Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1863-05-26
The Battle was stln prOgresslng
Grants Position on Wednesday.
The Case of General Butler.
Command yet Given Him.
FOREIGN NEWS TO THE 18TH.
Hot Work with The Alabama.
FROM THE LOWER MIssIssIPPI.

FROM THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI.
WASHINGTON, May %.
The following was received in Washing
ton this morning;
CAIRO, May 25.
To Hon. Gideon Welles, Secretary Navy
The following dispatch has just been re-
ceived, signed, A. NJ. Pennook, Fleet-Cap-
tain Mississippi Squadron:
FLAG SHIP BLACK HAWK, HAINEs'
YAzOo RIVER, May 20.
To Hon. Gideon Welles, Secretary Navy:
On the morning Of the 18th I came over
10 the YazOO to be ready to cooperate with
General Grant. Leaving two Of the iron
clsds at Red River, one at Grand Gulf, one
at Carthage, three at Warrenton and two
in the Yazoo, left me a small force, still l
disposed of them to the best advantage.
On the 18th at noon firing was heard in
the rear Of Vicksburg which assured me that
the forces under Grant we're approaching
the city. The cannOnading was kept up
f~uriously for some time when by the aid
of glasses I discovered a company Of our
artillery advancing, taking position and
driving the rebels before them. Iimme-
diatsly saw that General Sherman's divi-
sion had gone to the left Of Snyder's Bluff
huA Tia AuG IGDtb az AuhA pAaoO nAA b1NA
cut off from joining the forces IN the city.
1 dispatched the DeKalb, Lieutensnt-Com
mander Walker, ChoctaW, Lieutenant
Commander Ramsay, Romeo, Petrol and
Forest Rose, all under command Of Lieu
tenant Breese, up the YaZoo to open com
munieation in that way with Generals
Grant and Sherman. This L succeeded in
doing, and in three hours received letters
from Generals Grant, Sherman and Steel,
informing me of his victories and asking
me to send up provisions, which was at.
once done. In the meantime Lieutenant
Commander Walker, in the DeKalb, pushed
on to Haines' Bluff which the enemy had
commenced ~evseuating the day before, and
a party remained behind in the hopes Of
destroying or taking away a large amount
| of ammunition on hand When they saw
the gunboats they cam out and left every
thing in good order-guns, fort, tents and
equipage Of all kinds-Which fell int our
hands. As soon as the capture Of Hsines
Bluff and fourteen guns was reported to
me, I showed up the gunboats from below
Vicksburg to fire at the hill batteries,
which fire was kept up for two or three
hours. At midnight they moved up to the
town and opened on it for about an hour
and continued at intervals during the
night to annoy the garrison. On the 18th
/ placed six mortsrs in position, with or
ders to FIRE night and day as rapidly as
they could.
The works at HainesL-Bluffs are very
formidable. There are fourteen Of the
heaviest kind of mounted eight and ten
inch and seven and oneHhalf inch ri1ed
cannon, with ammunition enough to last q
long siege.
As the gun carriages might again fall
into the hands Of the enemy l had them
burnt, blown up the magazine, and de-
stroyed the encampnents which were per-
manentIy and remarkably well construct
ed, looking as if the rebels intended to
say for some time.
The works and encampments covered
nearly an acre of ground, and the FORTH
cations and rife pits proper Of Haines'
Bluffs extended about a mile and a quarter.
Such q net work of defences l never saw.
The rebels were a year in constructing
them, and all were rendered useless in an
hour. As soon as I got through with the
destruction Of the magazines and other
works, 1 started the Lieutenant Command
er, Walker, up the Yazoo river with a suf-
fcient force to destroy all Of the enemy's
property in that direction, with orders to
return with all dispatch, and only proceed
as far as Yazoo City where the rebels have
q navy yard and store houses.
In the meantime General Grant has
closely invested Vicksburg, and has pos
session Of the best commanding points. In
a short time a general assault will be made,
when I hope TO announce that Vicksburg
has fallen, after q series of the most bril-
liant successes that ever attended an army.
There has never been a case during the war
where the rebels have been so successfully
besten at all points, and the patience and
endurance shown by our army and navy
for so many monthsi is about being reward
ed. It is a question of a few hours and
then with the exception of Port Hudson,
which will follow Vieksburg, the Missis-
sippi will be open its entire length.
Signed, D. D. PORTER,
A. R. A. CONG. Miss. squad'n.