Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1864-04-02

Fosr DE RussEr, Red River, La,
March is, via Cairo, March "a.

| Bayou Place, where Gen. SCulfys rebel brf-
gade had been encamped, but which iled on
The advance Of our transports, leaving con-
siderable camp cquippege and commissary
stores. Smith pressed forward to Yellow Ba-
you, where strong fcrtifcations were erected
but the rebels again fed as we came up. The
enemy was pressed and some akirmishing oc-
CURED, resulting In the capture of several
| prisoners and o small wagon train.
At day light We started for fort De Russey,
/ 2S miles distant and at p. NJ, the Srd and
gsh Indiana batteries opened on The fort
which replied vigorously with three of its
heaviest guns. The cnnnonade continued an
hour, when Gen. Smith ordered the LIST and
I'd Illinois, l6th corps, under Gen. Mower, to
charge the enemys rifle pits and storm the
fort. The 38th, 1l9th and seth Indiana, and
oath Missouri regiments charged over deep
bitches and thick abetiis, amid CALLING fire,
and within twenty minutes after the order
was read, the color sergeant of the 18th Hi
nois planted the American flag upon the en-
.mys works.
The victory was complete and resulted in
tie capture of 525 prisoners, including "a
commissioned officers, 2 9-inch Dahlgren
guns, 24-pounders, 32-pounders, G-pound-
eFs, lot OF small arms, 2,OGO barrels oil iine
| powder, an immense quantity of ammunition,
and several thousand dollars worth of com
missary stores.
Fort De Russey Is most foImidshle work,
ouadrangular shape and bastiOns, ana DomD
proof covered with railroad iron. A power
full water battery connects with inc tort, The
easements of which are capable OF resisting
shot and shell OF the heaviest calibre. The
position Of the guns was capital for o rapid
and effective fire on all boais attempting 10 go
up or down the river About 500 negroes
were employed for one year in constructing
earthwoTks.
Gen. Smith will supcrintcnd the thorough
destruction of the fortiication tomorrow 1t
will take 3,O0O two or three days TO destroy
them.
Glorious news may be expected from Gen
erals Banks and Smith within two weeks
Their designs, strength and position are con-
traband at present.
Among the artillery captured are two guns
belonging To the steamer Morning Light, two
ritled guns from the Harriet Lane captured
last spring off Sabine Pass, and one heavy
gun from the Indianola, sunk in the Mississip-
pi last year by the rebel ram Webb.
The rebels boast that their iron plated ram
Missouri, now in the river, can sink any gun
bo at in the Navy. The Webb and Mary Jan,
are also considered impregnable TO any OF eui
flotilla.
Admiral Porter has been busily euga ged
for the last three days in removing obstruc-
tions from Red River, consisting of RATS and
piles driven into the channels. Transports
! are now proceeding up the river without in
terruption.
CAno, March 26.
The reports circulated here this morning
that the rebels under Forrest attacked Pa
ducah, Kentucky, fifty miles above here yes
tcrday, and burned part of the town, but az
the tclegraphic communication is cut of, no
authentic communication could be obtained.
The steamer Julian from Nashville, which
passed Paducah at five o'clock this morning
{ and the Joseph Bearcc which passed two
i hours later, bring the following account o
: affairs: Forrest, with an estimated force o.
: 5000, captured the place at two O'Clock yes
: terday afternoon, sacked and fred the city.
Colonel Heck, commanding post, occupied
the fort below the city with about 500 men
? The rebels made four assaults on the fort
. and were repulsed each time.
Our gunboat opened on the city during It's
occupation by the rebels, much of which was
e burned, including the Marine Railway, The
u steamer Arizona and the wharf boat.
v From 1000 to 5000 inhabitants OF the city
;. moved across the river upon learning the
Z rpirusril vi tilc rcbci5.
d When the Bearce passed at seven O'Clock
e in the morning the enemy had left. Thepco-
pie were returning to the city and the fires
were dying out The amount of public and
private property destroyed is as yet unknown
but is supposed to be large. Our loss it /.
r killed ami 40 wounded. One hundred anc
4 fifty rebels were reported killed, among then
: Gen. Thompson. Twenty y-fiye houses around
the fort were destroyed by our troops, they
being used for the rebel sharpshcnters head
= quarters. The Government store houses were
burned by the enemy.
: A dispatch from Columbus, Ky, says F or
n rest and Faulkner are between that place
: and AIayfield. Their forces are in crippled
, condition. Their strength is much greater
than at first estimated. BIayfield is said to
befu1 of reb el wounded from Paducah. H.
!. 200 to 1900 are said to have arrived there.
, One regiment lost l0l and one company 5C
killed.
! The rebels were marching towards Chntor
d at last accounts.
e Should they attack Columbus they will re
ceive still warmer reception than at Pa
ducah
:. The steamer Perry was fired into Will
:; passing Hickman yesterday. The town wa
,! full OF rebels. A great number of shots wer
n fired but nobody hurt.
, The steamer Graham bro, g'lt up GOO me-
from New Madrid who charged through III
: town, but the rebels had fed. They belong
u ed to Faulkner's command.
l. Three hundred rebels were killed at Pa
tlucah and one thousand wounded. Severa
citizens OF the place were killed during til
T. fight The city is nearly in ruins.
- The steamer Desarch was burned at Df
e walls Bluff while lying at the levee. She wa
81 towed into the stream and sunk, thus savin.
r number Of other boats. A large quantity
y of government stores was on the landing =
/, She had 300 bales of cotton on board whcl
= was DESTROYED The boat was owned b
Champion 81 Ogden, valued at S6, 600 an
% insured lor 80, 000.
y A dispatch from Paducah saws that tn
j home guards surprised and captured Colonc
e Croslan and seven ofhis guerrillas, near May
d field
New YORK, March 26.
The steamers Evening Star, from New Or
leans the 10Th and HAVANA the 2lst passe
Is the Yazoo, Cahawba and Ericsson In the Mis-
81 sissippi on the 18th.
IS Part Of Admiral Porter's feet appeared OF
a. Alexandria, La, and demanded its suTende
% which was complied with without opposi
ton.
The prisoners captured at Fort De Russey
10 have arrived at New Orleans.
TO Gen. Banks would leave for the field Sat
,d urday the 18th, or Monday.
ne The gunboat Kiver had arrived from Bal
= tmore. The gunboat Octorora, one of TIN
in' participants IN the attack on Port Powell ar
sly rived al New Orleans for repairs
oil. The army of Western Louisiana is moving
et. Gen. Lees cavalry advance had occupied New
~ Iberia.
~, Two Of our gunboats had passed Berwick
res Bay and Grand Lake. and assembled Gran
ed River nearly to Butte Ia Rose, which plac
nm. they recennoitered. Before reaching Butte
!. la Rose they came upon rebel camp an
'a opened fire. The rebels ran and the r,,r