Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-02-17
TELEGRAPHtC NEWS.
THE SIEGE OF FORT DONELSON.


9Kr o DAYS Ftgkttng-A Desperate Battle
Z Heavy Losses on Both ISidss-A Confede-
rate RedoHh Tdken-Ftve Federal Gnn-
boats DisGbLcd and Wfthdratcn from the
Contest-Fort DOnsison not Yet Taken.
ST. LOUIS, Feb. 16 P. m.-The city is wild
with Excitement and rejoicing In consequence OF
the news just made public from headquarters
that " the American nag now waves over Fort
Donelsou ~ D-
The struggle has been severe and the loss heavy
on both sides.
One Of Gen Grants batteries was taken by the
Rebels, but was re-captured by our brave troops.
Some Of the gunboats are said to be badly
damaged. -,f
.. IsKcoNp pIsPATcH.] .-r .
Sr. Louis, Feb. I6 "A special dispatch to the
Missouri Democrat, dated saturday, Feb. is, p.
m, says: Com. Foote reached here at ~ O'Clock
last night on board the u. s. gunboat Concstoga.
he stormed Fort Donelson on Friday afternoon.
The gunboats st. Louis, Louisville, Pittsourg,
Carondelet, Tyler and Conestoga, after fighting
a little over an hear, withdrew. #
Fifty.four were killed and wounded on the gun
boats, pilots Riley and Hinton, Of the St Louis,
Commodore Foote, while standing on the pilot
house OF the 81. Louis, his flagship, was slightly
wounded.
Thest Louis was bit sIxty;One times, and two
Of the gunbeau were disabled -
The Tyler and Gonestoga remained out Of range
OF the eneny's guns.
The line of battle was as follows The st.
Louis on the right, next the Louisville, then the
Thecenemy's firing was very accurate They
hsdthree batteries-one near the water, one fifty
teet abose this, and -thitd fifty feet above the
seeond.-The upper one mounted four 16-pound-
ers. This one was held In reserve until our boats
got within 400 yards ofthe fort.
Our fire was directed principally at the water
battery. One Of the enemy's guns brrst and a
ynumbef were dismounted The enemy could be
seen carrying the dead out Of their trenches
All The gdnboats were left up the Cumberland
except the Conestoga. She left there yesterday
A rided gun on the Carondelet burst, killing
six men. The rudder Of the Pittsburg was shot
away.
The mortar boats left here yesterday morning
The above statements of the fig mt were received
from gentlemen who was aboard the 81. Louis
during the engagement.
A gentleman who left Fort Donelson yesterday
afternoon at O'Clock. and reached here at noon
to-day, says that the fight had been going on all
day yesterday. The right wing Of the enemy's
foihcations were taken, and the stars and stripes
were floating over them. The forces were breast
to breast, and the battle was to be renewed.
CAIRO, Feb 16-The steamer Minnehaha ar
rived here from Fort Donelson, having left the
fort at O'Clock last evening, bringing military
mail and dispatches and 16O wounded to the hos
pital at Paducah.
The fight commenced, as before stated, on
Thursday, and on Friday and Saturday the con-
test was desperate.
The Illinois 18th suffered severely, and the 18th
Iowa sustained considerable loss.
Capt. Swartz's battery which was taken by the
enemy was fecaptured by our men. Two colonels
were wounded, and two killed. The loss is
heavy on both sides.
The upper fort was taken at 4 o'clock, and the
Union flag is now floating over 1t. Ou, troops
behaved with great gallantry.
!" Fine gunboats st. Louis, Louisville and Pitts
burg were disabled The Minnehaha met the
mortar boats at Paducah, going up.
ANOTHER ACCOUNT.
CHICAGO, Feb. l6 The Tribune's special cor
TespOndence is az follows:
Fort DoHslSOn, Feb. -, forenoon The firing
commenced yesterday at day-break and continued
at intervals all day. Up 10 four O'Clock no move
ment or assault by the land forces had been made.
Night before last an attsmpt was made by the
rebels to take Taylor's battery, but they were
pulsed By two regiments, and driven back be-
yond their entertainments.
Our loss In wounded is considerable, but so
far. not more than three or four are dangerously
wounded.
Six gunboats arrived Yesterday and commenced
an attack on the fort at O'Clock in the afternoon
The firing was very rapid and severe, and lasted
one hour and twenty minutes, when our gunboats
fell back The four iron-clad boats went within
three hundred yards Of the fort
All the rebel river guns, except six, were either
dismounted or silenced. The first shot fred from
the gunboat Louisville dismounted the rebels I2s
pounder.
The Louisville received 81 shots, two OF who b
took effect, triking the starboard side of her
deck, passing through the entire length Of the
boat, killing three men and breaking her tiller
rope short distance from the pilot house. The
rope was then managed by some Of the hands,
when a shell from the Tyler, which lay some
distance astern, burst over the Louisville, scat
tefing the men at the tiller rope, and 10 much
disabled the steering tackle that the boat was
compelled to fall asteTn.
One shot struck the Pittsburg in the bows and
stove an immense hole In her, which caused heI
70 drop out of sction. The leak, however, has
been stopped.
One shot struck the pilot house Of the st Louis
passing through IL between the pilots legs with
out iniuring him. All the boats were more or less
Injured, none but the Louisville seriously, There
were eve killed and two wounded on the Louis
Vile.
The gunboats will not be In condition to renew
the attack before tomorrow morning. -
In consequence Of the height Of the. bluffs on
which the rebel Notifications are built our
cannot have as much effect On them as on For
Henry therefore IL will require much longer
time 20 reduce this fort ".' '~-''. ',.a.s :
The rebels have raised the black fag, Il can be
seen flying from bank short distance above
-...-r STILL LATER .s.r
ST. LOUIS, Feb. 10 Dispatches received n
headquarters say that our gunboats were prett,
efectually disabled except one.
Commodore Foote was wounded twice but n Of
seriously
The upper redoubt taken by our troops com
mands the main work Of Fort Douelson, and Gen
Grant telegraphs that he would be able to captur.
that fort TODAY tSunday