manner
in which this officer discharged his difficult
duties, with me. and to the heart and earnest
zeal with which, at all hazards. he CO opera
ted with me.
AS soon as he signaled me, the boats con-
tanning Paine's division moved out from the
landing and began to cross the river. The
passage Of this wide, furious river, by our
large force, was one of the most magnificent
spectacies lever witnessed. By twelve o'clock
that night the 7th, all the forces designed to
cross the river we're over, without delay or &C
cident
As soon as we commenced to cross, the en-
emy began TO evacuate Island No. 10 and his
batteries along the shore. The divisions
were pushed forward to Tiptonville as fast as
they Landed, Paine's leading. The enemy was
driven before him, and, although they made
several attemps to form in line of battle and
make stand, Paine did not once depoy his
columns. The enemy was pushed all night
vigorously, until, at o'clock A. NJ, he was
driven back upon the swamps and forced to
surrender. Three generals, seven eolonels,
seven regiments several battaIions of infan-
Try lVe companies of artillery, over one hun
erea heavy siege guns, twenty four pieces of
nela artillery, an immense quantity of ANNA
nltlon and supplies, several thousand stand
Oh small arms, great number of tents, hor
ses' wagons ETC., etc., have fallen into our
Before abandoning Island No. 10, the enc.
my sunk the gunboat Grampu. and sir ofb;s
tran transports. These last am raising, and cx,