Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1862-12-13
From the Houston Telegraph.
THE WAR IN LOUISIANA.

from Louisiana, with an account somewhat
in detail of affairs in Louisiana for some
weeks back, From conversation with him
We derive the following intelligence.
On the 9th of November the Victoria,
from Havana, run the blockade into Atcha-
falaya bay. In coming up the bay some of
her machinery became damaged, and the
captain sent up boat to Brashcar for as
sistance. His men found the place in pos
session of the Federals. They at once re-
turned to their vessel, pursued by the enc
my.
The captain seeing gunboats approaching,
and the impossiblity of escape, put two or
three boxes of guns, and some gunpowder,
percussion caps, quininc, etc, into ms small
boats, and setting fire to the vessel, lett.-
She burned till 8 o'clock that night, when
she blew up with a tremendous explosion.
The shock was felt like that of an earth
quake for many miles, indeed, throughout
lhe lower half of st. Mary's Parish
The crew wandered about for sometime,
endeavoring to get in AZ Gallon and other
places but finding them all occupied by the
Federals, they finally made their way into
BAYOU -, where they narrowly escaped
n raking fire from the Confederate pickets.
On the 18th they arrived safely at head
quarters, together with the valuable lreisht
they had saved.
The following are the particulars Of the
fights on the Icchc:
On commencing their opera ions in the
country west Of bayou LaiOurche the Fed
erals sent gunboats to Berwicks Bay,
with view Of operating on the Techc ana
the neighboring country. On the day OF
their arrival, Capt. Fuller with his gunboat,
the Cottcn-a small bayou boat fitted up for
defensive opcrations-went down to the
head of the the bay and exchanged shots
with the enemy's boats, killing lieutenant
and private on their boats, but without
loss or damage on the Gotten.
Capt. Fuller then retired up the bayou,
four or five miles, within the dcfcnscs that
had been erected In day or two the en-
emy followed, confident that they would
reach Franklin without serou0 difficulty.
When they came within range, Capt. Fuller
turned loose his guns upon them, firing 100
shots, thirty of which were effective, Kill
ing some 80 or 40 of the enemy and DANA
ging one of his boats SO badly that she had
to be hugged by two of her consorts, and
thus taken back to n safe place for repairs.
The victory was complete. The Federals
fired 200 shots in the engagement, but three
of which touched the Gotten.
Since then there have been skirmishing
reconnoisances without serious effect to Ell
ther side Over 1000 shots have been fired
at the Gotten, but she wears n charmed life,
and is yet unhurt.
Finding their attempts to penentrate the
distractions of the Teche unavailing, they
determined to make an attack on Judge A
yery's salt works. These works are upon an
Island in the marsh, above the head of Cote
Blanche bay, heretofore called Island Peti-
tance. 1t is swelling of land out of n
tide water marsh, and approachable in
high tide to within few hundred yards, by
boats of considerable draft The Island lies
upon vast bed of solid salt, and from it
considerable supplies of salt have for some
time been derived for the neighboring pec-
pie. Salt has for years been produced there
from salt wells. 1t was only last summer
that the underlying bed of rock salt was
discovered.
Acting upon the same principle that con-
fscates medicines required by the Sick and
makes food for women and children con-
traband of war, the Abolition gunboats
determined to destroy the salt works. Ac-
cordingly they crept up Cote Blanch and
the marshes TO within shelling distance,
and made the attack. 1t was unsuccessful.
Providence helped us. A norther rose.-
One of their vessels was left high and dry
in n few inches water. She aftei wards got
off and eacaped.
The little "Sallie," a neighborhcod gum
boat of the Cote BlonChe region was an eye
sore to the federals and they have made
several attempts to capture it, but so far in
vain.
With all this gallantry among our boys,
there is blot of inetiiciency if not treason
from all accoants over there. The A. Ii.
Seger, a little tender, was put under COM
mand of Capt. Kouns, who from all ac-
counts lost her in a way not at all credita-
BILE to himself She is now in the enemy s
hends.
Capt. II. Denison, well known in Calves
ton. is in command of one of the Federal
gunboats.
Altogether, the war in lower Louisiana,
has so far been briskly carried on, and the
progress of the invaders successfully check
ed. We trust these favorable reports will
continue They prove that gunboats need but
to be met with prudence and bravery, to be
foiled and driven back. Our own expert
ence at Corpus Cristi and Lavaca, had al
ready shown us this. Let them everywhere
find the same reception.