The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1863-02-11
@ate5t Wsws.


Vicksburg, Our troops are MT paid of,
and . dispatch to the Chicago papers say
they are dying At the rate Of one hundred
per day Of dysentery.
Rebel accounts of the breaking Of thu
blockade at Charleston are entirely dis
proved. Only two vessels out of eight OF
ten were disabled or obliged to leave. The
blockade was not raised. We give here
with the Geographic account Of the matter,
promising that the details Of the matter
were brought by the Princess Royal, a
blockade runner, which was the bone Of
contention between tho two parties: AT
daylight q LAUNDERING Of guns was heard,
accompanied by sharp flashes of fire. II
was supposed thai our fleet was engaged in
making an attack, or that the Alabama or
Florida were endeavoring to force an en-
trance. At dayhreak two rebel iron c!ads
we're seen coming down from the direction
of Stone Inlet, towards our fleet. They
attacked the Mecedita first. One ram
struck her near the waters edge, keeling
her over, at the same time firing shot
which entered one o: her boilers causing
the death Of three persons, including u
gunner, by the shot an! steam. The rain
then hailed, the Merciita. Capt. Stcll
wagon, lowered one Of his small boats, af
ter leaving one Of the plugs out, allowing
the WAFER to enter it. The ram answer. d
our hail with "Confedcrate ram Palmetto
State. Do you surrcnder!" This was
repeated three times, Capt. Stellwagen re-
plying at each inquiry, II am in sinking
condition" The rebels answered, God
damn you to hell. il you don't surrender
we will blow you out Of the water. Send
u hr boat aboard" The boat which Capt
StellWagrn had lowered then conveyed hi,
executive offer to the rebel ram, and tn
officer asked to be admitted on board. This
was refused The Lieutenant then repeat.
ed Capt. Stcllwagcn's statement that ".
were in sinking condition, The rebels
replied, lyon can't sink lower than thu
rails. We cannot take you on board
The officer then gave his parole, as demand
ed, and returned to his ship. The reb,l-
were thus successfully deceived as to tn
condition Of the Mercedi,a, thinking sh
was in sinking coalition. She laid in
shoal water, and hence the reply that he
could not sink below her rails. The ram
steerrd towards the Keystone State and
sent shot through her steam drum, caus.
ing the death Of twenty one PERSONS
twelve b, the shot and nine by scalding 10y
steam. Fifteen mere were wounded, ant!
arc lying Al Port Royal. some in prcca,l
Gus condition. In the mean line, the gun
DO at Housatonic engaged the other ram
driving her away. At halEpast six in tn
morning, both rams left the scene aud pass
ed up to Charleston.
lsoescrans has been reinforced, since tn,
battle uf Murfreesboro with twenty regi
ments Of infantry, four Of cavalry, and six
batteries.
The steamer Ruth, Capt. Pegram, on
her last trip down to Memphis, took down
1900 tons freight, 800 head cattle, one re-
g,ment Of troops, 400 passengers, and
$l5,OOO,OOO. l, was the most valuable
cargo ever afoat on the Mississippi river.
No events of signal Importance are ex
pectcd at vicksburg for thirty days. In
the meantime, the army is dwindIng away
At fearful rate by disease.
The rebel force, with the exception Of
Is 900 men, to guard the passages Of the
Rsppahannock, has been withdrawn, and
mainly sent to Vicksburg. Railroad and
telegraph communication is said, however,
to 10 SO complete that the entire rebel army
can he concentrated at Richmond or Vicks-
burg in y hours.
The Princess Royal, recently captured
of Charleston had on board, besides
large amount Of arms and ammunition, the
complete machinery for the construction OF
an iron.c clad ram. -.... ...-. -.s
Rebel papers state that the British frig-
ate Csdmus, brings intelligence that for
sadable naval and land expedition is about
to attack Charleston. The same journals
Atate that the federal ram Queen Of the
West who passed Vicksburg Monday
morning, arrived and landed Al V1Ialia, op.
.posite .Natchez the same evening. She
then steamed down the river .oing material
damage. ~.t.,,..a-- ........ ..
An order has been issued dissolving the
seserve gard division. and returning Gen.
Siegel I" the command Of the 18th corps.
Dispatches of Monday p. III. state that
ths rebels at Charleston are intending
another attack upon our feet, as soon As
che iron. clads shall rc,nnve t. Port Royal.
Rebel prisoners captured from the Hnn:-
ress, report tina, the rebel ram Chicopee is
. fine vessel Of = thousand tons bnrthen,
six feet above water, and armed with the
b. II English rife,i cannon.