The Portland daily press., 1863-04-14
Tuesday Morning. April II, 1863.
The Rebel Movement Against Washington
81 .G.


correspondence OF ne Aec lork Times:
oN DoAhD y. .. ofEAMEk, oeiow wash
Ineoon, Norun Cafonna, aprii z, 1900 On
Mohaay, tue oVln OF Marcn, strong iorce oi
reoeis, uhder 1ehs mn ana fettiSrew,
Inarched suddenly on washington, n: =.
/. ihere are, as nearly as can De ascertained,
ABOUT .h 'nousahu ol tnem around the north
sue Oh the Town, ana seven regiments on the
panks OF tne faniico river. AT tneir nrst ap-
Pearance' skirmisners had oeen sent out oy our
.orces, anu were uriVeh pack WIN consldera-
o.e ioss. Two companies OF tne rorty-iourth
massachusetts marciled rlgbt INTO an anbus-
caae, knowing nothing OF u until short turn
10 tne road orougnt them under whitening
nre OF nusketry, from an overwhelming force
AZ snort range. some oil the FIRST regiment oil
ioyai NORM Caroifna troops under Capt. Lyon
were padiy cut up little further down the
river, anu oaneiy escaped win their Doats.
ihree OF uieir humber were Killed and six
OF eight wounded. Among TIE latter was
capt. Lyon. AS soon as she could ascertain
tne Whereabouts OF the enemy. the gunboat
commodore Hun opened on them with shell,
anu urose tnein on ior ihe time Deing; Dut dtl-
ring the night the rebels entrenched them
serves US iohows. those on tne north oil the
Town LOOK positioh on Red Hill, an elevation
about Two and haif miles rom town, which
commands the national iortifcations. The
rebels on the south side OF the town occupied
AAhi ohts aoout sta haiics ocsoh, oh WHICH
was deserted earthwork, ana placed eight
field pieces IN position TO command the barri-
cades in the stream and the channel, which
winds quite close IN shore at this point. They
= were tnus enabled 10 deliver plunging IRE
on any vessel attempting to pass. They also
LOOK up the buoys at the passage in the "bar-
ricades, making IT impossible for large ves-
sells TO run by them without being snagged.
Further up the river, Rodman's Point was
second battery was placed, thus entirely
commanding the channel which, from that
place 70 the town, Is very narrow and crooked
On Tuesday the Commodore Hulis upper
works were badly shattered by the rapid fir
ing OF these two batteries as she lay aground.
She used up all her ammunition and had to
receive the nre OF the rebels without replying,
yet she still kept her flag up. Badly as the
vessel Is damaged, but three OF her men were
wounded, and they slighiiy.
1 am informed Dy one OF her officers that
she was struck by thirty shots, and not seven
", as some have reported II.
During the day a lighter with dispatches
from the beieaguered garrison managed TO run
The batteries by keeping shoai-water at some
distance from the fortiilcations. She was able
70 ger through with only one shot which struck
her midship. The dispatches brought by her
We're promptly replied to, and gnnboats were
lorthwlfh dispatched. The transports Gems.
Prince and spinola also started forthwith with
reiniorcements, but unfortunately they were
not able to pass the rebel earthworks, and are
awaiting more help in order TO reduce the
batteries commanding the river.
on wednesday firing was continued with
out much effect on either side.
To-day, small lighter was run out of
the town with dispatches, and on herreturnng
she carried fresh supply of ammunition. Mr..
v. Gilbert, who performed this daring feat, 1t
Is said, set fire TO the railroad bridge at New
bern before the battle there, in order to enable
Ten. Burnside TO bag the whole body of reb-