Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1863-04-03

la-nei 70 the port SIDE Of the Richmond
The central battery Of the rebels .tan.i. cd.
bluff 80 high that vessel in passing irnr,sJ
I " underneath cannot eleyat. her guns s,,ts,,.
" TO reach those on the battery. neither l.,- !,
guns on the battery be sufficiently depre....i
bear on the passing ship. la this position -.
rehtl batteries ON the two horns OF the cree.
can enhlade the passing vessel, p9urir, ,-
terrible cross fire. A. we got within short ran.
the enemy pOured into rs terrible fre % -.
and canister. This Was the hottest part r, II.
engI cement. We were literally muIlle % tau,,r.
the distance between rs and the enemv', nm
being not more than twenty yar,ls, though - 81.
it seemed to be orly as many feet. In fact. m,
battle Of Port Hudson has been prunouucej h.
officers and seamen who were engaged in If ..-
who were present at the passage Of For, :.
Philip and Fort jackson, below New Orl-,,.
and had participated in the fights Of Fort Don.
SON. Fort Henry, Island No. 10. Yick>bur4 A.,
as the severest IN the naval history or tLe r
sent war.
The Richmond continued close IN tl, tr.-.
the Tag ship and had got nearly round tb.f...
in the river, when SOLID shot passed. th-.r.
her steam chest, injuring her so much tha,itu.
deemed imprudent to continue on ~ the rs,..
and in this disabled condition. Com Alden p.
3 down the stream. Lieut.. Com. \. B. Cumn-;r.
executive officer Of the Richmond va- st,rl,
upon lilN lAltEts WIN . 1uNt N9fflNNl DIS .Nff
from his body Just below the knee Will. ,.
were conveying him below to the ca...ri- 3.
medical assistance. the heroic oficcr cy.'iir..
..Ah, boys, II We hld only passed, varr,.
content % lose both les and die happy
4 piece Of the hulwarks shattered bv fH. .-.
shot, knocked over Commander Alden. faf
yond bein. stunned, he received u1 iu,r.-
hoat=waiu' s mate, whose holy Wa. t.rr6Iv -,..
lated, shouted. with his dying breath. .u.-..
civeup the ship, my lads" The Dos ,r f..-.
the Richmond was killel sui II wourI,i
Owing 70 the strong current, the Gen.se, "
compelled o. drop down the stream with o..
Richmond in tcV. one mau On hoarl IL. Gr
e-se was seriously woundel and two .E-L,'-
The MononSahela and kineo came W In f...
II battle, and II Is minutes after the .9n-..---
meut q the action, Capt NcKiais'ry was s.-,-..
" wounded by the fragment Of q shell -e-i.-
ing hin unfit for duty. The ccmu1nd than Pc
vOlvel upon Lieut.. c. Thomas The dr--r s~.t
which completely envslope1 the ship. rre-s-,.t
the pilots from keeping IN the charrel srl II,
cndeayoring 70 Pass The rcbel bat.-re.. she rrf
tunzt.lv grounded Immediately under fls -,,r.
Her position IT one time vas critical II The o.,
IRENE. The rebels having discoverci the iis4.rr-
began - Tour upon her q terrific fire.. Aaer -.
naming IN this position for half sn houl. f,f,
Ing with vigorous energy, her engine hs-sr t.
take effect and she slowly glidcl down the s-r,7-
snd steamed again up the river, until the in,er--
helting Of her crank pin rendered It an iures..
oiity 10 proceed any further. The Mouou-sl,-
lost Killed and 20 wounded
The Mississippi was steaming VI the ri,s- .r
grand style and had passed nearly out Of lsr-s-
when the volume Of smoke caused her % ~ r-i-
aground on the right bank Of the river cpp1s,.
the terminus Of the Clinton snd Port Hal--
Railroad Her engines were reversed and ever.
exsrtion was made to get her clear, but al % d.
purpose. The enemy, who were soon made ars-s
Of the misfortune, improved IL. by bringing A.
extra number Of riAsd guns 9. bear upon her
IS soon a. thev had obtained the proper r,1.r
the IRE from their batteries was fearful. 81
scarcely shot missed her They we're tn Oil.
same position 4 target, for the ingeniog. r.
ell had built huge bonire- on the opposite ban
Of the river, and used several Drummoui Li--is
20 reveal our exact position. One of the -H.--
on board ssys he can only compare the sound ..
the firing 10 the effect that the sudden scaftsr.-.
handful Of small pebbles has assinsts -'..-
vricw. In IS minutes 20 shots ~ ii>-.,---
81 from the deck Of the noble Mis,ssipr7. .-
iuuug the action she careeued over On hrr bean
-uis, rendering il i.sce--arv 90 change bs- t..-
terie-- Finding it impossible TO save The .s.-
capt. smith gave orders % throw ovsrh0ari a--
erythiu- o., value, and a. DESTROY al her -
clinery. Iarred rigging AMI spirits Of turner
tine we're iSuitei, AMI she vg- - au IRE DO t--
place.
