Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1864-04-01
FROM LOUISIANA.
FoRT DE- RUssEY, RED RIVER. I


FoRT DE- RussEY, RED RIVER.
LOUISIANA, March Is, via CAIRO, 24.
This fort was captured to-day by the United
States forces.
General A. j. Smiths expedition left Vicks-
| burg on the 10Th and landed at SummerpOrt on
the 18th, and marched to Bayou Gace where
| General Scurrys rebel brigade had been en-
camped, but fled on the approach of our trans
ports, leaving considerable camp equipage and
commissary stores. General Smith pressed for
ward to Yellow Bayou, where strong fortifca-
tions had been erected, but the rebels again fled
as we came up. The enemy was pressed, and
some skrmishing occurred, resulting iii the cap
ture of several prisoners aud a small wagon
| train.
At day light, yesterday the entire command
started for Fort De Russey, twenty eight miles
distant, and at four o'clock in the afternoon, the
| Sd and 9th Indiana batteries opened on the fort,
which replied vigorously with three of its heav-
| lest guns. CannOnading continued an hour,
when General Smith ordered the first and see
ond Illinois, 10th Corps under General Mower
to charge the enemys rille-pits, and storm the
| Fort The 58th, 10th, and S9th Indiana and
24th Missouri charged over deep bitches and
three abattis, and within twenty minutes after
the order was received, the Color Sergeant of
the 5Sth Illinois planted the American flag on
the enemys works
The victory was complete and resulted in the
capture of three hundred and twenty five prs-
oners, including twenty-fOur commissioned Of
fcers, two nine inch Dahlgren guns, six-pound-
ers, four large thrtytwo Founders, Parrots,
three six-pounders, lot of small arms, 1000
| barrels of fine gunpOwer, an immense quantity
of ammunition, and several thousand dollars
worth of cOmmissary stores.
Fort De Russey is most formidable work.
quadrangle in shape, with bastines and bastions,
and bOmb-proof covered with railroad irOn.-
A powerful water-battery connects with the fort
the easements of which are capable of resisting
| shot and shell of the heaviest calibre. The pO
sition of the guns was capital for a rapid and ef
fiective fire on all boats attempting to go up or
down the river. About 800 negroes were en-
ployed for year in constructing the earthworks.
Gen Smith will superintend the thorough de-
struction of theSfortifcations to- morrow.
1t will take 5000 men two or three days TO
destroy them.
Glorious news may be expected from General
Banks and Smith within the next two weeks
Their designs, strength and positions are contra
band at present
The artillery captured are two guns belong
ing to the schooner Morning Light, two rifed
guns frsm the Harriet Lane captured last spring
off Sabine Pass and 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 gun
boat in our navy.
The Webb and Mary Jane are also considered
impregnable to any of our fotilla.
New YORK, March 26th.-The steamer Eve
ming Star, from New Orleans 18th, Havana 2Ist,
passed the Yazoo, Matthias, Cahawba and Erics-
son in the Mississippi.
On the 18th part of Admiral POrter's fleet
appeared off Alexandria, La, and demanded its
surrender, which was complied with without op-
position.
The prisoners captured at Fort De Russey
have arrived at New Orleans.
Gen. Banks will leave for the field on Satur-
day the 18th or Monday.
The Army of Western Louisiana is moving
Gen. Lees cavalry advance had occupied New
Iberia: Two of our gunboats has crossed Ber-
wick Bay and Crank Lake and assembled Grand
River nearly TO Butte ala Rose, which place
they reconnitered. Before reaching Butte ala
Rose, they came upon a rebel camp and opened
fire. The rebels ran and the gunboats landed
men, who burned the tents and camp equipage
and captured the arms and ammunition of the
entire force.
Guerrillas had made their appearance in the
vicinity of Baton Rouge and had several skir-
mishes with the 4th Wisconsin mounted infant
ry, which resulted invariably in our favor. Sew
eral prisoners were taken.
The capture of Alexandria occurred on
the 18th, the day after the capture of Fort De
Russey.
Gen. Lees forces had fight at New Iberia
and pursued the enemy over Wermillion prairie
to Vermillion bayou, 10 miles.
Gov. Hahn resigned his connection with the
True Delta to N. R. Fish.
The Free State Committee has adopted the
following:
ReSoIUed, That the Free State party is un-
cOmpromisngly opposed to assuming the debts
contracted by the State of Louisiana while un-
der rebel domination for the purpose of carrying
on war against the Union.