Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1863-04-30
Affairs at Viclt sb,lrE.
THE PREPARATION.

For several weeks past about fifty
teamsters with their horses and wagons
have been constantly employed in haul
ing cotton from the interior to Young's
Point, La. This was for the purpose Of
preparing the transports Henry Clay,
Forest Queen and .SiLver IVave for the run
ming by the batteries. Bales of cotton
were placed on the harricane deck, and in
fact, wherever they could BE- put to afford
protection from shot and shell. The gun
boats Benton, Lafayette Barren DeKalb,
Pittsburg, Generae Price Carondolet and
Tuscumbia were similarly arranged with
bondles of hay and straw. A number
Of coal barges were also laden with cot
ton and hay, and fastened to the sides of
the boats which were likely to be exposed
to furious fire. In the meantime some
twenty thousand troops marched across
the country and occupied the town Of
New Carthage, twenty-five miles below
Vicksburg, on the Louisiana side of the
Mississippi river.
RUNNING THE BATTERIES.
All being in readiness, on the night of the
10th inst, the transports with commissa
ry stores, and the gunboats with death
dealing missiles, left y Ioung's Point about
IL o'clock and proceeded cautiously down
the river. All lights were hid, noises
were SIN othered, an no one scarce dared
to breathe. So silently did they move
that the rebel gunners stationed at the up.
per works failed to discover them, and
the fleet passed by those dreadful guns in
safety. All promised well, but just as
they were about turning the point they
were seen by the enemy, and then began
one Of the most fierce cannonading of the
war. Every available piece of ordinance
was brought to bear on the boats, and
plunging balls and riled shot fell in
thick confusion among the vessels. Sud
denly numerous boniires were kindled
along the Vicksburg shore, which quick
ly blazed and burned with fury illumina
ting the whole country around for miles.
The gunboats opened upon the enc
my's works and tremendous cannona,
ding ensucd. Shells bursting in the air
and on the water; balls of all kinds rain
ing on boats and batteries; shouts of ar
tillerymen and the roar of guns; the lurid
light of the boniires and the earnest strug
giles of tho frail transports to escape des =
truction, all combined to render the scene
magnificent beyond description.
On they went but not without loss
The Henry Clay was struck by shell
took fire. and burned to the waters edge;
the Forest Queen, during the confusion,
was run into by gunboat, and slightly
disabled; the Benton, which took the lead
in the expedition, received one shot that
killed one man and wounded two. The
others passed the gauntler safely, having
been subjected to the fire for one hour and
a quarter Had the rebels discovered the
fleet sooner, the loss would undoubtedly
have been much greater. This brilliant
movement, it is thought, will enable the
troops at New Carthage to cross the rv.
er and approach Vicksburg in the rear
where the weakness of the place is most
apparent. Red River will probably be
blockadeJ, but as the rebels have seven
rams and gunboats up there they may a.
tempt to raise it and defeat our iron -clads
1t is a great satisfaction to be relieved o
the suspense which all have been in con
cerning theo pening of the Mississippi riv
er, and to know that movements hav,
actually comm enced for the accomplish
ment of that object. Further exciting
intelligence may be looked for soon.