, 1862-03-21

tion. She moved slowly up and down the
river, her fire being reserved and held in Teadf-
ness to take the position of one Of her COM
pan1ons, should either Of them become dis
ahled.
Shortly after the first shot struck the Benz !
ton, another spent ball came rlcocheting to-
wards the vessels md landing. upon the upper
deck stopped without doing any damage.
Tie mortar boats did better execution than
On the day previous. The two which had un-
I'll now been held In reserve were ordered
down and stationed along the Kentucky shore
Of the river nearly three -fourths of mile in
the rear Of the flagship. The first shell thrown
from them burst high in the air. The second
was more accurately calculated. It sank in the
woods Immediately in the rear Of the point Of
attack and as before the earth was thrown By
It's spioeion to an immense hight.
The eIemy now relinquisle1 his fire from
the lower batteries with the exception OF an
occasional stray shot, and replied at intervals
of ten minutes from the first. The aag OF
truce sent down the day previous discovered
that this contained eleven guns, but, uot~tth-
standing the terrific bnuhardment, it was not
silenced. Permit me here to go back to this
single incident of the day previous. What
vas supposed to be flag Of truce was seen
flying from the staff Of an approaching steau
er, and the flag officer dispatched a tug to meet
T.. It was 1eeeived by an officer whose ac-
cent cen hSt5aye3 1- that be was ct foreign oagn,
had raised no tree t1ag but were merely sig
nalingg their emble1ns being of that color.
The fight commenced at one o'clock, and at
5P. r., had not decreased in severity. Our
batteries stsl poured in their generally well
directed fire, though it must be admitted there
were many s'wild shots" thrown, but judsiug
from the effect which was visible, great havoc
must have been created within the works Of
the enemy. Who Is in command Of the bat
tery now under fire is not Ano"u, but whoev-
er he Is, officers and men Of the attacking flo.
tiIla give him the credit Of being brave and
courageous officer.
About five o'clock, another shot struck the
Etarboard side Of the Benton, tearing from her
the Iron plating, and paving onward, injured
70 Per: OF on board. Shortly after, a ball en-
tered the port-hole OF the Cincinnati, teal ing
away beam or two in its course, and wouad-
Ing in the arm By splinter the Captains stew
ard. slightly, but not dangerously
Night WAS fast approaching, but there was
no cessation in the rapid working Of our guus.
The men handled item with rapidity anu dex-
Frequency Vi the discharges and the accuracy
OF their aim The smoke OF the battle rolled
away to the cast, and gradually minglel with
tie biuc ether above US.
As many as twenty-five projcctiies weEc
seen to strife in the vicinity OF the house
within or near the fogi, but still it stood. The
battle as night approached, Was pushed to the
most rapid firing, while replies from the
enemy grew less frequent, and their shots
we're by 10 means IS we'll directed as in the
early part Of the enga agement. It is probable
| that their gunner was slain at his post, and il
| 90 the yariance Of their aimis easi1; accounted
for. Seven o'clock had arrived ere the flosi1ia
| began to draw away from its position and pro
| ceedcd further up the stream. Eycn then il
did not hesitate TO send several we1i-directeG
shots as 'sgord n:3ht'' greeting and promise
| Of another and more cordial and familiar yisiI
on the morrow. Tic fort replied with feeblt
voice, and the Tejoinder Of the Benton MI:
| still more emphatic than before
1t had grown SO dark that nothing was yisi
bic Gut the dim ontliue which marked the
shore, but the mortars continued to discharge
shell The flash Of the large guns now ftfully
! n1umMed for single instant the river, ami
| then the burning fuse Of the bomb coul(
he distinctly seen IS it rode up in the
heavens, seemingly among the Etars, and the1
more swiftly descended, bursting in the wood
where so many Of it's predecessors had fallen
-Four correspondent had frequently heard tina
it was possible to trace the course Of bomt
shell, but is willing to admit that he received
the Information with no very great degree 0
c1edulity. But the experience Of tonight de
nloustTatcs the truth Of the assertion At
distance Of quarter Of mile from the NOR
tar, :. meteor-like spark can be discerned de
| Ecrihing graceful and perfect senaieircle ant
| distinctly visible until the fash is seen whirl
tells that The bomb has burst. Fifteen second
| tht reatter comes the report conlrnlatorF o
this latter fact. The incident. simple initseli
excited for tho moment almost as much inter
est rs lad any portion of tic days fight.
Nortars were fired every half hour duriu,
the night, probably forthe purpose Of kecpin;
the sentinels of the enemy awake and Tigilan
in their watch.
Tie Pike and Wisconsin 60 up to Cairo to
night with dispatches, and vii! return Inlme
diately with eight more Of the mortar boats
1t las become evident that the rebels will coz
test tic possession Of the place most de:
pczatcly. It is more strongly fortified tha
any yet occupied b5 them, save peghep
Columbus, and eyen disputes with tha
stronghold the palm Of superiority. For
the place. directly opposite Donelson'
Point to tie head Of the Island. batterie
Of heavy guns line the shore. It is iru
the ground occupied By them is low and rise
but a few feet above the surface Of the riycl
Tie island itself also is in possession Of
strong battery, and the foe, cut oil from r
treat by the reduction Of New Madrid, wi
fight most desperately. The terrible fire. the
wishsfood yesterday, without deserting the
position, demonstrates their intention Of di
putting their location with 4 tenacity and G,
trgy the extreme Of despair alone ca,, girc,
a week rlay Ec required to reduce tic fs,rt
fications at this place. It will be one Of tt
most terrible battles Of the war. To:morro
it is probable t1lat'the flagship rad her ass
ciatcs will be crowded further down II
stream, near the Kentucky shore, while tw
others will round the point, and turn their Il
upon tho enemy from position half mi
nearer than that occupied by tue Caroadol
and Mound City yesterday. Four heavy sizes
guns which arrived to-day from St. Loui
will be placed upo, the point. and two Of tt
mo1tars will take & position much lower dow
the stream.
During the fight Of yesterday four =Ao
struck the flagship, one took effect upon Il
Cincinnati, and three upon the ST. Louis. II
engagement lasted about six hours, duril
which time not less than three hundred sho
+ were fired, or an average Of abont one eve
two and one-half minutes. Less than OF
.. hundred were returned by the enemy. To d;
will probably witness fierce contest, whit
) if not decisive, will more definitely drtermi1
) the time which must necessarily be occupi
iu the reduction Of the place.