The daily Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1862-1863, 1863-05-26
NEWS BY TELEGRAPH.
LATEST OFFICIAL NEWS.
BY THE F. W. LINE.
Exclusively for the Journal

the Capture of Haines' Bluff
He Destroys Great Quantities of
Ammunition, Arms, Camp EqIp-
age, &c.
WASHINGTON, May 25-The following
was received this morning:
CAIRO, Nays.
Hon. Gideon Wel1es, Secretary ofthe
Nary:
The following dispatch has just been
received.
(Signed) PENNOCK,
Fleet Captain, Mississippi Squadron.
FLAG SHIP BLACK HAWK, !
HAINEs' BLUFF, YARoo RIVER,
May 20, 1868.
/ Hon. Gideon VeUeS:
On the morning of the 18th l came
over to the YazoO to be ready to co-ope-
rate with Gen. Grant, leaving two of the
iron clads at Red river, one at Grand
| Gulf, one at Carthage, three at Warren
ton and two in the Yazoo, which left me
a slim force, still disposed of it to the
firing was heard in the rear of Vicksbur5,
which assured me that Gen. Grant was
approaching the city The cannonading
was kept up furiously for some time,
when by the aid of glasses l discovered
a company of our artillery advancing
taking position and driving the rebels
before them.
l Immediately saw that Gen. Sher-
mans division had come On to the left
of Snyders Bluff, and that the rebels at
that place had been cut off from joining
the forces in the city
| dispatched the DeKalk, under COM
mander Walker, the Choctaw, Lieut..
Com manding Ramsey, the Romeo, Pc
mand of commander Breese, up the \ a
zoo to open communication in that way,
with Gen Grant aud Sherman This |
succeeded in doing, and in three hours
received letters from Gems Grant, Sher-
man and Steele, iaforming me of the
vast snccessei of our arms, and asking
me to send US provisions, which was at
once done.
In the meantime, Lieut.. Commander
Walker, in the DeKalk, pushed on to
Haines' Bluff, which the enemy had COM
meneed evacuating the day before, and
party remained behind in the hopes of
destroying or taking away large guam
tity of ammunition on hand.
When they saw the gunboats they
came out and left everything in good
order, guns, forts, tents, and equipments
of all kinds which fell into our hands
As soon as the capture of Haines S
Bluff and IA guns were reported to me
l showed up the gunboats from below
VickSburg to fire at the hill batteries,
which fire was kept up two or three
hours.
At midnight they moved up to the
town and opened on it for an hour, and
continued it at intervals, during the
night to harrass the garrison
On the 10Th, l placed 6 mortars in
position, with orders to fire night and
day as rapidly as they could.
The works at Haines' Bluff are very
formidable There are IA of the heavi-
est kind of mounted 10, and 7I-inch
rife cannon, with ammunition enough
to last long seige.
As the gun carriages might again fall
into the hands of the enemy, l had them
burned, blew up the magazine and des-
troyed the works generally.
l also burned up the encampments
which were REMARKABLY well constructed,
looking as if the rebels intended to stay
, for some time
The works and encampments cover
many acres of ground, and the fortifca-
tons and rife pits proper of Haines' S
> Bluff, extend about mile and a quar-
ter. Such a net work of defences | new
er saw.
The rebels were year in construct.
? ing them, and all were rendered useless
in one hour.
As soon as got through with the de-
struction of the works and magazines,
: started Lieut.. Commander Walker, up
. the Yazoo river with sufficient force tc
| destroy all the enemys property in that
" direction with orders to retire with al
dispatch and only to proceed as far as
Yazoo City where the rebels have a
navy yard and store houses.
IA the meantime Gen. Grant has
: closely invested Vicksburg, and has pos
: session of the best commanding points.
r In a very short time a general assault
: will take place, when hope to announce
that Vicksburg has fallen after a series
9 of most brilliant successes that ever at
;. tended an army
There has never been a case during
\ the war where the enemy have been 81
d successfully beaten at all points and the
n patience and endurance shown by on
ID army and navy during so many month!
, is about being rewarded
Ii 1t is mere question of few hour
and then with the exception of Por
: Hudson which will follow Vicksburg, tn,
Mississippi will be open its entire length
. (Signed) D. D. PORTER,
D Rear AID. Com. Miss. Squadron.
lie WASHINGTON, May 24-Dr. Fritz, SUI