The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1863-05-01

song and laughter on our side were hushed.
a. a shapeless mass of what looked like a grea;
fragment of darkness was discernei float NJ
noiselessly down the river. 1t was the Ben
ton-it passed and disappeared in the night,
and was succeeded by another bank Of dark
ness-the Lafayette, with the Price dashed to
her starboard side. And thus they continued
across the narrow vista which opened itself to
our eyes. as II huge shadows detached them
selves from the darkness above, fioated across
our vision. and disappeared in the darkness
below. Ten of these noiseles' shapes reveal
ed themselves and disappeared, and then We
knew that all the actors in the play had given
us the first scene of the first act.
so long time passed without anything
occurring, that people began to believe that
the rebels had determined. Tor some malevc-
lent purpose, to allow the fleet TO pass below
without obstruction some men offered bets
to back such opinions However. this SUP
position was hardly preached ere il WIS
contradcted most emphatically. A. just
quarter before eleven, Two bright, sharp lines
of fame flashed through the darkness, at the
extreme right of the Nicksburg batteries: and,
i'll al instant, the whole length of the bluffs
was ablaze with fire. The fleet, which had
rounded the Point, and now lay squariy be
fore the city, at once responded by opening
ports and pouring thsir full broadside OF
twenty-five heavy guns charged with grape
and shrapnel, directly against the CITY. This
introduced the second scene, and a most ex-
citing one was 1.-THE stars were yelled with
crimson, the earth rocked with heavy thunder.
A great cloud of smoke rolled heavily over
the gunboats. and in this the three transports
entered and made their best time down the
river.
The Forest Queen. which was in the ad-
vance, received shot in the hill. and anoth-
er ;hro ish the steam drum, which disabled
her instantly. The Henry Clay, that came
next, stopped, to prevent her running into
the other, aud at the same moment was
struck by shell that set her cotton on fire.
The crew, demoralized by the stoppage and
terrified by The fire, ran aimies>ly around for
a few moments. then launched the yawl,
sprang into 1t, and pulled for the shore.
The pilot finding that no engineers obeyed
the bells. Staid 4 short time til the fire be-
gan t. seethe around him, when he seze,l "a
by gunbodt. The Clay in the meantime
a great biaz.hs mass, that fioated the river
until it disappeared below Warrenton. Had
she Deen manned by men of nerve. the fire
would have heen extingnished and the boat
carried through safely: the face OF her float
Ing SO far shows that her hsii was uniajured
The Forest Qleen was taken ia tow bv
gunLoat and lowed heiow without further
damage. The Silver Wave did not receive a
scratch. The Nica>burg batteries were pass
ed in about an hour and "a quarter. Upon
re aching WarIenton cur gunb,ats took the
initiative by pouring in their bcoad>ides tie
instant they reached position: and 80 coutiu-
uopS and terrific was their fire that tn enc
my scarce! y ever attempted a response L.
fine the fleet ran the blockade losing only the
transport Henry Clay. and one man killed,
ard two others wounded on tire Benton
This is all our loss, which, considering the
tremendous magnitude of the dangers
through which the feet passed, is next to
none al all