The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1865-04-10
The Spanish Forts Closely Beseiged.

Press Dispatch.I
New YORK, April 9.-The Herald has
Mobile Bay correspondence mp to the 3lst
inst 1t appears that Granger's and
Smiths corps marched from Danly's
Mills on the 25th for Blakely, meeting
with slight opposition only Oh the first
day. On the 26th the 18th corps moved
toward the Spanish fort, a strong earth
work commanding Minnetts Bay, en-
countering and driving in the rebel cav
airy, andin the evening Granger encamp-
ed on the left Of that fort.
The 10th corps continued toward
Blakely, encamping at Sibley's Mills five
miles from that town, on the 26th On
the morning of the 9th our forces adj
vancad on the Spanish fort, driving in
the rebels. capturing rifle pits and estab.
fishing our batteries within 400 yards of
the fort. On the 29th our forces we're
entrenched within 70 yards of the fort.
Several lives had been lost by torpedoes
which are thickly strewn around. Our
loss averages $50 per d y. Three hun
dred of the enemy had been cut off by a
portion of our forces, but not yet captur-
ed owing to their taking refuge in the
swamps.
Early on the morning Of the Both the
rebels essayed an attack, but were hand,
somely repulsed with heavy loss, The
rebel fleet of gunboats are on the ex-
treme right, within musket range of onr
troops, and the earthwork is being com
pleted to mount seige guns. Our losses
to the 3lst were about 800. Five of our
monitors and the gunboat Octaron were
crossed Blakely bar and others are arriv-
ing
On the 3lst. siege guns and monitors
having been placed in position, heavy
cannonading was opened on the Spanish
fort aud continued all day, but the result
is not known
Steele's column left Pensacola on the
10Th. He captured two trains of cars at
Greenwood. At Pollard, Ala, two rebel
cavalry regiments were routed and Brig
adler General Clauser, % officers, 400 men
and $50 horses captured.
On the 9th Colonel Spaulding, with a
detachment of the I'd Maine and lst
Florida cavalry, cut the Mobile and
Montgomery railroad, captured two wag
on trains and 100 prisoners
Gen. Steele and force have arrived at
Blakely, six miles from Spanish Fort, and
would soon unite with cavalry
A naval letter to the Herald states
that the monitor Milwaukee, was blown
up by torpedo on the 2Sth, and the
Usage on the 29th, both while operating
with other monitors against Spanish
Fort Four sailors were killed on the
Usage and six seriously injured. Only
one was injured on the Milwaukee. One
of the turrsts of the Milwaukee is still
out of the water and in working order
and is used The Usage is submerged
too deep to be used They will be proba
bly, raised
The rebels are busy sending down tor
pedoes aud fi,e RATS. The force in Span
ish fort is estimated at between 600 and
100, it having been reinforced from Mo
bile by water on the night of the 26tb
1t is rumored also that Forrest and hi:
rebel cavalry had reached Blakely,
The rebel ram Nashville and the gun
boats Tuscaloosa, Morgan and Natchel
are in Blakely river, evidently intending
giving battle to our monitors On the
west OF the bay. Our gunboats have hae
Several skirmishes with water batteries
driving the rebels from their guns The
rebel troops in the Spanish fort are com
! manded by Maury. s..