Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1863-01-29
Fron the New Orleans Delta, Jan. 9Th.
PARTICULARS CT THE FIGHT AT CALVES.


From officer belonging to q. s. transport steam
from Galveston, (who was eye witness of the af
lair, learn the following Particulars of the attack
ey the Confederates, urd r General Magrud r, upon
Federal vess-s lying Galveston Bay, on The
nor nlrg Of The lst instant lhc attack was most
tsrIpg one, aud resulted in serious loss Of life and
the destruction Il considerable property o. various
klLds Tie Unoo lOes in vessels was So follows The
Harriet Lane captured the WestGed blown W pre-
vut her falling the hands OF the Confedeaes and
no barks, laden with coal Captured, The exact Ioss
Of life IL not known, although it waa pretty heaVy.-
hat lcss the Coalederates sustained was not know
g our informant.
At ecoek the morning of the first, four Con
tederate gurboats similar all respects Mssis
sppi river (lned and fortified wi b cotton
bales) suddenly immerged ffom Buffalo Bayou into
Galveston Bay to the establishment OF he officers and
the Federal vessels, who, though aware that
the Cofederates werein considerable force land, z
dreamed of having contend with them for
on the beautiful ard placid waters of Galveston Boy
Bat that zach the patent to all. III G
were tbs four Immediately front slowly
surrey nearing their object OF attack TIE two foremost
steamers side by sde the third sort distance in
their wake. aud the fourth still further of In thg
meantime everything 10 readiness on board the
Federal vessels give their stealthy approaching
enemy a warm reception-a regular old fashioned New
Years greeting.
The 6rst v ssel attacked the Harriet Lane, by
two or the steam rs each side Ebe Lane, uR-
fortunately, aground when attacked and therefore
unable 10 use herEf to any great advantage neverthe
less she succeeded In getting several we'll directed shots
into one Of the steamers, causing her to sink few
minutes By this time ths thrd steamer had along
side OF the Lane and the sharp shooters opened upon
tue gunsers, sii OF whom killed il short time
together with the sonmsDder, Capt. Wainwright. As
Captain Wainwri yht fell the Texans boarded
the vessel and after heroic defsses by the Union eff
GERS aud men, captured her. The loss OF lite on the
Lane ss lows: Captain Wainwright, First 1t
Lee, and large HHmber Ct the crew consisting OF oae
hundred snd twenty men.
The Confeaeraes next turnsd their ATTENTION to The
United States steamer Nes:deld, acting commander
Renshaw, lying short distance OFF, and which like the
Harriet LaBe, also sground After SD iGeffectua
attempt get bis vessel clear Of tie distractions Com
modors Renshaw bed brst consultation with his Of
6oers, the lit of which unanimous determine
ton to blow the West6e!d up. Every preparation foI
the eonsummaton Of the awful but heroic resolve Of
these patriotic made the torch applied and il
instant mcre ths noble vessel with many of her CT
Geers AID men, we're scattered into fragments.
| We have obtained the following particulars Of the
loss of life the Westfed w. B. Renghaw, acting
commander Ii, utenanG Zimmerman, - Green en-
gineer Walter Esser, coxswain +; boats con
ssting OF svc persona two quartermaScrs four fire
meA The tota! less of life the We t6tld, are III
formed, will not exceed dteennost Of the officers anG
crew having made their escape Ia the small boafs
| The steamer OTascO, which participated in the en
gagemert had two men killed and eleven woundcd
! The remainder Of the flat with the transport Mary
A. Boardmsn and Saxon, escaped outside the bar.
Two barks, loaded with coal, from New York ying
at the Galveston wharf, we're captured by the CoDfed
crates together with hundred and City soders wht
had been landed TO do garrison duty.
The Csnfederaes after the dests uction Of the ~
field, had little bout with the Owasco in which the,
sustained some loss. They then turned the prows
their steamers (includng the Harriet Lanej shorew
where they were mOored a. last advceS