Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1863-05-19
MQRNIN9L EADEB.
TUEspAY lIoRNINe, w %. -:
From yicksburE--The Disaster 10 the
s~ssturress.e

~
"~sturgess.s
A correspondent Of the N, Y. Tribune
gives the following account Of the eZPlo-
sion Of The tug " sturgess, while attempt
ing to run the batteries at Ficksburg, by
which a large number Of lives were LOST,
among them several newspaper reporters
NrAe VfrEsHUses Miss, Nay O. lsFa.
As both Of your correspondents are IN
ali probability prisoners. II shall endeayor
TO inform 5oa Of the mannc- thereof
DNessrs. Richardson and Brown were
ready toleHFe herefor the froHt on Satur-
day. but could not get transportation. 1t
was impossible TO est hersa or mule. On
Monday. May 3, II vas arranged 10 run
the batteries with 2 small Wg-the Sur
ress Of ChieaE0-panniercl between i've
barres loaded Uith c0mmissary stores and.
hay. After the Comparative safety With.
which unprotected boats hGd passed, it
seemed but n smal-yisk. Iour corrcs-
pondents were offered passage, which they.
accepted. There were ah6nt thirty soldiers
on board 70 repel rebels if they should al
tempt to board and CAPTURE them AT TO-
o'clock she started on the fatal trim. All
werein good spirits. The men sat upon
the hates Of hay, smoking their pipes as
though there was no death before them.
When volunteers W-ereaCElleJ for a theVs-
an were IS easy fa get as thirty. 2 Ga b..
-iuThe' moon shone with the same cold
sBI6ndor as upou stha garden whore run
the river Gibon. The small steamer orept
and HOated up0n the silent waters as
though she were frightened, and iSresqW
her doom. We followed her at about q
mile distance until she reached the first
batteries, when drummond light was
throRn upon her, revealing her as plainly
as tho6gh it were broad day. UUsped 2
signal rocket, and all the batteries were
asIir. The upper ones opened siXty-tbrse
times in one minute-haH itbeen . skif 1t
seemed the shot and shell must sink her.
On she sped through thc fiery ordeal until
half the guns were passed. just then, an
explosion, the tug split asuuderi ere was
thrown upon the hay, and the men ieaped
in the water. Only one reached The Lou
isiana shore. An the rest were killed or
captured. The reporters were last seen
upon bales of hay IN the river.
&c The cause Of the disaster was said ia
be a shell. My own opinion is that she
was carrying too much steam, and exploit
ed from carelessness. The engineer was
not the regular me aad had been drink
ing. When VIC hear from your reporters
Think it VIII appearth that they were upon
the hay, aud rebel skifs were near !
think we shall hear from them.
q The barges, after burning until they
reached the Union lookout, were landed
and the meat and coffee but little injured.
give hundred and t~wenty-four prison.
ers reached here from Grand Gulf this
morning, on their way North.
Communication overland is kept open
between here and carthage. Traius of
wagons leave here daily laden with sup
plies. Grant seems to be onthe right road
at hast 10 the rear Of Yieksburg. He is
said to be near the railway bridge over
BlaekWater River. Htrue, IL sewers them
from Rebellion.
"Fhe gunbeats we're repulsed with con-
siderable injury at Grand Gulf. The shot
used we're steal pointed, that penet rated
the iron-elads with ease. When Grant
reached their rear ths place was e]vacuated.
Oar loss in about 500 killed and wounded,
the rebel loss nothalf that.
"There are no batteries now between
this and Port hudson. The upper river is
said to be infested with gurrillas. Several
boats nave been fired upon. 1t win be
very difficult 10 keep them from mischief.
Nearly all the. plantations are taken by
Union men. The negroes seem willing 20
labor, and 1 fhinl viii eventually prove
2. capable of self support The destruction
of cotton has moi been as greatas rebel pa
pers have led us to believe
T. - .