The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1863-05-06

Mr.. EDITOR that short
description of Dhe running of the block
AIDE here, BY Rear Admiral Porter. with
a part Of his feet, might be Of some in
terest TO your readers, / have taken my
seat to ipt down few items in relation
thereto.
1t took place on the night of the 10Th.
Seven gunbosts, one ram, and three
TRANSPORTS started from where our feet
ia anchored above Vieksburg, between
the hours of 10 and lie O'Clock at night.
Our regiment had received notice of The
enterprise. by Gen. Sherman, who had
sent an order to Col. Abbott to send him
a pilot to conduct his yawl through the
woods, which is so ovcrhown with The
back water tina. boats can pass through
it, as he desired to witness the enterprise
from this location, which is the best point
to see all the rebel batteries at one view.
At twilight Gen. Sherman, Gen. Ewing,
and other officers arrived At IL O'Clock
H. the batteries opened on the boats
Our regiment with the visitors repaired
to the banks on the river to witness The
exciting scene So incessant was the fire
from the batteries thatit seemed as though
the bluffs we're Ii, up with one continuous
sheet of FIRE. Soon after the batteries
opened tie enemy fred q building on The
point opposite Vicksburg, and about the
same time flames issued from the city,
and spread out and mounted up to the
sky, lighting up the river SO that objects
could be seen as plain as in daylight
Fine terrible rauuuuating by the batteries,
the return FIRE from the II inch Dahl
greens OF the iron clad gunboats, aud the
cleaning of the flames of these burning
houses 10 the sky. made the scene sub.
timely grand. This great light gave the
rebels clear view of the passing boats,
and made the ordeal through which they
were passing more terrible, We looked
on this exciting and terribly grand scene
in silence, with breathless anxiety for the
coming Of the feet. Minutes seemed tc
be hours Now comes an iron clad. Sht
nears US. Col. Abbott shouts. Boar AHoY
WHAT Boar Is THAT THE BEHroN
FLAG Boat OF ADMIRAL PoRrER.!-
Are you damaged, shouted Col. Abbott
ONE MAN KILLED AND Two SLIGHTLY
WOUNDED; NO OTHER pAMAoE.. Nov
the painful suspense and silence were bro
ken, and cheer after cheer made the vel
kin ring. Again as the next boat cam.
along, Col. Abbott hailed, and received
the answer, MOUND Cry. all right ex
cept three slightly wounded. The 80ti
sent up three tremendous cheers, which
was responded to on the boat. The re
sponses TO the hailings were, ALL RIGHT
from the gun coats Pi,tsburg, Highfyer
Carondelet, Lafayette and Louisiana
the ram Gen. Price and transport Silve
Wave, as they passed. Still there wer,
two transports behind. We were no
long held in suspense, for shortly Afte
the passage Of the Silver Wave the For
est Queen came floating down 10 Grip
pied condition. One wheel was sho
away and her boilers were injured b,
shots. FiveImen were scalded with th
escaping steam. All will recover. it i
thought. The river behind the Fores
Queen seemed to be in a blaze. In fev
minutes this Gre in the river was explaine,
by the upper works of the Henry Cha,
floating by nearly consumed. and still
burning. The hull had sunk. and tn,
upper works had floa,ed of. / preaum,
it was the Henry Clay burning in tn,
bend before Vicksburg. that was tskel
for burning buildings in the city. Th,
crew of the Clay left the burning boat OF
plank. bales of hay, or anything the,
could get hold of. We picked up tho pi
lot clinging 10 plank. He had been il
the water nearly an hour. The crew ,ser,
oil saved except the Captain and two o
three men, who have not been hea I'd o
since they left the sinking, burning wreck
The feet was one hour and twenty min
utes running the blockade.
The Forest Queen will be renairad !,
a few days The balance Of the Zee
passed down by Warrenton without land
ing ihe batteries at that place opene,
on H. and t be FIRE was returned BY gu
iron clads.
Now that we have these boat. hello,
Vicksburg, and McClernand'. division
'hefe, presume that our operation
VIII be to the right Of Vicksburg, perhap
up Black River, to DESTROY the ,.;lroa,
bridge.
The health of the 3otb and who,. =,
a. uPfo''ug The Copperheads ar
unanimously condemned in tho army w
are lot hght'ng 1t through, till the rebel
non 10 crushed and our glorious flag i
indicated.
he. l.