The New York herald., 1862-02-21
NEWSPAPER ACCOUNTS.
Operations OF the Union Gunboats.
Especial correspondence Of tho Cincinnati Gazette
THE FIRST OF THE FIGHT.

| TIE feet egt Paducah at half past four O'Clock
sd sb coal FOR the s uso es me- steamsoa,s Tie
greater number OF the transports started with u.s. car
ryng SIX Thousand ,roopsinianry, cavalry and artil.
lery-desgned for he enforcement Of General Grant
The weather was s as 1t had been since our departure
this afternoon when met the steamer Alps, on her
way down from Fort Donelson. We then near Can
ton, on the Cumberland river, about thirty five miles
from the rebel foi The Alps sent by General Grant
70 tow the transports. As she passed hailed her,
and officer told in reference 10 questions that
the fight had commenced and was In progress when no
(the ohlcer) left.
Commodore Foots exhibited great anxiety on hearing
this news His under standing with General Grant was,
that attack would be made until the arrival Of
feet. The Comniodcres cemmana has made mere than
calculated time since It's deparinre In order TO expe
die arrvaiat the scene OF action the Alp was Sig
nailed to tow the ST. Louis and the Louisville She
alongside, and from one Of her officers learned that at
eleven clock yesterday the gnboat Caionole whchar
rived in the vicinity of Fort Doneson early in the
ng by order espcr.l Grspt approached pe fort and
about four miles down the river eu uncfored until this
morning Al 1--WE mnutds PAST nine she advanced within
ams Of re !er and nrea three shots Tho fort open.
tsri, not pfsse1tns . single STcadside To- 70 he he
enemy. She fred one hundred and thirtyeight shots
in nretylve minutes AZ tna end Of this time 1913
pound bah from hs fort enteed Her port bow and struck
nsa hs nes sSn PEE Srd shy
bers. To ascertain the amount Of damage sustained,
the Csrondole retired beyond the enenys range but Ia
the afternoon she the attack discharge
heard intervals for about two hours before
| we had reached the forts by thirteen miles.
| THE FIGHT.
FRIDAY NIGHT, Feb. IA.
AT eleven O'Clock last night we arrived within two
miles OF the fort Here found Carondolct AT anchor
She had been engaging tho enemy during the afternoon
at distance 81 nile, mad fred about two hundred shots
this morning sixteen transports had arrived from St
Louis Cairo and Cincinna carrying in all about 10 600
troops cavalry artillery aud infantry The debarkaon
occupied about four hours The sight Of such strong
inforcements encouraged ali men greatly. Knowing
already that the fort surrounded by General Grants
commando estimated at 30 ,000we felt that such large
addition to his numbers would make doubly
| sure.
At nine O'Clock this morning General Grant came on
board vessel and had conference with Commodore
Foote Between the two commanders was agreed that
the gnbcais and land forces should make Simultaneous
attsck-te bail 70 be opened from tho river General
Grant appeared TO be confident Of easy victory He
had been here for two days and had abundance OF time
for reconnaissance and all necessary preparations for
attack and when he told that aided BY the gunboats
he could capture every in the fort, certainly
that his proposition was but reasonable.
At about noon the flagship ynalled the captains Of the
different vessels TO come on board for consultation 1t
found on inspection that the Ptsburg and 81. Louis
we're short Of coal This want was supplied BY barge
in tow Of the Conestoga.
To afford all possible protection TO the boilers Of our
vessels Capt Paulding ordered large number Of bread
bags be filed with coal and placed them. All
hamocs belonging the were piled up on III.
outside OF the front wing OF the plot house, 10
OF breastwork. The good thus accomplished how
ever was i think more than counterbalanced by the
cost Of presenting mark to the enemy tarpaun was
thrown over the hammocks, bat soon blown away,
leaving large white spot standing out in visible
with the coor OF the ships we'll This formed the bulls
eye OF the target Al long distance the pilot house s
visible from the shore but the white canvass piled
up against II at revealed its shape size and chac
| the fort.
At quarter TO two O'Clock signal was boisted from
the ST. Louis for the leet TO start and in few minutes
underway. We formed the line Of battle after
we had got about quarter Of mile further up the river
The flagship took the extreme right with the Louisville
lisburg anu tafondelet at the left four
Conestoga and Tyler not being ironcad, remained
rear about quarter OF mile. The feet proceeded at
good rate OF speed-about three miles hour-up the
river, until at twenty-five minutes 10 three O'Clock
reached the termination of long range OF woods 10 the
right, aud came in sight of the fort.
