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From Island No. 10.We find in the Boston Journal long and interesting letters from “ Carleton,” who is with Com. Foote’s expedition. We make liberal extracts below :island no. 10.This island is situated a short distance—about five miles—above New Madrid, or forty-five miles by the courseot therivor below Columbus. It commands a long reach of the river above.— The water on both sides is very deep, and the current runs rapidly, and at this high stage of water almost violently. The river on either side of the island is about nine hundred or a thousand yards wide. It is not an elevated position, but is represented to be of great strength. What has been done loward making it impregnable is not known. It is reported that the rebels have been at work day and night since the evacuation of Columbus to make it a Gib raltar.THE ItEllEI, BATTERIES.Tlie officers of the Benton are sharp-sighted men. They have heard that the rebels are not only upon Island No. 10, but also upon the Kentucky shore. They believe that the main batteries are on tho olevoted land, a milo above the island. And now us they turn the sharp point which comes down on the Missouri sido, they see the main land white with tents. The rebels arc there in large force. There, along the bank, can be seen the outline of their fortifications. Still nearer, they see a new made embankment in the woods, which their scouts have not reported. Capt. Phelps looks at it closely with his glass, and comes 10 the conclusion that the rebels have hecn exceedingly industrious within the last few days. Far down the river, near the head of the island, are eight steamers, most of them transport steamers.— The captain of the Luke Erie, an old river ‘salt’ who knows every boat on the westejn waters by sight, recognizes the Lizzie Simmons, Hill, and Grampus—all of which behmg to Northern men. They were seized ut au early stage of the rebellion.MORNING.It is Sunday morning, but War does not recognize Sabbaths. It tramples upon them us ruthlessly as a murderer throttles his victim.— It is not Commodore Foote’s desire to light on Sunday, but it is reported that the enemy are pressing Gen. Pope at New Madid, and it is expedient to make a diversion here.A LOO 1C AT TUK REBELS.Looking straight down stream into the bend, a battery can lie discovered mounting seven guns. No one is visible within. Lust night these guns answered tho Benton's shots. Yesterday a llag was flying, but to-day there is none visible.— Sweeping along to the right 1 can sec, on the Tennessee shore, long ranges of tents, huts, earthworks, a yellow flag—indicating tho locality of tho hospital—bodies of troops, and a half dozen steamers steaming up and down the river. Everywhere except at tho upper batteries there is life. It is from two to three miles from our position to the upper batteries, and about the same distance straight across the tongue ot land to the head of the island. The Tennessee shore is elevated ten or lifteen feet above the river.— The works themselves do not appear to bo formidable, but the bend of the river and the swiftness of the stream makes it veiy difficult lor the boats to hold a position. Tbev cannot move “head on,” as at Henry and Donelson, but when they are heading for the upper batteries they will be wholly exposed to the batteries lower down. It is evident that the mortars will have to take a large share of tho job on hand. Commodore Foote is prudent. No life wiil be needlessly sacrificed under his command. His men know it, and it gives them confidence.DIVINE SERVICE.At 10 o'clock divine service was held on the Pittsburg. Prayers were read by Capt. Thompson, and a few remarks made to the men. He said that the Sabhatli was a divine institution, established for our good, and it was our duty to worship God—an obligation which, if obeyed in truth, would meet with the divine approval, and at the same tune would benefit all physically as well ub morally. His men stood reverently w hile the service was read. After service the regulations were read.I’OI’e'S guns.During the service I could hear a heavy booming from the west, in the direction of New Madrid, which is about eight miles distant. It was a strange accompaniment to religious worship —!ar different from tho tolling ot Sabbath bells! The messengers of death were in the air, we knew, from the constant firing.Looking down the stream at tho second battery, I could see wlrnt appeared to be a man waving a white llag. Others saw it, but upon looking again it was not to be seen.THE MORTARS Ol’KN.And now came another service from the preachers against treason, who till yesterday afternoon have not spoken during the war—the mortars. Their service commenced at 11 o'clock, the first shell being thrown from No. 38. Soon the others joined in. At lit at the shells fell siiori, but alter a few rounds thy went Ur over the batteries into tho woods beyond.1 o'clock, P. M.They are hard at it and they keep a roll of thunder reverberating along the wooded bunks of the M isiissipi i. The fire is directed upon the upper battery. 1 have been looking at the work closely lor the last half hour with my excellent glass. The white flag waves at times from the western angle ot the work. It is evidently a signal to the batteries further around the bend. Near it is the flag of the Confederacy.Bang!—bang !—bang ! There are three mor tars in succession fired as if they were light field pieces. The smoke rolls out liko expanding fleeces ol wool washed ol all impurity, and Lc-eomes thin guuze at last. The sudden displacement of air is felt in every part of the body, but as yet no unpleasant effects are experienced.