The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1862-03-27
The Battle nj Island To-. -.
FOURTH DAT. s,,s


FOURTH DAT. s499r
Monday, March 17.-Last night was one
Of unusual clearness and the river and shores
were bathed in the most delicious moonlight.
II painters need any business, when the
grim dogs OF war arc baving, they would
have reveled in tho scene. Although was
surrounded by al the fearful paraphsrnais
Of war, there WAS nothing to disturb the SO.
renity Of the night. No sounds were audi.
bic save tho plash Of tho water, the snarling
trumpet calling. our pickets afar of, and the
sound o. the bells upon the gnnboats as they
called the hours. The forenoon Was con-
sumed until 10 o'clock in supplying thelnor.
tar RATS with shells and powder from the
ammunition boats. About half past ten the
mortars commenced practice, occupying the
same position q the day before, excepting
two, which were moored on the, left bank
about three miles below the upper battery.
Two of the nortars shellsd the rebel en-
campments round the point, tho Gre Of the
others concentrating upon the upper battery.
About II o'clock, the .gunboais took posi-
ton The Benton, Cincinnati and St. Louis
dashed together, slowly dropped down the
river and opened FIRE upon the same battery.
The scene now became animated ia, the OK
IRENE, the ball being fairly opened. I took
a position on shore, near the point and along
side tho mortars, to witness, their practice.
The firing Of mortar is the very poetry Of 4
battle "A bag of powder weighing from
eighteen to twenty tponndais1 dropped into
the bore Of the huge monster. The derrick
drops the shellin; the angle IS calculated "A
long cord isfattachcd to the primer; the gun.
Iner steps estfupon tho platform, and the
balance of the, crow upsa the shore. Tbs
Captain gives the word. the gunner, gives
his cord > sudden jerk, y crash like thou
sand thpnders fofows,pa tongue ofo fame
leapsifrom the mouth Of the mortar, and !
column Of smoke rolls UP IN beautiful Aeacy
spirals, developing. into rings Of exquisite
proportions, One can, see the shell "a i
leaves the mortr sfying through the air, ap-
.parently no larger than 4 marble. Yhs, max,
you ~ efs the shall. a,beAntifall cloud 81
smoke bursts into sight caused BY The, q,
plolionsc Imagine ten Of these msnsters
thu dering a once. the air f'led with smoke
clouds, thu sunhoats bslching ont destruc,
ton and completely hidden tro,s sight q
whirls Of smoke, the shell screaming through
the air with An. uneArthly sound. and the
distant guns of the enemy sending their sol
id shot snd shell abone and around MS dash;
ing the water up ia glistening columns and
jetslo spray and you have the sublime po.
etry ofwar.a An Incident hcvsver, viii
show how completely the battle may lose III
poetry md develop into N y, stern rqd sueges.
tive reality. ,as II ~ $3.50, +, 49,.
Tue.day, March ls.-The airing Of GU,
boats yesterday very seriously damaged the
upper fort, and at an early hour this morn.
ing, some two 81 three hundred men could
be discovered busily ct work repairing The
breaches. The Benton q once dropped
down and commenced using hsr bow fflSa
with the happiest effect, causing : complete
suspension q labor upon the works, the Il.
borers running peil nell 70 the nesrsst shell
tsr. The Benton coatinusd her practice un.
til the tnortars commenced, whsnshs ceased
firing. The gunboats have been IDLE today,
the mortars occupying The time exclusively
and making some excellent shots. Seveysl
shells have bssn lodged in thst head Of the
Island. The mortar practios ID rapidly i'm.
proving, snd It the pressat rate OF improve.
msnt awill warm up the pshsl sneanpmont
and Notifications "a , degree which must
cause = speedy evacuation. u vfago4. =
This morning visited Com. Roots. HI
himself confident ofrcducing the
place, but saysit will take time. He 10 flsh..