, 1863-02-06

RFG0n5lO1kAN nee to PORT HUDSON BIZ
the t:nnnoat E~eek-.An 81 Infernni
Ikarhinc,' Another Gunboat ami
Crew Saved by Negroes.
On Sunday last, the 18th inst, the gupbo1t
Easex made reconnaissance TO Port Hud-
sun, going within range Of the cnc1nY's hat.
terics, but falling to draw their fire. Per-
hars tdr rebels are too lnucl aisgusted with
1Ae Essex 10 waste powder by throwing shell
ut her, which never succeed III doing her any
damage.
Reports have been received to The effect
that the rebels had constructed Internal ma
chimes, or torIetiocs, by which they were to
blow the Essex out Of water the next lime
size went up. This news was brought By con-
tr:ibands. who stated that not less than twen-
IS had hetn prepared. One ncgrs,, with u
icok Of grave :tlarnl, warned the Cuptain Of
biz danger us follows:
HCap'n you'd better be skecrcl at them
felers up there. They*c put fourteen Oh dem
arc pictorials in do ribber."
Well, when the Essex was near the Arst
wafer battery, the Captain observed some
Thing foating iii the water, which looked like
au old 1,ar:ci, and he Immediately sent out IN
officer and boats crew to examine it. The
Lieutenant discovered i wire running to the.
shore, aud commenced pulling at it, II finally
occurred to him that this might not be saf:
and so he cut the wire with Ills cutfass. lie
f,HnA that it was connected with the barrel.
and that under this very barrel was the ycri-
table internal lilachine hc was looking for.
1t was raised ou, Of The wafer and put On
llHld the Essex, Wien All examination showed
that the thing contained ut least barrel If
powder, and That it WAS intended to he eNpIo-
a.a by pulling the wirc. It WAS supposed
that the vessel running over tho wire would
cNrlndc II, or. not, 1t could be fired hy pull
ing the wirc at the end on tic shore. This
wire VAS attached to a cork, and to the cork
N:is attached aEn'hcr wire, rGn:>;i. ntu the
powder, and to pull oul Til, eurk was to set
ire to tile machine.
The torpedo was shaped like n dcnlijohn,
and was completely eonrca}ed by the barrel
! attached to its top.
Itwas brought down to D4ton Rouge, and
/, on Monday Iast taken ashore and lIllced on
| the west sidc Ut the levcc. 4 strong rope was
! then fastened 10 the corl: and thrown over the
/, ic,ce. A man then pulled the ROPE with Il
/! jerk, when tie torpedo went of with fright
] ful explosion, tearing nr thu lescc and inal1-
| ing hole In the ground 1uorc thin twenty
! feet IN extent. This WAS Il sufficient icmu:i-
+ e,ratien Of it, power 10 blow any ship clean
! out Of water, II it had been fired at the right
! time and spot.
] PoET HUDSON
| The reported distractions in tic channel
! east Of rrntit Island will aneunt to little OF
| nothing. The current in the river Is ytry
well nigh impossible to construct any }'erna
! ncnt distractions. The Island Is very low,
and when the river Is at Its height is nearly Ill
submerged. The most that the rebels could
accomplish would bc to run light artillery
over with which to annoy tho approaching
gunboats.
Two or three days since "nr pickets brought
In Corporal and two rriyatcs of the 9TH Lou
isi:na imitation, who had been sent from Clu
ton to arrest deserters near our lines. Th(
! Corporal and his comrades thought it was
favorable opportunity to get home, and &c
came within the lines and were taken prison
cre. They state that large bodies Of troop.
are moving from Camp Moore, Mississippi, Il
Port Hudson, and tint the rebel force at tn,
latter rlaco has been materially increased
within the last few days. It Is suspected
however, that these prisoners were sent in y,
purposeto spread false and exaggerated re
ports Of the rcbcl strength at Port Hudson.
- There arc only fourteen GUNS now ACTUAL,
mounted on the river at Port Hudson, aut
i've more arr ready to be mounted. There i
great difference Of opinion among the oil
GERS of tho navy in relation to the strength Q
Tie place. One will tell you that Comnlodor
Far.agut's !leet could settle the question witt
the river batteries in half an honr Witllon
any trouble, and another will tell you tha
;: Port Iiudson is US strong as yicksbnrg.