serious losses which the enemy have met with in this line, as the whole of the South was furnished with large quantities of salt from these mines. On Thursday afternoon a dashing cavalry charge was made by Major Robinson's command. The companies were Williamson's, Barrett's, Perkins's, and a Massachusetts company. The rearguard of the enemy's cavalry, which for two days had desperately attempted to check our pursuit, made a stand for the purpose of attacking our party. They numbered nearly two to our one, and when our party approached them a charge was made upon the enemy's body with such bravery and impetuosity that, completely taken by surprise, they made a feeble resistance, and turned and fled in great disorder. They were chased nearly four miles. Seventy-five prisoners were captured. A halt was at last ordered, as the enemy's infantry had massed in considerable force to receive us. We lost ten wounded and fifteen horses killed. The names of the wounded men are given below. One of our men was taken prisoner by the enemy. He could not check his horse. In a second charge he was rescued by our men. General Emory complimented the commanders for this brilliant affair. When I left General Banks's headquarters on Friday morning, at ten o'clock, four miles above New-Iberia or Newtown, (the army having been advancing from the neighborhood since six o'clock A.M.,) we had already captured between one thousand four hundred and one thousand five hundred prisoners. Some were barefooted, others without blankets and hatless, and all meanly and scantily dressed in coarse home-spun. Between two and three o'clock on Monday afternoon General Banks and staff were in the rear of the advance column a short distance, when a shell from the enemy passed directly over the General's head, apparently not more than six or eight feet, striking the earth within five feet of Captain Dunham's horse, which was galloping at full speed, as that officer at the time was carrying a despatch from General Banks to General Weitzel. The shell ricochetted and buried itself in the earth not three feet from an infantry-man who was sitting on the ground, covering him with earth. Half an hour later the General and staff were riding up the road to the front, and when nearly abreast of the sugar-house a shell entered the ground but a few feet ahead. Others falling to the right, left, and around them, rendered it perhaps one of the warmest places that any commander and staff were ever in. General Banks coolly remarked, "I think we are a little too far in the advance," upon which they rode leisurely back to the right of one of the columns drawn up in line of battle. While they were in the neighborhood of the sugar-house I counted no less than eight shots which struck the road and earth near them, all within half an hour. New-York. They were conversing together, some distance apart, and a little in front of the line of battle, when the shot struck the ground a few yards in advance, ricochetting completely over Colonel Blanchard's head, horse and all, afterward striking the ground between the Colonels. It was a very narrow escape. As the ball buried itself in the ground the men set up a cheer. It was repeatedly told me by several officers that the soldiers in line of battle would make a remark or criticise every shot and shell of interest, and many of their expressions being excellent jokes, they would be received with roars of laughter. There was a perfect absence of fear among the men. And while I am upon the subject, I may as well state that nearly every regiment, and many of the batteries and cavalry companies, were never engaged in battle before, and several of the two former were now for the first time under fire. I have the authority and word of honor from nearly all the commanders to state that they never saw men fight better or appear in better spirits throughout than these soldiers, comprising the Nineteenth army corps. I have looked for and even asked to be informed of a case of cowardice, and pledge my word that I neither saw nor heard of one. Lieutenant John Freer, of company D, was shot in the stomach at the head of his company, just before the charge, while leading on his men. The shot was fatal. On receiving the ball, he staggered and fell, exclaiming: "My God, I am shot; tell my wife that I died doing my duty." He was a native of Ellenville, Ulster County, was married about three months ago, and was a young man about twenty-six years of age. Private A. Grimley, of company D, of the same regiment, about this time exchanged several shots with a rebel hid behind a tree. As the latter advanced to fire, both pieces were discharged at the same instant. The rebel was shot dead, while the ball from his musket grazed