New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-06-04
The As.auit Of the 22nd-The Part the
Gunboais Took in ii-Omeiai Report
by Admiral Porter.
WAsHISGrOs, W,

WARRINGTON hednosdty, Jane 3, lo,~
tn. following was received 81 tie Navy Depart
neai this afternoon:
HIssIssIFrI SQUADRON, RLAesHiF BLACK HAwE.}
hsy 70. 4o7A
SIR: On the evening Of tie Olaf received COM
rnnncaiion from Gen. Grant. informing Inc that be
intended TO attack the hole Of the Rebel works a.
10 a. ID. the next day, and asking me TO shell the
batteries from g until lO and TO annoy tho gaTri-
son. ! kept six mortars playing rapidly on the
works and town all night, and cent the Benton
Mound City and Carondelet mp 10 shell The water
batteries and other places where troops might lie
sesting during the night.
Att o'clock in the morning, the Monnd City pro-
eeeded across the river and made an attack on tue
hin batteries opposite the canal AZ o'clock, j
found her in company with the Benton, Tuscumbia
and Carondelet All these vessels opened Oh the
hill batteries and finally sileDced them, though
tie maia work on the battery containing the heavy
riAed qua was done by tue Mound City, Lieut.. Com
msnder Byron Wilson. then pushed The Benton,
Mound City, and Carondelet up 10 the water bat
teries leaving the Tuscumbis which il still out Of
repair TO keep the bill batteries from airing On our
vessels after they had gone up.
The three guubOa,s passed up slowly owing TO the
s;ropg current, the Mound City leading. the Benton
following and the Carondelet sstern. The water
batteries opened furiOusy, supported by hill bat
tery on the s,Grboard beam Of the vesses. The yes
sells advanced to within 40 yards 10y our marks,
and returned the fire for two bOurs without cessation,
The enemy's fire being very accurate and iDcessant.
Finding that the hill batteries behind us were
silenoed ] ordered up the Tuscumbia to within 500
yards Of the batteries bat her turret was coon ren-
aered untenabe, not standing the enemy's shot, and
I made her drop down. l had been engaged with
the forts an hour longer than Gen. Grant asked.
Tie vessels had ell received severe shots under
water, which we could not stop while IN motion
and not knowing what might have delayed the
movement of the army ordered the vessels 10 drop
out of ere. which they did in cool. handsome
manner.
This was the hottest Ere the gunboats have ever
been under, but owing 70 the water batteries being
more on level with them than usual, tue gunbOaic
threw in their shell fast that the aim Of the enemy
wss not very good. The enemy bit our vessels 8
nomber Of times but, fighting bow on, the shot die
bot little damage.
Not a man was killed, aud only few wounded
had only enough ammunition for a few moments
longer and yet all hands 70 work 10 ill up from our
dspot below.
After dropping back, found that the enemy had
taken Possession again Of one Of the lower bill bat
teres, and sndeavoring TO remount his guns
and bad mounted l2-pounder feld'piece 70 fire a
Gen hcArthurs troops, which had landed short
time before at Wansnton. sen, tho Mound CitJ
and Csrondees 70 drive him of, which they did ii
O few moments.
beg leave TO inclose letter from Gen. NcArhul
explaining Why be did not 10 use Lis own express
s'snl take advantage Of the results gained BY The