Evening star., 1863-03-28
THE YAZOo PASS ExpEnIrroN
Not Success aS fet-A Clearer Statement
OF What is Really Going on-0peratious
Delayed for Fortnight = The Reason
Why-TfIghman's Rebel Forces Nov.
ing on the Coldwater-GeneraI Loriur ,u
Command Of the Rebels.

The Chicago Times has letter from the va
zoo region which throws little ligh; mo
I what has been going on. After the fight uea
/; Greenwood on the 18TH, thu writer says:
! Circumstances will prevent q renewal OF tn !.
| attack Tor TWO weeks. This is not occasionat
| by any damage we have sustained but through
an oversight OF the projectors of the movement
! Onr forcts are new acting strictly on the de
| fensive, though with no probability of bpin :
| attacked.
Gen. Ross has sent up orders 20 have the
| Mississippi leyee at the head of the Pass de
stToyed for the distance of one mile Hee
| poets the overflow to drown the rebels on.
| The project is TO cut the levee all away. AMI
let flood run through, hoping to drswn the
| rebels out at Greenwood.
GueriliaS are very troublesome above as thav
| IRE into every passing boat on the Tallahatchie
Information having been received that 3.taAl
| rebels, under Tilghman, Were moving TO fortify
| the mouth OF the Colby water and cut off our
| retreat, the gunboat Petrol has been sent mn 10
| guard the threatened locality.
Gen. Loring Is positively in command of the
rebels here Lieut.. Brown, formerly of the
United States navy. now of the Confederate
States army, and lately commanding the ram
Arkansas, has charge of the rebel batteries
! The rebels are constantly receiving reinforce
ments OF men. guns and ammunition DaserterS
| report the arrival OF lUinch columbiad within
day or two.
ANOTHER FIGHT AND ANOTHER FAurRR.
HELENA, March l2-TCorrespondence OF the
Chieaeo Times. Since my last communication
we have made but single effort at the enemy
| and that, like its predecessors. resulted In
nothing. On Monday last at noon the bomhars
me mt was umed
The eunboats Chilicothe and DeKaIb, with
one mortar boat, We're brought into actien.
assisted by Battery Wilson, which at that time
had been enlarged and extended 50 as TO carry
three suns-two 30-pound Parrots and an G.
inch nahlgren.
The Chillicothe, as on former occasions, was
The main target of the enemy. She took her old
de from fI.nv aI-rl--
at the point where the fort first comes IN 10
vicw5 Her commander begged hard 10 go down
the river, but was refused.
The action lasted but about twenty minUtrS
during which time only fourteen sho.s ,yere
tired al the Chillicothe, eight of which. how
ever hit her full in the face. The effect of this
severe pounding was the cause of the speedy
termination OF the engagement. Both her bow
poFfholes were closed up. These portfolios are
covered with ponderous iron shutters that arr
drawn together when the gun is drawn in for
leading. The enemy'S heavy missiles falling
npon these when closed, had SO indented and
jammed the shutters that they could not b..
slid open. The vessel was, therefore, tempor-
arily disabled and had to be abandoned
At this stage in the operations we began 10
receive tangible evidence that the enemy could
reinforce more rapidly than we. His battery
had been increased by the addition of guns OF
greater cailhre, reaching to II inch cOlum ii ads
his magazines had been bontifully repleniShpd
and his garrison was receiving acceSs sions
daily.
Immediately preparations for the withdrawal
were set on foot. Battery Wilson was dismau-
tied and its guns returned to the boats TO which
they belonged. Orders We're iss ned for the di-
recton OF the ileet on its return voyage. Every
Thing was in readiness for the withdrawal.
which was 10 have been consummated on
Thursday morning, when, late on Wednesday
night, the programme was suddenly changed
Why withdraw We must take Fort Green
wood sooner or later. The force is at hand
now that is able 10 take it. The only trouble
i, this land force cannot move owing to the
overflow OF the land between them at the
rebel works. Now, ii is very plain that. if we
can't get al the enemy, neither can the enemy
get at US They may make the attempts by
boat&-the only practical way; but We have
every advantage of them there, having full
confidence that our fine fleet of gunboats is
more than match for any temporary war
vessels they may fit up. We are safe from
attack at Shell Mound Place-the locality OF
cur camp-and il is better 10 remain there.