, 1863-01-20
It. The rebels were dislo1ged from tho outer
line Of rifle pits with some loss.

sumed much time, and our forces now found
tho shades Of night deepening around them.
It was accordingly decided to bivouac on tho
spot and renew the engagement in the morn
q few officers had been injured, and much re-
gret my inability to procure their names. The
first Elcu fired by the rebels as our land forces
came IN range of the fort, shattered the leg Of
q Lieutenant Of the 18th Illinois infantry. a
few guns were fired during the night, but the
most Of them we're mined too high.
HENFoRcEMENrs FOE THE REBzLs.
=, During the night two rebel regiments from
st: Char1es arrived and passed into the fort be-
tween our two divisions that were making the
attack, and had not been able to close up the
6puce between them. Some Of the rebel sol
dicrs struggled into our lines, and BECAME an
easy capture. Until they found themselves
prisoners, they had not been aware that we
were In the rear Of the fort.
oPRsMG ON SUNDAY, >,
;, About s a. M. on the morning Of Sunday,
commencing the attack. The rebels had not
been idle during the night, as strong line Of
breastEorks plainly showed. These had been
erected on the edge Of the slope Just IN rear :
OF the fort, and commanded space OF
cleared ground IN theif 1font aer 1ett Mas
ipg. and that waa at 4 point where araviue vas
oFerlooked, and where the wood became an ad-
mitable and important cover. A battery Of
our light artillery was brought to bear upon
this timber, and succeeded, after IN hours
cannonading, in clearing it Of the rebels.
GUNBoA1s On SUNDAY
The gunboats had been keeping up desul-
tory cannonade during the morning, but to-
wards noon their firing grew more Vigorous,
rapidity: Many Of their guns were aimed too
high, and the projectiles passed over and fell
among our troops that were advancing for the
land attack. Several men were in tits way
killed before the boats could be notified to
change their aim and fire with more caution.
EFFECT OF THE auSBoAr FIRE.
:. The heavy nine and e1eren-inch shot from
the gunboats soon proved too much for the
walls Of the fort, even though they were. CON
structed OF solid timber and plated with rail-
road iron. In many places tie rails were cut
and torn OF, and the position Of the logs that
formed the walls seriously deranged. Several
men were killed by the falling Of rails, torn Oft
and thrown into The air by the force Of the
shot. splinters from the shattered timber
rebel gun near the muzzlc, throwing it from
its carriage and rendering its further use an
impossibility. A shell passed through an etn-
brasure and exploded among the gun1ers,
killing Or Wounding almost the entire working
party nt the gun. The fire from the fort grew
CfEI3 A40uCut tt65 f!HoIDu6> AuQ DG q uLuE
past o'clock P. N. ceased altogether,
LAND ATTACK on SUNDAY.
IN the meanwhile the. Land force WAS grad
contest with the rebel infantry, and being
ehelled BY the heavy guns of the fort. The
Inter caused little damage, though the occa-
eiona1 explosion Of shell in our midst cre-
atcd some havoc. Our lines gradually closed
in nearer the fort, and by little past noon
1tn 4<vc 1f} }n1 frrt fnr hnA oF &tn
space between them, and completed the in
vestmcnt Of the fort. In a charge upon the
breastworks thrown up during the night we
suffered some loss, but succeeded in taking
possession Of the intrcnchmcnts,
TOWARD THE CLOSE:
By3p. m., the rebels had been driven com.
pletely within the fort, nnd the investment
was perfect. The gunboats were still thun.
dering away, and were not replied to by the
rcGcl6. Only an occasional gun from The
fort, with more continuous pattering Of mus
ketry, announced that the garrison still held
out. One Of the shells at this time burst In
and exploded caisson inside the fort, causing
considerable destruction. Our field ARTILLERY
bad been brought up, and was adding to The
CONSERVATION BY firing shell inside the works
ut long range.
kuE SURRENDER.
Finally, by half past three, tho flag on ths
fort was hauled down and 4 white one run uE
In its place. The firing from the gunboats
and land forces ceased at that moment and
soon after o messenger came from General
Churchill with propositions for a surrender
Gen. McClcrnand would listen to nothing
save for an unconditional surrender, and aftel
some demnrring on the part Of the messenger
this WAS agreed to. Gen. Churchill had lopet
to be able to evacuatc with the honors Of war
but he was too much at our mercy for us tc
give nrT heed tn Rnrh DrnnnSa4
RESULTS OF THE BATTLE.
sion OF strong fort, guarding the ascent O.
the Arkansas, with its garrison of five thou
Eand men, with all their equipments and mu
nitions Of war. 10 follow the recent Fedora
reTerses, VIC hare a victory which, though {
small one, is full and decisive. We are open
ing up the benighted region Of Arkansas, an6
hope soon to sa ab1c TO count Little Roch
In our possession.
OUR FUTURE, As IT MAY Re.
There is good stage Of water in the Ar
kansas and White Rivers, and it il
possible that you may soon hca,
Of more successes. The rebels have fori
and garrison at Pine Bluffs and Little Rock or
the former river; and ct st. Charles, Claren
force is amply adequate to their capture, st
| Charles will he remembered as the point al
which the Mound City was blown up in July
last and her helpless crew while in the water
fired upon By Col. Fry's men. Pine Bluff has
been notorious as spot where persons sus
pected of Union sentiments have been treated
with the utmost rjgor. The writer Of this has
Eeen letter from q Doctor residing at Pine
Bluff in which there is boast Of the number
| of mon that hare been hung there during the
past six months. The natives need yisii
from our troops.
AN APOLOGY.
MY inability to reach the scene Of the battle
from the naval transport on which nm quar-
tered, prevents me giving the details as fully
| MS might wish. have been obliged to rely
upon the statements of various persons AMI
| my information may not be completely accu
| rate: close just III season for mail bound
northward.
OUR GOOD FORTUNE.
It is fortunate that our troops .wero not Ii
the present instance led by Sherman, the com
mnnder who brought 50 much defeat and dis
| grace at Vicksburg. 1t Is currently reported
| that many officers had refused to serve undel
| him, and that the presence Of McClcrnand
| alone prevented serious outbreak. While
the boats were ascending White River. Gen,
Sherman's Chief Of Staff, Major Hammond, il
eaid to hare given vent to numerous prophe.
| ctes, come Of them amounting almost to q
| hope that hcClernand would be whipped and
compelled to leave the Arkansas. Major Ham
1nond appears much chagrined that his pre-
diction did not prove true.