Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Iowa) 1861-1864, 1863-04-09
Correspondence Of the Chicago Tribune.
From Admiral Farragut's Fleet.


CAIRO, March 81.
Your correspondent accompanied
Farragut's feet from New Orleans,
and came up on the Hartford to
Young's Point.
Gen. Banks left New Orleans on the
9th inst, arrived at Baton Rouge on
the 18th and 18th, disembarked and
reviewed the troops at that post. On
the 18th and 18th the forces were put
again on transports, and the fleet
steamed up until within six or seven
miles of Port Hudson. Here we lost
sight of the land forces.
On the night Of the l4th, expecting
support from Gen. Banks, Farragut
started with the following steamers in
pairs Hartford and Albatross Rich.
mond and Kiueo Genesee and Mo-
nongahela !; Mississippi.
We started up the river at eleven
o'clock, arrived off Port Hudson, and
a furious bombardment commenced.
It is not known whether General
Banks co-operated or not. The steam
ers Essex and Sachem and six mortar
boats arrived three miles below Port
Hudson, and also kept up constant
fire upon the rebel batteries. While
engaged under the batteries two reb-
ell rams endeavored to engage the
Hartford and Albatross, but were
beaten off by succession of heavy
broadsides. This engagement was
kept up briskly on both sides, and
lasted for some time when, finally, the
feet steamed boldly past the batteries,
under fire. After passing, the Hart
ford and Albatross being dashed to-
gether. grounded, the former sticking
tight for five minutes, all the time sub
jected to CALLING cannonade. She
finally got off and steamed above. At
the Richmond ran aground
at the same place, as did the Missis-
sippi. The latter boat did not escape
SO well, for while trying to get clear
she took fire from some unknown
cause. This caused momentary con-
fusion, and all efforts were made to
the fire and save the crew.
While this was going on, all the
feet but the Hartford and Albatross,
along with the burning steamer drift
ed down before the entire length Of
the rebel batteries, all the time under
the same scathing FIRE. The guns of
the Mississippi exploded as she pass
ed, as though in scorn Of the rebels
on shore, to whom the spectacle must
have been sublime in the extreme.
Finally, all were out Of sight Of the
batteries.
By FIVE in the morning. the burning
wreck of the Mississippi still doated.
The magazine exploded sixteen miles
below Port Hudson.
The Hartford and Albatross we're
out of range at anchor, above the bat
teries. Loss on each, three men kill.
ed and two wounded.
No serious damage occurred to Ell
Their craft The casualties and inju-
ries on the remainder of the fleet, are
at present unknown to rs. The Rich
mond probably suffered a. much as
any.
At ten o'clock the ensuing morn
ing, the Hartford and Albatross steam
ed up as far as the mouth of the Red
River, and there ascertained that four
or five rebel rams had just passed up,
the smoke from whose chimneys could
yet be seen in the distance I; also, that
fifty of the crew of the Mississippi
had been taken prisoners. Still pas
sing up, at Natcllez. the steamers de-
stroyed the telegraph line. by Farra-
CUTS orders. This was on the 18th.
On Thursday. the 10th, we passed
Grand Gulf. and were fred npon by
the battery Of fifteen field pieces, but
the boat was uninjured. Three men
were killed and eight wounded. The
loss on the rebel side is not learned.
On the same day. Farragut distinctly
saw, as he thought, the wreck of the
Indianola, shattered as though she bad
been blown up near the shore.
On the Goth our government steam
ers passed Warrcnton. Smelling the
batteries vigorously, but no enemy
was seen, and no reply made to the
cannonade. The same day we repor-
ted to Rear-Admiral ID. ID. Porter, off
Vicksbnrg.
On tho 81 st yuo rncn;vnd coal float.