Grimley's head. When Colonel Kimball moved on the right works on Tuesday morning, after the evacuation, Grimley had the curiosity to look behind the tree to see whether his late enemy was lying there dead as was supposed. There indeed he lay, his face upturned, with a hole in the centre of his forehead, showing where the ball entered. On turning the body over, it was discovered that it had passed completely through. His death must have been instantaneous. Twenty-five others of the rebel dead lay along the inside of the breastworks, while several fresh graves marked the places where others had been interred. A shell burst directly over Colonel Gooding's head about four o'clock on Monday afternoon, scattering the pieces in every direction. Another time a shower of grape whistled on all sides of him. About three o'clock on Sunday afternoon a solid shot from one of the enemy's batteries While riding across the field with Captain passed between Colonel Ingraham, commanding Fordham, his Assistant Adjutant-General, a little a brigade in General Emory's division, and Colo- later, a round shot struck the ground some disnel Blanchard, One Hundred and Sixty-second tance ahead, ricochetted again and again in a direct line, and rolled harmlessly at their horses' feet. A young rebel, about eighteen years of age, belonging to the Eighteenth Louisiana, was about sundown shot through the stomach and taken prisoner. He asked Lieutenant Bailey for a drink of water. When given to him he thanked him very kindly, prayed that God would bless and prosper him. He said that he would never have fought against the Stars and Stripes, but he was forced to do so, and frankly admitted that the South was in the wrong. He said: "This is a dying man's last word." It was even so, for in a few minutes he expired. On the morning of the thirteenth instant, at daylight, General Grover's division, comprising three brigades, arrived at Indian (sometimes called Irish) Bend, on Grand Lake, and prepared to land. Lieutenant-Colonel Fisk, of the First Louisiana infantry, was the first to land, with two companies from his regiment, one of which he employed as skirmishers, and the other he kept in reserve. The spot chosen for the disembarkation was a plain or clearing, of a semi-circular shape, about three quarters of a mile in diameter, through which ran a road to the woods, at a right angle from the lake. Lieutenant-Colonel Fisk followed this road toward the woods, and when within a short distance, discovered the enemy, afterward ascertained to be about three hundred strong. These were undoubtedly the force designed to act as sharp-shooters on the Queen of the West. As we have already published, from the Opelousas Courier, this force of three hundred sharp-shooters was cut off by General Grover's forces, and it is thought they had subsequently been used as skirmishers for the land force. They had two pieces of artillery, from which they opened a brisk fire on Lieutenant Colonel-Fisk's two companies. The fire was returned by our men, and the skirmishing One of the first questions the rebels asked our men after they were captured was: "What kind of guns have you got? Why, they will carry a mile! We never saw such firing." One asked: "Are all your men sharp-shooters?" Another said: "If we looked over our breastworks, got behind trees or into ditches, we were shot, and I believe that if I had put my hand up I could have caught a handful of bullets." Patrick Fitzgerald, of company H, Fourth Wisconsin, and orderly to General Paine, accompanied the latter over the field and in every fight. He was on horseback during the whole time of the fighting, and was the one near-between those forces lasted for about three quarest the Diana when the first shell struck her. Finding that his riding about the field drew the fire of the enemy in that direction, General Paine ordered him to dismount. The order was scarcely obeyed, and the last foot out of the stirrup, when a shell, which had been heard for some seconds humming toward them, passed within three feet of the two soldiers and cut away the top of the saddle. Patrick is only seventeen years of age. Those wounded in the battle of Fort Beasland on Sunday and Monday, were placed in hospitals by the side of the road, about a mile and a half from the battle-field. The following surgeons were in charge, and nobly did their duty: Post hospital No. 1, Emory's division.-Dr. W. B. Eager, Jr., in charge; Drs. W. H. Hozier and E. C. Clark, assistants. Post hospital No. 2, Emory's division.-Dr. Robert Watts, Jr., in charge; Drs. Ward and Smith, assistants. Post hospital No. 1, Weitzel's brigade.