FORT DONEIsoy.
This fort takes III name from the Andrew Jackson
Doneson family, OF Tennessee. Its construction
in May last 30 better position for defence could
have been selected at point on the Cumberland
passed by IL lne slope hundred and f;y
feet high, very slight bend, the right hand side
Of tho Cumberland, one hundred and seven miles from
the mouth Of The river, and nearly two hundred from
Cairo It mounts sixteen guns There three bate
TiesJhe frat about twenty feet above the water
eisng Of six guns, thirty two and sxtyfcur ponders
The second equal strength located about sixt
feet above this and the third on the summit or the hill
odntng four one hundred and twenty e2ht Founders
Tho trenches in the vicinity Of each battery unusually
deep. The earth works not lees then feet thick
brsced by heavy logs. The rebel camp is behind the
M and cannot oe reached from tie sGnboats by shot
shell. ,L = . Is-fs- y
Altogether Tor, Doneson is perhaps the best military
work the Southern river. In It's construction the
rebels acted upon their knowledge is importance to
their knowing that its capture must be followed
by that Of Clarksville, Nashville and Other points
AT to-day heard that Generals Buckuer, Pill
low Floyd and Beauregsrd were in the fort with force
Of Is, 900 There abundAAt evidence TO the
numbe! Of men Gen Grants spes having seen the rebel
camp but TO tine presence OF the four generals II was
but q matter Of conjecture, think
THE FIRING.
A. twenty-five minutes TO three ths brst shot dred
by the rebel from the water battery We were then
mi and half distant from fort. The ball struck
the water about one hundred yards ahead Of us. Two
minutes later another bsls sixty -four FOUNDER from
the same batcrywas fred at us, but dropped ahead
about one hundred and nifty yards several rhots
directed toward us, but without eject before We opened
Ore.
Al seven minutes to three he st. Louis opened The
tie for feet ~ the discharge Of her cghtnch she'll
gum The shot fell into the water within few yards OF
the lowest battery Of the fort Our feet fred slowly ct
first but with good effect, great number OF shell
| bursting within the enemy's fcrtifcatiors.
wo advanced the fort slowly but steadily the four
gunboas maintaining their line Of battle admirably
At quarter three the firing increased In rapidly
on both sides Shell shell from boat al
intervals OF less than Ave seconds The fire bad
BY this time become terrific They using thirty two
pound bail principally, aud airing more frequently than
we and with great accuracy feet used Twelve guns
each iron boat working its three bow pieces. The
Conestoga and lor kept about 500 yards in
ering shell at long range The Conescs fired thirty six
eghtinoh shell during the action the Taylor sixty
Their distance from h for, n. was TOO great for s
guns engaged during greater part OF the action, ani
thus diverted many shots that otherwise would have
| been aimed at this iron-clsd vessels.
About three-quarters OF hour afer the commence
ment Of the engagement the boats had steamed within
three hundred yards OF the fort and the hottest " the
battle took place Our gunners had by this tme got the
range Of the rebel batteries much better Than s first,
their shot and shell were made TO fall within the
breastworks and Intrenchments with great effect. The
water battery was silsnced and the guns deserted by
the enemy From the deciSbf the ginboats the rebel
soldiers could be running the hill ~ seek shelter
Fin the ntrsuchmcn,s Of theupper batteries just this
occurred ofhcsr observed 10 emerge from re-
| doubt and wave q sword above his head. could not
tell whether he cheering his TO victory or driv
irg them back 20 their guns
| Ihc only flag could discover the fort wsa one
which appeared 10 TO no plain red. This, however,
be accounted for by tho fact thaVshe red predom
mates largely In the eocrs composing the rebel nag
eome OF our men thought the enemy desired signify
that he meant "blood.v whatever hs meant he dis
played considerable foresight In placing the flag at good
distance from bb guns thereby removing what usually
| an excellent mnrk 20 shoot a.
l DAMAGES TO THE BOATS.
Az We neared the fort the enemy commenced pouring
,spluneinr shot Into us with great rapidty. Their
l guns were well pointed, and did great execution. A
thirty two pound hall struck the pilot house Of
Il hall