Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1864-04-28
ssial Correspondence Of ,hc Missouri Democrat.
CAIRo, April IL. 1864

Special OrresPondqnce Of the Missouri Democrat.
CAIRo, April IL. 1864.
Before leaving Memphis, on Tuesday /
afternoon, we heard n report that Fort PHI |
low was captured, and n, P NJ we pro-
ceedcd mp the river in the Platte Valley.
loaded down with passengers, aud with the
guu-boat Silver Cloud, No. ~, under Act
ing-Master Ferguson, in tow. We design
edly proceeded slowly, and arrived near the
fort at A. NJ, where The runboat cast off,
and steamed UP toward the fort. We were
about three miles below the iert. and could /
see mounted pickets on the shore. After /
the gunboat got within reach sire opened on |
the fort with shell, but met no reply. She
continued slowly until she got in near the
fort and near the shore. whore sho fred
shot or two and then stopped. We had fol
lowed her at distance, and now, about 10
A. NJ, came up abreast and passed her and
the fort.
As we came up we saw FIRE and smoke
proceeding from the shore. which proved
to be some buildings and some hay on the
levee. We also for the first time saw peo-
pie moving about, some on foot and some
on horseback, behind the smoke; aud sooL
several persous came to the bank of the
river with white flag. The gunhoat sent
skiff ashore, which returned in about
twenty Minutes, and the gunboat landed -
Wo at this time were mile above, and be-
ing signaled bv the guuhoat returned aud
landed by the boat While returning near
the shore. we saw numerous dead bodies
strewcd along the river aud on the sides of
the bluff. We found on landing, quite
nUmber OF Confederate officers; among them
Brig. Gen Chalmers. with his staff and
Major o. w. Anderson Of Gen. Smiths
faH nd Of ; Ia. II ,l al .l,,..
names did not learn. Arrangements were
made to parole all the wounded, and men
were detached 30 bring them in. An agree
meent for truce till p. NJ. was agreed upon
and permission freely given to visit the fort
and grounds. Escorted by Capt. Lindsev
formerly of Natchcz, now in the Rebel ar
nv, your correspondent visited the fort and
adj icont grounds the scene of action the
day precediug Ga the way up--about
three miles below the fort we were signal
ed by a hatboat on tic Missouri shore, and
took on board a colrrcd corporal and thlce
wounded men, and received our first ac-
count from them Of the fight.
THE ASSAULT AND CAPTURE oETuE FORT.
We have CLEANED tho facts OF the fuht
from authentic sources, and they may be
relied upon n, truthful. Tho R,hc's, m Ter
Forrest, appeared and drove in the pickct4
garrison Of the fort consisted OF nhon, two
hundred of the l3lh Tennessee Volunteers
AMI four hundred negro artillery n, under
command Of NJ ior Booth. The gunbost
No. was also in the river. Tho Rabels
first attacked the two outer forts, and in
several ATTEMPTS TO charge were repnlse1.
They were constantly rc-cnIorcsl, and px-
tended their lines to the river on both sides
Of the fort. The garrison in the two outer
forts, We're Mt length overpowered by SUI
perior numbers, aud atont noon evacuate ed
them and retired to the fort on the river. -
Here the fight was maintained with prcat
obstinacy, and continued till about 4P NJ
The approach to the tort from tha rear il
over gentle declivity, cleared and fully ex
posed 10 raking fire from two sides of th,
fort.
About thirty yards from the fort is deer
rayinc, running all along the front. and SC
steep at the bottom a. TO be hidden irou
the fort, and not commanded by it's guns.
The Rebels CHARGED with great boldne-s
down the decliviy, md faced without
blanching murderOnS fire from the guns
and small arms of the fort, and crowded in.
to The ravinc, where they were sheltered
fro II fire by the steep bank which had been
thus left by some unac'oun able neglect or
Ignorance. Here the Rebels organized for
a final charge upon the fort, after sending
n flag of truce with demand for n surrcn.
der, which was refused, The approach
from tho rayine was up through n deep,
narrow gully, an the steep enbankments
Of the fort. The last charge was made
about p NJ, blythe whole Rebel force, and
was successful, after most desperate and
gallant defense. The Rebel army was esti.
mated at from 1000 to 400, and succeed
ed by mere force of numbers.
The gunboat had not been idle, but guild
ed by signals from the tort, poured upon the
Rebels n constant stream of shot aud shell
She fired 200 shells, aud as testified to by
those who could 500, with marvellous pre-
cision and with fatal effect. Major Booth
who was killed near the close of the fight
conducted the defense with great GOODNESS
skill aud gallantry. His last signal to the
boat was. I'VE arc hard pressed and shal
be overpowcred." lie reiu cd to surrender
however aud fought to the last BY tho
uniform and voluntary testimony of the
Rebel officers as well as the survivors of th,
fight, that the negro artillery regiment,
fought with the bravery aud cooln-ss o
veterans aud served the gunJ with skill an,
precision. They did nat ialter nor lincl
until at the last charge, when il was evi
dent they would 10 overpowcred
tney DfOke anu lleI tUWlrIS the rlver, AN
here commenced the most barbarous an
cruel sutiages that over ihe iisndi,hness q
Rebels have perpetrated during the war.
REBEL ATROCITIES.
After the Rebels wcro in un1isputod po
session Of the tort, aud the survivors ha
surrendered, they commenced the indi
eIiminate hutchery of NIL the Union .oldery
The colored soldiers threw down their eur
and raised their arms in token Of surrender
but not the least attention was paid TO il
They continued to shoot down ashley found
A number OF them, finding no quarter wa
given, ran over the bluff to the river, an
tried to conceal themselves under the ban
and in the bushes, were pursued by tb
Rebel savage., and implored them to spar
their lives. Their appeals wore made i
vain. and they were all shot down in cold
blood and in full sight Of tho gunboar
chased aud shot them down as they woul
dogs passed up the hank of tho rive
and counted fifty dead strewed along. On
had crnwled ino hollow log and was kile
init; another had got over tho bank in III
river, and got op 10 a board that run o,
into the water. lie lay on il on his fac