The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1863-06-04
BY TELEGRAPH
TorHE
Portland Daily Press.
Official Reports of Admiral Porter.

Ohcldl ttpOfts Oh AQullrdl fOrter.
WASHINGTON, June 8.
The following was received at the Navy
Department this afternoon:
Flag Ship Black Hack, Mississippi Squad
ron, Nay 23d.-Hon. G.. Welles, Secretary of
the Navy: Sir-On the evening of the 2lst /
received a communication from Gen. Grant,
informing me that he Intended to attack the
whole OF the rebel works at 10 A. NJ. next day,
and asking me TO shell the batteries from $50
until 1890 to annoy the garrisons. ! kept six
mortars playing rapidly on the works and
town all night, and sent the Benton, Mound
City and Carondelet up to shell the water bat
teries and other places where troops might be
resting during the night. At seven in the
morning the Mound City proceeded across
the river and made an attack on the hill batter
les opposite the Canal. At eight o'clock
Joined her, in company with the Benton, Tus-
cumbia and Carondeet. All these vessels
opened on the hill batteries and finally silenced
them, though the main work on the battery,
containing the heavy rifled guns, was done by
the Mound City, Lieut. Commanding Byron
Wilson. then pushed the Benton, Mound
City and Caroncelet up to the water batteries,
leaving the Columbia, which is still out of re-
pair, to keep the hill batteries from firing on
our vessels after they had passed by. The
three gunboats passed up slowly owing to the
strong current, the Mound City leading, the
Dculuu lOuOWHbS anu the CaTOnuelet aSteTns
The water batteries opened furiously support
ed by hill battery on the starbard beam of
the vessels. The vessels advanced to within
440 yards by our marks, and returned the fire
for two hours without cessation. The enemy's
fire was very accurate and incessant. Finding
the hill batteries behind were silenced, order
ed the Tuscumbia to within 200 yards of the
batteries, but her turret was soon made un-
tenabIe, and not standing the enemy's shot
mazda hard r.,f, dom
had been engaged with the forts one hour
longer than Gen. Grant asked. The vessels
had all received severe shots under water,
which We could not stop up while in motion,
and not knowing what might have delayed
the movements OF the army, l ordered the
vessels 70 drop out Of fire, which they did In n
cool and handsome manner. This was the
hottest fire the gnnboats have ever been under,
but owing TO the water batteries being more
on level with them than usual. the gunboats
threw in their shells SO fast that the aim Of the
enemy was not very good. The enemy hit
our vessels several times, but fighting bow on
they did but little damage. Not man was
killed and only a few wounded. | had only
ammunition enough for few minutes longer,
and set all hands 20 work TO q up from our
depot below. Affer dropping back | found
that the enemy had taken possession again OF
one OF the lower hill batteries, and was en-
deavoring TO mount his guns, and had mount
ed l2-p0under field piece 10 fire at Gen. Ar
thurs troops, which had landed a short time
before at Warrenton. / sent the Mound City
and Carondelet 10. drive him of, which they
did in few moments. 4 beg leave to enclose
a letter from Gen. Macarthur, explaining why
he did not, 10 use his own expression, take adj
vantage OF results gained by the gunboats.
have since learned from Gen. Grant that the
army did assault at the right time vigorously,
but In the noise and smoke we could not see
or hear it. The gunboats were, there fore, still
fighting when the assault proved unsuccessful.
The army had terrible work before them, and
are fighting as well as soldiers ever fought be-
fore, but the works are stronger than any of
us dreamed OF. Gen. Grant and his soldiers
are confident that the brave and energetic
Generals in the army will soon overcome all
obstacles and carry the works.
(Signed) DAVID d. PORTER,
A. X. A, commanding Miss. Squadron.
Mississippi Squadron, Flag Ship Black
Hack, near Vicksburg May 24th-To Hon.
g. Welles, Secretary of the Navy: Sir:-I
have the honor to inform you that the expedi-
ton sent up Yazoo River the day after l took
possession Of the forts OF Snyders. Bluff has
returned, having met with perfect success
As the steamer approached Yazoo City, the
rebel property was fired by Lieut.. Brown, of
the ram Arkansas and what he began our fore
ed, viz, the Mobile, a screw vessel ready for
plating; the Republic, being fitted for a ram
with railroad iron plating, and vessel on the
stocks, monster 80 feet long and IS feet
beam. This vessel was to have been covered
with IL inch iron plating, and was to have
had six engines, four side wheels aud propel-
lers. They would have given MS much trouble.
The rebels had under construction fine navy
yard, containing five saving and planning ma
chimes, an extensive machine shop, carpenter
and blacksmith shops, and all the necessary
appliances for large building and repairing
yard. Lieut.. Commander Walker burned all
these, with large quantity Of valuable build
ing timber. He also burned large saw mill
that had been used in constructing the mon
ster ram. The material destroyed, at a mod
crate estimate, would cost more than $1,000
600. We had one man killed and seven wound
ed by field pieces from the enemy's batteries
while going up the river. The wounded are
doing well. / enclose Lieut. Commander
Walkers report in relation to this affair. He
deserves much credit for the handsome manner
in which he performed the duty assigned him.
II he could have obtained pilots he would have
succeeded in getting possession of all the reb-
ell rams instead Of having them burned.
am, very respectfully,
Your obedient servant,