The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1864-05-26

Cairo, May %.
The New Orleans Era, of this afternoon of
the 18th, has the following interesting partic
ulars of the late successful withdrawal OF
our army and gunboats from Alexandria.
On the 18th inst, the gunboats Lexington
and Mound City passed below both falls
where they were ordered to remain till they
should be joined by the rest of the gunboats
and transports
On the morning of the 18th the dam at
the lower falls gave way,which neccessitated
the building of another between the two.
This was cmpIeted on the evening Of the
same day, when all the gunboats, with trans
ports passed down. When they arrived at.
Alexandria, they found some person had set
fire to building i'll Front street, and the
whole town was in flames. The women and
children were running fantically up and
down the river bank in great distress.
There were a great many shell and large
quantities of powder, grape, &c. on the bank
near the fire Orders We're given to all men
to assist in removing them to place of satey
Gems. Banks and Smith were both present
and did everything they could to check the
progress of the fire, but without avail.
After a time the heat from the burning bull
dings became so intense that all boats We're
obliged to drop some distance down the river,
where they waited orders.
At five O'Clock the order came to get und-
er way. We passed down the river distance
of about eight miles, in accordance with an.
order from Rear Admiral D. D. Porter.
He ordered line movement, setting off each
gunboat to convey its number Of transports
the gunboat Fort Hindman taking lead, fol-
lowed by the Ozark, Mound City, Carondelet,
Chillicothe, Usage, Neosho, Louisville,
Lexington. The transports placed alternately
with these weer the Groesbeck, WI. Ewing
Southwestern Emerald, Clara Bell, Des Moin-
es, Chateau Mars, Sioux City, and Thomas
E. Tut. The Lioness, Red Chief, Belle Gre
ole, Rob Roy, Bella Donna, Mile Stephens,
Arizona, Gullum, Silver Wave, Adriatic,
Diadem, Liberty.
These last eight took the middle of the con-
voy. fattacked ahead they were to fall back
and let the steam gunboats pass on to the
batteries At seven O'Clock on the morning
of the 18th they again started down the river.
Saw nothing of guerillas till about eleven o.
clock, when they were fired into from the left
bank of the river. They returned the fire
briskly and succeeded in driving them off.
They were then about twenty miles from
Alexandria, and had proceeded about ten
miles farther when they were again opened
upon and firing kept up for ten or fifteen
minutes, it was replied to promptly but did
not succeed in driving them off. two miles
below the whistle sounded to tie up for the
night.
at half past six O'Clock, a steam tug came
up with orders to get under way at daylight
on Monday, the 14th. Fearing torpedoes
might have been placed in our way the gun
boats Carondelet, Louisville and Lexington
went down to reconnoitre, which so detained
them that they did not get under way till
about noon. From Shaggy Point down, for
a distance Of sixteen miles, they were sub
jected to continuous and Obstructive fire of
musketry from the enemy, who were conceal
ed in the bushes. about five miles below
Shaggy Poiut they We're fired into by about
200 guerillas. Five balls passed through the
Hattie Stephens One man was killed and
several wounded.
They were not again molested till they
were about eight miles above Fort DeRussey.
when they were subjected to a CALLING fire
for upwards of half an hour, but were not
fired upon from any batteries. Some gunboats
were left at Fort DeRussey, and some came
down as far as the mouth Of Black River.