— Watching the fort, I see the first shill throw up an immense column of water fifty leet high. It fell short, perhaps a quarter of a mile. The second hursts three hundred feet from the earth. You can see only u handful of cloud, whichthe water as lightly as a stone thrown by a school boy, rolls over the breastwork and hursts within. The smoke rises from the newly heaved earthwork like mist from the ground on a summer's morning!LANDING MORE TROOPS.The transports have dropped down almost to tho end of the point, and are discharging— Buff's battery of light artillery, Col. Buford s regiment, the 15th Wisconsin Scandinavians, and the GOth Illinois, Col. Fowler—in all two thousand men The transport Silver Wave, Graham and Bob Boy, lie side by side,^ presenting a beautiful mark lor the rebels. The Pitts burg lies just above them, keeping her place in the stream, as you have seen a mountain trout in the clear gurgling brook. From my position on the wheel-house I can see all that goes on.—*• That is a good bait—now is the time fur them to bite, if ever/ says Capt. Thompson.Ah ! They have spoken ut last. They bite. Tho temptation cannot be resisted. A white cloud puffs out from the lower anglo of the fort, where ihe whi e flag lias been waving. A roar comes over tho water, and a round shot drops into the water, not a hundred feet from the Silver Wave. An excellent shot. They have evi dently tried the raDge before ; if not, it was exceedingly well done.The troops take it coolly, and the landing goes on just as if nothing had happened. A second shot. We look witli breathless interest, but see nothing. They evidently think they are wasting powder and again become silent. But not so with the mortars They keep on steadily, approximating to a surer aim.SAD NEWS FOR COMMODORE FOOTK.Wh'le all this has been transpiring there hat been sad news for Commodore Foote. A tug hag just arrived with tho intelligence that a beloved son has suddenly died. It is a gore bereavement. There is not a loyal heart in the land that will not sympathize with him over a loss so great. But it is no time for him to give way to grief—no time to think of his affliction ; the enemy's guns are flashing in front. There arc thousands of mourners in the land—fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters weeping because secession has made their homes desolate. Commodore Foote feels that his country claims his services in crushing out the rebellion, and come weal or come woe, he will give all that God has given him of strength, Lravery, endurance, energy, prudence and skill to the cause in which he hus enlisted.THE POSITION.1 am under the necessity of representing the bend of the river at right angles. But instead of angles let it be a magnificent curve, and the distance across the tongue of land one and a half miles. There are forests and fields on the tongue of land. All along tho suthern shore are white tents and it is supposed that there must ha from ten to twenty thousand men beyond. There are the steamers the Ohio Bell,” tho “ llill,” “ Grampus,” “ Lizzie Simmons,” and one evidently ashore with her fires out.— They arc steaming up and down with that perplexity which you sometimes see in an ant hill, a hornet's nest or among wasps when disturbed or hemmed in. They move up and down seemingly with no object in view. It is well io be on tho lookout, however, for possibly those boais may suddenly transport a sufficient number of men to this side to trouble Col. ^Brtorii who is getting his force in readiness for a movement out through the cleared land to night, that in the morning ho may open upon the Island in rear of the batteiy ut its head. If he can get his six field pieces out there to-night, he may be able to Ining the steamboats into still more limited quarters—perhaps send some rifled projectihs through the boilers.Looking from the Pittsburg strait down the stream into the bend, 1 can see in the setting sunlight the flag of tho Confederacy, and twenty or thirty heads peepiDg up from tho breastwork of the upper battery. Bang ! goes one of our mortars. They wait a moment, for it takes thirty seconds to reach its destination, and then all disappear, till the shell reports its whereabouts. Sweeping round the bend 1 cun see crowds of men—not in rank—but lounging about, looking at what is going on in our direction. They have not had any compliments from us to-day, but it will ba their turn by and by. There are forty-six guns already discovered io be in position. Doubtless we shall find others.It is plain that the upper battery must be carried first, and the work will devolve upon the gunboats and mortars, for just above it is tho wide bayou leading to Eel Lake, making the position secure from land attack. If wo can drive them from this battery we shall have a new base of operations.Through tho day 1 have seen a black smoke rising apparently from ihe woods beyond the second battery. Ai first it was supposed that the rebels were evacuating the place—setting fire to their huts and stores, but un old pilot has cleared it up lor me. It is the smoke of steamers ne the river below Point Pleasant, which is in our possession. They lie in the bend below. The distance across is not more thun live milts.; We have not, therefore, got the rebels them-j selves in a bag, only their bouts and heavy guns.They can take transport if they choose.! Up to this hour the mortars nave fired two hundred aud forty-six shells and the Bunion twenty-three, witn whut effect is yet to be known. They are getting accurate runge, and to morrow we may expect to see splendid gunnery. A determined resistance is expected. The sailors expect it. but they do not much like this slow process. 1 hear them say: *• Why don't the Commodore give us a chance ?” •* \\ u will clean thorn out in fifteen minutes.'’ 1 think they fairly rejoiced when they saw the puff of the enemy 's first gun an hour ago, Thcv are anxious to drive them out—not to Imve them run as they did from ColumbusWakhk is Yancey ?—While our advices report Yancey at Key West, a prisoner, intclli-geneo has been received at Nashville, that he is at New Orleans advising the South to retaliate ou Franco and England, by stopping tho cultivation ol cotton.
Newspaper Details
Montpelier Daily Green Mountain Freeman
Montpelier, Vermont, US
Sat, Mar 22, 1862
Page 2
Full Page
Clipped by
John Q.
USA 08 Oct 2024
Other Publications Near Montpelier, Vermont
The Vermont Watchman
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