The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1862-02-12
CAPTURE Of Fort Henry.


The expedition which left Cairo on the
I'd to attack Fl. Henry,-a rebel fortifica-
ton on the Tennessee river, on the line
dividing Kentucky and Tcnncsscc-arrived
in due time at its destination and on the
9th the gunboats made a simultaneous at
tack with shot and shell, which was warm
ly responded to by the Fort. This cannon
aiding was kept up for an hour and twenty
minutes with great spirit on both sides,
when Gen. Tilghman surrendered to flag
officer Foote, and the stars and stripes were
run up the flag staff.
Two rebel regiments near the fort took
to their heels in the early part of the en-
gagement. ...
The land forces und.r Gen. Grant did
not arrive at the fort until two hours after
the surrender, when our cavalry were dis.
patched to cut off the retreat of the rebel
infantry, as RI
Our prisoners arc Brigadicr Gen. Floyd
Tlghman; Capt. II. L. Jones, Of Kentuc-
ky, Acting Quartcrmaster; Captain J. II.
Hayden, Chief Of Engineers; Capt. John
Mclaughlin, Quartermastcr; Major L. w.
McComico, Assistant Adjutant General !;
Captain Jesse Taylor, commanding garri-
son Lieuts. j. Ormslcy, Watts. and Fred.
J. Weller; Captain G. r. G. Jones, and
sixty privates.
Our loss was thirty killed and woxnded;
rebel loss unascertaincd.
Six hundred shots were fired during the
engagement, and the scene inside the rebel
Entertainments was terrible all the works
being torn to pieces.
A special dispatch to the Chicago Times
gives the following graphic account of the
engagement:
The boats advanced in line, the Cincin.
natl keeping about two hundred feet in ad-
vance Com. Footc claimed the post of
honor. The first gun-was signal to the
others to commence action,-was fred at
about half past twelve o'clock p. NJ. from
the Cincinnati, when she reached the head
Of the island. She was ut that time less
than quarter OF mile from the rebel in.
treDch,nsnts. The ST. Louis, Carondelct,
and the Essex obcyed the signal, with
cheers from their crews, and in three min
utcs the boats were cnveloped in smoke
The rebels, as soon as the first gun was
fired from the flag steamer, opened tre-
mcndous fire on the boats. But they had
great difficulty, owing to their advancing
momement, of getting or retaining the
range, while no such trouble affected our
gunners. The boats continued to advance,
firing rapidly, until within about three
hundred yards Of the fort, when the ST.
Louis, the Carondelct, and the Cincinnati
came to anchor, and poured round after
round Of shell and round shot into the re.
bel fertilization. At this time, and for q
quarter Of an hour afterwards. from five to
eight shells must have exploded in the rebel
fort every minute. The firing was bccom.
ing hotter and hotter. and the other be ats
were preparing to come into action, when
the rebels struck their colors, and the firing
ceased. . rs.
This occurred at 1:30-the battle having
lasted one hour and quarter. -r
The Essex suffered the most of any of
the boats engaged. After the action was
about two thirds over, round shot passed
through her heavy bulvark into her boiler,
killing. on its way, Capt. Porter's clerk,
S. p. Britton, who was conversing with
Capt. p. at the time. His head was taken
off by the shot. The steam escaping from
the fractured boiler killed Ford and Nc.
Bride, the pilots OF the Essex, and
scalded to death several Of the crew. Ma
ny of the sailers and some Of the soldiers