The Ohio Democrat. [volume] (Canal Dover, Ohio) 1840-1900, 1863-05-29


asSaSsinate President Barrios, by per.
son from Guatemala, had been discov.
cred: He was imprisoned. e.
The Fall OfVicksbnrg-Admiral
POrter's Report. e.
WASHINGTON, May 25. The follow:
ing was received iu Washington this
morning:
CAIRO, ILL.,, May 25.
To. Hon. Gideon Welles,
Sec. Of the Nauy, Washington:
The following dispatch has been re
ceived this forenoon.
PESSooK FLEET, MISSISSIPPI SQUADRON, !
FLAG SHIP "BLAcK HAVE"
HAISEs' BLUFF, Yazoo River, May Goth. J
To Hon. Gideon Welles," Washington:
On the morning Of the 18th l came
over to the Yazoo to be ready to coop.
crate with Gen. Grant. Leaving two of
the iron clads at Red River, one at
Carthage, three at Warrenton, and two
ip the Yazoo, left me small force; still
| disposed of them to the best advantage.
On the 18th, at noon, firing was heard
in the rear Of Vicksburg, which assured.
me that General. Grant was approaching
the city. The cannonading was kept up
furiouSly for some time, when by the aid
Of glasses l discovered company of
artillery advancing, taking position, and
driving the rebels before them. / i'm.
mediately saw that Gen. Sherman's di.
vision had come on to the left of Snyder's
Bluff, and that the rebels at that place
had been cut off from joining the forces
in the city.
dispatched the Dekalb, Lieut.. Com.
mander Walker Z; the Choctaw, Lieut..
Commander Ramsey; the Romeo, Petrol
and Forest Rose, oil under command of
Lieut. Commander Breez, up towards
Grant and Sherman. This I succeeded
in doing; and in three hours received let.
ters from Generals Grant, Sherman and
Steele, informing me of his vast success,
and asking me to send up provisions,
which was at once done. In the mean.
time, Lieut.. Commander Walker, in the
Dekalb, pushed on to Hainesr Bluff,
which the enemy had commenced evacu.
ating the day before, aud a party re.
mained behind, in the hopes of destroy.
ing or taking away large amount of
ammunition on hand. When they saw
the gunboats, they came out aud left ev.
erything in good order, guns, fort. tents,
and equipage Of all kinds, which fell into
our hands. As soon as the capture of
Haines' Bluff and fourteen guns were
reported to me, showed up the gunboats
from below Vicksburg to FIVE at the hill
batteries which fire waS kept up for two
or three hours.
AT midnight they moved up to the
town and opened on it for about on hour
and continued at intervals during the
night to annoy the garrison.
On the 18th l placed six mortars in
position. with orders to fire night and
day rapidly as they could. The works
at Haiues' Bluff are very formidable ;
there are ffty.four Of the heaviest kind
Of mounted and l6.irch and u inch
riaed cannon, with ammunition enough
to last long siege. As the gun car.
riages might again foil into the hands
of the enemy, had them burnt, blew up
the magazine, and destroyed the works
generally. also burnt up the encamp.
ments, which were permanently and re.
markably we'll constructed, looking as il
the rebels intended to stay for some time.
The works and encampments covered
many acres of ground; and the forti6ca
tions and rife pits proper of Haines
Bluff extend about mile and q quarter
Such strong work Of defenses ! uevel
saw. TIE rebels were year 10 con
structing them, aud all were rendered
useless in on hour.
u As soon as l got through with the de
struction Of the magazines and othe
works, started Lieut.. Commando
Walker up the Yazoo River with. sdifi
cient force to destroy all the enemy
property in that direction; with order
] to return with all dispatch, and only pro
ceed az far as Yazoo CITY, where th,
!, rebels have navy yard and store house
u In the meantime Gen. Grant has close
ly invested Vicksburg and has possession
$ Of the best cannonading points. In
tery short time general assault will
/ take place when l hope to aDuounc
, that Vieksburg has fallen, after a Sc
ries Of the 2ost brilliant successes tha
ever attended al army.
There has never been a case durinl
the war when the rebels have been s
! successfully beaten at oil p2ints; aud tb
patience and endurance shown by on
army and navy for so many months,
about being rewarded, :.
Ills mere question Of q few hours
and then, with the exception Of Pot
1 Hudson, which will follow Vicksburl
the Mississippi will be open lie entir
! esIgned) D. D. PORTER.
J A. Il. A. Comd'g Miss. Squsd.