The Shasta courier., 1864-04-23
SHASTA COURIER.
War News.
Following are the most important items of
war news received during the week.

Following are the most important items of
war news received during the week:
Chicago, April l5th.-A New Orleans let.
ter of April 9th says: A brilliant fight took
place near Pensacola, recently, between the
Thirteenth and Fourteenth New York Caval.
ry, and the Fifty seventh Alabama Rebel
Cavalry in which the latter were almost an.
initiated in hand to hand fight with sabers.
The Chicago Times account of the capture
OF Fort Pillow says: On Tuesday morning,
the 18th, Forrest, Chalmers and McCulloch,
with from SIX to eight thousand men, attack
ed the Fort. which was garrisoned by bat
tallion OF the Thirteenth Tennessee cavalry,
numbering 300, and 200 negroes. Some cit
izens were also inside the Fort and fought
we'll. The women and children went over to
an island. The enemy were hid and fired
from behind timber for some time. A sur
render was demanded several times without
effect. AT last the enemy formed in two col
umns and made direct assault. All the
troops in the Fort fought like heroes until
the rebels were seen on the northeast works.
when the negro troops ran down under the
river bank. Other troops were ordered to
take their place but the arrangement of the
lines could not be remedied, and the enemy
poured in, forcing the Union troops back to
the river. Here they were compelled to give
up. Gunboat No. threw 240 shells, but
did not do much damage to the enemy. Our
troops spiked three guns which were captured
by the enemy. The enemy fired everything
combustible and burned fifty houses in the
town. The negroes who are said to have
taken refuge under the river bank, were shot
whenever found. notwithstanding their sur
shot and wounded after the surrender The
enemy took about 100 prisoners and wounded
60. The remainder of the garrison were kill
ed. When the Platte Valley left, on We'd
nesday evening, the 18th, those still there ex
pressed determination tG remain. The cit
izens were returning.
Chicago, April l6th.-Letters in regard to
the capture of Fort Pillow give even more an
palling descriptions of the fendishness of the
the rebels than the accounts teleeraphed.
Many of the wounded were shot in the h ,sp-
tai. The remainder were driven out and the
hospital burned. On the morning after the
battle, the rebels went on the field to shoot
the negroes who had not died from previous
wounds. Many of those who escaped from
the works and hospitals, and desired to be
treated as prisoners of war. as the rebels had
promised, were orde-e into line and inhu.
manly shot down. Of three hundred and fif.
t. colored troops not more than fifty or sixty
escaped and not an officer in command of the
colored troops survives. General Chalmers
told correspondent that although it was
against the policy of his G ,vernment to spare
negro soldiers or their officers, vet he had
done all in his power to stop the carnage. At
the same time he believed it was right. An.
other officer said our white troops would have
been protected had they not been found on
duty with negroes. The rebels suffered heav-
lily. Three wei filled hospitals we're short
distance in the interior of the country.
Chicag,, April l9th.-Letters dated Grand
Ecare La J. April 10th and llth, say our
cavalry of the Third and Fourth Divisions.
Thirteenth Army Corps. after hard f,aght
action, were overpowersd and put to route by
o largely superior rebel force The Nine
teenth Corps came up and finally checked the
enemy. Our loss is reported to be two thous.
and. The Chicago Mercantile Battery lost
all their guns, four officers and twenty two
men.
Chicago, April l9th.-A letter dated Grand
Ecore. Red river, April 10th, says: Our cav.
airy had been driving the enemy for two days
but ou the Sth they sent back word for infan.
try support. General Ransom, in command
of the Third and Fourth Divisions of the Third
Corps, was ordered to send brigade and did
So. At noon he was ordered to send up all
the Fourth Division and went up with them.
After advancing about FIVE miles from where
the Third Division Of the Nineteenth Corps
was encamped, the rebels made a stand and
our line. consisting of only twenty-four hun
dred men. was formed in beltof woods with
All open field in front and the enemy in the
woods on the opposite side. General Stone.
Of Balls Bluff fame, chief of Banks
staff, took the direction of the movements
General Ransom was in favor of advancing
only in force, but his wishes we're disregard.
ed. After keeping up skirmish firing across
this open field for abou hour the enemy
advanced in overwhelming numbeYs sstima
ted at ten thousand strong All our ayaila.
BILE troops were sent to the front and ot,sned
ou them. The enemy lost heavily, but I'd
vanced steadily. and soon made our cavalry
give way. The infantry fell back in few
moments, and the enemy pressed us so c ose
iy. and the panic of the cavalry was so de.
moralizing, that the retreat became a route,
While endeavoring to save his artillery. Gen.
eral Ransom was wounded severely in the
leg, and his Adjutant. Captain Dietsy. kill
ed. Tho Chicago Mercantile Battery was
lose. The Captain was taken prisoner and
two Iieut8nants were kllled. W hlle the
Fourth Division was falling hack in disorder
tbs Third Division, numbering only SOC
men, came up and was Immediately routed
Finally. tho Nineteenth Corps, with 1900
men, came up and formed Q line which check
ed the enemy and held than, until we got al
our trains of, except that OF the cavalry. The
whole army is now falling back here where
we must wait aad reorganize before proceed
ing further toward Shreveport. Our loss i:
said to be 1000. but this may be exaggera
ted.
Washington ,20th. 1.-The following dispatch
has been received at the Navy Department
r Cairo, April l9th.-To Gideon Welles:
have received private letters from Red river
One dated Grand Ecorc, April 10th, and an
other dated Alexandria, April 18th. stating
that the army under General Banks met with
a severe reverse on the Sth, near Mansfield
The army fell back, and on the next day the
rebels attacked them. md were handsomely
whipped. The loss is heavy on both Sides
Admiral Porter. when last heard from. was
about forty miles above Grand Ecore.