The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1862-02-22
Our ,3unboats at Fort Donelson.

The p lrticlpaton Of our gunboats in the ac-
ton. and the injuries they received, at Fort Don.
elson are thus described by u correspondent of
the Cincinnati Gazette:
AS We neared the fort the enemy commenced
pouring "plunging Shot into us with great ra-
pdiiy. Their gums were well pointed aud did
great execution. a thirty-two pound oall
struck the pilot house of our vessel, piercing
the inch and-a-hali iron and the fifteen inch
oak. Ia striking the iron plate it was broken
\ number of large fragments scattered within
the pilot house. mortally woundiug one OF the
pilots, +. a. Riley OF Cincinnati. striking th
flag officer, Commodore Foote in the ankle and
slightly injurng two other men. Immediately
af,er this shot entered our deck IN the star
board side, and passing through it glanced
downward to the shell room striking the ships
cook, Chas. W. Baker of Philadelphia, in the
mead, literally tearin! the skull off, Several
heavy balls now glanced over the pilot house,
piercing the cni!nneys and carrying away the
chimney guys. These were followed by 1. cou-
pie OF shciS which struck our vessel lust above
watsr mark.
1t was D1w discovered that the wheel had
been injured by tie shot which killed the pilot
Two ct the spokos we're broken. and the vessel
did not respond well to her HELM An ATTEMPT
was made to steer her by her relieving tackle.
but it was found that the currens was too
strong. The Commodore, fearing lest the SHIN
should turn broAGside to the enemy. ordered
her to drop down slowly. The other boats we
found were sutfcriong quite as severely as the
flag ship.
One of the guns Of The CarondeIe; bursted
uurIpp the luttpr y. nf rho
tlcr-ropes of the Louisville were cut away
rendering it almost impossible to steer CORRECTLY
the Pittsburg received IL number Of shots be|uw
water mark, causing her to leak very rapidlv
These Two latter accidents happening almost
simultaneously with the injury to the Gao shin
eniered IL withdrawal absolutely necessary -
Inc order was the: given for the entire asct ,o
drop beyond the range of the fort.
Though feeling that the condition of orr boa,s
demanded this movement, it was with rent re-
luctanco that the Commodore reconciled bimsalf
tot. The enemy had almost ceased firing. bav.
i"E ceeh ofi'en from the lower forts and cvlnpeI-
led 20 seek refuge behind guns that bore hut
poorly upon us. Quick, however, to notice o,,r
disabled conIi'ion, We hal no sooner commenced
~ re'ie IMAM they again ran to the lower bat
tefies, ana opened brisk and effective fire m.
i'ts' Vi ehese shots entered the port bow of the
Oarondeiet, cutting of two mems heads and
wouniing Two other men,
Inc boats retired slowly to the point ,,hcnco
they Started Tor the scene Of action. nbout two
miles from the l'rt. The fire of the enemy ken,
pouring IN upon lis from thirteen runs. whiia
our position IN the river prevented us from u.,n,,
more than halt that number. As W. G,atoI
Slowly Gown tho current The rebels took ,our,,e
and boldly sailed forth from their n,ron,'.'
mehts. Hitherto the entire space within tho
iurG appeared one sheet OF untr Jdden sn,v. L,,.
nv mGutes did not elapse after the ,tonn,re W
our engines, when the Whole scene yus c,,,n,od
rs II whifwlnd had swept over the bil, ,nI
removed noariy every trace OF thc storm IF ;,,..
day-tho enewy's force, wild with enthusiasm
had tushed down to the lower batteries in .u'S
numbers. III 'uch
The battle lasted one hour and soy.n,ao ;
u'es. Inc last shot was fired by tho 80. I,uis
IL ItN "i'nih u lew feet Of the river b.,c,n.n
CAUSING earth and water to fly INTO the t,rt !,
tls about hundred Of the rcbols st,rtad -, -N'
up the M they soon found, however tba M wn
n"u Withdrawn, and returned to omen IN inv" VIZ
iectuai lro upon our disabled feet '"'''
IL TOOK US '.Dnnt half an hour FIR o,r eoo.
r'''re nel ond the range Of the guns. H. .'s 70
or."ai was managed with great skill ,yo n,,n-
mit our boats to iloat gentle down Ri. 80, pel-
IN the exact line OF baItle, md nI,hnu'.,. a
s.e"'n'nS apparatus OF the ST.. L.on,, ,,I :" 'ne
vile were pow'iess, no collision ot Wv" na ,'p n;