Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-04-21

drove the enemy from the guns Of the two upper
works, when she steamed down 70 Point Plea
SAINT attend work opposite that place,
which for week had been playing upon that
town and annoying the troops and trains as they
passed One round was sufficient. The g0nners
fired at random and fed, all but one man who
stood TO his gun and kept blazing away with an
old shotgun as she ran to the shore, and the
party who landed to spike the cannon had reluc-
family to cripple the gallant fellow-they did not
try to kill hinl-and let him hobble away. The
Carondelet then down to Riddles Point TO
coax a shot from the battery above Tiptonville,
where the enemy seemed TO be encamped in force,
but she could not provoke a response. and il af-
forwards appeared that the guns had been hastily
removed from there the night before
1t was understood in camp tirst on Monday
Number Ten and its dependencies was to be forced
10 come down. Troops were 10 cross the river
but what divisions were to be the favored ones
was not published. General Palmer's command,
and presume Others, were ordered 10 be in rsadi-
ness to move at a nom ents notice. The Hoo
sier's nest was gleeful at the prospect Of a close
fight; but vet the boys we're fearful that if there
were no earthworks to build they would be left
behind. They had been so long listening to the
thunder of cannon, sleeping in pits and lodging
SHE'LL that they feel like going in at short range.
They had made the gunboats skadaddle from
Riddles Point when they had the temerity TO at
tempt landing and they wanted TO try their
muskets and rifles on the secesh land. Long be-
fore revielle CO.. Slack commanding the first
brigade in Palmers division, was on horseback
and W. W Hatcher Of Lafayette and myself were
iashng through the mud with him as volunteer
aids The duty OF volunteer aid is TO be with
the General on all trying occasions. help him eat
his dinner If gets any extra. and try the whisky,
and see at what range it will kill and on the field
to carry all orders &c. TheselectiOn for this oc-
casion | am sure you will pronounce most excel
| lent At early dawn we were on point near
New Madrid anxiously peering through the grey
mist for the first appearance of the gunboats.
Another one had run the gauntlet of the rebel
fire the night before, and felt assured that the
upper batteries, which had been s:lenced on Sun
day without spikng the guns would have 10 be
reduced again. Sure enough the drums and
trumpets of the several camps gave out their dis
tant calls, the gunboats moved from the moOrings
on the Missouri shore and the rebel batteries
opened.
We moved up the shore until the dull and
| almost indistinct of the guns assumed the
sharp distinct sound of close action. and from the
river bank we witnessed the final fight which
sealed the fate of the Gibraltar of the Mississippi
The guns at Fort Thompson took part in the
fight and for an hour or more the laundering
was terrible. One rebel battery fought with
great CALAMITY and finally succumbeo TO a per-
feet avalanche of shot and shell hurled at it by
the gunboats and our fort doubling on t. By
nine or ten O'Clock two three divisions were in
motion to cross-caValry, artillery and infantry
hurrying up in hot haste. A large force was
soon landed in admirable order and were shortly
concealed from our view. A accommodating
party was thrown forward until it reached the
pickets around the bend, and at midnight without
further Neutrality-suspicious. loss the Island and its
dependencies was ours. The number OF prisoners
and the amount of property taken YOU probably
know better than we do. The prisoners, who, by
the way, seem to be better class of troops than
those taken at Fort Donelson, say that the plum
der lost by them will count up millions.
Transports have been plying up and down the
river freely to-day, and this evening Col Fitch's
brigade is ordered to cross TO Tiptonville. and as
| | write the boys are busy packing up. To-mor-
; row Col. Stacks brigade will follow, and new
Hoosier's nest will be formed on the ground
where General Giants rebel force lay, as the rear
guard Of Number Ten.