Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1863-04-02

throwing glare of light the river and bringing
the entire fleet into fall view of the batteries during the
engagement. go
we nubish the bare facts as received without COM
mont and NAV be able TO give further pal ticuars
10 our morning edition.
FROM OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES ACCOUNT OF
THE ATTACK ON PORT HUDxoN.
correspondent of the Jackson Appeal, writing
from Port Hudson, under date of March 18th, gives
tie following interesting account of the Federal attack
on Pt Hudson, which resulted in the glorious triumph
of our arms
The long expected contest between the Yankee feet
took place bfOre daylight this morning, the first shot
being fred at ten minutes past twelve O'Clock, and the
last at twenty minutes past two. 1t was snort,
sharp and decisive.
Six vessels were to complete the expedition divided
into two divisions The vanguard was to consist OF the
flagship Hartford first class steam s0op OF war, car
Ty'ng twenty-six and inch Falzhan guns leading
flod.d by the Mouo2gaheia, second class steam
sloCp Ou0tipg sxtc7" jcAvy EuDs, and the Richmond
2 frs. class steam sOop o. war of tweGty-sx guns
principally and inch columbiads.
The rear guard composed OF the first class steam
el3ci, Mississippi, twenty-five guns, and uCh aDd
thc guUhOas kEEese 8rd GeEesee each carrying three
coumbads and two Tifled % Founders The Miss ssppi
a sidewbeel steamer All the others
propeilers. The vanguard was commanded By Admiral
FarEagut il person. Gu board the Hartford. The
guard uuder the command of Captain MeIsnctbon
Smith, flying bis peEnant from the Mississippi. They
to proceed up stream in single file, the Prov Of
one following close upon the stern OF another, ard keep
ing their fires and lights well concealed until they
sbozd be discovered b. batteries hen they we're
to get by TIE hest way tley could fighting their pas
cage and once above they beloved they would have the
rebel stronghold Oh both sides their guns covering
every part Of the epcampneDt.
Besides this, the Essex ard mortar boats anchored
at The point and supposed to have already acquired
our range, were exPec Cd to pay no mean part il the
6fair.
Shortly before midnight, the boats having formed
- l. -oIE.r
action, and the Of their quarters the Hartford led
TIE way and the others promptly followed her direction
At the moment Of their discovery rocket to be
sent up from the admlrrls flag ship, tae signal for
tie Essex and her accompanying mortar boats to COM
mance work.
So dark was the night &rd 60 slightly had the armed
craft nOsd their way up that the flag ship had passed
some of our guns and all the feet within easy
range before their approach was known. Almost at
the time rocket from our signal corps and the
discharge OF muskgts by infantry picket aroused
line. Q nick FASH while the falling fire OF
alarm rocket yet uuextugushcd there shot up into
the sky from tbs tartfJrds deck, another. Then
grand, long, dvaieuiDg that rent the arn0s
phere with its mighty thunder, shaking both land and
water and causing the high battery crowned cliffs to
trtBbe. Every gun the fleet and every mortar
the point joined in one Simultaneous discharge.
Relying greatly upon the suddenness ard vigOr of
their attack TO dscOUcert and confuse the defenders
of cliffs, the Of their first discharge had not
died ava, upon tae ear before 1t recommended, and
when the quick and irregular but uDceasing voeys and
brOadsdes showed that the OF each YaDkee gRps
veing with each other in celebrity he sheets of
fame that poured from the sides Of the soOFs at each
discharge lit up Eeary tie whole stretch OF river,
placing each craft in strong relief against the black
sky The noise was stunning to the ear bat they knew
not get the position of BATTERIES and the shot and
shell, free at random, had material effect.
Now commenced the battle n al is terrible earnest
ness. OutnUmbtTed in and Oatweighed in metal,
volIeys quickly repeated and the sjority
~ r~ITCri IN rain As 10 INV
thus discovered eur batteries they opened them With
grape aud canister which more accurately thrown
than their Shells and threw clouds of dirt upon the guns
and gunuers the she'll went over them In every con-
ceivable d rectop, except the right The Hart
ford, very fast ship, now made straight for up the
river, making her best time, and trying TO divert the
aim of gunners, by her incessant and deafening
broadsdes She son outstTipped the balance OF the
feet Shot after slot struck Ter Kidding her through
and through, but still she kept on her way.
Every craft looking cut Tor ITSELF and bOurd to
make s very best time to get by, the Feet lost its Or
dery line OF battle, and got mixed up it was diff
cult and SOMETIMES impossible, to distinguish one from
another. 1t speedily apparent 10 the enemy that
the fire great deal hotter snd more destructive
than had been expected, sid all the ships except the
Hartford, undertook to rut about ard return the way
they
For this purpose the Richmond shcered close in TO
the left bank under the batteries and then circled
round Der course, reaching nearly up to the opposite
point. la executing this maIRlvre sire gave our bat
teEleS Srcc SSVey Fakng position, ana tnty TOOK eX
ceent advantage OF 1t ripping her from stern TO stern.
From the crashing of timbeTs plainly heard during
every bei interval of the din, and from the vieg had
Of shots that struck her, it plain that her doom
sealed.
II was reported among crowd Of observers the
huff that voice from her deck had called cut, " We
surrender we surreDder.' If this was s4d it not
probably spoken by her commander, who however, ap
pealed batteries TO firing upon her, the
ship was sinking As she evidently drifting down
in manageable condition, and apparently settling,
the batteries let her alone and turned their atten ton
to the other craft. Whether not she sank do not
yet know.
The Mississippi uadert~ok to execctc the same ma
of turning round and making her escape baeN to
point she started from. She had rounded and just
turned down stream when OF our shots tore off her
rudder and another went crashing through her machin
cry. Immediately after cane the rushing sound of
steam escaping Tem some broken pipe and the now an
managerial vessel Crfed aground directly opposite our
crescent line OF batteries Her range quickly gain
ed aud size being rapidly torn to pieces By cur mis-
SIZES when the commander gave The order for ell hands
to save themselves the best way they could. At the
same time ere broke out in two places. At this tne
her decks were srewn with dead and wounded accord
In 20 one of hr crew, with whom have coRversed,
who thought that half her complement OF men were
included 10 the list Of casualties.
The three larger vessels had occupied nest Of the at
ention Of the BATTERIES hut The OTHER craft had rot by
any meaBs bccu overlooked. Two hal turLed round
aud star ad down stream. One OF tbsn apparently
capped without serious disability, hut the ether, which
was probably the kinGes foated down past the batter
les in an unmanageabe condition, receiving voleys
without beng able TO return them and from the con-
fusion ofvoces aud the miogDg of oaths, excavations
and orders heard IRON her decks, it evident that
great slaughter must have bess made among her crew,
else that tie boat itself in critical pre- licament.
vessel, which was either the Tennessee or MOuonga-