Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1865-04-10
THE SIEGE OF MOBILE.
Two Union Gunboats Blown up-S,eeIe,.
Column Drawing Near.

COfuHu DTaWInS near.
CINCINNATI, April Our special advioes
from Mobile are to April 1. AT tha. time our
forces were closely Investing Fort Barnley.
Ihey nave approached in parallel within three
npnored yards, and are pushing MP daily.
Inc ground In the rear of these forts is suf-
hciently high to enable the troops 70 mine sue
cessfully They will be SO close In a few days
tnst II VIII be necessary to make an assault,
The 10th corps holds the right, the 13tb the
lett enclosing the rebels on thre sides, while
me suhooais are endeayoring 70 close up the
While trying to move up in front of the
Spani,h Fort, two gunboats, the Usage and
the milwaukee, were blown up by torpedoes
ana sunk. Inc water was shoal-not over
eleVen feet deep-and many OF the crews e5-
capped.
They were advancing without the usual tor
pedo finder, which is strong rope stretched
in front OF the boat, under water, and fastened
on spars, so as to explode the torpedoes in ad-
vance. The rebels have lined the bays and the
rowly escaped with his life.
General Steele's column has been heard
from. He has reached Pollard's. He cap
tured the 9th Alabama cavalry almost entire,
including Gen. Clayton, the Ma or, Surgeon,
four Captains, and nine lieutenaLts; also, .wo
railroad trains and large droves OF cattle.
Progress Of the Attack on the City-Capture
of Prisoners, Wagon Trains, Etc-Gen.
Clawsen and Other Rebel Officers Pris-
oners-Rebel Naval Fleet Preparing to
Join in the Fight.
NEW YORK, April 9-The Herald has Mobile
bay correspondence up TO the 3lst ultimo. 1t
moved toward Spanish Fort, an earthwork
commanding Minette bay, sncountering and
driving In the rebel cavalry, and in the even
ing Granger encamped on the left OF the fort
The 18th corps continued on toward Blahely.
encampng at Sibley's Mills. On the morning
OF the 9th, our forces advanced on Spanish
rifie-pits. On the 29th our forces were en-.
trenched within seventy yards Of the fort
Three hundred of the enemy have been Gu.
off by portion of our forces, but are NOT vet
captured, owing TO their taking refuge in
swamps. Early on the morning OF the 3Oth,
the rebels essayed an attack, but were hand
somely repulsed with heavy loss.
The rebel feet OF gunboats is on the extreme
right, within musket range OF our troops.
Earthwcrks are being completed to mount the
siege guns Our losses to the 3lst were about
gunboat Octorora, have crossed Blakely bar,
and others were arriving on the 31st. Siege
guns and mortars have been placed in position.
The heaviest cannonading was opened on
Spanish Fort and continued all day. bat the
result is not known.
Steele's column left Pensacola or the 10Th.
He captured two trains of cars at Greenwood
and Pollard, Alabama Two rebel cavalry
regiments were met charged, and routed, and
GERS, four hundred men, and four hundred and
fifty horses were captured. On the z7th, Colo
nel Sparkling, with detachment of the 22d
Maine, and the 1st Florida cavalry, cut the
Mobile and Montgomery railroad, and can.
tured two wagon train and one hundred pris-
oners.
General Steele and force have arrived A.
Blakeley, six miles from Spanish Fort, and
would soon unite with Candy.
A naval letter to the Herald states that the
does on the 18th, and the osase on the setS Of
March, both while operating with other moni-
tors against Spanish Fort. Four sailors were
killed on the Usage, and six seriously Injured.
Only one was injured on the Milwaukee. One
Of the turrets Of the Milwaukee is still ont OF
the water, and, being in working order, il
used. The Usage is submerged, too deep % be
used. She may probably be raised.
The rebels are persistently busy in sending
down torpedoes and f1re.rafts. The force in
Spanish Fort is estimated at between six and
seven thousand, it being reinforced from
Mobile by water, on the right OF the 29th.
1t is rumored also that Forrest and his
whole command had reached Blakeley.
8The rebel ram Nashville, and gunboats Tue
caloosa, Morgan, and Natchez, are in BIakeley
river, evidently intending giving battle
Our monitors are on the west OF the bay.
Our gunboats had several skrmishes with
the water batteries, driving the rebels from
their guns.
The rebel troops at Spanish For: are ccm-
nanded by Maury.