, 1863-01-14

tack. It is true, that skirmishing had been
going on for some days between our q tin
clad mosquito boats and the rebel guerillas !
willie engaged in fishing up the torpcdocs.
Wlitchouse, two and half miles from the !
middle landing. The forces Of 4. ]. Smith !
had been discmbarked behind those Of Blair, |
but while he DETECTED to the left, the former |
kent straight ahead, SO as to bring him on the |
extreme right. Morgan had landed at the |
mouth Of ChicknsaW Bayou, 3 mile and half |
higher up 60 a. to occupy 5e the centre Of the
our advance would be made along this main |
road from the river to the city, because It was
the only tolerable one, and the most natural.
We did not disappoint them Hearing that q
party Of them had fred upon our advancing
6kirmishers under Col DeCourcy, Gen. Blair
and Gen. Wyman were ordered to turn in
their path SO as to bring them on the flank Of
Gen, Morgan's route.
It was on Saturday afternoon that General
Blair emerged into q cleared strip Of planta-
cred the enemy posted behind the 1eree near
the Whitehouse. He waited for DeCourcy
to come up, and while doing so, the rebels
fired into his ranks. They had two pieces Of
artillery, which they wheeled along the bank
Of The stream ahs1 without firing Our men wefs
the 18th and 18th Illinois, being in advance,
They did not wait for the exchange Of com
pliments, retiring into the woods beyond
That night our centre rested at the White
house, and the whole army blvonackcd. As
yet We could only get . distant sight Of the
bluff OH which the rebels we're perched. The
woods skirting tile base Of the bluff envcloped
the batteries.
THE ACCIDENT TO TIE BENTON.
While all this was passing heavy firing could
be heard on the extreme left We in the
woods could not determine whether it was
Steele or Horey engaged, or. whether 1t was
the gunboats at the Haines' Bluff fortifca-
vile, and tie Mound City, accompanied by
the Tyler and the Marmora, had proceeded to
the lowest Of the batteries commanding the
river, and on the afternoon, the Benton iu the
advance, Louisville next engaged the bat
| tery for m hour and ten minutes With her bow
| guns. The distance Was about 500 yards The
| river being very narrow mud crooked It Is i'm
possible to see the battery until one il right
upon 1t.
The firing lasted IN hour and ton minutes,
when the brave Capt. Gwin, standing glass in
hand, was struck By shell On the breast and
arm, tearing away the flesh so as to produce
mortal wound. She WAS then backed down
beyond the point out Of action. The Louisville
| engaged the battery for few minutes longer
and then retired. About sixty shots in all
were fired from each side. The Benton Eas
struck thirteen times. Several Of the shot
glanced from her sides; three penetrated her
roof and wheel house, which Is thinly plated,
and three pierced her side arulor. She was
not so fir injured as to interfere with her
lighting qualities, but was Withdrawn simply
Oh acconnt Of the loss Of her commander.
Lieut.. Lord succeeded to the command.
Executive officer Reese, Of the Marhlora, who
bad gone on board with 2 dispatch, vas struck
| by a splinter from solid shot which entered
tile forward port hole. The same shot killed
tho Muster.at-arms, gunner, and wounded
seriously two others. These were ai! the
casualties to the gunboatdurlng the bombard-
ment. The firing commenced at o'clock
! and lasted till 4 quarter past 8.
Capt, GWin was at once taken on board the
| flagship. when every attention WAS shown him
by Adnliral Porterand the feet surgeons. The
| whole Of the muscular portion of the under
side Of the arm above the elbow and the right
breast was torn away. It is hardly probable
that he could hope to recovcrras tho suppura-
ton in this moist climate Is great drain upon
the system He was considered one Of the
most promising OF the young officers in tho
navy, ana nad oeen pl:ace4 III command OF inc
naso ,s tha1 liz Ia3 1nt rnc.nt1v nr,arr;ad 49, o .
beautiful Young lady in New York. md WIS in
TIC flush and pride Of manhood. But so It is,
anxn.v,s W. oys,.~.,
| soNDAi ESaAehAEST.
Our forces rested on Saturday night in the
corntield. Morgan Was coming up the bank
o1osa ~, dha 1;nn -, h;a r;a,t ,tna ,;' " "
fn1t;t;cd+;ona ,sos fhrn,rn m T., frn,,t ~ ~ ~.
Whtni,nnsa o,d thn armr n i,;a Il thcu, y do~v .r
- sonnd o1nn,fcr 4 j;t}1n strin ~ wnn1.
sr,,srste cd "a fTorn f1a hostIla xnrFs In th;s
nir"a ~ r-ooao ti,n raha1s h,d !, hattarr ~ 10
tillery and brigade Of infantry. 30 soon as
the sun rose and the Light mist cleared away
on Sunday morning, tic skirmishcrs disco1-
cred the enemy. Batteries were Immediately
brought into position On both sides. A sharp
a1f nnst n n anu ind;n~ III 1nels AZ.
aso ua d3' ~ ~ ~ ~
poseu ~ o.su.o na.a ann pps3sssapI y, .a
Ta 1ond;nm mslS +ha 3arsa .us tho oo,s
n ,sn - 81 -casi,Hnr :. sna -a-s-,ct
oId XIII lin n thc cdfc nf thc r tvands zas
| also used to shelter their Infantry. Gen.
! Blair, with tho a9th and S0th Missouri and
| 5sth Ohio. and Gen, Wyman, with the 18th,
10th and - nlinois. were drawn uD to tle
| cl,nrre. The men had heen living down in tbe
corpficld while the cannonadins Was progress.
irg. A br{rade Of A{orrnn L. SpIth's sun.
| nnrtei then7 On tle rirhf
-,,,., ~, ,.,,r ,,v,,.
psAtn W otS. "1Ns'
Gen. Wyman had just trawn his sword and
given the order to advance, when he was
struck BY Mimic ball in the groin, which dis
Lieut.. Col Gorgas took command Of the reg
imcnt, and Gen. Blair led tho brigndcs. Be-.
i9ss .nsn 5oa,, "s to au sd ~ ,n
tSc 1e1cc at henni Thc '1chc1s p sca,,,nercd
tukinr with thcm their artIllcry and leayin.
| snx"r5l 1cad ~ 3hc rronrI Witch ,rc offaEs'
warda 1,nr;cd '1's s'"oA"' "'44~'4 ~ $'ANe'
Thc chor1e ,-,s made In sn1endid strlc piv.
| inn conf;flsncc to t],e men M, ie,d9rs fhat
1rSrn 4 camn To thc tcst tnev ,rnnl1 unt f}inrh
in: THAR dntr' 1Ioffuann's hntterr and !