Daily Nashville union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1862, 1862-06-17
THE LAST REBEL EXODUS.
EVACUATION oF FoRr pILLow.
GREAT STRENGTH OF THB EyEMYS
POSITlgN
The Mississippi River Opened,
&C., &C.,
Correspondence Of The Cincinnati Gazatte.)
NATIONAL FLoTILLA, Mississippi RIVER, !
* SIGHT OF MEMPHIS,
Thursday Nicht Jnnp <

NATIONAL tLOTILLA, MISSISSIPPI RIVER !
* SIGHT OF MEMPHIS,
Thursday Night, June 5.
FoRT PILLOW HAS FALLENl The only re-
naming stronghold of the euemy on the riv-
sr-th9 much talked Of "last diiah,u named
after the celebrated ditch digger himself,
where the rebels have 20 long promised the
world they would die--has at last been
abandoned. Another evacuation has been
added to their already long list, aud the
"Falber Of Waters" is now virtually open
from its source TO its mouth. A few minutes
ago we saw the lights of cleaning iu the
distance--the last time they will ever shine
on rebel misrnle Ia that hot.bed Of treason.
Ere to-morrow's sun goes down, the doomed
city will be garrisoned by Union troops;
a hundred guns will command its dusty
streets; The flag of The free hearts hope and
home" will again hoat in its sultry breeze;
the reign Of terror inaugurated by the lead.
ers Of the bogus Oouf1deracy will know il
no more forever, and the loyalsts there if
there be any, can give utterauce to their long
stifed feelings, with no one TO modest or
make them afraid. But / anticipate.
THE EVACUATION OF FORT PILLOW.
Early last evening it became apparent
that the enemy were evacualing Fort Pillow.
DtNWfNA 1lA hAh ttFtu nElNNh utubt Vol
umes Of smoke were seen rising in the direc.
ton of the Fort, and as the shadows of the
coming night began TO thicken, they were
succeeded by letce flames which shot up
from hundred different points, above the
tops of the highest trees, brilliantly ilumi.
mating the scene in the immediate Vicinity,
and leaving no doubt in the minds of those
on the hotilla ;hat the immense barracks of
the enemy bad been fred and Abandoned
During the oonfagraiuu, some twelve or Gf.
teen heavy discharges of artillery were
heard, and before the evening was too r
advanced, some OF the shot and she'll from
these could be seen plunging into the river
short distance below the gunboats, aud
sending there huge columns Of spray in the
air. 1t needed no unusual divination to
comprehend ut glance that before abandon
ing their works, The enemy had loaded their
guus, pointed them up stream and then ap
piled the torch 20 their carriages The e.
sign Of this was to keep the fo,illa at re-
spectacle distance until they could make
good their escape
The night wore away slowly. All we're
anxious to advance, but the order TO do 50
was not given till five O'Clock this morning
at that hour the flag ship Benton weighed
anchor aud started in the direction of the
| fort, signaling me remaining gunboats TO
follow. On turning Craighead's point, they
we're not a little surprised at seeing the stars
aud stripes already waving over the rebel
works. II was afterwards learned that du-
| ring the night, Colonel Elet, of the ram
neel-who it will be remembered, acts indie.
/ pendently Of the Flag oflicer--had moved
| down the stream with two or three OF his
| boats, and finding no enemy to dispute his
passage, had landed at the fort and hostcd
| the banner Of beauty on that fagstaif where
the rebel ensign had so recently waved. The
act was thought to be rather discOurteous to
] the hotilla, some Of the officers Of which
manifested little III lieeliug, but this soon
wore away in the general y Of the occasion
! BY eight O'Clock every vessel directly OF
| Indirectly connected with the hotina, wa,
either at the fort or Ia motion toward il
! The gunboats were huddled together In The
| stream; the tugs were screaming and bust
| ling about as If they had never before had
| quite so much business to attend to; the am
! munilion hoats-tbe Great Western, black a.
night, and the Judge Terrence, exactly the
reverse-were lazily drifting down; the tow
| boats, putting along slowly with two OF
three mortars apiece lashed 10 them, were
| doing their utmost not TO be behiud TIE rest
and the rams and transports we're scuddinp
| along nt thelr hlgnest fale OF speed. Int
scene was most insplriting, and every pulls,
on the fotilla beat quicker al the sight. N,
wonder the hospitals Of our land forces were
almost entirely cleared. No wonder tha
pale faces grew flushed. No wonder tha
each Wed with the ether who should be frs
within the deserted rebel stronghold. TIL,
long, long oanker Of inacliOn was over
and something toward closing the account o
the rebellion on the Mississippi was about t
be done.
FORT PILLOW AND IT'S DEFENcEs
When the transport having on board bTi
gade of newspaper correspondents reached
| The fort, We found iis intrenchmenH throng
ed with our meu, Colonel Fitch, Of th'
horty-sixth Indiana, having been on thl
! ground some time with his regiment.
Our transport had hardly touched be
landing before we we're on shore, leapin,
bitches, scalirg escarpments, peeling inu
magazines, looking down The muzEls O
huge guns, creeping into oasemates, looking
through embrazares, threading zigzag paths
climbing almost perpendicular hights, walk
ing seemingly ntermina0le lines of breast
works, and kicking aroand ihe oharIed rc
mains OF the desolale looking place. al
were ,Ntouished at che strength of The work
and the vast amount OF labor that had be
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