New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-05-10
a Our Special Correspondent.

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| May 6. le64. }
Your correspondent has had two experiences
to-day. Starting this morning with Mai. Ludlow a
Gen Buffers staff who had been directed by the Gem
eral to proceed down the James River to Fort Pow
hatan to take coal schooner in tow and drop hel
alongside the monitor Tecnmseh proceeded on shore
and started in pursuit Of LieuCol. Fuller, who had
been made Chief Qnartermlster in tie field. Hin vi
found buster than almost any other ten could pos
sibly be- The steamer Highland Light was placed al
the orders Of Major Ludlow, and went on board,
weighed anchor and in fifteen minutes were steamlng
down James River, passed City Point where GEM
| Hnkss headquarters have been established passed
transports coming up passed the monitor Sangu{
| aground Harrisons bar; passed a steamei
laden with troops with shooner ditto In
tow. both aground outside the buoys; past nee
groes quietly fishing; past boat rowed by three na
1oes with Rebel officer in the stern, who seeing Us.
Rugged the shore, and passed out Of range shot
off for the next point past steamer Kingston aground
and Oh round the sweep Of the river upon Fort Pow
hatan with coalschooner lying this side. Taxing
her in tow, started up the river The Rebel signal
stations busiy engaged in signaling tie signap
officer generally alone, standing in the most uncon
cerned Of way upon bis platform, waving his days
as though in defiance Away In the distance we could
see the signals repeated from some house-op and in
one or two instances signalfags lying upos
the roofs Of houses with the scuttes open ready for i'm
mediate use.
AT the old Harrison House a regular signal station
had been built and the officer stood within rife range
signaling as quietly though Rebels. This ID
the pint where yesterday Gen. Butler requested Z
navy guDboat TO fire upon and answered that they
had orders no, 20 ire" We had expected to find th(
Tecumseh about two miles above Bermuda Hundred,s
but arriving at that point not monitor nor gunboat
was to be seen. SO steamed on round Turkey Bend
aud still on round Carls Neck until after sail d
twelve miles We upon the fsgof-truee boat New
York at anchor In the stream with the Onondaga Co
nonicus and Tecumseh still further ahead. The Mali
yern, Admiral Lees flagship was anchored beyond NJ
New York. and distance this side Of the monitors
We found the Tecumseh to be the most advanced Of til
monitors lying Just of Four Mile Creek Beyond her
short distance were the gunboats Commodore Jona
and Commodore Morris with their boats out draggn(
for torpedoes We turned coal vessel TO III
officer Of the Tecumseh, and then turned around viii
stern within half boats length of the Com domestic
most advanced boat the river. We had not got moro
than three boat lengths from the Com. Jones when t
negroes Oh deck cried out Look dar" and turning We
saw column of smoke astern and fragments Of wood
shoot up heard smothered explosion felt sigts
shock the Com. Jones raised up from the center
then settle away and then nothing visible but tho
bow and the STERN with both cOlors flying Those q
the crew who could got ashore The boats Of the Other
vessels lying we're got away speedily, and pulled
for the wreck. Hailing the Captain Of the Tecumseh
Major Ludlow placed the Highland Light at his disposa
and we asked to " 10 express for the Admiral
which We did. Destruction was never so complete az
by the effects of that torpedo The Captain and Execu-
tive Officer we're badly wounded the Paymaster killed.
and about fifty of the killed, wounded and miss
ing The Captain. Executive Officer. and Pilot. wer<
standing by the wheel.house, talking, and looking
at several persons standing near smat
house on the shore. The Executive Omeea
shot one Of the men shore dead. His name v@
Brinton and his person were found various papers,
among them letter 10 his wife, In which the plan
explained etc The inventor Of the torpedoes is Lieut.
Hunter Davidson, formerly Midshipman IN the Navy
of the United States. The gayantc battery was cap
tured and was found to lead other torpedoes. Some
ignorant person poured the acids out Of tie cops nstea
OF exploding the other torpedoes the wires leadinga
which will now be fshed for and the torpedoes exc
plodcd. This occurred about o'clock. This disaster
stopped the Navy from advancing further until the ottei
torpcdoes can be rendered harmless The Com. Jones
was ferry boat with battery Of one lO0pounder FAR
rot, and three einoh guns board The boat battery
and all are total loss Having been within six miles q
Fort Darling. and twelve (by land) Of Richmond haVI
ing witnessed the total destruction Of United States
gunboat by torpedo, having strained our eyes ahi-
iousy watching the banks for guerrillas who migs
,,ot at U.s. We steamed back conscious that we were
the pioneers OF tho transport feet ION the way to Rc'
and that but one boat had been nearer TO Rcn'
mond than We and that boat the Com. Jones, now
a total wreck Going down with her colors flying tho
Executive officer, wounded though he was cut down
her bow flag and brought it away.
Adventure number two was a sail with Gen. Grahaui
I'm the gunboat Charles Chambel.sin-the hag'ship {"
Gen. Graham's feet Of army gunboats-up the apr
mattox River When in the main channel nearly W
posite Port Walthal we were hailed by the "en'
sup who reported the Brewster the most ad'"n'oD
the army feet. engaged. Cannonadihg was
tinctly heard; and as the Brewster was III 'De w
Wathal channel, We steamed back and ran up. MUS
kerry firing now commenced In good earnest ou' "p
peared to be on one side principally. WEI ouis
our troops advancing at the doube-quick ana man.
cheer was sent up and the firing ceased. VIC oaD
the Brewster at the dock al Port Wathai WIN P""'
Ashore who were OF once recalled. Iney Fp"~
Gen. Heeksmus's brigade advancing to occupy ,Ie
junction of the Petersburg and City Point Railroad WIN
the Port walthal Branch. and as they had miorhA'O
thar not more than 600 Rebels between mere sD~
Petersburg there could be doubt that we had feaeD
that point and held it. Subsequent information
this report The news Of our advance and landing ny
reached Petersburg yesterday. when the oel's w..
rups and the militia sent up by railroad 70 Gag r@e
aeo Renrth Pnnos