The New York herald., 1863-12-26
IMPORTANT FROM THE MISSISSIPPI.
MIR. Thos. w. Knox's Despatch.
Orr raS Mourn og RED RIVER, Dec ., 1855

Orr MoUm oF RED RIVER, Dec Q, 1855.
Guerilids he Lo,osr htSsissipp-AacS on the Seane
Von PhsI-The Boat R,ddied and Disablei-Pa'ticndar
of tie Agair-A Gts,boat Comes TO Her Relief-CiJtai
Nc cDouoaH Of the Atlante, Acis the Good SamurTial-
Casually Last, dc.
trip up or down the Mississippi does not appear 10 b.
devoid Of excitement, is to Judge by the expe
rience OF your correspondent. Two weeks ago lei
neSor been fired 0po ,2R the. Sieapsr- Cara Bel
particularly safe, he had board several members
the Western sanitary Commission and was flying hos
pita flag. On reaching Fed river the gunboat commander
Informed that fag would be protection, as th'
guerlas ready to fire upon anything We acoording!
by until gunboat could be made ready to convey us
past the dangerous point. Meantime the steamer olive
Branch made her appearance and together we steamed
downward past the supposed position Of the battery the
gunboat Keeping the dangerous side OF US NO sho'
fred, though boats both before ana oehinu US were
noticed with lcaden and iron compliments
AT New orloansI found the steamer Biaekhawk, which
had sufered severely about q week before. While
passing Red river convoy OF guuboat the guerlas
opened upon from six gun battery. Over forty shots
struck hsr perorang her cabin and texas IN every part
Two persons instantly killed. others fatally and
three slightly wounded One shell through the texas over
turned the ard the woodwork fire. destroys
completely the plotholse and texas The fire drove the
pilot from the wheel and the boat being without any
rushed to the hurricane roof and by great exertons
succeeded extinguishing the Games While the boat
WAS stu in flames the gueras kept up their fire. and
continued it until driven on by the gunboat The latter
pulled OIL the Backhawk and, with temporary steering
apparatus rgged up she succeeded in reaching New Or
leaus She is now lying at the foot OF Canal street,
undergoing repairs, and will shortly be again in
vice. lhe Dackhawk formerly ran between Quincy
and Hannibal, connect the Chicago and Quincy
aud the Hannibal aud st. Joseph railroads. During
the early part the siege OF NcSsourg she was used a
the OF Col Morton, Provost Marshal Of the
Army OF the Tennessee
ON Monday evening last left New Orleans for Naichez
and Vicksburg on the steamer Henry Won Phul.
About noon yesterday passed Bayou sara, and
told by tho officers OF the gunboat stationed there that
the river all quiet above There had been firing
for nearly week, and trouble apprehended
About eight miles above Bayou Sara a5, was seated in
the cabin busly engaged letter heard a heavy
crash above. followed second later by another. My
first thought that OF the chimneys bad falen
that part Of the piohodse had given way looked
and that the passengers were fleeing from the
cabin Al that moment was enlightened as to the
OF the tuml by seeing shell crash through the cabin
than four feet from scattering the spiners
my table gathered up my writing miterais and went
away to my stateroom, whore had left my roommate
Mr. tOburn, Of the World, asleep few moments before.
Tho noise Of the firing had awakened him, and he
wondering what TO do. Looking through the outside door
OF rom, the lady passengers, half dozen
number assembled between the cabin the Wheel un
der charge Of Mr. Douglas tho clerk OF the boat The
ladies, to their commenda'on be said perfectly
COOL and only when the firing was nearly did they
any particular sign OF fear While stood there
shell through the cabins close TO the clerks head
and passed OF over the after part or the Wheel II had
traversed the length Of berth where O lady had
been lying asleep ten minutes before The feathers from
her pillow scattered the cabin some of them
falling upon the heated stove The odor these burn
ing feathers gave rise 70 cry that the boat fire.
and was only then ladies' displayed any sign OF
alarm. moments investigation showed the true state
OF affairs aud the sudden Gained. The had
steadily kept on her course, and in fifteen minutes after
che firing began We were out OF range The guerilas
opeucd upon when were exactly abreast Of them,
and kept up the lre as rounded the bend.
captain who Sv' was seated just back Of The plots plot aea
moment utter spherical shot entered the pilot
or bullets. lie brought below. aud died in few
moments. The pilot, James Allen, of St Louis, stood
steadily at the wheel and kept the boat her course.