-Dr. M. D. Benedict, Medical Director of the brigade, Chief Surgeon, Dr. George Benedict, Assistant. NEW-ORLEANS "ERA" ACCOUNT. NEW-ORLEANS, April 29. We have not until to-day been able to obtain a full account from an eye-witness of the important part taken by General Grover's division in the severe struggle of the thirteenth and fourteenth instant. The fight took place near Irish or Indian Bend, between the Teche and Grand Lake, on the morning of the thirteenth, and culminated in the retreat of the enemy, and the destruction of the Diana on the fourteenth. From several participants in the fight we are now enabled to relate the facts as they occurred in some detail. ters of an hour; when Colonel Holcomb arrived The strip of woods here was about a mile in width, and the three hundred retreated across it closely pursued by Colonel Holcomb, until they formed a junction with the main body of the rebels who were advantageously posted around and be hind a sugar-house on a large plantation. Following closely after Colonel Holcomb, came Lieutenant-Colonel Warner with the Thirteenth Connecticut, Colonel Molineaux, with the One Hundred and Fifty-ninth New-York, and LieutenantColonel Cassidy with the Sixth New-York. Brgadier-General Dwight of the First brigade, was with this force, and of course in command. The enemy, as before stated, was posted upon an open field, near the sugar-house, and consisted, as near as could be ascertained, of a considerable force of infantry, four well-handled pieces of artillery and about eight hundred Texas cavalry. General Dwight formed his line of battle, under cover of the woods, with the Thirteenth Connecticut on his right, where he held the enemy in check without artillery for about an hour, when General Grover arrived with Closson's battery of six pièces. An artillery duel was now opened, which was of a very spirited nature, but without much loss of life on either side, and resulting in the retreat of the enemy. Pursuit was made, during which an annoying fire from the four pieces a large infantry force of the enemy, and a furious of artillery was kept up on our advanced skir-fire of musketry followed. This skirmishing re mishers. sembled more a general engagement between respectable bodies of troops than it did a skirmish. Our loss was quite severe here, being about seventy each in the two regiments, the Twentyfifth Connecticut and the Twenty-sixth Maine. But the main body of the brigade was marching On crossing the bridge over the Teche at Mrs. Porter's plantation, the Texas cavalry were dismounted and ordered to make a stand and destroy the bridge, with the intention to check General Grover's advance. The importance of this bridge was fully appreciated by both command-up at double-quick, led on by the almost too iners, and General Grover ordered Captain Barret's cavalry, reënforced by twenty-five mounted infantry from the First Louisiana, to charge the enemy and save the bridge at all hazards. A most furious, brilliant, and successful charge was made by this cavalry force, the Texans were driven across the Teche, and the bridge was saved. This was the most important achievement performed by any of our forces from the time of the debarkation up to this hour. The destruction of the bridge would have effectually stopped the pursuit. Artillery firing was kept up after our cavalry had secured the bridge, but without much of any result. The night closed around General Grover's division encamped in a strong position, with the Third brigade, Colonel Birge, thrown forward as an advance. SECOND DAY'S FIGHT. At five o'clock on the morning of the fourteenth, the whole division again got in motion, and marched in the direction of the enemy, who was between our forces and the town of Franklin, about three miles above the latter. At the end of half an hour he was encountered pretty strongly posted under cover of the woods, and on the bank of the Teche. As soon as it was known that the moment for action had arrived, General Grover formed his troops in line of battle, as follows: He established his headquarters about a mile and a half from the enemy's front, and sent the Third brigade on to make the attack. General Grover's army were in a heavily ploughed field, the deep furrows of which materially retarded marching. He stationed two brigades, the First and Second, a little to the rear of his headquarters, planted a section of artillery on a line with him to his right, and another to the left. Still further to the left he stationed Nim's battery in the road, with orders to act as a reserve. Colonel (Acting Brigadier-General) Birge now advanced in line of battle, with the Thirteenth Connecticut on the left, the One Hundred and Fifty-ninth New-York in the centre, and the Ninety-first New-York on the right. The Twentyfifth Connecticut, Colonel Bissell, and the Twenty-sixth Maine, Colonel Hubbard, were deployed to advance as skirmishers. While this force was advancing as rapidly as the nature of the heavily ploughed field would permit, an extraordinary fire was kept up by the field artillery on both sides, the rebels having some advantage in position, and they are said to have handled their four guns with admirable skill and rapidity. The two regiments in advance soon came upon VOL. VI.