The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1862-06-12
Special Dispatch to the Chicago Tribune)
MISSISSIPPI FLorrILA, Fokr PnLow, !
June e-p. m.

= Special Dispatch to the Chicago Trbune.)
q MlsslssIrrr FLorrILA, Fohr PnLow,
June 6-p. m.
Via CAlRo, June 8, 1862.
No opposition to our occupation OF
Fort Pillow was made this morning.
The place was formally invested by
Capt. Elicit of the ram fleet, ct a. M.
followed quickly by the Federal fleet.
Col. Fitch's 26th Indiana were first on
the spot. But one rebel soldier was
found in the fort, and he did his best
to escape. Finding this impossible, he
surrendered. The fort was fairly ours
at eight o'clock, but its former occa-
pants had departed, none knew with
er.
Fort Pillow seems impregnable.
Had the Confederates force enough to
properly man the guns and fill the for
tifications, and possessed facilities for
obtaining provisions, it would have
withstood tremendous force for a
great length of time. For month at
least their army has apparently been
much reduced. Built upon a bluff $50
feet high, with water batteries, and
over seven miles of Notifications, en-
brasures and classmates for fifty guns,
we'll protected magazines, FIVE mortars,
Fort Pillow should have held out for
months. 1t is supposed a panic seized
the occupants upon hearing of the
evacuation of Corinth, and Gen. Vii.
lipvigue suddenly found he was wanted
elsewhere. e,.al
The first line Of batteries was located
just back of the Landing, and elevated
six or eight feet from it. Here were
Twelve guns-four of them ,bursted
and useless-a 50-pounder, rifled, and
1913 FOUNDER smooth bore, remained
uninjured, except as to burning of car.
riages. ~ sf.f
In the rear of the water batteries
was the second line, elevated higher
up the bank, and extending parallel
with the river a quarter of mile
These were constructed according to
the depressions of the face of the bluff
AT the extreme north were two lO-inch
mortars. There was also a battery OF
six guns, four of which were removed
In another place were left one Garfield
and one 10 inch Dahlgren, dismantled
and lO.inch Columbiad. The NOR
tars were spiked.
Entertainments, embankments ant
pits extended in the country for two
miles, enclosing large area of land
estimated at seven miles of fortified
tons. The works appeared in ssmt
places TO be unfinished. The barrack.
were evidently intenied to accsmmo
date four thousand men. Everything
was in a state of wreck and devasta
ton. Gun-carriages and everything
capable of being burned was destroyed
beef, pork, beans, molasses and cloth
ing.
Two or three residents of the conn
try back of the fort were early arrested
in the act of carrying off molasses
sugar, tents, ETC., which they claimed
had been given them by the rebels
They left property in the hands o
present occupants. These men repor
that the evacuation had been going Ol
for several days; but their final de
parture had not taken place until Wed
nesday night. The ground about tn,
fort was strewn with fragments Of shell
showing that the work of our morta
boats has not all been in vain. A
great amount of shell, shot, and irol
has fallen into Federal hands. rs wei
as quantity of powder, which tn
rebels failed to remove from their mag
azine. Some beef and pork and SOM
molasses may also be saved.
Col. Fitch and the mortar fee,
backed by the gun.boat Mound City
Capt. Kelly, are left in possession 9
the fort. a~