Another shot struck the chouse passing directly be
neath the platform on which the pilot standing. Most
OF the shot fired passed over the boat through the
upper works. One shell exploded the Hers making
deep dent in the supply pipe and nncting the
steam drum. 1t was Fortunate, indeed, that the only
Injury to the machinery was few dents. One OF the
cabin boys struck in the shoulder by Miuie ball.
but without serious injury.
After tho firing had ceased order was restored, the
spntcrs and scattered feathers from the
floor, aud overy body became quiet Captain German
had boon universal favore among the passengers, and
steadily through the waters, aud in half an hour sg
and hailed tho guuboat Neosho On learning that we
had been fired upon, she offered to convoy TO Red
river guard against repetition Of the attack She
had not full head OF steam on and forced TO
wait nearly hour before getting under weigh. This
gave the gueras time to get ahead ana prepare for
other ault
upoa u, this time firing more rapidly than before. The
preecties OF the same kind as at rs,el0ngated
a"sc,rV WA. used in bosn instances though with
out any effect. At the time this firing commenced
Mr. Colburn aud myself were at table In
she forward cabin considerable knot OF passengers
had gathered us, talking the affair shell
poded under table, and put complete stop to my
writing The shells were coming with greater rapidty
than be TO- aud descended TO the main deck. There
found tho dcckhands gathered behind pile OF salt
bags and concluded TO lo down with them l had Just
s "A
part Of the bo passed through several hickuesses
of board and struck the end OF plank where was
lying shvorng the end OF the plank its force spent
separated from the wood aud struck my foot It's
velocity was gone The only result TO myself was
the locality, mortay woundng two of the men by
my side These among the lat shots that struck
AS soon a. the firing commenced the gunboat opened
upon tho gucrillas The latter raid attention to her
only ceased ring when we're out Of ra &c Niht
was approaching, aud the gunb0at continued the sheng
until after dark. Meantime the Won Phu had tied 10
tho shore about three miles from the position OF the bat
terry piece of shell Ind struck one OF the boilers, aud
the steam ESCAPED 80 rapidly as to render the engnes
useless after they had carried us out Of danger on,
cabin aed with steam our chmneys were shot through
half dozen places and our cabin was torn and rdded
by the she'll We were helpless and ted up tC
the Shore whore the gueras might again fall uron NJ
at any moment Our casualty list had been increased
and there general manifestation Of desire TO Gel
out OF trouble as possible.
The steamboat Atlantic, Captain Harry McDougal soor
hove In sight, on her way down the river We halle,
her and ON learning our situation Captain Mcrougs
once offered t. tow TO Red river. and there leave
undcr protection OF the gunb at Choctaw Greater cnur
tosy never was shown by steamboat captain to an
other than was displayed by Captain Mclougall on lhi
occasion Tho Offer 10 tow US up was made even be or
tho officers OF the Won Phul had spoken 10 him. and with
out suggestion from any Just he had taken u
tow the Neosho came alongside and trans erred TO-
ladies from cabin 10 ana the ladies speak In hi
terms the courtesy shown them by the officers ol tn
Ecosto.
About one O'Clock at night We reached this point AM
came to anchor. our wOrkmen engaged IN 70
pairing the damage o. the boiler aud by noon We expcc
% be able TO proceed. We had anticipated that th
rebels would Ore upon ne from point Just below Rec
river. II for this that the ladies were trans
ferred 10 the gunboat The gucrllas did not SEQ III q
trouble us.
The officers, crew and passengers displayed mucl
coonoss as possible under the circumstarces During
nro in which sixty or more shots were thrown, o
which forty must have struck the boat, u
would be idle TO suppose there was no ex
ctement There hurry and confusion
manifest but everybody appeared anxious TO look on
for tho safety OF his neghbor well as bis Mr.
Douglas the clerk Of the boat, particularly atten,iv