, 1863-04-01
FROM VIGKSBURG.
The Canal Feared a
Failure.
TWO RAMS RUN THE
BATTERIES.
Conflicting Rumors from
the YazOO.
MOUTH or TIE CANAL ABOVE F1cKsBGR0.
Marrf, aStf 1QE3

A*0NOs
MocTu or TIE CANAL ABOVE VzcKsBrR9,
March a5th, 1868. |
Admiral Farsagut requested that an iron
clad and two rams might be sent down to
him, anticipating danger from below. The
rams Lancaster and Switzerland were ordered
down by Gen. Ellet, With picked crews The
former WAS commanded By Lieut.. Col. Jno.
A. E11et, and tic latter By Col. Chas. r. Ellet.
The rams started to run the Vicksburg bat
tcries at five o'clock this morning, having
been unavoidably delayed. The Switzerland
took the lead, and had reached midway be-
tween the batteries when shot struck the
boiler, exploding it md scalding three ne
groes badly, and the mate, G. Connor,
slightly. The vessel then floated down the
river, and was taken in tow By the Albatross.
Her damage is slight, and she will be ct for
service in j day OF TWO.
The Lancaster, less fortunate, vas struck
soon after passing the first battery, one shot
striking bel, almost splitting her hull in twain,
and several passing through her boilers and
cutting her steam pipe. She soon CON-
mcrced to sink, but fearing she might FILL
into the hands Of the rebels, Lieut.. Colonel
El,ct discharged his revolver into the cotton
around her boilers and eet her on fire.
Her bow went under, however, and IN
fcW seconds the vessel disappeared beneath
the engulphing waves.
One Of her pilots, Thos. L. ". Kitson, lost
a leg, and E. s. Brown, her engineer, was
slightly scaldcd. Orderly Sergeant William
Mcdonald is missing, aud Fas probably
drowned.
The crcws Of the vessels behaved nob1y, and
obeyed orders promptly. To this they are
indebted for their escape from death in ten
fold terrible forms.
The batteries at Wa1repton opened on the
Hartford to prevent her from going, up to
curry out her laat Of the programme, but
with the exception Of two OF three men
slightly wounded, she escaped damage
The rebel, planted heavy guns opposite the
canal, which has been abandoned Us failure,
on account OF their deadly range.
There is heavily cascmatcd work in course
of constructions at Wnrrenton, which Farragut
fhcIled twice, but no reply was made by tue
batteries. Hc has received ! supply of.coal
tlrifted down in barges from aboye. lie saw
the smoke Of several vessels in Red Riycr,but
what they wcrer could not be asccrta:ecd.
Heavy rain and high wind prevails, and
sickness continues among the troops.
CAIRO, Murch sl-The expedition from
which we had been led to expect SO much
under Gen. Sherman, to the rear Of Haiues
Bluff, by way of Staelc's Bayou, is II f,ilurc
and the entire forca has returned to Young
Point.
Ne have nothing further from the Yazo'
Paes expedition, under Generals Ross AM
Quimby.
A letter from the frigate Hartford report
that she got aground once passing Port Hue
son, and WIS struck frequently by rebel sho
At Grand Gnlf she xas also struck frequently
Her total loss WIS two seamcn killed, and ST
woundcd-a1l slightly.
[Special Dispatch to the Chicago Trbune.l
MEMPHIS, March -, via. CAIRO, March ii.
: The canal opposite .Vicksburg, il. cons
) qucncc Of the sudden overflow before repor
J cd, is partly filled with mud and sand, al
useless.
Q The reported failure Of Gen. ". 7. She
+ mans expedition to the rear of Haincs' Blu
r is unfounded. At last accounts it bad rcac
9 ed the Yazoo river with large force.
4 The Belle Peoria, arrived from Young
d Point, reports TINT u large number Of Conf
crates have gone up the Yazoo river fro
l. Vlcksburg. and that Commodore Porte
&c fleet, or portion Of 1t, has been hcmmed
Is above and below Haines' Bluff, By felllug tre
'c across the stream, which Is very narroW
sc this point.
is 4 hrge force Of Fedcrals was sent up, u
Porter rescued from his per{lous positis
ae It is since reported in our fleet, that Hahn
| SlQu u.te UCcn " AEuAhGA. Ato0A1AJ ~ A.
r. so. Deeerters state that all the Contedera
Of had to subsist for come time, on corn brt
&C and molasses.
d. CAIRO, March 3l.-our news from Vic
nd burg and vicinity is Important. The joint
Ill tempt of Admiral Porter and Gen. shcrn
re. to flank Haines' Bluff is a failure. The 6
ns boats had proceeded through sseelc's
re, Blacks Bayou, and into Deer River, vi
Of ther encountered a considerable force Of
Is eli who obstructed their passage both in #
on and rear By telling trees, aud the repor
|, a that they were only eavcd from capture
OF the timely arrival Of infantry
This whole expedition had returned
lhe Touug's Point.