New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-06-08

attack upon the Rebel batteries q, the north of
vieksburg aud opposite Gen SieeleH ,olonn. Tie
Gunbost Cincinnati, under the ov,mand of Lent.
Bache, TO cooperate, anc altmpt to silence the
water batteries previous to the assault from the land
side. Accordingly .ttle after sa M. she COM
menced dropping down belsw Youns's Point. When
about two miles from Vicksburg the famous big
gun, "Whs.fog Dics,' in position just north OF the
town, otsned UPON her, AT first the aim WISE too high
ara L1e balls passed over without doing any damage,
bNt as the baat neared the batteries the range be-
cave more accurate, the sound Of the passing
bAlls growing sharper at every shot, plainly III
,dlca'ed.
Ia order 10 attack tie upper batteries il was neces-
sary 10 drop below them. ard round 10 with the
head up stream. This posltOu was a mcst nnfoItu'
maize one. az II eXNvsed the vessel TO raslng hre
from one battery IN iIont aud another from behind
Tie first sho. whicb struck her hit the iron ldlinS
and did 10 material damage. But The captain hhd
given orders to push up to within 800 yards aud by
the time sLe had reached that proximity the shot hit
her with fearful accuracy generally passing directly
Though Ter Portfolios. One battery which nled
from an elevation, ard at some distance, threw
pluugiug shot, winch went through her upper DECK
and did great Cam4ge. Lieut.. Sokalsti OF Gen.
S,eele's staff who lad been sent to point ont tue
POSITION 10 lie taken 10 making the assault, says that
when Lieut.. Baehe and two others besde himself
Were standing in the lllo-house, one OF these Pinng-
ing balls entered the por-hole Of the plo'-house,
parsed through the thigh Of the pilot, and then
shcered down through the floor on to tie gun deck,
II the same time breaking the wheel and wounding
another man throuy III the hand and arm with the
plinters. Lifting the hachway and rushing down
the gun deck, Lieut.. SoGalski found 1t hlled with
the maneled and dead. 1t was n slaughter pen.
Blood ~ fragments OF bodies sto. away were scat
tered over the floor.
| One man was shot by a cannon ball right through
the breast. Another WIS lying on the deck with a
limb torn off and hanging only by the skin. Ii WA
discovered that one ball had paused through the
/ boat below tse water lIue and that the boat was
sinking. Ii was evident shat 20 continue the tight
l1uger would be TO throw away the lives OF the
crew. and orders were gwen 10 start the river as
fasi az possible. Lieut.. Starr, who, l am told, was
second la command, wen, up to the pil0i-house and
directed movements h. beet be could, with broken
w eel and sinking craft. In the meantime abe
was rdGled by shot Iiter sho; aud was last SINKING
For mortal three quarters Of an hour she WA
toIliug crippled and unable TO continue the fight,
up the stream while toe enemy, seeing her con-
dition reloubed the fury Of the cannousding.
More than fifty shots struck her before sbe reached
tho shore. Bat Lieut.. Bsche refused 10 allow the
colors TO be lowered, and she sank like the Cum
berlaud, with the Stars and Stripes sill waving
A.ove thirty guns were PLAYING upon her during
this horrible iran saction Both Ler rudders we've
81 OF away; four men were killed outright, aud IA
large number either mortaily wounded or drowned
in attempting TO swim ashore. Tie Benton, Mound
CITY aId Caroudelet, during this engagement
attacked the lower batteries, but after the Cincn
natl lad been disabled, withdrew. The latter Is
now lying partially submerged near the shore and
oppotlte our lines. AKHOPHok.