ATTACK BY THE FLEET.

to make a joint attack the same day upon the enemy's works. The reinforcements which had followed the gunboats, brought up General Wallace's division to an equality with the others, and the whole military force to some twenty-five thousand men. With such an array, success might be expensive, but could hardly be doubtful. At a quarter to two the signal was given from the St. Louis, and the fleet proceeded up the river in line of battle, the flag-ship on the extreme right, with the other ironclad vessels, the Louisville, Pittsburg, and Carondelet, abreast. The Conestoga and Tyler, not being iron-clad, were kept in the rear. A correspondent of the Cincinnati Gazette, an eye witness of the scene from the flag-ship, writing immediately after the bombardment, furnishes an interesting account of the progress of the action : "At twenty-two minutes to three," says he, "the first shot was fired by the rebels from the water battery. We were then a mile and a half from the fort. The ball struck the water about a hundred yards ahead of us. Two minutes later another ball-a 64-pounder from the same battery-was fired at us, but dropped ahead about a hundred and fifty yards. Several shots were directed toward us, but without effect, before we opened fire. At seven minutes to three, the St. Louis opened the battle for our fleet by the discharge of her 8-inch shell gun. The shot fell into the water within a few yards of the lowest battery of the fort. Our fleet fired slowly at first, but with good effect—a great number of our shell bursting within the enemy's fortifications.

"We advanced on the fort slowly, but steadily the four gunboats maintaining their line of battle admirably. At quarter past three the firing increased in rapidity on both sides. Shell after shell was sent from our boats at intervals of less than five seconds. The enemy's fire had by this time become terrific. They were using 32-pound ball principally, and

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firing more frequently than we, and with great accuracy. Our fleet used twelve guns, each iron-clad boat working its three bow pieces. The Conestoga and Taylor kept about 1,500 yards in our rear, firing shell at long range. The Conestoga fired thirty-six 8-inch shells during the action; the Taylor sixty-one. Their distance from the fort was too great for effective working, but they kept a couple of the enemy's guns engaged during a greater part of the action, and thus diverted many shots that otherwise would have been aimed at the iron-clad vessels.

About three-quarters of an hour after the commencement of the engagement, the boats had steamed within three hundred yards of the fort, and the hottest of the battle took place. Our guns had by this time got the range of the rebel batteries much better than at first, and their shot and shell were made to fall within the breastworks and intrenchments with great effect. The water battery was silenced, and the guns deserted by the enemy. From the deck of the gunboats the rebel soldiers could be seen running up the hill to seek shelter in the intrenchments of the upper batteries. Just as this occurred, an officer was observed to emerge from a redoubt and wave a sword above his head. I could not tell whether he was cheering his men to victory or driving them back to their guns. The only flag we could discover on the fort was one which appeared to us to be plain red. This, however, can be accounted for by the fact that the red predominates so largely in the colors composing the rebel flag. Some of our men thought the enemy desired to signify that he meant blood.' Whatever he meant, he displayed considerable foresight in placing the flag at a good distance from his guns, thereby removing what is usually an excellent mark to shoot at. At half-past three a shell from one of our boats struck the rebel flagstaff, breaking it off close to the ground

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dore, fearing lest the ship should turn a broadside to the enemy, ordered her to drop down slowly. The other boats we found were suffering quite as severely as the flag-ship.

An officer of the fort immediately ran out and erected it near its former site. Scarcely had the rebel ensign been displaced, when a 32-pound ball struck the flag-staff of the St. Louis, carrying it away close to the ship's deck. It had "One of the guns of the Carondelet no sooner fallen that one of our brave bursted during the latter part of the men jumped before the mouth of a can- engagement; the the tiller-ropes of the non just about to be fired, and seizing Louisville were cut away, rendering it the spar, placed it in an upright position, almost impossible to steer correctly; and coolly remained a mark for the ene- the Pittsburg received a number of my, while he secured it to the ship's deck shots below water mark, causing her to with a rope. A few moments after this, leak very rapidly. These two latter the flag-staff of the Louisville was car-accidents happening almost simultaneried off; that of the Carondelet went ously with the injury to the flag-ship, next, and that of the Pittsburg followed soon after.

rendered a withdrawal absolutely necessary. The order was then given for the entire fleet to drop beyond the range of the fort. Though feeling that the condition of our boats demanded this movement, it was with great reluctance that the Commodore reconciled himself to it. The enemy had almost ceased firing, having been driven from the lower forts

guns that bore but poorly upon us. Quick, however, to notice our disabled condition, we had no sooner commenced to retire than they again ran to the lower batteries, and opened a brisk and effective fire. The first of these shots entered the port-bow of the Carondelet, cutting off two men's heads, and wounding two other men.

