Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1863-03-31
LATEST NEWS
BY TEZEGRAPH.
Tuesday, = O'Clock A. NJ.
From New York.

A Fort Monroe letter, of tho 2sth, re-
ports the safe arrival of the IRON clad
keokuk At Port Royal
IL also reports that an extensive fire
in Richmond two weeks since, DESTROYED
nearly 10000 bushels of corn, and that
the James River is being strongly fortl-
fled by the rebels.
Fort Pembcrton is bcin. cascmatcd
with railroad iron.
The rebel force between the Black.
water and Richmond numbers nearly
$4,000 men.
A Hilton Head letter to the Philadcl-
phla Press gives description of tho tor
pcdo remover invented by Ericsson, for
which the expedition against Charleston
has been delayed. The monitors to be
engaged are the Passaic, Patapsco, We
hawkcn. Nahant, Catskill, Montauk and
keokuk, and also the frigatc lronsiles.
The report that the Montank WAS in
Jnr'd by the explosion Of "A torpedo in
Ogccchc River, is untrue, and SO il the
report that Fort Sumter il iron-clad.
IL appears the Mississippi was the las,
/
topa" Port Hudson on the night Of the
lith. On gong up she was struck by
three or four shots, and only slightly
damaged but when near tho center Of
the range of the batteries the smoke and
steam of the vessels in advance and from
the batteries, 50 cnveloped tho ship that
tho pilot lost his bearings, and the frigate
grounded on the right bank of the river.
! For forty minutes she was exposed TO a
terrific fire. from all the batteries During
this time she fired 25o rounds, but her
guns were nearly all dismoun,cd, her
| port holes Oh the starboard side knocked
INTO one, twenty five or thirty men killed
and four wounded, the ship riddled with
shot, and there WAS no prospect Of her
ever floating again. Capt. Smith gave
orders for her abandonment During
all the tmo she was under fire thcro was
no particular excitement on board the
crew was told to load and fire 1T the bat
terlcs as rapidly AN possible, aud did AZ
as long Ms there was gun To fire. After
the order to abandon her, boats we're
lowered, the wounded put in first, and
the crew filled the boats. Many jumped
overheard, expecting to swim ashore,
some were picked up by boats, and few
supposed to be drowned Those who
reached the lcvoc were taken of by the
Essex TO tho number of fifty or sixty
When the crew were all off, Capt. Smith
and Lieut.. Derby sprinklcd turpcntino in
, the ward room and set it on fire. The
Captain then fired her forward, and they
then pulled for the Essex The Mississip.
p was soon wrapped in flames, the fire
soon reached her magazine, blowing her
up.
New Orleans advices state that on the
approach Of Gen Banks forces the rebels
retrcatcd to Port Hudson.
Col. Clark, of Gen. Banks' staff was
severely wounded in the leg while recon.
noitering, The man who shot him was
subsequently killed.
Gen. Banks WAS at New Orleans on
the 23d.
On the return Of the army TO Baton
Rouge, Gen. Banks issued genera! or
der announcing that the entire object Of
the expedition was accomplished, and
that IL was a complete success. The
movement is understood to have been a
mere diversion to enable Farragut's feet
TO pass the batteries, and not tho rcduc--
ton Of Port Hudson.
II is said that information was recciv.
ed by Gen. Grover that the rebels were
also to attack Baton Rouge, which rem
lar. ntr do la /
Our floet is now two miles beyond Ba-
ton Rouge.
The rebel force at Port Hudson is said |
to number 10000.
Report says that the Mississippi, be
fore her destruction, had slcnccd two
rebel batteries which opened on her, ex-
ccpt one gun, and that the Richmond,
which had passed Port hudson, return
ed, and mistaking her for rebel gun
boat which might have come out OF one
ono of the bayou fired on her so rap
idly that she near y swept her decks
This was not discovered till she was
aground and her destruction inevitable.
Some official account of the naval en-
gsgcment says that after the arrival Of
the army from Batoa Bouge, and the
skirmishes Of Saturday afternoon, Admi-
raj Farragut's fleet, which was at anchor
five or six miles below Port Hudson, pre-
pared to pass the batteries The signal
for advance was made at half past nine
o'clock, beautiful! starlight night. The
Hartford, with the Alotoncss alongside,
took tho lead, and successfully passed
the batteries, but with what damage We
are not informed, as we have not. Of
course, had communication with them
since their passage. The Genessee aud
Richmond attempted to follow bnt were
compelled to fall back, with loss Of 3
killed and wounded.
1t. Boyd was mortally wounded, and
has since died.