The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1864-03-29

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THE FloRr At PADuEAH, KENTUCKY.
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Omciel Dispatches from Fleet Captain
Pennock.
wAsumoros March 20, 1854
The following dispatches have been received By the
Secretary 0s.sA' Navy o.no. March ss-,rM.
Al three r. n. yesterday the rebels made an attack
upon Paduoah, and the steamers Psosta. Pawpaw and
Fort HIndman At once opened IRE Captain Hicks holds
the fort.
Tho front part Of the city destroyed. shells set
ting fre 20 the houses the Ievee. brisk cannonad
ing was continued until about ten r., when the rebel
nre ceased.
Tho attack may have been renewed this morning.
Our dispatches are received by boat tsegraphic com
munication having been destroyed.
The fort made desperate resistance.
A. N. PENNOCK, Fleet Captain. 4
SECOND DESPATCH A
have just received Information that the enemy still
In force In front Of Paducah.
flag Of trucs was sent in by them to negotiate an
exchange Of prisoners, which refused They twice
demanded surrender, saying they would give quar-
tor II refused.
General Forrest has I'VE hundred prisoners from Union
City. eW as4f
Rcinforcemeuts are going forward There is no danger
Of surrender.
MARCH 20, 1864.
Paducah is safe. The rebels left at midnight
FOURTH DKsPArcH
MARCH 20, 1864.
Information has been received that tho rebels have
rctrcated from Paducah.
The rebol loss Is three hundred killed Their number
OF wounded Is unknown.
Forests force said TO $500 men, with four can
non. N@.
The rebel General A. p. Thompson is reported killed
A. NJ. PENNocK, Fleet Captain.
s8 Additlenal Details OF tho Battle.
CAIRO, March %, 1864.
Gen. Forrest had about 900 in the attack Pa.
ducah His line OF battle two and half miles long
The fight lasted all the afternoon Four assaults
mado the fort Hausse each Of which repused
with great slaughter to the enomy The gunboats fred
six hundred rounds.
large portion Of the town is In ruins. The rebels
plundered the stores carried OF horses during the
fight Forty convaescents in hospital captured
Forrest sent flag Of truce exchange prisoners but
Colonel Hicks declined.
Three hundred rebel de,d lie in front OF fort Cen
erals Harris and Burbridge with the rebels.
Boats from Paducah at yesterday report all quiet
we're killed during the fight. Our loss fourteen killed
and rorty.nve wounded.
The Peosta and Pawpaw, tiuclads were the gunboats
which participated In the battle, opening Ere smulta
neousy with the fort on the enemys advance into the
city and rendering invaluable service throughout the
gagement
After being repused ia the assault on the fort,
Forrest sent Communication Colonel Hicks. demand
ing the surrender Of the fort, troops and public tores
should be treated prisoners Of war; but he was
PEELED TO storm the fort. they might expect quarter
Colonel Hicks replied that he placed there to de-
fend the fort, which he should do and peremptoriy de-
clincd to surrender.
The enemy then made second and third assault upon
the works; but we're repuised each time with heavy
losses ThA rebels then broke lines formed in squads
occupied the houses and kept up IRE until late in the
evening, when they driven away, artillery
making the buildings too hot for them.
On their way into the city the enemy fired the railroad
depot, which was consumed, and towards evening they
burned the quarermastcrs building and the steamer
Dacotah mot tho Arizona) the Marine railway They
plundered the stores Of immense amount OF goods and
took all the horses they could nd Some merchants have
lost from SIS COO to $50, COO
Early the next morning, the rebels again appearing,
Colonel Hicks burned all the houses within musket
range Of the fort. The enemy however, made no ad-
and after asking for exchange Of prisoners.
which was declined, they retired in the direction or
Columbus
Towards the end Of the battle u discovered that
ammunition nearly exhausted, when COL Hicks
ordered that when gave out the fort wond be defended
with the bayonet as long man remained alive which
determination received with hearty cheers BY all
the troops The negroes 10 the fort, hundred and
twenty in ALL fought with great galantry.
All was quiet at Paducah yesterday, our forces being
engaged 10 burying the dead.
The enemy had six small cannon.
About n.ty buildings burned. including the hos
pal gas works and OF the finest residences in the
town. The Custom House, Post ONCE and Continental
were not injured.
Our troops consisted OF the Forteth Illinois infantry,
Colonel Hicks; battalion OF negroes and regiment
(name not yet known.)
News from the Mississippi.
CAIRO. March %. 1894.