The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1862-02-21
C,PTTRF OF TIE UPPER FORT.


A dispatch from Cairo SAYS the fight COM
menced on Thursday, and Friday and Sa'ur-
day the contest was desperate. The ILLINOIS
18th regiment suffered severely, and the
Iowa 7rh ,.,.aned considerable Loss
Swartz's battery was taken by the enemy,
but was recap,ured by our men. Two colo
ueIs were wounded and two killed. The los,
is heavy on both sides. The upper fort was
taken at I o'clock on Saturday. The Union
flag is now floating over it. Our troops be-
haved with great gallantry.
THE ATTACK BY THE GUyBoAT>.
Six gunboats arrived on Friday, and COM
menced an attack on the fort at , o'clock p.
m. The firing was very rapid and severe
and lasted over an hour and twenty minutes,
when our gunboats fell back. The four IRON
clad boats ranged within 800 yard of the
fort. All the rebel river guns, except 6,
were either dismounted or silenced. The
first shot fired from the gunboat Louisville
dismounted the rebel 12s-pounder. The
Louisville received ~ shots, two Of which
took effect one striking the starboard side
of her deck and passing through the entire
length of the boat, killing three men and
breaking the tiller rope short distance from
the pilot-houSe. The rope was then manned
by some Of the hands, when a shell from the
Tyler, which lay some distance astern, burst
over the Louisville, scattering the men at the
tlller rope and so much disabling her steer
ing tackle, that the boa. was compelled to
drop astern. \ shot struck the Pittsburg
in the bows and stove an immense hole in
her, which caused her to drop out of the &C
ton. The leak however has been stopped.
A shot struck the pilot-house OF the St Lou
is, passing through it between the pilots
legs, without injurinS him. All the boats
were more or less Iured but none bat the
Louisville seriously. There were ) killed
and , wounded on the Louisville. The gun
boats will not be in a condition to renew the
attack before Sunday morning. In conse-
quence of the hight of the bluffs on which
the rebel fortltications are built, our shots
cannot have as much effect on them as those
at Fort Henry; it will therefore require a
much longer time to reduce this fort. The
rebels have raised the black flag it can be
seen flying from the bank.
DISPATCHES RECEIVED AT WASHINGTON.
The dispatch Sunday evening announcing
a victory at Fort Donelson, has occasioned
intense JOY at Washington, but up to 10 O.
clock at night no official dispatches had beer
received in confirmation of the report, fur
Their than that the upper font had been cap
tured by the land forces.
On Saturday dispatch reached the gen
erai-inchief at Washington. from Gen Hal
leck at st Louis announcing the investment
OF Fort Donelson with force of 10000 mel
and the noble fleet of Commodore Foote anC
anticipating its speedy reduction. Gen Hal
leck says that Generals Floyd and Bucknel
are in the fort with force of $1,000 men
and he is evidently of the opinion that his ar
engagements to cut them off from reinforce,
ments will surely be successful.
STRENGTH OF THE FORT-A GLOOMY VIEW.
\ special dispatch to the st Louis Dem
"cra', dated in the rear Of Fort Denelson
Friday afternoon SAYS -
Thursday night was very severe on oul
troops. \ rain having set in which turret
to snow. It was freezing or Friday. and ole
citizens SAID they rarely have such cold wea
Their in this latitude The more | see of In.
fort The more convinced am it cannot be re-
duced. From the rear the fort appears al
most impregnable. The outer works anc
bastions are located on ridges 100 to 200 fee
high, covered with dense timber and under
growth. Upon similar range Of hills out
side these our army is drawn in line of battle
completely encircing the enemy from tt,
Cumberland south Of the fort to the back
water of stream which TANKS the fort or
the north. Gen Oslcsby, who has the OK
IRENE right, Thursday night pushed forward
his brigade to the Cumberland, and planted
IA battery commanding the river which vii
etfectually prevent the arrival Of any more
reinforccments. Ii fact We have them com
petely surrounded.