The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1862-03-29
Island No. 10 not Taken.
PROCESS OF THE ATTACK

The eneBfy Is very strongly posted at Island,
No 10, the Qualifications are numerous and,
defended by at least eighty gnns, some of them.
1873 Founders, as well as hy seven or eight
gunGoats; including the celebrated ram MAN.
assas, from New CLEANS.
New Madiid being occupied by G neral
Pope, he has mounted many heavy guns and
placed the fortiiicaiOn in IA condition TO sue
crssiuiiy resist any assault Of The enemy by
land or water. He has also fortified Point
Pleasant, some 1unr or five miles below New
Madrid, which is capable OF itse To seriously
II not completely obstruct the passaga of the
Mississippi.
An attempt was made by the rebel grnboats
to elect their escape down fi,c river. but they
were rtfrctnally 'epnls"d 10y Gen. Pope one
| hclnS SINK, with all on board, and two or
three others badly damaged. They hastily
| Put back. Some two days cviouslv. sever
| al of the encmy's gnnboats were allowed,
| quietly to pass ny the river to join the force
at Island No. 10 but they soon found them
selves in trap, from which il WAS next TO
impossible To escape. Gen. Pope has no
doubt OF his ability to sink any vessels,
| attempting to run his batteries. Such being
the case, the enemy will probably. when the
extremity comes, sink their vessels. so as to.
block Wy The channel and make their escape
across the neck of Land, made by bend of
be river, So as to strike the river again some
distance below New MaGTia an;!'the batteries,
farther down.
THE MAIN WORKS OF THE ENEMY OVERLOOKED,
The latest intelligence from Island No 10.
says the main works Of the enemy on the.
| mainland are 0veltl.,wed, and also the whole
Of the Mississippi Valley in that Vicinity,
This delays ell, ctivc operations by our forces,
| at present.
Tie mortar boats are firing regularly. but
very moderately. about once an ii"ir.
The Rebels do not reply.
III ere ale not SO many tents visible Some.
| reports say they are leaving.
| DIFFICULTY OF GETTING At THE ENEMY,
| The first difficulty our fotlla has here is to,
get at the enemy. At Columbus his position.
| was approachabc. The experiences of Henry
and Done's II had taught him the weakness Of
fortified heights against our shells. Here
they have taken position exactly the reverse
| OF those points, They have heavy mounted
batteries down at the WATERS edge, and our
61-ponnders can lily cope with their l2S-
pound siege guns. Their artillery is mounted
on chosen works; ours must be operated
from gnnhoats standing ont in a rapid stream
flowing at the rate of six or seven miles per
| hour. 1t was manifest from the first that
| there would he great risk in making n sudden.
dashins attack from our boats, headed down
stream rs they must be to operate to the
| best advantage there. III familiar with boat
ing IN our Western rivers are well aware of
the dfhculty OF holding boat from being
carried down with the stream unless it stands
head to the current. Here is an almost un-
snrmo,ntable difficulty, which c"mpcls all
operations to be conducted with the utmost
caution.
OTHER DANGERS TO DE- GUARDED AGAINST,
Let us suppose our gunhoats, disrrgardng
these considerations, had plunged intn the
fight as they have done heretofore when the
enemy was above them. What would be tho
fate ofany boat that might be disabled bv
this fire Her rudhers carried away, or any
material arrangement of her engines, would
have left her at the mercy of this heavy 70 l.
ing stream, now amost a mountain torrent,
| and borne her down into the hands of the
enemy Anchorage is SO uncertain in the
channel where the boats must lie, now fifty
feel deep, as not 70 be relied on. They mast
depend upon the power they possess wiihin
them, or they are risking more than prudence
| will permit.