-Doc. 35 trepid Colonel Birge, and soon passed the point where the skirmishers were holding ground against a fire of musketry at not more than one hundred yards' distance. For some reason, the Ninety-first New-York, on arriving at the line of the skirmishers, made a halt under cover of a ditch, while the left (Thirteenth Connecticut) and centre (One Hundred and Fifty-ninth New-York) kept marching on toward the enemy. This halting gave the left wing of the enemy a chance to flank the One Hundred and Fifty-ninth, and he was not slow to take advantage of the mistake. Colonel Molineaux now found his regiment in a most precarious position, suffering from an enfilade fire from the enemy's centre and advanced left wing. He accordingly gave the order to halt and lie down. In this position he was comparatively safe; and in the mean while the Ninetyfirst New-York recovering from the error into which it had fallen, and which caused a most serious loss to the One Hundred and Fifty-ninth, came nobly up to its proper place, and drove the left wing of the enemy from his position; and at the same time Colonel Molineaux gave the orders to up and advance. The Thirteenth Connecticut, under LieutenantColonel Warner, was in the mean time steadily advancing against a most determined enemy, who contested the ground inch by inch. We have not been able to see any of the officers of this regiment, but some of their brothers-in-arms on that hotly contested field say they stood their ground like veterans, and showed no signs of flinching. This was Colonel Birge's own regiment, and they behaved in a manner worthy of men under the immediate eye of their popular Brigade Commander. After Colonel Molineaux gave the order to up and advance, he received a wound on the left side of his face from a Minie-ball, which proved very severe but not dangerous. His LieutenantColonel had previously been killed. The Major of the regiment was serving on General Grover's staff, and was not on the spot; two other officers and the Adjutant were dead, and two others mortally wounded; yet, notwithstanding all this, and the fact that they had lost about one hundred and twenty of their brave comrades, this heroic regiment, on the restoration of the order of battle, went on with a will, and, with the other two regiments, put the enemy to a complete rout. About five hundred prisoners were secured in the retreat and pursuit which followed, and large numbers of killed and wounded were left on the field. These were taken care of-the dead being buried, and the wants of the wounded attended to with the same care bestowed upon our own men. The surgeons in General Grover's division have been highly complimented for their skill and humanity on that occasion, as well to friend as foe. The rebels engaged, as near as we could learn, consisted of Sibley's brigade, (nearly all Texans, and one Arkansas regiment,) the Eighteenth and Twenty-eighth Louisiana, and a battalion of Texas cavalry, nearly eight hundred strong. Their artiliery consisted of four pieces. Most of the prisoners taken on this field are Texans and Twenty-eighth Louisiana troops. both artillery and sharp-shooters. I kept close to the disabled steamer, and fought the enemy at high-water, when I ordered the Stepping Stones to take the Mount Washington in tow. This was done under a heavy fire. At five P.M. I had the satisfaction of silencing the enemy's battery. My loss foots up to three killed and seven wounded. I do not know as yet what the casualties are in the other vessels. I have eight raking shots, but fortunately my engine is not disabled. W. B. CUSHING, Doc. 169. THE SIEGE OF VICKSBURGH, MISSISSIPPI. I can assure you that the Barney and her At just about the time the enemy showed crew are still in good fighting trim, and we will symptoms of giving way, the gunboat Diana ap- beat the enemy or sink at our post. peared at a point in the river where she could The most of the wounded and the dead I send shell any part of the field with her large guns. down to the Minnesota. It is only requisite to Against this new and formidable enemy, a force look at the Mount Washington to see with what of sharp-shooters from the Twelfth Maine, of the desperate gallantry Lieutenant Lamson fought Second brigade, and a section of artillery, were his vessel. I am now taking in coal, and shall