M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1862-02-20
Latest News.
From the Cairo Gazette-ExtIa.
GrcaG Battle al Fort DOncl-
son RIOOdiest Fight of
the War.

~ tNtNpAri NHA NAA'5 ~ -
Henry, adl during the ensuing night
slcltnpon their arms within eight hun
IdIcG yards ol the tnemy's redoult Is,
During the night the rebels, who oc-
cupied thiekly tiulbered ridge, work
led indusir'ouly upon their breastwolk ks
and otherwise tOpluco themselves in
tho htst possible State Of Geience.
They bad previously prepared cxten'
sve ride pits, and rendered all ap'
proaches difficult, by ftll.ns heavy
Timber.
On Thursday morning al eight O
clock the battle opened, and was con,
'tinHod during the day, wlthou' mate.
rail advantage on either side. about
noon the Seventeenth and Forty.uinth
Illinois made q gallant charge upon
one of The reA"ubs, bnt the rebqls
opening upon them heavy cross fire
| of artillery and musketry, they were
Compelled to TALL back il both cases.
Many brave iliinoisans fell in this en-.
counter, among them the daring Col
ond ol The Furty.ninth, W, NJ. Nor
rison. The total in these two regi.
ments is put down a! eight killed aud
wounded, an undue proportion ofthem
being commissioned afiicers.
THIS was the bloodicst skirmish OF
the day. Succeeding this the rebels
made a desperate sally against the
Twenty fifth Indiana, Colonel James
Vcatch, but were dliven back with
considerable slaughter. Thirteen OF
the lndanians were killed and sove
raj wounded. The rebel loss is re.
poltes much greater.
Our total loss in killed and wound.
ed, during Thursday, is estimated a,
225. The enemy's loss is reported
somewhat less owing to their really
formidable defenses, as nigh: ap.
preached heavy rain set in, and as
our army were compelled to lie out
without tents and without fires they
suffered severely. Courage, irmness,
and will to endure, never iorsook
them however; Oh the contrary they
all seemed impatient for the morrow,
not SO mucn to escape the severities
OF the night, as to again resume the
battle.
!, On Friday morning the enemy had
been greatly reinforced, numbering at
his time about fifteen thousand men.
The gun.boats louisville and ST,
Lonis opened on the tort, Commodore
Foote in command. Their fl re was
rapid and believed to have been dis
astrous, but was returned with great
spirit by the rebels. The Louisville
received sixty one shots, one ball pass
sing into the pilot-house: killing a
pilot named Samuel Mcbride, aud
wounding another named Samuel Viii.
hanson, and then glancing below,
striking a lot of hammocSs which the
men had taken the precaution to
place over tho boilers. This fore
thought no donbt prevented a casuait
ty like that which occurred on the
Essex during the bopbardment OF
Fort Hen ry, Tit St. Leuisreceived
sixty.lonr shots. The number killed
is said to he four The wounded, in
Iinred chiefly by splinters' greatly ex.
ceeds that number. Commodorc Foote
was wonnled slightly.
On Saturday morning the battle
was resumed with unusual vigor and
determination. The Eighth, Eigh'
teenth, Twentieth and Thirty. first
Illinois occupied position above the
tort. the Eighth holding the extreme
right the Eighte' nth next, then the
Thirty first and Twentieth. After
another severe night, our men were
about to prepare little food when the
the rebels opened upon them a tire
| CT muak etry that was well calculated
to create the widest confusion ifno
panic; but the line OF battle was al
once formed, and the storm of fleaden
hail returned, perceptibly thinning
the rebel tanks as they advanced.
There are many reasons for be)iev'
ing that the real object OF the rebels
was to evacuate the fort, and cut their
way through Colonel Oglesby's com
mand ir doing So; but. although they
seemed as an overpowering host, and
from adVantagecus positions, showr
el upsn our ranks the IN ,st murder.
ous volleys ofmuskeiry, grape and
canister. killing and woundlug ouI
men almost by companies at every
round yet the Stars and Sttpes mnved
mot a single loot bach ward. Braye'y
determihedly, without flinching; these
four regiments held their ground
dealing death, dying and fighting
against appalling odds ard in the face
of every disadvantage.
The Eighteenth Regiment seemed
to have resisted the severest storm
against their racks the rebels direc.
ted their heaviest fire; but instead Of
falling back they advanced to the very
race of the enemy, and there stood, aS