JpNart- o. so shots stru-k On. N.s.....r-.
one Of which entered her stsr-bolrl size On. 15ry
moment She grounded, letting in immense .rs--
titles cf water. Her rigging va. entirely "a.
away and hung IN shrris, while her mas-s ve-.
shattered into -pliutCrs. a smsl horitz.rir On.
uremlst fell from the lockout 90 the deck .....
after she ran aground, having tecr ji--,l-ei
q rebel Stut- The boats uf the ill-tltei -h.qr,..
lowered, and under severe Ere crurey-l t..
wouniel ashore tr>- Owing % rho -....- H...
hrci before the command va, given. 3, tar,
that several of the crew lot their live FL. --
tempting to swim the river. The bs1-. a
three or four trips, and by the tine the li-- -o
Ntr. removed the hamCs were rapidly -lr,ain-
70 al parts of the vessel, forming picture
thrilling grandeur. as each moment rh. ..f..
guns exploded while shell after shell burst IN,
midnight air While the prcuarat ous were h.-
ms made for abandoning the Mississippi. s
shot entered the forward wheel where ACTIN
Master kelley Vss Standing. cutting his hoi--
IVAN, also voundinS and killing ali bur { ~--
50 one ~ the guns The bravery q Can't SrI-r
i= upon the lpe II al his men. who no i----
were inspired by the cooinsss II their fssr's-s
commander. lie calmly lichtei his cigar s-E
said: 1T rs not likely that Ne shall escape. mi
We must make every preparation 10 insure rs
total destruction Of the ship. for bad rather D..
than suffer the rebels 90 SECURE rs uu-b o..
splinter from this vessel
Capt. Caldwell Of the Essex rendered uvslr.
able service to the crew Of the Missssipvl 71i
he likewise j. entitled 70 great credit fir me
hazardous and humane enterprise IN vh-ch h-
embarked. Seeing the flames bursting from RE
ship, hs steamed M within rznso Of he hsl-i-t
rebel batteries. and su-c-iei in re-,uinS severn,
Of the crew who lad landed, and were IN --sa-
danger Of beng killed or CAPTURED Luck,lv r.
old irlgate swung completely around and RE
current striking her bows. she sailed msiestica-v
down the river, keeping the channel ss vel a.
though her helm was in the hands OF = ri't
Had >hs novel down the stream stern Iorern.--
II would b difficult to surmise the result, IS m
that position her Port guns would have bcen is-
charged among her crew on shore. never LIST
cnci 10 a more fearful sound than the successive
Of her guns, as they became hsatNi.
mingled every now and then With ths burs;i--
Of the shells on hoard. At halfpast i've o'clecs
SUNDAY morning the earth. for miles AROUND.
was shaken. followed by tho tremendous NOSE
caused by the explosion Of the magazine Of tar
Mississippi All sorts OF coniectures were msic
rs To the cause Some supposed II to he the MS
game ~ Port Hudson; others thought u ono
IF cur gunboatS; while others felt quite sur %
vas our powder magazine at Baton Rouge. IN
The morning the sad story WAS toll. that The
noble old craft hal exploded but ieT yards
nom the very spot where the rebel ram ArSansas
rad been blown up last year. So violent VS.
he conclusion, that passengers on boari the river
'oais at Baton Rouge were alarmed By The trsn-
bling Of the heats
elxty-three men were missing firm the cTs'
4 the Mississippi, few were und0ubtcdl
lroWned through their own precipitation I.
umPing overheard; others taken prisoners. 7
) not unlikely, however. that the majority vi
urn up somewhere in the vicinity Of Ba'o1
Ionge or on the opposite coast.
\ bottle was picked up in the river ooutainias
despatch signed by the Admiral's Secretary On
osrd the Hartford. which SAYS; ANS vel We
st enc marine Killed and two Of The cr'v
crnd'-i. Nlbstross lost one killed"
PRoSoTEn.-Wc ant glad 90 learn from
riyate letters that let Lieut. John Balm. pi