Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-03-12

- by EtGNtCN Ot ncNlcNb COMPANY
LIEUTENANT GEORGE DEWEY. q. s. n. AN
OFFICER ON THE MISSISSIPPI.
the one place where the ships would be
most exposed to difficulty in making
out the channel. Whatever the cause.
their missiles reached the target with
deadly accuracy for night lighting.
The irOnclad Essex did not 60 far
enough to come under fire of the shore
guns. but lay back with some mortar
boats. which kept up q fierce lombard
ment on the fort all the time the ships
were disputinG the passage. FarragutS
total loss was 113 at Port Hudson.
nearly as many rs the whole feet had
sustained when he passed Fort Jack
son and Fort Philip at the mouth OF
the Mississippi during the famous at
tack on New Orleans in April. 1862.
His flagship. the Hartford. lost two
killed and six wounded. the Richmond
three killed and twelve wounded and
the MouOngahela six killed and TWEEN
ty-one wounded The Mississippi. fol-
lowing the others and last in the order
named. lost twenty-five killed and thir-
ty-nine wounded. the result 10 each
vessel showing that the Confederate
aim grew more deadly as the fight
progressed.
Farragut steamed on Up the Missis-
sippI with the Hartford and Albatross
and hlockaded Red river. This being
the object of his wild dash past Port
Hudson. the enterprise was a success
in spite OF the disaster to the other
ships.
Ranks was some time in douht
as to the fate OF Farrsgut. but as
soon as be learned bis whereabouts
and condition the army was withdrawn
from Port Hudson to Baton Rouge to
await a more favorable time for at
lacking the batteries The most that
Banks accomplished in support Of Far
raCut at this time was to engage the
Confederate skirmishers outside Of
their works. Even this may have
simply aroused the Confederates and
made them more alert for the feet.
Other Events of the Week.
On the morning of the 14th Of March.
1868. an attack was made by Confed-
crate troops under General D. II. Hill
upon Fort Anderson. an unfinished
work on the bank of the river Neuse.
opposite Newbern, y. c. The post
was Garrisoned by single regiment OF
Federal volunteers of General J. G..
Fosters command. There were no
guns mounted in the fort. and the troops
were una bic TO offer strong resistance.
Opportunity. the gunboats Hunch-
back and Hetzel. assisted by the
steamer Shawsheen and some smaller
vessels. moved to the defense Of the
fort and by a well directed fire silenc-
ed the Confederate artillery. consisting
Of fourteen guns. A nine inch she
from the HetZel dismOunted a Confed.
crate gun, killing many OF the gunners
Hill finally retreated up the Mouse,
where the Federal light draft vessels
followed and harassed the march.
On March 16 General q. s. Grant or
dered General W. T. Sherman TO go at
the head OF a pioneer corps on q scout
ing "Trip into the bayOus east Of vicks-
burg Sherman set out that day with
the Eighth Missouri regiment and a
band OF pioneers. He was to cut way
through the narrow channels. obstruct-
ed by sunken or overhanging trees, and.
IL possible. join a feet Of gunboats
which Admiral D. D. Porter had with
difficulty taken into Steele's bayou. In
tending IN steam on into the YaEoO.