The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1860-1863, 1862-06-26
TIE GUNRoAT ENGAcEmENT UP
TILE WHITE RIVER.
Terrible Erlfosion on the llfotnd Giiy--
0epfGrs ef ths Ensmy's Batsriss. \

MEMPHIS. y unei J. Q Pine gunboat Co,
nestoga has arrived with dispatches con-,
tainisg the particulars of the engagement
at the rebel forli6calious belowSt. Charles
|eighty.6vs miles from White river Gut
of, on the 18th. The gunboats S.. Louis,
Mound City, Lexington and Canestoga.
and transport N>w Naional having on
board the FurtysSixth Indiana, Col. Fitch
which left here aweek ago to open com
muucati ~ with Genera! Curtis army and
remove distractions from the White riv.
ersascspded tbatstream --g gunboat Mound
City, Captain Kelly commanding, about a
mile and halt ih advance" la the bend
fof the river, near St. Charles. two con
cealed batteries opened on the Mound
City. Her decks were Immediately clear
ed tor action, and as soon as The range of
the works was obtained her guns opened
FIRE. Captain Kelly signuled Col. Fitch
TO land his force mile below the fort.
which was su cessfully 90 accomplished. the
Lexington and the ST. Lo ais shelling the
woods, under cover of which Col. Fitch
gained position 10 rear Of the rebels.
At this juu,iure plugging shot from
siege gun; mounted ON the bluff, struck
forward aud port side Of the Mound City,
cssem sles, penetrating it, passed through
the steam drum. filed the vessel with es
Gaping vaporo oscaldiug marly every one
on board. .Twebtyrthree officers and
\ crew, out of one bundred and seventy.
FIVE escaped unhurt. The scene which
eusued was horrible. many of tho crew
were, frantic from Injuries aud jumped
Ioyerbosrd. Some were drowned. =. Boats
from the Consstoga. which were coming
lup at the time to support the Mound City
sent to their relief. but the rebels fred
on tho men in the water with grape and
canister, from field pieces. numbering
most of those attempting to escape.
| Apprised OF The position Of affairs al
the river, Col. Fitch drew q regiment
pushed forward and carried The font By
storm at the point ofthe bayonet. a
The reb works consisted of two bat
teries the lower one mounting six 6elC
pieces and the upper one three heavy
siege guns. and were Jnanped By from
four TO six hundred men, under CON msne
Of Coloptl Fry. late ofthe United Statel
Navy, sf. s1slg s.il 10 4aqa o19
/ About two hpadredg rebels are said /,
have escaped, aud over, . bundled AM
fly are reported killed and wocpdsd -
i Thirty prisoners. among then Cob Fr,
who was wounded IN the SHOULDER wer'
brought up on the OouestoSa. ~ liaii
Captain Kelly was severely scslded o
! bout the face and hands, bu, will recover
) Second Mas'sr Heart, Third Master Kin
sie, Fourth Master iScoviI'e, MasLr'
Mate Browne, Paymasier Gum, Chs
Engineer CYx, Assistant Engineers Mo
Afye and HollingswoIth we're killed Pi
lot Charles Young. who was severed,
scaldsd. has been reported since dead -
Surgeon Jones aud Carpenter Manniu,
were scalded slightly. From eighty to
funded of our sailors have been ALREADY
buried. and over twenty are missing.
| Colonial Fitch reports a few men woun
ded; none killed. Bat for the uofortu
male accident of the Mound City the reb
el works would haye.beeu carried wilhou
loss on our side. She can easily be re
paired. 7a5 E- -.
Tho Flag Cffirer has sent to Cairo ic
another crew. The rebels have obstrucl
ed the channel above by sinking tw
large steamboats, and a guuboat, believe
to be the Maypolo. 1 no a.. L-