The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1864-03-31

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the House, after which the House .ad-
journed.
The Capture of Fort Du Russy.
A Gallant Charge Cro,oned 10Th
Splendid Success.
FoRT DU RUssY, RED RIVER, La,
March Is, via. CAIRO, March 24.-This
fort was captured to-day by the United
States forces under Gen. A. ]. Smith.
The expedition left Vicksburg on the
10th, landed at Semmesport on the
18th, and marched to Bayou Glace,
where Gen. Scurry's rebel brigade had
been encamped, but which fled on the
approach of our transports, leaving
considerable camp equipage and COM
missary stores. Gen. Smith pressed
forward to Yellow Bayou, where
strong forti6cation had been erected,
but the rebels again fled as we came
up. The enemy was pressed, and
some skirmishing occurred, resulting
in the capture of several prisoners and
a small wagon train. At daylight,
yesterday, the entire command started
for Fort Du Russy, twenty-eight miles
distant, and at four o'clock p. m. the Sd
and 9th Indiana batteries opened on
the fort, which replied vigorously with
three of its heaviest guns. The can
nonade continued an hour, when Gen.
Smith ordered the LIST and Sd Illinois,
10th Corps, under Gen. Mower, to
charge the enemy's rifle pits and storm
the fort. The 5Sth, 10th and seth
Indiana, and oath Missouri regiments,
charged over deep bitches and thick
abattis, amid a CALLING fire, and within
twenty minutes after the order was is
sued the color sergeant of the 5th ILL
nois planted the American flag upon
the euemy's works. Our victory was
complete and resulted in the capture of
925 prisoners, including twenty-four
commissioned officers, two 9 inch Dahl
gren guns "a FOUNDERS, four 80.
Founders, two 6-pouAders, a lot of
small arms, 1000 bales of fine cotton,
an immense quantity of assorted am.
munition, and several thousand dollars
Il w
Fort Du Russy is most Formidable
work, quadrangular in shape, with rail-
road iron. A powerful water battery
connects with the fort, the classmates of
which are capable of resisting shot and
shell of the heaviest calibre.
The position of the guns was capital
for a rapid and effective fire on all
boats attempting to 60 up or down the
river. About 500 negroes were EN-.
ployed for year in constructing the
earthworks.
General Smith will superintend the
thorough destruction of the fortiica.
tons to- morrow. 1t will take three
thousand men two or three days to de-
stroy them.
Glorious news may be expected from
Generals Banks and Smith within two
weeks. Their designs, as to strength
and position, are contraband at present.
Among the artillery captured are
two guns belonging to tile schooner
Morning Light, two rified guns from
the Harriet Lane, captured last spring
off Sabine Pass one heavy gun from
the Indianola, sunk in the Mississippi
last year by the rebel ram Webb.
The rebels boast that their iron.
plated ram Missouri, now in the river
can sink any gunboat in our navy.
The Webb and Mary Jane are also
considered impregnablc to any of oul
floatilla.
Admiral Porter has been busily en-
gagged for the last three days, in re-
moving Instructions from the Rec
River, consisting Of RATS, and pile.
driven into the channel. Transport.
: are now proceeding up the river with
out interruption.
CAIRO, March 24.-The Cairo Neac
publishes the following list of vessels
said to have composed Admiral Porter!
Red River fleet; Fort Hindman,
guns, Rocket 8; Lafayette, 9; Neosho
8; Ozark, 2; Eastport, o; Choctaw, 8
Usage, 3; Chillicothe, g.; Louisville
IA; Caron1elet, IA F.; Benton, 10; Pitts
burg, IA; Gazelle, 8; Mound City, IA
Gen. Price, 8; Lexington, 8; Ouchita
9; Black Hawk, 13. OF these, tn,
Usage aud Ozark are turreted vessels
the Lafayette, Eastport, Choctaw
, Chillicothe, Benton, Carondelet, Louis
vile, Pittsburg, Mound City and Essex
are iron-clads. The Lexington is on
of the three wooden boats which wer
first put in commission on the Missis
. sippi. The Ouchita and Black .Hawl
are formidable wooden vessels, partiall
placed. The balance are denominate'
tin-clads. The Autocrat, John Raine
Baltic, Dina, and hospital boat Wood
ford, of the marine brigade, accompan
the expedition also, fifteen transports
w General w. f. Smith 10
,