Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1863-04-10
LETTER FROM VICKSBURG.
NICKSDURG. March o. Is


About five o'clock this morning four of
the Federal gunhoats made an attempt 10
run down the city. Our picke:s sounded
he alarm, and Immediately preparations
were made to stop anil destroy the a,ven-
tur s. The water hat,eros opened with
good eil' ct. hnl two OF them made their
way by and passed. on hy the city, receiv-
, lEg great number OF shots as they passed
along. When oi1'osic the lower par. of
! 'hc city, one Of the shots penetrated one
OF them and shattered Der steam pipe,
when she became Interchangeable and Drift.
ed with the current,
ii is supposed that Ii C crew aboard of
her must have been scah!cd and forced,
/ 10 abandon their POSITIONS, rs the ya~l
WAS seen making lis way to the opposite
shore. Many of them must have been lost
a. but tew.~rre secr to make their escape.
he boat was almost stationary, an,i ball
AFTER ball struck her in every part. After
sustaining the heavy concentrated fire from
number of our batteries, for about thirty
minutes, she began t., settle in tie water.
'rd went down slowly u, first but AS she
filled. carerne'l over until one Of her smoke
sticks was ha emerged in the waller, and
few minutes later sunk out Of sight m.>l
eaut,tully--!caving only little black
spot to mark her her eabouts.
Tho "ther boat also, became disabled
and drlIted on down, under the fire OF our
Guns.-llcr crew was also seen 10 desert
her, but the boat itself is still in sight at
the present writing.
AS the i'll tated craft was about half
| CT, ,t,r,,.. Il q
ted on the halyar'ls, but no help could he
afforded to the helpless wretches, and all
the Yankees on board found watery
grave. But few Of them escaped to the
shore. 1t is believed that the one that
was sunk was IN iron clad, but it is not
know what her name was-the other one
is said to be a wooden boat.
| The other two boats came down as far
as the point above, but the fire from our
gums made the route so hot for them that
they hal to abandon the trip, and they
returned up to the upper end Of the cauvl
gin.
| AS the scene was tranSacting before eur
eyes, immense crowds IF citizens, inclu-
ding women and children, were on the
| hills overlooking tie river, and as tie I'M
/ fortunate boat WAS seen to carccn and
sink. i";,l ami long continued shout after
s1"nt went up to & addvn tile hearts Of all
the spectators.
The last seen Of the one that escaped
below, she WAS near the m"uth Of the ca
nal, anl kcp, herself enveIo.cl in IA dense
cloud OF steam. SO tha, our gunl,crs could
not see plain enough 70 lake arc,,ra'e aim
She Is SUPPOSED 20 i,e badly crippled, and
but iitle hope is entertained that she can
get away beyond tie reach "i our ln;e-
ries. Soon alter lie firing ceased the tvs"
farragnt i"a!S i'elow opened on the " ooS
in the neahhorhno.l OF Warrcnton and
kept up n ircmcnd n$ fire for about ,hi,n.
minutes. nr ,!u"bt opt Of reveage f.r ti:ri:
sn,,lien boat.
T"c :i''ng rom onr batteries as terrific
and c"nIi.u"us, for Il long ;i,nc :lm.>' ev.
cry shot taken effect. NriLrr Of the boa, :
a'tempc' 20 fire on The batteries or Tie
city TIE scene WAS very exciting, and
the happy result has placed n smile upon
the r"untenanre,o Of ever, body. Our guns
are nov all really for the next one to
come down. That V'cEs"urg >nag in the
river renders navigation very hazardous
t" the Yankees Memphis 1pnaL.