sent. The land forces retreated at about nine anchor for the night where we have fought all o'clock, when the engagement with the Diana | day. began. After a three hours' fight, the gunboat was set on fire by a shell and soon after blew up. Immediately after the destruction of the Diana, which was about twelve o'clock, General Weitzel's brigade came up, a junction formed, and the whole corps bivouacked on the battle-field. The killed and wounded on both sides were then attended to. The only regiments who lost any men were: The First Louisiana infantry, about THE old canals and the Pass and Bayou expefifteen or twenty; the One Hundred and Fifty-ditions having failed from various causes, we ninth New-York, one hundred and twenty, in- have an entire change of programme. To make cluding Lieutenant-Colonel Draper, the Adjutant the new system of intended operations underand other officers killed, Colonel Molineaux and stood, it may be briefly explained that the efforts several others wounded; the Thirteenth Con- | hitherto made have had for their object the flanknecticut, sixty; Twenty-Fifth Connecticut, seven-ing of Vicksburgh from above the city, and from ty; Twenty-sixth Maine, seventy; and the Ninety-that direction reaching the rear and obtaining first New-York, ten-making altogether about possession of its important railroad communicăthree hundred and fifty in killed and wounded, tions with Jackson. It was this object that made many of the latter having since recovered. The the Yazoo River so important a position. rebel killed and wounded were fully equal to this besides the prisoners, which, in addition to the five hundred mentioned above, were continually being brought in. The fact that many of our men received bayonet wounds, is an evidence of the desperate nature of the contest. Doc. 168. The Lake Providence project, now abandoned, had in view the same object as the new movement. This is, instead of gaining the rear of Vicksburgh from above, to do so from below. It is to abandon further attempts by the Yazoo Pass and the maze of bayous and rivers that have their origin in that direction, and seek in the ground lying behind the bluffs of Warrenton, between the Mississippi and the Black Rivers, a means of reaching Vicksburgh by passing below that now celebrated city. To accomplish this, the neces FIGHT ON THE NANSEMOND RIVER. sary prerequisites evidently were to obtain pos LIEUTENANT COMMANDING CUSHING'S REPORT. U. S. STEAMER COMMODORE BARNEY, To the Secretary of the Navy : SIR: This morning the vessels from above came down-the Mount Washington disabled. About half-past eleven A.M., the enemy opened on us with seven pieces of artillery, giving us a crossfire. At once got under way and went into action, silencing the enemy in about an hour. At about one P.M. the rebels took up a position within seven hundred yards of the Mount Washngton, who was aground, and opened on us with session of the forts at Warrenton by means of gunboats, and to keep them, and obtain command thence back to Black River by land forces. The first step in the new strategy was the commencement of another canal on the Louisiana shore, beginning at a higher point and terminat ing lower than the one whose failure has caused so much disappointment. Through this canal are to be sent, in flatboats or barges, such coal, ammunition, provisions, and other supplies, as will be needed for the land forces and the gunboats below Vicksburgh. This canal is now in satisfactory progress. Four dredge-boats are at work in it, and even the old river pilots-who sippi side of the river and were swallowed up in the dim obscurity. With breathless interest their transit was watched by all of us on the boats of the fleet, whose position a little above the entrance of the first canal brought the rough hights of Vicksburgh within our sphere of vision, though the town lay for the present buried in the darkness, except where now and then the twinkling of a starry light was seen. from the first prophesied the failure of the other canal-express their belief in the success of this. The next step was the moving of a body of troops (how many it is of course not prudent to state) to a position opposite, or nearly opposite, Warrenton. They marched from Milliken's Bend, passed through Richmond, and at the end of thirty miles reached New-Carthage, a point in the bend below Warrenton. The soldiers being at hand, the canal for supplying their wants and As the boats, with lights out and fires carefulthose of a fleet being at the point of termination, ly hidden, floated past, indistinct as the ghosts of the last and most hazardous step was to send Össian in the mountain mists, it was curious to down gunboats for the attack on the Warrenton note the