, 1863-03-24

Enlargement of tho ChflIicothe and
Dc knlb-Account by an Eye Wit
nNtHs

| Correspondence ot the ChlcaSo 1flbHnc.J
HELENA, Ark, March 70, 1868.
| ! have Just returned from trip to new
part of Dixie, which is becoming historic /
ground, and hasten give you brief account |
o1 my trip.
+ left this land Of mud Saturday, March-
on board the Wcnona, bound with supplies |
Of hard bread and pork for the body, and let.
ters for the mind of our boys on the Coldwa-
ter and Talla11atchie rivers. Ali went very
we'll for time; utter passing Moon Lake NC
met the Ray nond, and transferred ourselves
to her. The following night while anchored
to tree on shore, 4 tree floating down stream
knocked hole in our doughty craft and soon
dire confusion ruled the hour, for, to be lost
on the st raging can:t' seemed to be our des-
fined end but it WAS 10 be otherwise; by dint
Of perseverance, the boat was saved from
vatrry grave, and re went ou: way rejoicing
| thai soon We should leave tue rotten craft and
take the ninlblc cart.
While 6tea1ning down the Coldwatcr VIC
passcd large quantities uf cotton and mauy
fragments Of a steamboat. About 200 miles
, from here and about ten miles above the
i mouth Of The Tai!ahatchie, wefound our boys,
. Gen. Ross division, attended BY gunboats
l | and transports, ut 4 place called Greenwood
able ground. We here learned the causc Of
l |. there being so nuch cotton atoat.
A large Cotton boa: had been sent up the
river by the rebels and had gathered large
load Of the Southern sovereign, but while she
. | was stopping to "wood up' one Of OUT gun
not e4carc ahc was set on ire, and her rich
cargo, estimated to be upwards of three thou
> sand balce, was abandoned to the flames.
, About .lfee miles below our troops, tue
rebels had built fort and placed raft In the
: riycr The fort is In a very strong position in
/ the neck Of bend made By the Tal1allatchic
r ma @ Yazoo RIVER. Tie lori Is unapproacll:blc
# by the troops on nccount Of the Overflow Of
s tile rivers, and the contest thus FIR has been
dutl Of cannon
J On the 18th the C1.ilGcothe was order I'd to
IS engage the rebels, and her appearance was the
=, signal for brisk fire from them, but without
e. steamed steadily to her position, within eight
u. hundred yards, when, throwing open the bow
royts of her turrcts. she launched forth two
N tremendous shots, which for ! moment stag
ge1cd the butternuts. One Of the eleven-lnch
;. Shells passed completely over the neck. and
IN struck a rebel transport, lylns in the Yazoa
1e below the fort. This seemed to be sigma
for The whole rebel fleet to depart, for inlme
b. di.t,lv they were under Yav.
y, NE hiring nov pecHtnT c9h.nao1s ~, ~ wv, ~
III Eve lss 1orSs and ID nxniodinr' Thc Chi}ncoth
es ras .trnck in ai1 apcrtufc in tho port-door
w. thro,,rh which the fupncrs worked their ram
.ncrs hv cnncai fercussion shot. The she]
ye MT nn1y ernlodea hut caused the expIosio
N. OF a she'll our men had just placed In tic mu
-. | zle Of the gun THIS compound explos{o
asst carried overheard one Of tic iron port door:
mt weiehng oycrl. COO pounds, and Killed four IN
-. wnnndei eleven Of the crew, and few mir
nu utter afterwards orders we're received for Ii
The rnnboat to withdraw from the fire. Notwitf
nt- Standing the working force Of the run Gre
was much reduced, the men composing