Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1863-05-01

PREsENTATIoS.-At a meeting OF Boxer
Engine Co, Friday eve, present was made
to Chief Engineer Nelson, of handsome
silver plated trumpet. Mr. C. lIildreth,
Foreman Of the company made the prcscnta-
tion speech. to which Mr. Nelson, though
taken utterly by surprise, replied.
The trumpet which is handsomely chased
bears the inscription, " To our Chief Eusi-
necr. From Boxer Engine Co. No. g." II
was manufactured by the Mcridcn britannia
Company.
PEosrEnlrY or NV ENcAxp.-Thc Ea--
ton Journal says
"Om New England exchanges, from almost
every quarter. speak Of the unusually great
number Of buildings to be erected this summer,
rs compared with other seasons.
Who would suppose in visiting New Ens-
land, that We were conducting 80 great a
war a. that which now engage, without
cxhaustiug, the energies Of the Nation
RuSNrSG ruu BArTrRIEs AT VIcE-BUTG.-
Generals Grant and McClernand, with a large
number Of military officials and ladies. came
down from Nillikcn Bend 20 Gee the e1pelinon
Of
Lights twinklei busily from the Nicsshur,
h1lsides until about 10 O'Clock. when they d's-
appeared. and about the same moment song ami
laughter on our side were hushel, as a sharele-,
mass Of what lookel like great fragment o..
darkness was discernet floating noiseless down
the river. Il was the Benton, It passed. AMI lis
appeared in the night. and was succeeded by an
other bank Of darkness, the lafayette, with the
Price lashel 10 her starbOard side. And thus
they continued, as if huge shadows detached
themselves from the darkness above. toatei
across the vision, and disappeared in the dark
ness below. Ten Of these noiseless shap@ re-
vealed themselves and disappeared
Three quarters Of an hour passed; people heart
nothing, save their own suppressed breathing
.sw nothing. save a long low bank Of darkne--.
which. like a black fog, walled the view below,
and Joined the sky and river in the direction OF
Vicksburc. And all watched this gathering Of
darkness, for in it were thunders and lightning,
and volcanoes, which at any instant might hght
up tho night with fierce eruptions-
So long a time passed. without anything o.
curing that people began 10 believe the rebels
had determined, for some malevolent purpose, 20
allow the feet 10 pass below without obstruction.
However. this supposition was hardly broach@i
ere II was contradicted most omphatically. IL
lust = quarter before eleven, two bright silrT
lines of flame flashed through tho darkness. AT
. the extreme right Of the Nickshurr batteries
and in an instant, the whole length Of the BLUM,
was ablsze with FIRE. The feet, which had
rounded the Point, and now lay squarely before
the city. AZ once responded by opening then
4 ftr11 ~
hve heavy guns. charged with grape and shrtp-
mel. directly against the city. The stars were
yeile-i with crimson, the earth rocked with hc'7l
thunders-
/ \ great cloud Il smoke rolled heavily over tht
-,Inboats and in this the three transports entered
and male their 'best time down the uvcr
/ The Forest Queen, which was IN the advsn'e
received shot in the hull, and another throuSi
the steam drum. which disabled her instantly
The Henry CLAY. that came next, stopPei' o
prevent her running into the other and al fh'
b. same moment WAS struck by shell that set ben
cotton on FIRE. The crew, dem0ralizei 10y the
stornsre and terrified by the fire, ran aimles,l ly
around for few moments, then launched th'
vswl. sprang into it and pulled for the shore
The pIot finding that 10 engineers chcyed th'
bells. stsid n short time until the hrc began 2.
seethc around him, when he seized a pl7lS
/ tunnel overheard and was pckel up by q gun
boat. Tho Clay, in the meantime, became
great blazing mass, that ioated down the r''ei
until il disappeared below Warrcnton- Had sh'
been manned by men Of nerve, the fire Woll,
have been extingushcd AMI the boat earue,
through safely; the fact Of her ho1unS -' TER
shows that her hull was uninIurcL
The Forest Queen was taken IN tow 10y gun
boat and towed below without ffrthor damaS
The Silver Wave did not receive a scratch
The Vicksbur- batteries were passed. in aooU
an hour and a quarter Upon reaching Warren
ton our Cunboats took the initiative by pourn'
in their broadsiies the instant they reached Nos-
ton; and so continuous and terrh, wis 'h0
hrc that the enemy scarcely ever attempted
rssponse-.N J. Tjnes' CorrCs