The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1860-1863, 1863-01-22
FROM CAIRO.
CAIRo. Jauuary II.

cuoh( was hNNh 'k"u WIN VIC 'hIco hOu'
clad gun boars, Louisville. Cincinnati
and Mound City, and three light draughls
the latter having entered the Ar. ansss
River from branch Of the Whits River.
which approaches the Fort forty miles
above iis mouth. Arkansas Post is a
place situated at a favorable location for
defense, on bend of lha river. Of irreg.
ulsr. horse shoe shape. Il has for some
months, bsen much boasted OF. by tho
ConIedera'es. as sppt so fortified as to
be extremely formidable. Alta point
one mile below the fort where persons
IN the fort were unable 10 see wha' was
done, troops vera cisembarked. Gun.
boats proceeded up the liver, taking po.
sitions above the fort. as we'll as below,
so as 10 be able to rake it with their
heavy pieces. The land frees meantime
arrived. The :sar division. under Shcr.
man, found. in proceeding barF to some
distance. that bayou hlntered progress
in the way desired, and ha returned and
chose a roate moro favorable for intended
operations. Another division, meantime
took up line OF march somewhat near
er rbe locality Of the fort. and escaped
The obstruction of the bayou. Other Oh
s'ru tions existed. however, in the share
Of rife pits, which it became necessary
10 flank by advancing to ths furthest ex.
treEity from the riv,r. This was not
done without considerable skirmishing.
which consumed he remainder Of Satur.
day. There was some loss in these pro
ceedIugs, and about sixty Of tie enemy,
most Of whom were wounded. got in'o
the Federal lines by mistake, and were
taken pritonprs 1t was nearly dark b.
fora the Federal forces bad go far alvan-
ced as TO have the fort in full view, ready
for stormirg next morning.
While their operations were proceed
ing on land, the gun boats had taken po
ei'iOns, and little before dark smart ar
tillery fight t'ok pace, Which the early
vivuiug in Of dalkress cut short. The
FIRST shell fired BY tho enemy. struck n
LieuteSant OF the 113th Illinois. sllater-
ing his leg. The next morning the land
orces found, ibat tie enemy having los!
their rife pits. had thrown up new in.
uenchmcn's. These they proceeded TO
attack. and also TO secure pnRition a.
bov" the fort. AS well ~ below H. The
ground near the fort was found divested
Of timber. except in n particular portion
which vas useful for cover. and pros.
trate trees and brush were 30 disposed as
to psscut tho greatest possible amount Of
OF struction.
AZ tho two sections Of attacking land
trces advanced, they decreased The dis
tancc between them more and more, ap-
proaching the position of surrounding
the fort. A reinforcement OF two thou
sand men arrived 10 tie rebrls from Fo.t
Charles. on the White River. twenty FIVE
miles distant by land and it was with
difficulty this force made junction with
the main body ofrcbels. They succeed
ed, however, by taking advantage Of the
shelter afforded by ravine. Meantime
the casual firing Of artillery from the gun
hoais and in reply. which had b:en par
i,lly suspended by the necessity Of sup
porting the land operations, grew NOR"
vigorou', and a, one O.. lock h. avy firing
commOsoed bstwsrn the fort and gun
boats. and vas sustained three hours and
half so in"essantly that there we're only
occasional intervals at which the strained
ear for second was relieved from the
laundering roar, The casemaiing of the
foit presented formidable appearance.
which seemed to some extent TO Justify
the boasting that had been made Of It's
inpeuslrsbility. There was thickness Of
three feet oG solid timber. covered with
railroad iron, the whole looking IS IL il
could resis, the utmost force Of cannon
shot, - ... ..
To the deep dismay Of he defenders
Of the Post Of Arkansas. the balls hom
the mpnsrous guna VI tho boats SAanor'
ed their most formidable defensas, aud
penetrated and demolished strongholds
they had feared with go much skill. The
battered rails Of iron came tunbling
+ down. and the strong ribs OF timber were
blown with fatal effect among The rank
they we're 10 have saved, Dismounted
guns fell into common rum, proving the
dreadful power of gunboats with their
mighty armamtnts.
The second shot fired by the Frderals
At the commencement of the contest oil
three hours penetrated casemNte Of the
tort and killed seven mrn. BY another
shot one Of the enemy's caissons was ex,
plod-d, causing the death OF six men and
MI 'e horsep. With their casenates de,
molshed. their def Cses exposed to ra
king fire never surpassed for violence
, and storming parties closing in uEou
their rear, but one course was open IL
the enemy. ...
After = loss of about 200 men killed
wounded and missing. and somewhat
heavier on the pat: Of lha attacking par
y. tho commander Of the post. Gem
Churchill, surrendered at ~ O'Clock, p
NJ. Gen. McClernand took the whole
force. Abou, A, 800 prisoners, !, 800 or l..
400 OF whom are Oh tho sick list. The
gun boats which had inflicted co much
damage, escaped without serious Injury
Prisoners declared that II our arriva
, had h,en postponed another day. they
would have gwen us much sitter fight
as large re iufoicem,n;s would have join
) ed them. In reply 10 questions as 10 thu
number Of men and state of fori6cationi
. at Pine Bluff, Little Rock, and points or
T White River, The prisoners advised inter
rogators to 60 and count and observe fol