The Carondelet Brushing Around

OTHER GUNBOATS RUN THE REBEL BLOCKADE.

Gen. Pope’s Division Cross the River.

SPEEDY TERMINATION OF THE SIEGE.

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Special to the Chicago Tribune.

CAIRO, April 7, 1862 – 10 P. M.

We have glorious news to-night from New Madrid.  Last night the gunboat Pittsburgh ran the blockade in safety under a terrible fire from the rebel batteries.  Four steam transports and five barges were also got through the slough from Phillip’s Landing above Island No. 10, by Col. Bissell’s corps of engineers.

This morning, under fire of the gunboats, silencing one of the rebel batteries, a company of men under Capts. Lewis and Marshal crossed the river and spiked a battery.  Another force took three other batteries, spiked the guns and threw the rebel ammunition into the river.

At eleven o’clock, in the face of a fire from other batteries, Gen. Paine with four regiments and a battery of artillery, crossed the Mississippi to the Kentucky shore.  Subsequently the division of Gen. Stanley and Gen. Hamilton crossed, and also Gen. Granger with his cavalry.  They are strongly posted and ready for any emergency.

The spectacle of so large a body of troops crossing in the teeth of the enemy’s batteries was truly magnificent.  The praises of Gen. Pope are upon every tongue.

It is believe here that forty-eight hours will decide the fate of Island No. 10.

It is hardly credible, but reports thus far agree that not a single casualty occurred during the whole of the magnificent affair.

FROM NEW MADRID DIRECT.

NEW MADRID, April 7.

There was heavy cannonading this morning in the direction of Point Pleasant, commencing at about 9 o’clock and continuing with scarcely any intermission until this hour (4 p. m.)  At noon, as the roar of the cannon was heard, I repaired to New Madrid and discovered the Carondelet steaming down the river, belching forth shot and shell at a line of rebel batteries on the Kentucky shore, opposite the lower fort.  The fire was vigorously returned from their batteries, most of which fell short and did no damage.  The Carondelet was aided by our battery established on the Missouri shore, between the lower fort and Point Pleasant, some of whose shot did splendid execution.

It is said that the guns on Wattrous Point, the most northerly battery, are silenced and destroyed.  Whether true or not, we have no means of determining.  We only know that after a shell from our guns struck their entrenchments, there was an immense cloud of dust raised, and the rebels were seen running about in wild confusion, and the guns afterwards maintained a mysterious and obstinate silence.

At this moment, standing on the river bank below the upper fort, I can see the Carondelet steaming below the point at a distance from here apparently of 10 miles.  She must be approaching Riddle’s Point.

Besides the rebel batteries above mentioned, there are two heavy guns opposite Point Pleasant, and the same number opposite Riddle’s Point, below the latter.

A man who has just returned from that point, informs me that the rebels have collected some fifteen gunboats, prepared to dispute the passage of the Carondelet.  One of this is just visible in the distance, slowly poking her horns around the point, evidently intending to engage the Carondelet.

An express has just ridden post haste for Gen. Pope’s headquarters with some message of importance, the purport of which is not yet known, but probably relating to the passage of the Carondelet.

The smoke from the chimneys of the rebel transports is plainly discernable from any point of observation.

Things are working in this region, and you may be prepared to hear of stirring movements at any moment.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Wednesday Morning, April 9, 1862, p. 1