Washington telegraph., 1862-02-19


10 front ard the Tyler, Conestoga, anc
Lexins ston bringing up the rear. During
the engagement q bali passed through the
boilers of the Essex, escaping the steam
scaldiog severely Capt. Porter, killing
niue neu (iucluding two Pilots) ana
wounding seventeen. The captain ala
$. Z. Brllton had his head shot oil. Many
sailors Jumped over board and were drown
ed, and other dispatches say that thirty
Two were scalded 10 death, aud many &c
yerely injured. The boat was withln
about 100 yards Of the fort. sibe became
disabled aud drift ed down. The engage
ment was wArm but the defence of the tori
evidently impossible. The retreat across 70
tvru Doneisou was conducted In a LA istariy
manner, BY Col Heiunan, whose judgment
enabled him 10 avoid interruption by the
enemy. They took with them only their
arms. Gen Iilghnaa with fifiy-four meu
reniaiued 10 cover the Retreat and surren-
Iered. When last heard from they were
IN close confinement at l'aducah. Five
of our men were killed and ten wounded
IN the fort. Federal loss loo killed aud
wounded. Two of the guns we're disabled
and one thlrty-two FOUNDER rifle piece
burst. The Federal fleet was under cJm
.uaud of Com. Foote. Tue surrender wds
made to him by Gen. Tllghmaa at forty
nIuutes past one.
The river was very high, aud in danger
vf inuudatlng the fort. IL gave the gum
Doats ali Immense advantage 10 position
aud eevat on a Memphis dispatch OF
the 18th 10 the n d Crescent states that
the fort nad become submerged by the
riycr and aband9ned by the Federals--
that there Was large torce Of Confederate
cavalry between tnen aud Paris. 4 he
Union men Of Weakly county were cheer
lug for Liucoll. aud the citizens Of Paris
preparing to leave.
After the capture of The Fort the g1n
boats proceeded up the river to the bridge
Of tie Memphis aud Oniu road, which
they seized, aud al last accounts 1t was
>tiIl held 10y Federal 80 diers. II is sup>
pUsed they witt destr"y it, only when cvin-
PEELED to ablbdun lt.
The gunboats then proceeded up the
river, chasing several of our small steam
ers ahead OF them to Florence. Ala where
they we're stopped BY the Railroad bridge,
which The high water rendered it i'npos-
sble to pass. Four Of them were burni
BY the citizens, and two are sail to have
escaped by runIlng out Of sght int
creeks The Felrrals reached Florence
about 4 clock Of the 9th. They also
went within mile of Tu-cuinb.a. Mex
morning they left ani returned u IN"
bridge near FJrt Henry. having committed
no vutra.es. We learn that they were
even civil 1: the ciIiz.ns, aud Informei
chem that there was uu necessity~ Tor then
ianilies bcing removed. We are sorry {,
nave Commodore Fcote our enemy. III,
must uuduub, edly be gentleman.
Ano;her despatch from Nashville of til,
10Th rcppr,s that the sunboIts dill destroy
six spans of the bridge at florence, bui
se do not think il reliable.
Alter Hrinan's retreat to Fort DOnel-
sun it was largely reinforced frJn other
quarters, all btIng umi-r the c,:nmand Ui
Gen. Pillow All-desprtche- give a. as
surance that tie Fort i, perfectly safe and
cannot ~ taken. fne people q Cllrks-
VILE have entire c1nii!cnce- lt has d
much stronger calI;y than Err; III .nry,
aud seems 70 have ca well fortified.
a courier arrived at Memphis from
PlducaA o. tie i2lh with the news thIt
fourteen gnubJats had up tie Cum
berland tosards Fort D,ne sJl with the
usual silly remark that Z" heavy firm. haf
been heard ia that direction" A Mem
phis despatch To the Crescent, of sam.
dale reported that the Federal forces were
" "pcnncd il" near Fort Donel,on BY Gen
i'Iiluw. The Appel vi the saHe date
reported that the Federal iufantry and
cavalry were within four miles OF Fora
Duuelson the day before and several gun
bats ID sight upon tie Hver.
Our next news i cheering. II came
b., "tule.raphic bulletin" from Little
Rock Sunday nI-ht. a battle had taken
place at the Fort last TnursIay- Ii wa,
attacked simultaneously By tine feet VI
sunbUats from the river aud BY the Fede
raj laud frees. The reports say. attacked
on all sides. The battle ragged ierceIy al
day aod we repuised them trium phautl,
IN every quarter. ln the evening they
Withdrew from the contest, but had no
left the place. Ii is considered a grea
victory, and if true illustrates the wisdom
of retreatiug from the worthless position
at Fort Henry. We aw.it anxiously fur
ther news of the fate of the fort, but will
renewed confidence.
In order TO give any connected idea o.
operations upou the North Carolina coast
out of the contradictory. vague, and imper
iect scraps the telegraph j. sending, ono
must be pious,ur fail into profanity Some
thing must be going on there, important;
but ''who's who. ard whats what" /,
not clearly dlscernible With what grac,
we can muster, w1-atempt the task
Our readers viii remenbsr that in ou
last summary, We. noticed the report thai
a fleet Of from % to 100 (very defnitei
had left Hatieras on the 9th Ia the direc
Ilon ot Roanoke Island
The uext news We hear is from a Rich
moud telegraph OF the 9th Qast Sunda,
week saying that vessel had come il
that nigit. with the news that the Fede
rails had taken Roanoake Island the da-
before Saturday at 4 o'clock-that thei
force amounted to 1000 against 1900
That all our trvops except % naval ofi