The Opelousas courier., 1864-12-10

Friday morning was the day of the hard fight
ing, and the day upon which over $6.000,e0o
worth of property was sacrificed to the flames.
At an early hour in the morning the gunboat
Undine came to within four or five hundred
yards of Johnsonville and presented broadside,
as if she intended to fire upon the town. The
eunboats %. 80 and SO were sent in pursuit of
her, ~ they had no sooner started than the Tn
dine Immediately put off and lodged behind the
day. The gunboats followed her into the bend,
and they had no sooner made the turn than they
were opened upon by rebel battery of twelve
twentY-fo pound Parrot guns, said to be sup
ported by 10000 men. and also by the Undine.
About this time four gunboats came up the river
and engaged the battery on the other side. The
fight between the boats lasted from early Friday
morning until about noon, during which time
most terrific cannonadlng was kept mp.
Our gunboats were unable to pass the battery,
and being separated were unable to cope with it.
After most determined resistance the gunboats
were compelled to retire in crippled conditin,,.
About ii o'clock and during the engagement the
Undne was run into the shore by the rebels. and
burned to prevent her being captured. About
two o'clock in the afternoon party of rebel
sharpshooters made their appearance on the OPP
posite shore from Johnsonvilie ard commenced
firing upon the transports, which now dropped
down to the lower landing. while the gunboats
threw small shells into the rebel ranks which dis
persed them. When the rebels had succeeded
in getting all the gunboats and transports to the
lower landing. which was about 3 o'clock in the
afternoon, they Immediately opened on the boats
from their batteries, all Of which were composed
| of twenty pound Parrott guns. There were four
batteries opposite the city, one at the upper end,
one at the lower, and two Just in the&entre. The
cf eay,tr on ha
boats lying at the Johnsonville wharf and in less
than fifteen minutes the gunboats were COM
plete wreck Now that the gunboats were
| destroyed, and the Federal commander fearing
that the transports with their cargoes would fail
| into the hands of the enemy he called council
Of war. at which it was decided that the trans
ports should be destroyed. The order was at
| once given and in short time the following
boats were wrapped in one sheet of fame: Doane
No. 2. Arcola. Duke, Gocdy. Friends, Aurora.
Mountaineer. j. B. Ford, Highlander and We
| nice. The flames were communicated to the
1 barges which were loaded with Government
freight. and in less time than it takes to record it
they fell prey to the devouring elements.
| The wharf at Johnsonville was covered with
Government freight, and the flames were soon
| communicated to it. Men were detailed to SUBJ
due the raging fire, but they would no sooner
make their appearance than the rebel batteries
and sharpshooters would fire upon them. The
fire next communicated to the government ware
house, which contained $50 tons OF provisions
Not only were the boats andBarges with their
contents destroyed. but all the freight on the
wharf and the warehouse; together with its con
tents were one heap Of ruins. As the immense
confagration was raging with unabased fury, the
rebel batteries kept up one of the most terrific
cannonadings ever head. shot and shell bursiiF G
forth from the gnns. The scene during the en-
tire Friday evening. and to late hour in the
night was grand and terrific, and battles descrip.
ton The amount of property destroyed, in
cluding the boats and barges, some forty in n'nl-
Der. is estimated at about $6.000,000. We were
unable to learn the number of losses ON either
side.