From Island No. 10

CAIRO, March 18. – A messenger just from Island No. 10, says that our boats kept up a short range fire on the enemy’s works all day yesterday.  The rebels have six batteries on the Tennessee shore.  Our mortar boats kept firing every half hour during the night.  One shell from a rebel battery struck the Benton, killing one and wounding seven others.

A rifled gun on the St. Louis bursted killing one of the crew.  The St. Louis was struck several times.

The enemy is very strongly fortified and have a large number of batteries on the main land.

The shells from the mortars fall in the enemy’s batteries on the Island every time.

All the mortar boats here are to leave for the Island.

The gunboat Cincinnati received a shot which is said to have done some damage to her machinery.

The bursting of the gun on the St. Louis killed one, mortally wounded two and severely wounded several others.

The previous report that one was killed and several wounded on the flag ship is contradicted.  No damage was done to any other of the boats.

Nothing has been heard from the land forces at New Madrid yet.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, March 22, 1862, p. 3