Daily national Republican. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1862-1866, 1864-03-30
BY TELEGRAPH.
The Attack ON Pndue an = Rebels re
pulsed with Slaughter.


pulsed with Slaughter.
CAIRO, March 2S.-General Forrest had
about 1000 men In the attack on Paducah.
His line of battle was two miles long. The
fight lasted all the afternoon. -Four assaults
were made on the fort en- ndsse, each OF which
was rcpulsed with great slaughter to the
enemy. The gunboats fired 600 rounds.
A large portion Of the town is in ruins. The
rebels plundered the stores and carried of
horses during the fight. Forty conyalescents
were captured. Forrest sent q lRg-of-truco to
exchange prisoners, but Col. Hicks declined.
Three hundred rebel dead lie In front Of our
fort. Generals Harris and Burbrldgo were with
the rebels.
Boats from Paducah at noon yesterday Re.
port all quiet, the citizens all returning TO the
town. Several wsmen were killed during the
fight. Our loss was IA killed and 45 wounded.
The Peosta and Pawpaw, iron -clads, were
the gunboats which participated In the latn
baltic at Paducah, opening fire simultaneously
with the fort on the oDemy's advance into the
city, and rendering valuable service through
out the engagement.
After being once repulsed n the assault on
the fort, Forrest sent communication to Col.
Hicks demanding the surrender of the fort,
troops, and public stores, promising that, Il
the demand was complied with, our troops
should be treated as prisoners of war; but IL
he was compelled TO storm the fort, they might
| expect no quarter.
Col. Hicks replied that he was placed there
to defend the fort, which he should do, and
| peremptorily declined to surrender.
The enemy then made second and third as
sault upon the works, but were repulsed each
time with heavy losses.
The rebels then broke lines, formed In squads,
occupied the houses and kept up a fire Until
late In tho evening, when they were driven
away, our artillery making the buildings too
| hot to hold them.
On their way into the city the enemy fired
tho railroad depot, which was consumed, and
| toward evening they burned the quartermaster's
building, and the steamer Dacotah (not the
Arizona) on the marine railway. They plum
dered the stores OF an immense amount OF
goods, and took all the horses they could find.
Some merchants have lost from s25,0O0 to
$50, 600.
Early next morning, the rebels again appear
ing, Col. Hicks burned all the houses within
musket range Of the fort.
The enemy, however, made no advance, and,
after asking for an exchange OF prisoners,
which was declined, they retired in the direc-
ton of Columbus.
Toward the end of the battle, 1t was dscov-
| cred that our ammunition was nearly eN-
hausted.
Col. Hicks then ordered that when II gave
out the fort would be defended with the bay
onet as long as man remained alive, which
| u0'S, ihiuatOh mas iSSeiNeu mi'h nearly Vhoeis
by all the troops.
The negroes in the front, go in all, fought
with great gallAntry.
All was quiet at Paducah yesterday, our
forces being engaged in burying the dead.
The enemy had six small cannon. About
fifty buildings were burned, including the hos
pital, gas-works, and some Of the finest resi-
dences In the town. The Custom.house, Post
office and Continental were not injured.
Our troops consisted Of the 10th Illinois
Infantry, Colonel Hicks, a battalion of negroes,
and one regiment (name not yet known.)
One hundred and twenty recruits from Min
nesota arrived tonight, route for Little Rock.
The 34th and 26th Indiana Veterans have ar
rived, on their way home, from Memphis.