, 1863-03-27

Inc 10 Hult 1oi utF. 1Ne uttaJ was OF Nearly
twenty minutes duration, and resulted In
the enemy training ali theirguns upon Battery
WILSON, the name given to our land battery in
CONF 'A1hent to Lieutenant Colonel Wilson,
the engineer who built it. Nothing more
serious occurred to the battery, Fortunately,
to such a fearful fire, than the knocking off
Of couple Of bales Of cotton, which were
quickly replaced. The battery lad both its
guns directed full upon the enemys ri1cd
6+pounder, and the embrasure in which that
piece stood was terribly mutilatcd by the
spicy shells Of the Parrot guns.
THE GUSBoATs OPEN FIRE.
But soon the division came tina. was to re-
lieye our little battery. 4 little before eleven
together and proceeded down the river to
within six hundred yards of the rebel works.
They had hardly turned the bend and obtained
a glance at the rebel fortitications when they
both opened. This fire quickly drew the rebel
fire from the land battery, which was left to
placed in position on the rebel Notifications.
THE ARMAMENT OF FORT rEaBEnroS.
Allow me here to digrcss 10 say that, from
The most reliable information yet received at
the headquarters Of this expedition, the enc
my'e fort mounts but live guns Of any prcten-
tions. These are rided eixty-four-pounder( ian
old thirty-two-pounder, altcrcd,} ono thirty
WV ptAAAcf 1ai1tht teAiA " AafE UECH Edt-
tured at shilon,) and three twerty-four-
poundcr Dahlgrens. Besides these, however,
they probably have one full field battery,
which is used when and how it may be most
convenient. These guns are mounted behind
i parapet composed of seven tiers Of cotton
Of earth. To penetrate sucha wall is no small
matter.
RESULT OF THE ENGAGEMENT.
- H..
reduce this fertilization. We have brought
our heaviest artillery to bcarupon it at close
nange, and have kept it at play as long as it
Was possible to do SO; still We hare made but
. slight impression. To be sure, we CON-
PEELED them to stop firing: We poured such
an incessa1t and deadly fire into the e,nera
stres in which their guns are located that
their gunners could not stand it: but yet the
fnrt holds out. We fired the last shot; indeed,
We fired for three hours after the enemy had
ccased. Yet no one supposes they havc gir
en- up the contest. They are plucky, and
fancy we disabled some of their guns; but
there is no evidence of this further than their
silence. NV own opinion Is that their silence
is deep game. They discovered detects in
the location Of their guns, and wish to rem
cdy them. They ceased firing, supposing that
We would follow their example. We did
slacken our fire when they ceased; but still
VIC kent hamInering at them until dark.
fancy that when wc call them In the morning
again we shall find they have Changed the po-
sition of their pieces. Our Parfott battery
ranged directly on their G4-poundcr, and tue
One gun cannot we'll he worked under such Z
heavy fire. Doubtless we shall find ~to-lnor-
row, that that piece has been plz*t. where it
will have only tie gunboats to hGnt against.
THE cu1LucoTHE
was under fire to-day little over an hour and
half. She was not withdrawn till long aft er
the enemy had ceased firing, and then only
because her store Of ammunition was about
exhausted. and recurring a rcplenishn,ent Of
their principal target, and.they pcppered her
well. She was strnck to-day thirty. four
| times. Her storm roof aud whcelhouses were
riddlcd and badly cut up. Her launch was all
| stove to pieces. Her ensign was four times
| shot through, aud her pepnant was shot away
| Her massive iron plating WAS indented I'LL
| over rhcr front where balls had struck her. Yet
ehe withstood the terrible ordeal, and is TO-
night rs good for fight as she was this NOR
| ming.
THE CASUALTIES,
Notwithstanding she was struck So many
times. the casualties TO her crew were nothing
In comparison to those received when she
iured on her. These were Francis O'Neil
seaman, compound f1cturo of the arm; Ser
ecant Leopold Trott, Of the lath Missouri
regiment, face badly burned.
TEE BARON pEKALB
was the unlucky vessel to-day, and, consider
ing the length Of time she was c1l.ayed, sht
got oH very lightly. Ailer the Chillicoth'
withdrew the Denalh was ordered to remain
firing once every twenty minutes, but gettln:
no response after thu main engagemen
closed, She received about 4 dozen shot
during the action, ut least three Of whicl
were veg strcre blows. One passed oblique
! ,.,t through her starboard easement, just for
| wnrd Of the first port hole, and raked throug
| room in the extreme after part Of the vessel
The shot penetrated through section Of lie
caFcmate. ullich was not covered with iror
In lis course ii .track u gun, against whlc
one Of The ships qnartteermaste!s vas lcanln
: john o'Neal-and, gi2cncing' mor,all
wounded lin. A shell exploded Directly !
!! her wheclhouse. which damaged ono et " =
huckcts and splinterrd the bulkhead and l..
, no further mischief. Still another lodged
} the forward cascmate under the heavy iro
| plating. Shells striking on the outside OF til
vessel, frequently set on fire the cotton wit
: which she was covered; but no damage n
| suited theTcffOm.
CURIOUS ACCIDENTAL SHOT.
This afternoon the Chillicothe was again o
. I dcred down to engage the rebel battery. St
mosed aoHn promptly a1a eoon Lss s., aeal
emy made brisk response. The Chillicotl
fred bnt seven rounds, during which 81
$ dropped three shells directly into the enemy
: works with good effect. At this junetuFe 81
: | met with 4 most unfortunate and dlsastros
; accident. Her men were loading her port gu
t The charger being engaged at the moment
G cutting the fuse Of the shell which had alreat
been placed IN ]ne mnzze OF tae gun, "nen
sAtJiour PouIu snsA lum ~ 4I tsuG.s o.. ,ea ~
uses ~ ~ naia -. opeu ~ .uiow tS ~
. ano unsnll'pit'e tue nGasy iIon lott suatte' m
nhp ~ nucu ,tu "ae tato"n usSlooatu, ~
! nsni1g a1tGct9 upon ~ aak mkG u ta, saE Il l.
cNpiposa sln.tu;!taneoasiJ Pr. WILL tne snen u
We 9e!nE pul IL, sne llece. 1ns Glsn.at.ieS ~ -,
U tMs uou1le e1p'osloh "esc ioa'GTeu ~ ~ all
three Killed ana eIe'en wounded. Inc "oun
Gu were mostly oht slIgn'ly nur1' appene
s full LIST or THE cAsrALTIEs-
Killed.
| Thos Greenslstse, Master Gunner.
j. Norton. a7th III.
@ d3een olpgle1ou. ls&h ~.
e hon"dsd
9 Ialot -: r. Aoaon1 summed y tao conGnsslon'
esh1r hsscd sS N 49, a. "sm o1oAeA
J ycG35ans u cnTnen tIicht,v IN shon,der
II Sergeant j. +. Holiday, ssh Ohio eighty
Is ankle.
a. 4, Ghas. {; HUI. 18Th Ohio, el{shtly n face.
- ntit rt StH 1ett -, ~; IH
Gonnor, 1t. eSa4 ts.s 0h1o sMghu5 u iaee:
Ii TT Yonnn is,h r. r. % eii"htjv n H. - A'~s'
Ncwton P9rtrr p?th hi. s1icbtly in fara.
Henderson, 18th Ohio, knee aud iaco batll,
lis These soldiers had been detailed to i'll
d the crew Of the gunboat, as the crews Of
10 the Cunboats have been similarly filled !
9. and we're portions Of The crew Of tie port 9
Ii against the muzzle Of which the rebel shell
e. ploded.
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