Year: 1863

Prmberton.


The correspondent of the New York Herald
gives an interesting account of the progress OF
the iazoo Pass expedition and the attack upon
Fort Penberton.


CURTIS PLANTATION, Ten Miles above
GreenWood,) March live arrived at this
point about nine q clock this morning Here we
are ten miles ABOVE Greenwood aud but two
and half miles from the Rebel works Just
below our position the river turns to the east
ward, and after describing a wide horseshoe
pend again resumes its southerly course at a
point nearly south Of this. The neck formed
by this bend or rather the ase of the penin-
sula, is something less than mile across.
Dfrectiy in this neck the Rebels have thrown
up their Notifications. THESE are not formi-
dahie in themselves us might be supposed. They
consist OF single line OF breastworks composed
OF cotton bales and earth, facing westerly, and
nanked on the right ny quite a heavy battery
fronting the river and mounting three sIege
guns. Besides these they see m to have several
small field pieces in position. Directly on the
right flank of this line of defense they have
constructed q raft cflogs blockade of the
river to prevent our boats from running by
their batteries.


The ground upon which these works are
built is as high rs any TO be found in this re.
gon 1t is probable elevated above any possi.
Bile overflow; bat with the river as high as it is
At present 1t is but two or three feet above the
water level.


Directly in front of their line of breastworks
there is quite deep slough, extending across





the ditch usually dug around fortiications
This slough is close 10 the base OF their works
at the upper end, ut gradually recedes from
Them until at the lower end it is several hun
dred feet removed. Still beyond this slough
there is an almost impenetrabie and very xteu-
siSe canebrake, with deep forest rea aching fur
back into the country. About six miles below
this fortficalion, and directly in the are of the
bend, is the confluence Of the Yalla'usha and
Tallahatchie rivers, and from that point down
to the Mississippi the joint stream takes the
name OF the GaZoo river. The little village or
settlement of lie Flor lies directly at the iunc-
ton CT the two streams. Greenwood lies upon
the Iazoo, four miles below.


Working parties ofsoldiers, detailed from the
53d Missouri and some other regiments of Gem
eral Fisk's brigade, were at work all last night
throwing up battery facing the enemy's p0si.
tion. The location of this battery is within a
quarter Of a mile of the Rebel Qualifications
and stands just within the edge of the timber
on the west of Clayton's slough. having a per
feet range directly up the neck on which the
enemy stand, and sweeping their entire line Ii
is built OF two tiers of cotton bales, covered on
the outside with earth. A single thirty pound
Parrot rife, taken from the gunboat Rather
was mounted In this work, and 4 temporary
magazine well stocked 18th ammunitIou so
tnat at daylight this morning the battery was in
complete readiness Tor work As daylight an.
preached brush was thrown on the outs da of
the battery 10 conceal it from the enemy The
battery was located and its construction supar-
intended by Lieutenant Colonel Wilson of Gen.
eral Grants Staf, Engineer in Chief of this
CAptultlUH gun was manned Nv q
from the gunboats, and is supported by Gen
erai fisks brigade.


March 10, 1s63.-During last night Lieut..
Col Wilson ana his working parties were
again busy, and had extended his shore bat
tery so as TO accommodate another PARROT
gun, which was procured from the gunhoat
forest Rose and placed In position before mid
1ghL ''"''"s rig re nig&.. & - lie Chilico,he and
DeKalb had both been covered with cotton
bales, to make sure that they should not be
n ha
dition, and should we lose of them we
would probably be required to abandon the
whole movement. Hence the precautions that
are taken to insure their safety.


The ball was opened by Lieut. Domino with
his land battery at precisely l09 O'Clock, the
time that had been fixed upon.
a little before eleven O'clock the two pun-
boats got under way together, and proceeded
down the river to within six hundred wards of
the Rebel works. They had hardly turned the
bend and obtained a glance at the Rebel forti-
ficatons when they both opened. This fire
quickly drew the Rebel fire from the land bat
terry, which was left to the tender mercies of
hall dozen small pieces placed in position on
the Rebel fortifcations.


Allow me here TO digress TO say that from
the most reliable information vet received at
headquarters Of this expedition, the enemy's
fort mounts but fite guns of any pretensIons
These are ritled sixty-tour FOUNDER, ian old
thirty-two FOUNDER altered one thirty FOUNDER
Parott, (said TO have been captured at Shiloh,l
and three twenty four pound Dthlgrens Be-
sides these, however, they probably ha We one
full field battery, which is used when and how
II may be most convenient These guns are
mounted behind a parapet composed OF seven
tiers OF cotton bales, covered on the outside
with eight feet of earth. To penetrate such a
wall is small matter


We have tried to- day most des perately to re-
duce this tortifcaton We have brought our
heaviest artillery to bear upon il al close
range, and have kept it at play as long as 1t
was possible to DO So still we have made but
slight impression To be sure we compelled
them to stop firing. We poured such an inces-
SAINT and deadly fire into the embrasures IN
which their guns are located that their gunners
could not stand it. but yet the fort holds out
We fired the last shot: indeed, we fired for
three hours after the enemy had ceased Yet
no one supposes they have given up the con-
Test They are plucky. and will light to the
last. Some OF our officers fancy we have dis
abled some OF their guns; but the re is no evi-
dence of this further than their silence. NV
own opinion is that their silence is a deep
game. They discovered defects IN the location
OF their guns, and wish 10 remedy them


L he Cmllicothe was under fire to- day little
over an hour and half. She was not with
drawn until long after the enemy ceased firing,
and then only because her store of ammunition
was about expended, requiring replenish-
ment Of her magaz ne. The rebels singled her
out as their principal target, and they peppered
her well. She was struck to-day thirty-four
times. Her storm roof and whee-hou were
riddled and badly cut up. Her launch was all
stove to pieces. Her ensign was four times
shot through, and her pennant was shot away
Her massive iron plating was indented all over
her front where balls had struck her. Ye: she
withstood the terrible ordeal, and is night as
good Tor fight as she was this morning


The Baron Dekalb was the unlucky vessel
TO day, and considering the length of time she
was engaged, she got OFF very lightly. After
the ChiIicothe withdrew the DeKalb was
ordered TO remain and continue firing until
dark. She did so, firing once every twenty
minutes, but getting no response after the main
engagement closed. She received about a dozen
shots during the action, at least three of which
Were very severe blows.


We shall give the Rebels another trial to- NOR
row, when hope 10 be able to report more
salts factory results. / have already said the
position is a formidable one. 1t is more than
that, it is an unapproachable one. We can't
get at them. II we could we should have been
able half dozen times to- day TO drive them out
by storm. But infantry can do nothing in the
water, and this fortification is completely sur
rounded by water.


The Rebels call their position Fort Green
wood. suppose, therefore, that history will
record this as the battle of Fort Greenwood.


FROM FORTRESS MONROE


Affairs in the Re bel States.


FORTRESS MONROE, March 25-Four Ger.