Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1864-03-30
Capture effort De RusSy-Gas-
liant Charge Of Our Troops
Capture of S25 Prisoners, q
Large Number Of Guns, sc.
FORT De RussY, MARCH Is. !
,in Gina o.

FOET De Russy. March Is.
via CAIRO, 81.
This fort WAS captured to day by the @.
s. forces under Gen. A. J. Smith. The
expedition left V~icksburg on the 10Th.
landed at Semmesfort on the 18th. and
marched to Bayou Glace, where Gen.
Scurry's brigade had been encamped, but
the rebels fed on the approach of our
transports. Seeing considerable camp
equipage and Commissary stores, Smith
pressed forward to Yellow Bayou, where
strong Notifications had been erected,
but the rebels again fled as we came up.
The rebels were pressed and some Skin
mishing ensued, resulting in the capture
of several prisoners and a small wagon
train. At daylight yesterday the entire
command started for fort De Russy, %
milee distant, and at 4 o'clock ?. N. the
Sd and 9th Indiana batteries opened on
the fort which replied vigorously with
three of its heavy guns. The cannonade
continued an hour, when Gen. Smith or
dered the lst and Cd Illinois, 10th corps.
under Gen. Mower. to charge the enemy's
rife pits and storm the fort. The 5Sth
and 88th Indiana and d Missouri reg
iments advanced over deep bitches and
thick sbattis amid a CALLING FIRE, and
within twenty minutes after the order
was issued, the color sergeant of the 53th
Illinois planted the American flag upon
the enemy's works.
The victory was complete, and resulted
in the capture of 325 prisoners, including
"A commissioned officers, two 9 inch Dahl
gren guns, "a Founders four 80 pound
ers, two 6 Founders, a lot of small arms.
200 barrels of fine powder, an immense
quantity of assorted ammunition, and
several thousond dollars worth of com
missary stores.
Fort De Russy is a most formidable
work, ~qusdrangular in shape. and hast
ions 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 position Of the
guns was capital for rapid and effective
firing on all boats attempting TO 90 mp OF
down the river About 800 negroes were
employed for a year in constructing the
earth works. General Smith will super
intend the thorough destruction of the
Notifications tomorrow. It will take
5000 men two or three days to destroy
them.
Glorious news may be expected from
Gems. Banks and Smith within two weeks.
Their designs. strength, and position Is
contrsband at present.
Among the artillery captured are two
guns belonging TO the schooner Morning
Light. two riied guns from the Harriet
Lane, captured last spring off Sabine
Pass. and one heavy gun from the fndi-
anola, sunk in the Mississippi river last
year by the rebel ram Webb.
The rebels boast that their iron,clad
ram Missouri, now in the river. can sink
any gunboat in our navy. The Webb
and Mary Jane are also considered i'm
pregnable to any of our hotilla.
Admiral Porter hiss been busily en-.
gagged for the last three daysin removing
Instructions from Red river, consisting Of
RATS and piles in the channel.
Transports are nov proceeding up the
river without interruption.