Daily national Republican., 1863-05-23
Hon. GIDroN WELEEs, scc'y Navy.
U. s. GrNnoLr LEx1NaroN,

IANBURG LANDING, April 2S, 1858.
SIR' have the honor to report that on the
oath instant, while cruising down the river,
ahead of General Elliott's feet, met the
steamer Emma Duncan, Acting Master Girls
void commanding, coming up to report his
vessel for duty. Learning that he had been at
tackled by field battery at Green Bottom Bar
and had three men badly wounded, proceeded
down the river, giving him orders to follow me,
in hopes Of catching the rebels at or near the
same place.
passed the bar about dark in the evening,
but the enemy was nowhere to be seen. Ar
rving at the foot of Green Bottom bar about
midnight, anchored till morning. Still seeing
nothing Of the enemy, proceeded on up the
river to meet and communicate with General
Ellct. The Emma Duncan remaining nearly
mile in my rear, caught ferry fiat coming out
of a creek, after had passed; the guerrillas in
the fat jumped out and made their escape In
the woods. The fiat, however, was destroyed
and set adrih.
cruiscd on up leisurcly, keeping a good
lookout for the enemy along the right bank,
but saw no signs of them till arrived at Duck
River Shoals, when | heard musketry and ar
tillery a short distance (nOt mile) ahead.
pushed on over the bar and met Gen. Ellet's
fleet lust at the head Of the shoals engaging
the rebel batteries. l was then in good range,
and at once opened fire on the enemy. There
was not room for his boats to round or to back
out Of the Channc'. lie was, therefore, com
PEELED to push over the bar before he could
effect a landing.
| took the battery side, and moved on up to
cover his boats as much as possible, at the
same time raking the bank with our heavy
guns. The ram Monarch came in range and
opened fire also. As soon as | rounded tho
point, the enemy fired a farewell shot at one Of
: the brigade boats, limbcrcd up and were of.
Some few sharpshootcrs remaining behind,
fired few shots at a transport having on board
sick and wounded. l followed on up the bank,
throwing shell after them till thought them
out of range, and ceased firing. By this time
Gen. Ellct had landed and was pursuing them,
Several of the enemy were found dead on the
bank, and many more were dragged off In the
woods. I should suppose that their loss in
killed and wounded is about twenty-five oil
thirty.
believe Gen. Ellct lost two killed and one
wounded on his boats; also, some horses killed
About II p. m. / left Gen. Ellet at the foot o.
the bar, and proceeded on up the river with his
boat and the Emma Duncan, to communicate
with the fleet above. arrived at Eastport il
the afternoon Of the eth inst, and received {
communication from Gen. Dodge at Tuscum
ba.
(signed) Leroy FIrcH, Lieut.. Com'd'g.
Acting Rear Admiral DAVID D. PORTER, Com
manding Mississippi Squadron.
MISSISSIPPI SQUADRON,
, FLAG SHIP GEN. PRICE, ,
, GRAND GULF, Miss, May l3, 1868.
Bin; have the honor to inform you, from
, Alexandria, of the capture of that place, ant
the forts defending the approaches to the city
by the naval forces under my command
, Twenty-four hours after we arrived, the ad
vance guard of the United States troops came
into the city, and General Banks arriving soo1
after, turned the place over to his keeping
The water beginning to fall, deemed 1t pru
dent to return with the largest vessels to tho
/, mouth Of Red river. ] dropped down to the
Forts Dc Russey, in the Benton, and undertook
10 destroy these works. ! only succeeded, how
ever, in cfrectually destroying the three heavy
? classmates commanding the channel, and I
, small water battery, for two guns, about Cox
, yards below it. also destroyed (by bursting
ono heavy 32-pounder, and some gun-car
riages left in their hurry by the enemy.
Tho main fort on hill, some 800 hundred
o yards from the water, was unable to attent
. 10. II Is quito an extensive work, quite neV
and complete, but built with much labor ant
pains. 1t will take two or three weeks to pul
y II to pieces. ] had not the powder to spare L
= blow il up. The vessels will he ordered Il
a work at il occasionally, and 1t will soon be dc
- stroycd. In this last mentioned fort wa
:, mounted thc ll-inCh gun, which, am led Il
believe, lies in the middle of the river, near tn
fort, the rebels throwing II overheard in thei
panic at the approach ofthe gunboats.
The raft which closed the entrance hav
blown up, sawed in two, and presented to tn
poor neighbors.
sent commander Woodwork in the Price
= with the Switzerland, Piushurg, and Arizona
up Black River to make reconnaissance.
Commander Woodwork destroyed a Iarg
I' amount ofrohel stores, valued at three hundrc
thousand dollars, consisting Of salt, sugar, rum
molassCs, tobacco and bacon.
'r (Simed) DAVID u. PORTER,
1t Acting Rear Admiral,
IT Commanding Mississippi Squadron.
Is Hon. GIDEON WEIIRs, SCc'y Navy.