The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1863-03-26
$780, ,ha Vnzeo-EnsaEement OF the
ChiIIicothe and ne KHib'
CorIesponcenceo OF the UhIc'VV ;
HELENA, AKk., Diarch 10. 1868.

From the YazoO-EnRasement OF the
ChiIIicoihe and me K"ib'
Cor, esponcence Of the CHICAGO Trh
HELENA, ARk.,, Dlarch 19. 1868.
have inst returned from a trip to a new
nortion Of Dixie, which is becoming historic
ground, and hasten to give you a brief account
Of my trip.
~, hoard fine Wenona, bound with supplies Of
hard bread and pork for the body, and letters
far nbe mind of our boys on the Coldwater and
Tallabatchie rivers. All went very well for a
time: after passing Moon Lake we met the
RAYMOND. and transferred ourselves to her
The following night while anchored to a tree
OIL shore, a tree floating down stream knocked
q hole in our doughty craft and soon dlre con
fusion ruled the hour, for; to be Iost Oh tie
raging canal seemed TO be our HeSIlleu eild'
but II was to be otherwise; by dlnt Oh perse-
verance the boat was saved from a Watery
Grave and we went our way rejoicing that
soon we should leave the rotten craft and take
the nimble cart.
While gteaming down the Coldwater we
PASSED large quantities Of cotton and many
fragments of a steamboat. About 200 miles
from here and about ten miles above the mouth
Of the T~aIlahatchie, we found our boys, Gen.
Ross division, a~ttendedby gunboats and trans
ports. at a place called Greenwood Bay. We
found we had now reached debateable ground.
We here learned the cause Of there being so
much cotton atioat.
4 large cotton boat had been sent up the
river by the rebels and had gathered a large
load Of the Southern sovereign, but while she
was stopping to wood up one Of our gun
boats hove III sight, and as the cotton boat
could not escape, she was set on hre, ana hcr
rich cargo, estimated to be upwards OF three
thousand bales, was abandoned to the harnes.
About three miles below our troops, the reb-
els had built a fort, and placed a raft IN the
river. The fort is in a very strong position III
the neck Of a bend made by the Tallahatchic
and Yazoo Rivers. The Is unapproachahle by
the troops on account Of the overflow OF the
rivers, and the contest thus far has been a duel
Of cannon.
On the 18th the Chillicothe was ordered to
engage the rebels, and her appearance was the
signal for a brisk fire from them, but without
eIiciting any reply from the g%unboat, which
steamed steadily to her position, within eight
hundred yards, when, throwing open the bow
ports Of her t~urrets, she launched forth two
tremendous shots, which for a moment stag
gered the butternuts. One Of the elevcn-inch
shells passed completely over the neck, and
struck a rebel transport, lying in the YazoO
below the fort. This seemed to be a signal
for the whole rebel fleet to depart, for imIne-
diatcly they were under way.
The firing now became continuous on both
sides, several of our shells lodging in the enc
my's works and exploding. The Clillicothe
was struck in an aperture i'll the port-door,
through which the gunners worked their ram
-.-sooI ..,.,,,r,,1v, CI1f The ,lp1l
not only exploded, but caused the explosion
Of a shell our men had just placed in the muz-
zIe Of the gun. This compound explosion
carried overheard one Of the iron port-doors,
weighing over /, 600 pounds, and killed four
and wounded eleven Of the crew, and a few
minutes afterwards hrders were received for
the gunboat to withdraw from the fire. Not
withstanding the working force Of the gun
crew was much reduced, the men composing
it were promptly at work.
The following night was a busy one. A 80
FOUNDER Parrot gun was taken from a gunboat
and placed in a battery on land in front of our
line, and to the west Of Clayton's Slough, and
a temporary ratification was built of cotton
and earth, and pierced for one gun. The work
was done in quietness and silence, and before
daylight the battery was in readiness for work.
1t was scarcely a quarter Of a mile from the
rebel fort and bore directly on their most val
liable gun.But other matters were behind, SO
the day wore away without action. But on
the 18th there was a day Of hard fighting with
artillery. Though the previous day had been
one Of ~inaction the night was a busy time
The land battery, under the superintendent
Of Lieut.. Colonel Wilson, was enlarged and
d second Parrott gun was taken from the
gunboat Forest Rose and placed in position.
On the 18th, a fair and beautiful day, at
half past ten O'Clock, the gunboat Chillicothe
and the land battery opened upon the rebel
fertilization, the land battery giving special
attention to the rebel 64-pounder. This at
tracted special attention i'll return, and for a
while all their guns were trained upon the
Wilson battery, and they poured a fearful fire
Of shell and round shot upon the little fort, hut
it withstood it nobly. And its guns did yeo-
man sevice, making the cotton fly from Fort
Greenwood, as the rebels called their f0rtili-
cation, but it fell only to be as quickly replac-
ed. The Dekalb was detained for a few min
utcs by a mortar boat that blocked the river
and kept the gunboat from her position, but
finally the way was free for the gunboat to
move down into position, about six hundred
yards from Fort Greenwood. Up to this time
the land battery had received the whole fire of
the fort, and most nobly withstood it. The
appearance of the gunboats changed the scene.
At once the rebels turned their heavy guns to
the river, and paid their attention to the De
kaIh, both 11-inch, and two Of 9-inch, when
they hit, did execution that it was important
should be stopped.
The engagement became general and inspir-
ing. Wilson's battery, the two gunboats, and
inortar-boats, all vigorously at work. No
where in the West has so heavy a weight of
metal been thrown by us before. Our guns
did fine execution, perforating the outer wall
Of the rebel earthwOrk and moving the cotton
about in a lively manner. Several times the
cotton about the eInbrasurcs was in flames
Notwithstanding the rebels fought with a
courage worthy of a better cause, our fire was
too much for them, and gradually their fire
slackened, while ours Increased in spirit. And
ifthe place had been assailable by infantry,
we should then have captured it, but this was
impossible, as the high water perfectly pro-
tcctcd it.
If time permits me to finish my account Of
my trip, | will send it, but / must hasten to a
close. The fort is commanded by Gen. Thigh
man of Fort Donelson fame, and is manned
by a force of about 1000 troops.
Having begun to write to you from this out
Of the way place, may write again.
MESSENGER.
FnrTRsuI Runs by Port Hudson.
WASHINGTON, March 23.-The following
E