Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-07-09
From the Lower Mississippi.


WASHINGTON, July S.-The navy depart
ment has received dispatches dated aboard the
United States steam sloop-of-war Brooklyn,
off Vicksburge June 22d. The following is
from Capt. Craven to commodore Farragut :
Sir,-In obedience to your orders of the
18th left Baton Rouge on my way up the
river at one P. NJ. of that day. On the l4th
at P. NJ | sent the main guard and party of
seamen, in all about 100 men, under charge
of Lieut.. Lowry at Bayou Sara, for the pur-
pose of destroying the telegraph apparatus
and cutting the wires, and with orders to in
form the authorities of that town that we were
on the river for the purpose of enforcing the
laws of our common country, and protecting
its loyal citizens, and at the same time to
warn them that if any hostile demonstrations
were made upon our vessels or transports as
they passed in front of their town by the
thieves and muaderers and yclcpt guerrillas
the town would be held responsible for it, and
at least be laid under contribution, if not dealt
with more severely.
About eleven in the morning Lieut.. Lowry
returned with his party to the ship, having
thoroughly accomplished his work, excepting
securing the telegraph apparatus, which had
been removed but few minutes before he
landed. About half mile of the wire was
cut and brought aboard, and the vitriol and
batteries destroyed. The people ashore seemed
to be peaceably disposed, were quite civil, and
made no disrespectful demonstrations. The
mayor, or chief magistrate, informed Lowry
that but two or three days previous to
our arrival the town had been visited by
bands of guerrillas, that they had com
mitted many Outrages against law and or
der, and that he had arrested a lieutenant
who commanded the party, but he was res
1. Al, l..
He represented these guerillas as a lawless
set Of men, whom the inhabitants of the
country and small towns had greater dread of
than of the visits of our navy, or even our
army, and he hoped we would not hold him
responsible for the acts of a cut-throat band
. Before leaving shore, Lowrey, with the flag
OF our Union at the head of his party, and to
the tune of Yankee Doodle, marched through
several of the principal streets.
We passed Natchcz at about 1880 of the
10Th. On the morning of the 18th the Rich
mond Joined us, and at about $50 of that
morning we passed Rodney. We arrived at
our present anchorage on the 18th at ! l30 in
the morning Neither here nor on our route
were we molested, and | saw no change in
the aspect of things since our last trip except
ing at Grand Gulf. The town there was rid
died bv shot and then destroyed by fire. On
q small Hill W lllc ISHI VI lilS tO"i "tto II
small earthwork, which had been only re-
Gently thrown up, and was capable of receiv-
ing three or four small field pieces. That, as
well as the town, was entirely deserted. On
the 10Th inst. commander Porter arrived here
with ten of his mortar boats. Yesterday the
Miami arrived with another, and this after
noon four others were towed up.
Commander Porter has informed me that
his fotilla was fired upon at Ellis Cliffs, and
that il is the intention Of the rebels to mount
troublesome battery at that place, and also
at Quitman's Landing as he learned at a farm
house coming up. The boats which arrived
this morning were fired at from Ellis Cliffs,
and on the Empire parish. One was hit two
or three times, one shot temporarily disabling
one of her boilers. Yesterday morning | sent
the Oneida and Winona to look after these
places. Tomorrow l shall send the Kataha-
din to convey the two boats as far as Baton
Rouge, or until she meets you.
Here at Vicksburg, the rebels appear to be
quite busy in extending and terrifying their
works, and it is said they have some 10, 900
troops quartered in and about the town.
CAIRO, July S.-The steamer Sunshine,
from Vicksburg, July Sd, has arrived The
bombardment was continued. The town was
deserted except by the military.
The news from White River, Arkansas, is
not encouraging. Col Fitch still holds St.
Charles. No relief had yet reached Gen.
Curtis The whole country bordering on
White River is reported in arms, except those