The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-02-14
THE WEEKLY PIONEER AND DEMOCRAT.

Cincinnati, boats length ahead, when at
1890, the Cincinnati opened the ball, and
Immediately the three accompanying boats
followed suit. The enemy were not back
ward and gave an admirable response, and
the fight ragged furiously for halt an hour.
We steadily advanced, receiving and re-
turning storms of shot and shell, when, get
ting within three hundred yards OF the enc
my's works we came to stand, and opened
into them right and left.
In the meantime the Essex had been dis.
abled and drifted away from the scene of
action, leaving the Cincinnati, Carandolet,
and st. Louis alone engaged.
At precisely forty minutes past one the
enemy struck his collars and such cheering,
such wild excitement as seized the threats
arms, and caps of the four or five hundred
sailors on the gunboats, can be imagined.
After the surrender, which was made to
Flag Officer Foote by General Lloyd Tighl
man, who defended his Fort in most de,
termined manner, we found that the rebel
infantry, encamped outside the Fort, mum.
beriDg four or five thousand, had cut and
run, leaving the rebel artillery company, in
command of the Fort, to their fate.
The Fort mounted seventeen guns,
mostly 81 and "a Founders, one being
magnificent 10 inch Columbiad.
Our shots dismounted two of their guns,
driving everything from the embrazures.
One of their rifed 32-pounders burst
during the engagement, wounding one OF
their gunners.
The rebels claim to have had but eleven
effective guns, worked by 81 men, the mum.
Der all told of our prisoners.
They lost five killed and ten badly
wounded.
The Infantry left everything in their
fight.
A vast deal of plumber has fallen into our
hands, including large and valuable guam
tity of ordnance stores.
Gen. Tilghman is disheartened and thinks
it one of the most damaging blows of war
in surrendering to flag officer Foote.
The rebel General remarked am
glad to surrender to SO gallant an OF.
fder."
Flag officer Foote replied, "you do per-
fectly right, sir, in surrendering, but you
should have blown my boats out of the
water before would have surrendered to
you"
In the engagement the Cincinnati was
in the lead and flying the flag officers
penant was the chief mark.
Flag officer Foote, and Capt. Sterebell
crowded her de6antly into the teeth of the
enemy's guns.
She got thirty one shots, some of them
going completely through.
The Essex was badly crippled. When
about half through the fight and crowding
steadily against the enemy, ball went
into her port side, forward port, through the
heavy bulk head and squarely through one
of her boilers, the escaping steam scalding
and killing several of her crew.
Capt. Porter, his aid s. P. Britton and
paymaster Lewis, we're standing in direct
line of the balls, Briton being in the centre
of the group.
The Shot struck Britton on the top of bis
head, scattering bis brains in every direc-
ton. The escaping steam went into the
pilot house instantly killing Ford and Nc"
Bride. pilots.
Many Of the sailors at the rush of steam
jump overheard and were drowned.
The Cincinnati had one killed and six
wounded.
The Essex, six seamen killed, two officers
and seventeen men wounded /; five missing.
No casualty on the st. Louis or Caron-
dalet, though shot and shell fell upon them
like rain. The St. Louis was commanded
by Capt. Leonard Paulding who stood upon
gun deck and fought the guns to the last.
Not man flinched, and with cheer upon
cheer. sent shot and shell amoung the enc
my.
PURSUIT OF THE REBELS-RGPORT
THAT THE FIGHT WAS DISTASTE-
Full TO THEM"
PADUCAH, KY, Feb. 7.--GeBeral Smith
OF the west and Gen raj Grant on the east
side of the river, are pursuing the retreatiDg
rehs Is.
Ii is reported and credited by some of
our officers, that the reoel troops at Fort
Henry were not true rebels, because they
took advantage OF the opportunity offered
by the attack, to run away from the fight
that Was dlstaSteiui to them,
MORE ABOUT THE CAPTURE OF FORT
HENRY.
CINCINNATI, Feb. Especial dispatches
to the Commercial e. Gazette give additions
al details of the capture of Fort Henry, at
the time of the attack the rebel infantry
in their camp were eating dinner. They
abandoned everything, leaving thousands
of SHOT guns, ali their camp equipage and
clothing. In pursuing the enemy Major Nc
Cullough OF Col. Dickey's cavalry captured
6 guns, and Col. John A. Logan captured
eight nuns and thirty three nrisnners