Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-03-23
from TN mississippi Squadron
MISSISSIPPI SQUADkON,
TALLABATcHL RIVER. Miss :
March ID l-63

EDITOR or STATE SENTINEL: As predicted in
my letter oi the 10th inst. the L. ; gunboat
ChillcOthe proceeded To reconnOltre Fort Green
wood ut the mouth OF the Taliahatche- River.
and distant from the Yazoo about three miles
Atier she had been under way about thirty min-
utes, and at quarter past ten A. NJ, the enemy
opened on her AZ SIX or ,evea hundred yards dis
taut, with five pieces 81 ariIilery. One OF the
Rebel guns was en- barbette. g., inch calibre,
throwing concal steel pointed rife shells aud
prolectiles .weighine 100 pounds The other four
guns threw shot and SHELL supposed To be from
twelve and thirty pOunler rifles he enemy.
dufin: the Reconnaissance of the Chilicothe. fired
at her thirty times, and struck her twice The
first shot hit her in the bow about eighteen inch
e. above the waters edge This shot did not
penetrate through the armor, but almost buriei
itself i'll the iron plating. Their second shot
struck me Chllicothe the stdrbOlrd side OF
the turret and about four feet from her forward
starboard port and about six feet above the deck
indentnS and iIightully trIcturing both plates,
(tlse and inner one three inches thick aud OF
wrought nom and smashing in tie framing and
btckug Oh the tower, abaft OF where the shot
struck
The Chicothe fired three five second shells.
but with what effect is rs vet unknown. the
smoke Ub~tfuctins the view.
The reconnaissance being completed, the Chill
Fort Greenwood She under fire - minutes,
with 10 casualties OF any consequence
Atten minutes past VI the Chillcothe,
unsupported in consequence oil the narrowness ct
the s, err cot under way to attack the fort and at
Al, ~'s-ls, k - OF oTeue uu her with all It's
guns L. seven minutes. she va> compelled u
b4cA up tie river, AMI oul q. range OF the Rebel
gus. IN c'l.-oqnense al one 81 her guns lshe
IA but two .aus) having been rendered Ter
lecll useless: number , havn- ieur men kIile,l
AMI zen badly w0'u e3, and the balance OF Us
conn cement. Eve nei. having tEelr eyes filled
Nisi powGef, and their clothes on fire. This
terrible dis ster occurred IN this way: one OF the
euen'y- lar. 81 shells penetrated the port slide
(of titrer Inches Sld wrought ir1f) and struck
the CHi.cnfe- port ggn. exploding aud i-ntine
the she'll a. Tie boats gun ! ne she Ms not
farther ia liie gun ,hlIr he mHzzc Ii c rviec
away the tive ioi Id l.srt -iiies, ~ 1910 pound:
weight. ara a portion Of tie n.neis otckiug
II tore nt he bolts OF iie .tmur. set some cot
ton d Is 1m FIRE which weie forward of the tur
re-. AID itied one Of the port plates a. l6f
pouDes eight, high mo The air, and o. erOOard
OF course
The dame ges of lie Chlicothe are about re
plirei, after about thirty hour hard and lnces
SAINT work, and She will be ready for action 10
morrow. when general engagement u expect ed
In the interval between the reconnaissance an
the engagement, the 10Th Indiana had skrmis
Will the Rehel, and whipped them The regi
meut lta two wounle,i
The officers and crew of the Chrllicothe be
havei very hands meiy. But tor the almost =
multaHeou- explosion of the enemy's 100 pouH
shell. tins affair would have ended the reiuc
ton o. Fort Green " c F