He spikes a Rebel Battery During the late Gale --- Heavy firing at Point Pleasant.
{Special Dispatch to the Chicago Tribune.}
ON BOARD STEAMER V. F. WILSON,
ISLAND No. 10, April 2, 1862
(Via Cairo 3d inst.)
A most daring exploit was performed last night by Col. Roberts and fifty picked men from his regiment, the 42d Illinois. The night was intensely dark, and the previously reported gale of wind and thunderstorm prevailed. During the height of the storm, Col. Roberts and his men, in five yawls managed by crews from the gunboats, left the steamer Benton, and with muffled oars and under cover of darkness crowded down the stream in the direction of the upper battery. When within a few rods of it a blinding flash of lightning glared upon the water, revealing the boats to the sentries. They fired upon our men five or six shots, the balls whistling overhead and doing no damage. The sentinels then incontinently fled back to the camp, which is located some distance to the rear of the battery. Our men made no reply, but pulled up to the fortification, sprang over the parapet, and in three minutes time spiked all the guns, six in number. Col. Roberts himself spiking a huge eighty pound pivot gun. The boats then returned without a man receiving a scratch. The guns, which have all been newly mounted within the past two or three days, (having been previously dismounted by our cannonading,) were sixty-fours and eighties. The rebel steamer Grampus was lying near the battery, but mad no demonstration, fearing to come out in the stream.
The mortars kept up a very heavy bombardment this morning and the rebels replied with spirit from their floating battery. Their shots were well aimed but occasioned no damage. Very heavy and rapid firing was heard last night and this morning at Point Pleasant, or in that vicinity. We have no intelligence from there as yet.
The river has commenced falling – a fact in our favor.
– Published in the Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, April 12, 1862
{Special Dispatch to the Chicago Tribune.}
ON BOARD STEAMER V. F. WILSON,
ISLAND No. 10, April 2, 1862
(Via Cairo 3d inst.)
A most daring exploit was performed last night by Col. Roberts and fifty picked men from his regiment, the 42d Illinois. The night was intensely dark, and the previously reported gale of wind and thunderstorm prevailed. During the height of the storm, Col. Roberts and his men, in five yawls managed by crews from the gunboats, left the steamer Benton, and with muffled oars and under cover of darkness crowded down the stream in the direction of the upper battery. When within a few rods of it a blinding flash of lightning glared upon the water, revealing the boats to the sentries. They fired upon our men five or six shots, the balls whistling overhead and doing no damage. The sentinels then incontinently fled back to the camp, which is located some distance to the rear of the battery. Our men made no reply, but pulled up to the fortification, sprang over the parapet, and in three minutes time spiked all the guns, six in number. Col. Roberts himself spiking a huge eighty pound pivot gun. The boats then returned without a man receiving a scratch. The guns, which have all been newly mounted within the past two or three days, (having been previously dismounted by our cannonading,) were sixty-fours and eighties. The rebel steamer Grampus was lying near the battery, but mad no demonstration, fearing to come out in the stream.
The mortars kept up a very heavy bombardment this morning and the rebels replied with spirit from their floating battery. Their shots were well aimed but occasioned no damage. Very heavy and rapid firing was heard last night and this morning at Point Pleasant, or in that vicinity. We have no intelligence from there as yet.
The river has commenced falling – a fact in our favor.
– Published in the Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, April 12, 1862
