Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1863-03-30


Now commenced the battle In all It's terrible earnest
ness. 0utnumbered In guns and outweghed in metal
voes were as quickly repeated aud the majority OF
them unerring In their AIM Az the enemy thus
discovered batteries, they opened them with grape
and canister, which more accurately thrown than
their Shells and threw clouds Of dirt upon the guns and
gunners the shell went them in every conceivable
direction except the right one. The Hartford yery
fast ship, made straight for up the river making
her best time and trying to divert the aim of our gun.
ners by her incessant aud deaiehng broads.des She
soon outsrpped the balance Of the feet. Shot after
shot struck her, Kidding her through aud through but
still she kept on her way.
Every craft now looking out for itself and bound 70
make its very best time get by the feet lost its or
derby line Of battle and got mi Sed up IL was difficult
and sometimes impossible TO distinguish one from an.
other II was speedily apparent to the enemy that the
fire. great deal hotter and destructive than
had been expected and the captains of the two gun
boats and Of the AonongaheIa doubtless resolved quickly
that It would be madness 60 attempt such ter
rife gauntlet of iron hail Whether the commanders of
the Richmond aud Mississippi had already arrived the
same determination, to 1t afer, ia not
known, but they all except the Hartford, undertook TO
puG about and return the way they came.
For this purpose the Richmond sheered Close in to
the left bank under the batteries and then crcIed
round, her course reaching nearly up to the Opposite
point. In executing this mandvre she gave bate
successfully rakng position, and they took excel
lent advantage Of it, ripping her from stern to STEM
From the crashing of mbers plainly heard during ev-
cry bef interval Of the din and from the view had Of
shots that struck her it was evident that her doom
sealed. Instead of making run for It, down the river
huaging the opposite shore she again turned her prov
toward our batteries and right in under them As
she got this position voice from on board of her cried
out-"Now let me see you strike me from those hills
Cd d-n you'll" A. if in answer " his blasphemous
appeal, battery above and below got his range snd
while shell crashed through his forecastle double
charge of grape swept his decks from the nizzenmast
| Sari IN or nd tha
voice which had just before IuDg an oath and
a defiance, exclaimed, in piteous accents-"For
Code sake don't shoot any more We are sipkingn
il was reported among a crowd Of observers on tho
bluff that voice from her deck had called out ave
surrender we surrender" If this was sad it was not
probably spoken by her commander who however ap-
peaied 10 batteries to cease firing upon her as tue
ship sinking. As she evidently drifting down
in an nmanagesee condition and apparently settling
the batteries let her alone and turned their attention 10
other crafts Whether or not she sank do not "a yet
| know. Her commander may have used Yankee aftl
fee escape by The mistaken humanity of the yicors
but if she is not seriously disabled then many an eLpe
rieneed eye was greatly deceived.
The.MH-issippi undertook to execute the same ma
Of turning round and making her back 10
the point she started from She had rounded and lust
turned down stream when one OF our shots tore on her
rudder aud another went crashing through her maeh
merry Immediately after came the rushing sound OF
escaping from some broken pipe, and the now un
1
crescent line Of batteries. Her range was quickly
gned and she being rapidly 10 pieces by our
missiles when the commander gave the order for all
hands TO save themselves the lest way they could. Al
tue same line fire broke out in two places The prise.
We have taken Of opinion that she BET on
fire by her officers, but il is quite likely that il
was caused by red hot shot, which were being pour
ed nto'her inte rupedy. At this time her decks vera
sreYn With dead and Wounded according to Que ol her
crew. with whom have conversed, who thought thas-
one half her complement of men were included in the
| list Of casualties,
In the meantime, mnst account for the other vessels
OF the fleet The three larger vessels had occupied mot
OF the attention of the batteries but the other craft hal
not by any means beea overlooked. Two had turned
round and started down stream One Of them apparent
ly escaped without serious disability but the Other
which probably the Knnes hoated down past the
batteries in all unmanageable condition receiving our
Voeys without being able to return them and from the
confusion Of VOICES and the miDgng of oaths execra
tons and orders heard from her decks il was evident
that great slaughter must have been made among her
crew. else that the boat itsef IN critical predica.
ment. A vessel, which was either the Tennessee ".
MoHsngahea, .ps probably the former slipped by In
the confusion, aud joined the Hartford up the river
Some ffy-ive SIXTY persons saved themselves by
jumping overheard aud swimming wldng from the
Mi sssppi 10 the shore. OF these the major and can,
tain Of marines and assistant engineer with ortyhye
sailors MARINES have been arrested by our cavalry
and brought during the day. Some few others
reported to be hiding themselves in the swamp The
dead aud wounded left upon the Mississippi which
foated oil and starred down with the current All
the other vessels out Of range and the spec
tacle Of the burning ship grand and solemn one,
yet mingled Win painful thoughts Of the horrible fate
of those manged unOrtunstes who we're being burned
10 death npou this floating funeral pyre As the flames
would reach the shells lying among her guns they
poded one by one adding to the novel grandeur Of the
/ sight.
When the burning Mississippi reached the point where
the mortar boats and other craft lay she created peg
feet pauic among them Probably from the Of her
magazine exploding among tbcm they speedily cast
loose from their mOOrings and before her. max
ing their app, arrange again until the
hour Of noon to-day. The light Of the burning creek
could be seen steadily increasing its distance for
hours and half At five minutes past five O'clock
when the Mississippi was probably within five miles OF
Baon Rouge, sudden glare lit up the whole sky. The
well known to be the explosion OF the maya
zine. After considerable interval Of time u long rum,
bling sound brought final proof that the Mississippi one
of the finest vessels of the United States navy which bad
earned All historic fame before the commencement Of
the present the flag ship Of the Japan expedition
was thing of the past.
Such are the particulars of this MORNINGS fight at
Port Hudson. For the time it lasted, it of the
most desperately contested engagements OF the war
Our success " he slthued the coolness gasnry
aud skill OF the officers aud engaged but well
To the engineering affinity and personal exertous oil
Major General Frank Gardner, who remodeed the whole
system of our water defence on - taking command Of
this district and has been untring since then, in his
exer;ions 10 the position mpregnable
possible The deet having been opposite that wing Of
batteries commanded by Lieutenant Colonel ?. I.
DeGouruay, the work and responsibility fell principally
/ upon him, ana the manner in wdch be has discharged
both, forms Of the most satisfactory aud brilliant
pages 10 the history OF the present war.
ExroRIIoS IN MoBmE.-A writer in the Mobile Regis.
ter intmates that midnight assemb!sges" held in