The daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1863-1864, 1864-11-11
FROM THE TENNESSEE RIVER.
JoHNsoNvILLE REINFORCED.
vraY SEVERE r1eHrINo.

morning, xA.alip the following interesting
dstsils a the fight at Johnsonville, Tenn i,
otthe 1snpsssee river. 3,-
In rordef that our readers may more i.'iy
d1derstand the condition Of affairs up ans'
SttSam n date our narrative back to Wed-
'te6dsylsst.at " hich time the attack upon
J0hnsonsaie may really be said to nave
commenced. About two o'clock on snas
afternoon the three gun boats at johnson
-sills-Nos.20 90 and 52-moved down the
river Q short distance for the purpose OF re.
esptutiDg tie Venice, which had been taken
hi. the rebsls... When q short distance below
JohnsonvilIe, the gunboat Undine, which
had BEEN captured some time Since By the
njhkls, ave our boats fight. The engage
ment lasted for several hours, and until the
Venice had been disabled by q cannon ball
which cut her steam drum. After TINS the
rebel Sg1nboat withdrew and the ~ enlce
fell into our hands. When she was recap
tured she was armed with two tWentys
pound Parrot guus9 She also had full
supply OF ammunition, &C., ell of which
was taken to JohpsonviIle. On this day
nothing further of interest transplred.
On Thursday morning the, gunboat I'M
|dins appeared near Jacksonville, kand ma
nouvered about as if offering battle. Our
gunboats weighed ancnor and started out
to meet her, when the Updine at once
moved down the river aud disappeared BE-
hind the bend, some two miles below ) Ohm"
sonville. Thinking that this was but a
dodge to run our boats into trap they re-
turned to Johrsonville. Daring the whole
of the day the rebel sharpshooters, who
were on the opposite bank of the river Kept
up q continual fire upon our gnnboats, Kill :
ing number of the men.
i Friday morning was the day Of the hard
fighting, and the day upon which over
|S6, 100000 worth of property was sacri-
| ficed to the flames. at an early hour in
the morning the gunbost Undine came to
within four or five hundred yards Of J ohm,
sonville and presented a broadside, as ifshe
intended 10 fire upon the town. The gun.
boat 90, 30 and So were sent in pursuit OF
her, and they had NO sooner started than
the Uudine immediately put of and lodged
behind the same bend where she disap'
peared the previous day. The gunboats
followed her into the bend, and they had no
sooner made the turn than they were opened
upon by rebel battery of twelve twenty
four pound Parrott guns, said to be support,
ed BY 10000 men, and also by the UDdine
About this time four gunboats came up the
river and engaged the battery on the other
side. The fight between the boats lasted
from early Friday morning until about noon,
during which time most terrific cannon>
ding was kept up.
Our gunboats were unable to pass the
battery, and being separated were unable
to cope with it. After most determined
resistance the gunboats were compelled to
retire in most crippled coedition. About
IL o'clock and during the engagement the
Undine was run into the shore by the reb-
els, and burned to prevent her being cap
tured. About two o'clock in the afternoon
party, of rebel sharpshooters- made their
appearance on the opposite shofe from
Johnsonville and CONNIE need firing upon
the transports, which now dropped down to
the lower landing, while the gunboats threw
small shells to the rebel ranks which dis
persed them. When the rebels had sue
ceeded 10 getting all the gunboats and trans
ports to the lower landing, which was
about 3 o'clock in the afternoon, they i'm
mediately opened on the boats from their
batteries, all Of which were composed Of
twenty pound Parrot guns. There were
four batteries opposite the city, one at the
upper end, one at the lower, and two just
in the centre. The fire of all these bate
ries was concentrated on the boats lying
at the Johnsonville wharf, and in less than
fifteen minutes the gunboats were CON-
plete wreck. Now that the gunboats were
destroyed, and the Federal commander
fearing that the transports with their car
goes would fall into the hands of the enemy,
he called council of war, at which it was
decided that the transports shoulI De des
troyed. The order was at once given, and
in short time the following boats We're
wrapped in one sheet of flames: Eoane No.
2, Arcola, Duke, Goody Friends, Aurora,
Mountaineer, J. B. Ford, Highlander and
Venice The flames were communicated
to the barges which were loaded with gov
eminent freight, and in less time than it
takes to record it they fell prey to the
devouring elements.
The wharf at Jefersonyille was covered
with Government freight, and the flames
were soon communicated to it. Men were
detailed to subdue tina raging FIRE, bat they
would noSsooner make their appearance
than the rebel sharpshooters would fire up
on them. The fire next communicated to
the Government warehouse, which con-
tanned $50 tons of provisions. Not only
were the boats and barges with their con>
tents destroyed, but all the freight on the
wharf and the warehouse together with its
contents were one heap of ruins A" the
immense CONFEDERATION was raging with un>
absted fury, the rebel batteries kept up one
ofthe most terrefc cannonadings ever heard,
shot and shell bursting forth from the
mouths of over thirty twenty pound Par
rott guns. The scene during the entire
Friday evening, and to late hour in the
night was grand aud terrific, and battles
description The amount of property des>
troyed. including the boats and barges, some
forty in number, is estimated at about
Sc, 00O, 900. We were unable to learn the
number of losses on either side.
= On Saturday morning. about o'clock, |