Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1864-03-25
Particulars Of tlle ,CaptureOf FOrl
Il HIi4 u DelAuesy. ~ aINt

1 Fort DERussY, March 16.--vIA CAIRO,
March 24.--This fort was captured to-day
by the United States forces under Gen. A.
j. Smith. The expedition left Vicksburg
on the 10th, and landed at Semmesfort on
the 18th, marched TO bayou GLADE, where
Gen. Scurry's rebel brigade had been en-
camped, but the rebels fed on the approach
OF our troops, leaving considerable camp
equlpage and commissary stores. Smith
pressed forward to Yellow Bayou, where
strong fortifications had been erected, but
the rebels again fled as we came up. The
rebels were pressed and some skirmishing
occurred, resulting in the capture of seve-
raj prisoners, and small wagon train; ut
daylight yesterday the entire command
started for TT. DeRussy, % miles distant, and
at four O'Clock =. NJ, the I'd and 9th Indiana
batteries opened on the fort, which replied
| vigorously with three of its heavy guns.
The cannonade continued one hour, when
Gen. Smith ordered the lst and 2d Illinois,
l6theorps, under Gen. Mower, to charge the
enemys rifle pits and storm the fort. The
5Sth and SSth Indiana, and 2ith Missouri
regiments advanced over deep bitches and
thick aot attis. .1imed q CALLING fire, and with
In twenty minutes after the order was is
sued the color sergeant of the 5Sth Illinois
planted the American flag upon the enemy's
suited In the capture of three hundred and
twenty-five prisoners, including twenty
four commissioned officers, two 9-inch Dahl
gren guns, M-pounders, four 32-pounders,
two 6-pounders, a lot OF small arms, two
thousand barrels of fine powder, an inn
mense quantity Of assortend ammunition,
and several thousand dollars worth of com
| missary stores. Fort DeRussy Is a most
formidable work 0fquadrangular shape and
Dastions and bomb proofs, covered with rail
road iron. A powerful water battery con-
meets with the fort, the easements of which
are capable of resisting shot and shell of
the heaviest calibre. tg. g.J Tir
The position of the guns was capital for
rapid and effective fire on all boats attempts
| ing TO go up or down the river; about eight
in constructing the earth works. Gen.
Smith. will superintend the thorough ,des-
truction of the fortiications Tomorrow.
1t will take three thousand men two or
three days to destroy them. Glorious news
may be expected from Generals Banks and
Smith within two weeks. Their designs.
strength and position are contraband at
present. a.. ...,-
Among the artillery captured are two
guns belonging to the schooner Morning
Light, two rifle guns from the Harriet Lane
captured last spring off Sabine pass, and
one heavy gun from the Indianola, sunk in
the Mississippi river last year by the rebel
ram Webb.
The rebels boast that their ironclad ram
Missouri, now In the river, can sink any
gunboat in our navy. The Webb and Mary
Jane are also considered eimpregnable to
any of our flotilla. aSS
Admiral Porter has been busily engaged
for the last three days in removing obstruc-
tions from Red river, consisting of RATS
and piles driven into the channel. Trans
ports are now proceeding up the river
without interruption. ra9 ,llr# r.