The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1863-02-17

letter of the Sd says the Mon,auk has
been engaged several days in attacking
an iron clad battery on the Ogechee riv-
| er.
The rebels have got much heavier
guns than ever used before. They also
use steel pointed solid shot, but although
the turret has been struck sixteen times,
they have all glanced off.
Captain Worden had nearly demolsh.
ed most of the rebel parapet, and expects
soon to capture the battery, behind
which lies the steamer Nashville.
| The Passaic is said to be at Warsaw
Sound, and heavy firing was heard there
on the Cd. The rebel ram Fingal is in
that Vicinity.
The Patapsco and Weehawken are
both hourly expected.
The harbor of Port Royal is full Of
vessels and troops and Gen. Foster had
arrived.
Dispatches from Charleston state re-
ports brought there by the British frigate
Cadmus had alarmed the citizens, who
were leaving rapidly.
A Jackson, Miss, dispatch Of the 4lh
states that the Federal ram which passed
Vicksburg on the ed was off Natchez on
the same evening, where she dispersed
party of rebels. The rebels state that
she then steamed down the river destroy
ing everything in her way. Their bat
-: !. al AHaai nnan har
tered Lebanon, Tenn, on the 9Th inst.
Thau n
most of them belonging to Morgan s
command
Many field officers were taken.
Among the prisoners was Paul Amber
son, violent rebel, and member of
tie State Legislature of 1860 and 1862
He was an original secessonist, and one
Of the ablest advocates of the Southern
Confederacy
CAIRO, Feb. live have news from
Vioksburg TO the 7th. The ram Queen
of the West had returned from her cruise
down the river. She went all the way
TO Port Hudson and was fred upon by
the upper batteries defending that place.
On her way down she encountered
three steamers laden with provisions for
the rebels at Vicksburg, and sunk them
all. Their crews were not retained as
prisoners. She took, however, between
fifty and sixty prisoners, among whom
was Confederate Colonel
The Queen returns from her brilliant
achievements with scarcely a scratch.
The supplies Of the rebels are effec tuallv
cut off, end in effect the bl )ckade Of the
Mississippi is raised.
The feat of the Queen Of the West has
had most beneficial effect on the spirit
Of our troops.
The rebel Col. Cushman was brought
up in irons TO Columbus yesterday, in
charge Of Capt. Moore, who arrested him
at his residence, near Ripley, Tenn,
on Friday last. Cushman has burned
more cotton than perhaps any other man
in The Confederacy. He is. in fact,
nothing but common robber. He has
no commission from the Confederate
Government, but has been turned loose
TO burn, destroy and kill at his pleasure.
-Four Of his men were with him.
Admiral Porter, in terms Of common
datIon, communicates to the Navy De.
partment the report OF Col. Ellet, com
handing the ram Queen OF the West,
giving an account OF her passage of the
battery at Vicksburg The following is
the report
U. 3. STEAMER, RAM QUEEN OF THE WEsri
Below Vicksburg, Feb. 2d.
ADMIRAL In compliance with your
Instructions, | started on the Queen of
The West at half past four this morning,
to face the batteries at Vicksburg, and
sink the rebel steamer lying before that
city. | discovered immediately on
starting that the change of the wheel
from its former position to the narrow
shoal behind the Queens bulwarks did
not permit the boat to be handled with
sufficient accuracy. An hour or more
was spent in arranging the apparatus,
and when We rounded the point the sun
had risen, and any advantage which |
would have resulted from darkness, was
lost to us.
The rebels opened heavy fire, but we
were only hit three times before reaching
the steamer. She was lying in nearly /
the same position that the Arkansas was
when Gen. Ellet ran the ram Queen of
the West into her, on former occasion.
The same causes which saved the Ar.
kansas then saved the City Of Vicksburg.
This morning her position was such that
ii we had ran obliquely into her as we
came down, the blow would have ineyi.
tably glanced off. We were compelled
TO partially round in order to strike the
consequence was that at the very mo.
ment of collision, the current being very
rapid at this point, the stem of the Queen
acting on her bow as pivot, swung her
around SO rapidly that nearly all her
was lost. | had anticipated
this, and. therefore. caused the starboard
gun TO be shotted with three Of the in.
cendiary projectiles recommended in
your order, and as we swung around
Serge Campbell, detailed for the pur-
pose, fired this gun. A Ga pound shell
crushed through the barricade Just be.
fore he reached the spot, but he did not
hesitate the discharge took place at just
the right moment and set the rebel stea.
al; a. l. - 4