The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1863-03-31
BY TELEGRAPH.
TO THE
Portland Daily Press.
FROM NEW ORLEANS.
Destruction Of the Steamer Bio Bio by
Fire.
Our Army Returned to Baton Rouge.
The Rebel Force at Port Hudson
10000.
The Hartford and the Albatross the Only
Vessels past the Batteries.
Particulars of the Destruction Of the Steamer
Mississippi.
New YORK. March 80.

! from New Orleans. 23d. She sailed In com
pany with the steamer Mcclellan for New
| York.
The steamer Bio Bio, which arrived on the
ed, from New York and Havana. was totally
destroyed by fire that morning. with the pas
sengers baggage and cargo. while living at the
| wharf. The origin of the fire is unknown
The New Orleans Era of the 22d reports
over two thousand bales of cotton received
during the mast week most of which had been
| carefully concealed for months.
New Orleans adyices state that on the adj
vance of Gen. Banks forces. the rebels retired
| TO Port Hudson.
} Col CLARK, of Gen Banks staff. was serious
ly wounded in the leg while accommodating
! The man who shot him was subsequently, kill
ed
Gen. Banks was at New Orleans on the 23d.
| On the return of the army to Baton Rouge he
issued general order, announcing that the
"entire object of the expedition was accom-
plshed, and that it was a complete success"
| The movement is understood to have been a
mere diversion to enable Farragut to pass the
| batteries, and not the destruction of Port
| Hudson. Another account says the army now
| extends from Baton Rouge lew miles outside
1t is said that information was received By
| Gen. Grover that the rebels were about to at
tack Baton Rouge, which rendered a retro
| grade movement advisable.
Our fleet is now few miles above Baton
Rouge-the Essex nearer Port Hudson. The
rebel force there Is said to number 10000
A report says that before the destruction of
the Mississippi, she sienced two OF the rebel
batteries which opened on her except one gun,
and that the Richmond which had passed Port
Hudson, returned, and installing her Tor
| rebel gunboat which might have come out of
one of the bayous, fired on her so rapidly that
she nearly swept her decks. The mistake was
| mt discovered until the Mississippi was
nd har dos ,ef5 fpnN ;fuhl.
A semi-oilicial account of the naval engage
ment says: After the arrival of the army from
Baton Rouge, and the skirInishes OF Saturday,
Admiral Farragut's fleet, which was at anchor
five or six miles below Port Hudson, prepared
to pass the batteries. The signal for advance
was made at l-2 o'clock. 1t was beautiful
starlight night. The Hartford with the Alba
tross took the lead and both successfully pass
/ ed the batteries, but with what damage we are
not informed, as there has of course been no
| communication with them since their passage
| The Richmond and Genessee followed. The
| Richmond was exposed to the fire OF all the
| batteries and received a shot through her
steam drum and was Obliged TO fal back ont
| of range of the batteries. She dropped down
river, and her loss was killed and wounded.
| Lieut. Com. BOYD Cummings was wounded
| A shot from the batteries took Off his leit leg
below the knee. and the same shot passed
| through the smoke stack Of the guuboat. He
died on the 18th. at New Orleans. The Mo-
nongahela and the Kineo went ip next in
order. Capt McKinistry of the Monongahela.
was standing on the bridge when it was shot
away from under him, and he was very serious
| ly injured. 1t is generally reported that i'm
| this case amputation OF one leg will be neces-
sary. The entire loss on the Monongahela
was Z killed and u wounded. The Kineo was
under severe fire. Her rigging was badly cut,
rudderpost shot away, and hawser was en-
tangled about her propeller. She became I'M
manageable, and was obliged to drop back
| The Monongahela also fell back out of range
| The side wheel gunboat Genessee was some
what damaged, and also fell back
The naval engagement lasted from about 10
until In the morning The rebel batteries nj
first fired badly, but after the Mississippi
grounded, and the arrange was attained the
firing was very effective. While the gunboats
were under the batteries, the six mortar
schooners and the Essex lay below the point
and fired across. keeping up a continuous
Smelling of the rebel batteries during the en-
| gagement. OF course there are no means at
present of knowing the amount of the rebel loss
on shore. Fires were built all along the bank
on the opposite side, throwing blaze of light
across the river, and bringing the entire fleet
| into full view of the batteries daring the en-
| gagement.
/ The New Orleans Picayune Of the 22d saws
| that the Monongahela, whose machinery was
uninjured during the fight of last Saturday
night, has repaired the damage done TO her
woodwork. and is in good order again. She
is now in the hands of Capt. Meancthon Smith.
and executive officer Lieut.. Dewey late of
| the Mississippi. On FRIDAY she steamed up the
river TO a point near the lower batteries. and
threw several shells from her 200 pound Par
rott
The Hartford and the Albatross appear 10
have been the only vessels that passed Port
Hu1Sop