"As we neared the fort the enemy commenced pouring 'plunging shot' into us with great rapidity. Their guns were well pointed, and did great execution. A 32-pound ball struck the pilot-house of our vessel, piercing the inch and a half iron and the fifteen-inch oak. In striking the iron plate it was broken. and compelled to seek refuge behind A number of large fragments scattered within the pilot-house, mortally wounding one of the pilots, F. A. Riley of Cincinnati, striking the flag-officer, Commodore Foote, in the ankle, and slightly injuring two other men. Immediately after this, a shot entered our deck in the starboard side, and passing through it, glanced downward to the shell-room, striking the ship's cook, Charles W. Ba- The boats retired slowly to the point ker, of Philadelphia, in the head, liter- whence they started for the scene of acally tearing the skull off. Several heavy tion, about two miles from the fort. The balls now passed over the pilot-house, fire of the enemy kept pouring in upon piercing the chimneys, and carrying us from thirteen guns, while our posiaway the chimney-guys. These were followed by a couple of shots which struck our vessel just above water mark. It was now discovered that the wheel had been injured by the shot which killed the pilot. Two of the spokes were broken, and the vessel did not respond well to her helm. An attempt was made to steer her by the relieving tackle, but it was found that the current was too strong. The Commo

tion in the river prevented us from using more than half that number. As we floated slowly down the current, the rebels took courage and boldly sallied forth from their intrenchments. Hitherto the entire space within the fort appeared one sheet of untrodden snow; but fifteen minutes did not elapse, after the stoppage of our engines, when the whole scene was changed, as if a whirlwind had swept over the hill and removed

ACCIDENTS TO THE FLEET.

nearly every trace of the storm of Thursday-the enemy's forces, with wild enthusiasm, had rushed down to the lower batteries in such numbers.

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superintending the care of the wounded. As I have said before, nothing but the pilot's assurance that our vessel could not be managed with her broken wheei induced him to consent to a withdrawal. The captain of the St. Louis displayed great courage and coolness also, and too much commendation cannot be bestowed on him. The same may be said of every captain in the fleet. On board of the St. Louis were a number of Cincinnati officers, of whose heroic deeds the Queen City may well be proud. First Master, John J. Johnson, and Second Master, Kendrick, both long identified with the steamboat interests of the West, won many laurels by their prompt response to duty's call. Frank A. Riley, the pilot who was killed on the St. Louis, and William Hinton, who met a similar fate on the Carondelet, were well known and highly respected gentlemen." The casualties of the engagement on the four gunboats were eleven killed and forty-three wounded.

The battle lasted one hour and seventeen minutes. The last shot was fired by the St. Louis. It fell within a few feet of the river battery, causing earth and water to fly into the fort. At this, about a hundred of the rebels started as if to run up the hill; they soon found, however, that we had withdrawn, and returned to open an ineffectual fire upon our disabled fleet. It took about half an hour for our fleet to retire beyond the range of the guns. The withdrawal was managed with great skill. We permitted our boats to float gently down the stream in the exact line of battle, and, although the steaming apparatus of the St. Louis and the Louisville was powerless, no collision or accident of any kind happened. We dropped anchor in good order. It was found that the Pittsburg was leaking very rapidly, and she was ordered to tie up on the left bank of the river. The The coöperating land attack from the St. Louis was struck sixty-one times in rear, which was expected to be made, the engagement, the Pittsburg forty-sev- was not ordered, the reinforcements of en, the Carondelet fifty-four, and the General Wallace not reaching the main Louisville about forty. The enemy fired army in season. After the mishaps on about five hundred shots. Our fleet fired the river, General Grant tells us that a little more than three hundred, about "he concluded to make the investment seventy-five of which were 8-inch shells. of Fort Donelson as perfect as possible, "The Commodore's demeanor during and await repairs to the gunboats." This the engagement is the subject of admira- plan, however, was frustrated by a movetion on the part of every man in the ment of the enemy, which precipitated fleet. His countenance was as placid the final conflict aad resulted in the imand his voice as mild in the heat of the mediate capture of the position. The action as if he were engaged in a social rebel officers saw their force in danger conversation. He stood in the pilot- of being surrounded, and determined house for a long time, watching the effect upon a bold effort at escape. "On the of every shot from our ships. When he 4th inst.," says General Pillow in his resaw a shell burst inside of the fort he port, "the enemy was busy throwing his instantly commended the deliberate aim forces at every arm around us, extendof the marksman, by a message through ing his line of investment around our his speaking tube. When the balls fell position, and completely enveloping us. short he expressed his dissatisfaction in On the evening of this day we ascersuch words as, a little further, man; tained that the enemy had received adyou are falling too short.' During a part ditional reinforcements by steamboat. of the action he was on the gun deck We were now surrounded by immense