Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1862-02-21

running from his batteries, when the TWO
gunboats drifted helplessly down the river
from disabled steering apparatus. as the re-
lieving tackle could not steer the vessels IN |
the strong current. When the fleeing enemy |
returned to the river battery guns froU which |
they had been driven, they again botly |
poured fire upon u.s. The enemy must have |
brought over 20 guns to bear upon the boats |
from the water battery and the middle fort |
upon the hill, while we only could return
the fire with 10 bow guns from the boats.
One riaed gun aboard the Carondelet burst
during the action. The officers and men in
this holly contested but unequal fight, be-
haved with the greatest gallantry and deter
mination. All deplore the accident which
rendered two of our gunboats suddenly help
less in the narrow river and swift current.
On consultation with Gen. Grant and my
own officers, as my services here until we
can repair damages by bringing up ccmpc-
tent force from Cairo to attack the tort, are
much less required than they are at Cairo,
shall proceed to that place. J have sent the
Tyler to the Tennessee River 10 render che
Railroad bridge impossible.
All. FoorE, Flag officer.
Com. the Naval forces, Western Division.
Dispatches from Cairo, dated Sunday a.
ternoon give stlll later intelligence, as FOL
lows:
Commodore Foote reached here at -
O'Clock last night on the gunbOat Concstosa.
lie stormed Fort Donelson Friday AFTER
noon with the gunboats St. Louis, Louisville,
Pittsburgh, CarondOlet. Tyler, and Cones
toga, and after fighting little more than
an hour, he withdrew.
Fifty-four were killed and wounded On
our gunboats, pilots Riley and Hinton OF the
St. Louis heIng among the latter.
Commodore Foot, while standing On the
pilot house OF the st. Louis, his flagship,
was slightly wounded. Two ganboats were
disabled, the Tyler and COnestOga, and re-
manned out Of range OF the enemy's guns.
The line Of battle was as follows The St.
Louis on the right, next the Louisville, then
the Pittsburgh, and the Carondelet IN the
left.
The enemy's firing was very accurate
| They had three batteries, one near the water
! one fifty feet above this, and third fifteen
feet above the second. The upper one
mounted four lS-p0unders. This one was
held IN reserve until our boats got within
four hundred yards Of the Fort.
Our fire was directed principally at the
water battery One Of the enemy's guns
| burst and a number were dismOunted. The
enemy could be seen carrying the dead out
| Of the trenches.
All the gunboats were left up the Cum
! berland except the Conestoga. She left
there yesterday morning. \ riaed gun os
the Carondelet burst aud killed SIX men.
! The rudder of the Pittsburgh was shot ava Y.
The mortar boats left here yesterday
morning.
LArER.-A gentleman who lett Fort Don
elson yesterday afternoon at O'Clock and
reached here this noon says the fight had
been going on al day yesterday.
The right wing OF the enemy iJrtIica-
/ tons was taken and the stars and Suipe.
were floating over them. the forces wcr,
breast to breast and the fight was q Zee re.
ncwed.
STILL IATER.-Thc steamer Nnnehlhl
has arrived here from Fort Donelsou, havi nc
left the Fort at o'clock last night, bring o.
the military mail and dispatches aud 81 OF
the wounded to the hospital At Paducah.
The Friday and Saturday contests wcr,
. desperate. The Illinois 18th suffered go
yeTcly. and the Iowa eth sustained consider
able loss. Swartz' battery, which was Il ker
hy the energy, was rCcautured by our men
/ Two Colonies were wounded AND two killed
- - ", 80 80 ~
W M q. - - .-'- ~ -
headed with great glilanJry. The gunboat,
/ st. LJuis, Louisville and Pittsburgh, wer'
disabled. The Mnnehaba met the mortal
boats At P4iucah going up,
,ba, IN ,t. ,.,,nl..,-. ,-s 1.-.tty - ..,r..II,
5,s,lIs4 80, o,.. r..,i....I -. -
,,or,.i,j r,ri.. rt. nr.,'sr -.3',,r, ~.
-. ID, ~ - -r.,. ,,.....-.,-l. 3 81
-, nd ~, t;-,-.r ,..l....r.,l.'.I... t'
,r,-l5 h.. 'lI. -. Tin. ,l7 f.. -.
CSnnI,,.,
ON sunday m.rui =, tA.y were Iet oi
then at lI'@e" ~ ID NAi'' -'i. N'H- Tl
Iuchn-f sent carry % t.e I'D 'tn'nS d di-I.''ei
70 Zen UTant surreHlefIr- t'' "''A- '' I.'
lJTt -ne ,a'l-- 10 'na OUTSIDE Gln,Ia i
fill'" and ii'}1 "i'' the'r .''-I-t' I-f
a"ty on t. steamers without l..ia- Gen
bucAner know their intentions
iac rebels lo-e Is Held pieces. ], heavy
guns, -o,ouo stand oi arms, tt-'il- ID large
l quantity oi eIinmi--aIy stores Ile rebels
that escaped from terl Henry were captured
/ ! =
tuO Killed ana euV wounded. We lose
-arse percentage 81 onceis. Among them
are Lieut. Co.'s. IRWIN Of the Illinois 2O-h
NyIe OF the 5lst and Smith OF the It'll
| Co.'s. John y. Logan, sawyer, and Ransom
are wounded. MAJ Pest ut the eth Ill.,
with 200 prlvates are prisoners, and have
/ gone 70 Nashville, having been taken the
night before the surrend-r The enemy :
loss is heavy but not 50 large as ours, Is they
fought behind entertainments. Gen. Nc
Clernand's division, composed OF Generals
| Ogesby's. Wallace S and McArthur's brig
AIDES. suffered terribly. They were composed
Of the oth, 9th, lOth, 18th, 10th, l2th,
/ llth, 10Th, 3Oth, 3lst, 18th, 18th and 40,h
| Illinois regiments Gems. Lowe and Wal
lace, with the llth Indiana, Sth Missouri
and some Ohio regiments, participated in the
| fight.
The rebel troops are completely democrat
lied, and have no confidence in their leaders
as they charge Pillow and Floyd with desert
ing them.
Our troops from the moment Of the invest