Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-06-04
THE FIGHTING AT VICKsBUKG
ADMIRAL PoRrERs REPORT.

!
tended to attack the whole of the rebel works
at ten a. NJ. the next day, and he asked me to
she'll the batteries from $50 to 1890, and to
annoy the garrison. l kept six mortarS play
ing rapidly on the works and town all night
and sent the Benton, Mound City, ard Caron-
delet, up to shell the water batteries and 9TH
er places where troops might be resting dur
ing the night.
At seven o'clock IN the morning the
Mound City proceeded across the river and
made an attack on the hill batteries opposite
the canal. AT eight o'clock | formed her in
company with the Benton, Tuscumbia, and
Carondeet. All these vessels opened on the
hill batteries, and finally silenced them,
though the main work on the battery contain
ing the heavy rifled gun was done by the
Mound City, lieutenant commanding Byron
Wilson. | then pushed the Benton, Mound
City, and Carondelet, up to the water batter
les, leaving the Tuscumbia, which is still out
of repair, to keep the hill batteries from firing
on our vessels after they had passed.
The three gunboats passed up slowly, ow-
ing to strong currents, the Mound City lead
ing, the Benton following, and the Carondelet
astern. The water batteries opened furious.
ly, supported by hill battery on the star
board beam of the vessels. The vessels ad-
vanced to within four hundred and forty yards
''by our marks" and returned the fire for
two hours without cessation, the enemys fire
being very accurate and incessant. Finding
that the hill batteries behind us were silenced
| ordered up the Tuscumbia to within eight
hundred yards of the batteries, but her turret
was soon made untenable not standing the
enemy shot, and made her drop down.
l had been engaged with the forts an hour
longer than Gen. Grant asked the vessels
had all received severe shots under water
we could not stop up while in motion; and
not knowing what might have delayed the
movements of the army ordered the vessels
to drop out of fire, which they did in a cool,
handsome manner. This was the hottest fire
the gunboats have ever been under, but owing
to the water batteries being more on a level
with them than usual, the gunboats threw in
their shells so fast that the aim of the enemy
was not very good. The enemy hit our yes
sells a number oftlmes, but as we fight bow on,
they did but little damage. Not man was
killed, and only few wounded
| only had enough ammunition for a few
moments longer, and set all hands to work to
fill up from our depots below. After drop
ping back L found that the enemy had taken
possession again of one of the lower batter
les, and was endeavoring to mount his guns,
and had re-mounted twelve field pieces to fire
at Gen. McArthur's troops, which had landed
a short time before at Warrenton. | sent
the Mound City and Carondelet to drive him
off, which they did in a few minutes. / beg
leave to enclose letter explaining why he
did not (to use his own expression) take ad-
vantage of the results gained by the gunboats.
have since learned through Gen. Grant,
that the army did assault at the right time
vigorously With the noise and smoke we
COulH ln UI1D
therefore still firing when the assault proved
unsuccessful. The army had terrible work
before them, and are fighting as well as sol
dlerS ever fought before, but the works are
stronger than any of us dreamed; but Gen.
Grant and his soldiers are confident that the
brave and energetic generals in the army will
soon overcome all the obstacles and take the
works. DAVID d. PORTER, Admiral
MISSISSIPPI SQUADRON, NEAR VIcKsBURG,
May 24.-Slr Il have the honor to inform
you that the expedition sent up the Zazoo riv-
er the day after | took possession of the forts
on Snyders bluff, has returned, having met
with perfect success. As the steamers ap-
preached Yazoo city the rebel property was
fired by Lieut.. Brown Of Arkansas, and what
he began our forces finished. Three power
full rams were burned viz: the Mobile,
screw vessel ready for plating; the Republic,
being fitted for ram, with railroad iron plat
ing, and a vessel on the stock monster 80
feet long and 70 feet beam. This vessel was
to be covered with four and half inch iron
plating, and was to have six engines with tour
side wheels and propellers. She would have
given us much trouble.
The rebels had under construction fine
navy yard, containing fine saving and planning
machines, and an extensive machine shop,
carpenter and blacksmith shops, and all the
necessary appliances tor large building and
repairing yard. Lieutenant commander Walk
ell burned all these, with a large quantity of
valuable building timber. He also burned a
large saw mill that had been used in con-
structing the monster ram. The material de-
stroyed, at moderate estimate, would cost
more than two millions of dollars. We had
one man killed and seven wounded, by field
pieces from the enemys batteries, going up
the river; but the wounded are doin well.
l enclose Lieut.. Com. Walkers report in
relation to this affair. He deserves much
credit for the handsome manner in which he
performed the duty assigned him. If he
could have obtained pilots, he would have
succeeded in getting possession of all the
rebel rams, instead of having them burned.
am, very respectfully, your obedent SER
want, DAVID ID. PORTER.
The following is the report of Lieut.. Com
mander Walker, addressed to Rear Admiral
Porter, and accompanying the latters report
to the department =
UNITED STATES STEAMER BARON DEKALB,
MOUTH OF THE YAzoo, May %, 1863.-SIR:
| have the honor to report that in obedience
to your order | started from Snyder's Bluff
on the goth inst, with the DeKalb, Choctaw,
Forrest Rose, Linden and Petrol, on an expe-
diton to Yazoo City. Arriving at Haines
Bluff, landed force and spiked an eight
inch gun on the works there, and burned the
carriage. l also burned some forty tents left
standing, and steam saw mill.
Arriving at Yazoo City at one p. NJ, May
23d, / was met by a committee of citizens
who informed me that the place had been
evacuated by the military authorities and ask
ing protection. The navy yard and vessels
had been fred by the enemy, and l sent
working party to ensure the destruction
OF everything valuable to the rebels.
The vessels that were burned, were the
Mobile, screw vessel, all ready for
planking, the Republic, which was being fitted
out for ram, and a vessel on the stocks, a
monster 80 feet long and 70feet beam. The
navy yard contained fine saw and planning
mills, and extensive machine shop, carpen-
tiers and blacksmiths' shops, and all the nee
esEary fixtures for large building and re-
pairing yard, which, with a very large quanti-
~ OF lumber, were burned. l also burned a
large saw mill above the town.
Most of the public stores had been re-
moved. Such as found in town were taken
on board the vessels or destroyed. Enclosed
SEND lists of articles removed or DESTROYED