effect upon the spectators. Before they batteries, transports for crossing the troops at appeared, the hum of conversation was heard all New-Carthage to the Mississippi side of the river, around. All were busy with speculations as to and such supplies as will be required before the the probabilities of success. The desponding new canal can be brought into use. There was prognosticated unmitigated disaster. The hopeno other way to get them down except the bold ful indulged in confident expectations. All were one of running the gauntlet of some eight miles contented to endure some loss provided a suffiof batteries, past the stronghold of Vicksburgh. ciency arrived at the destined point to accomplish Although the recent catastrophe of the Lancaster, the object contemplated. and the terrible experiment at Port Hudson, had As the various boats came slowly into view, surrounded this mode of transit with horrors un- stole past with noiseless motion, then vanished dreamed of on former similar occasions, it was re-into the recesses of the shadowy shore, each solved to send eight gunboats, three transports, voice was hushed; only in subdued and smotherand various barges and flat-boats laden with ma-ed tones were persons at intervals heard to ask a terial and supplies down the river to New-Carthage. It speaks well for the bravery of our of ficers and men, and especially of those who had to take the responsible and dangerous positions of pilots, that no difficulty was experienced in manning the expedition. question, or venture an observation. It seemed as if each one felt that his silence was due to the impressive scene; as if an indiscreet utterance on his part might raise the vail of secrecy so necessary to be preserved in the presence of a watchful foe. During the whole of yesterday a feeling of A painful expectation weighed on every spirit. anxious expectation existed throughout the fleet. The boats must now be near the point opposite The day was fine and sunny. Cloud and gloom the beleaguered city. Will they be discovered would have been welcome, but the vault of heaven at the first approach? or will a kindly fortune beamed blue and serene over the spot of approach-give them easy passage by? Suddenly a flame ing strife. The sun set clear and beautiful, and starts up! Another and another leaps into the the stars came out in full radiance. As the night | darkness of the night! The enemy has seen the deepened, a slight haze dimmed the bosom of the passing boats, and is sending across the river his Mississippi, but the eye had no difficulty in mak-death-dealing messengers. Rapid now darts the ing out the dark line of the opposite shore. The former expeditions had started shortly before or at daylight; this time a change was resolved upon. Eleven o'clock at night was appointed as the hour at which the boats should leave their rendezvous, which was near the mouth of the Yazoo River. To the anxious expectants of the coming events the hours stole slowly by. As the appointed moment drew near, the decks of the various steamboats were crowded with watchful spectators. A sort of apprehensive shudder ran through the collected gazers when it was announced that the first boat destined to pass the batteries was approaching. Sombre and silent it floated down, near the Louisiana shore; scarcely were its dark sides to be distinguished from the foliage lining Stealing slowly on, it passed us, and at a point below took an oblique course, steering for the Mississippi side of the river; and in the gloom it was soon confounded with the dark shadow of the trees beyond. the bank. Before this boat was lost sight of, another succeeded, and to that another and another, until before midnight the whole had gained the Missis momentary fires; the "iron rain" of the remorseless cannon hurtles upon the dim and gliding boats. Dull upon the heavy air, scarce moved by the night wind, which blows in a direction unfavorable for our hearing, reverberates the heavy thud of the cannon. As the time passes, the batteries, lower and still lower, come into action. We can trace the course of our fleet by new flames that each moment startle the strained sight; and cannon for miles along the hazy shore are hurling their destructive missiles. And now a new accessory adds its influence to the exciting scene. While we had been engaged in watching the vivid flames leaping from cannonmouths, and exploding shells, a gleam of light, first pale and soft, then red and lurid, and at last glaring and refulgent, stole up into the heavens above the opposing city. For the first time the silence was broken by the gazing crowds upon the steamboats of the fleet. "Vicksburgh is on fire!" was uttered in excited tones. But it was not so. Steady and with wonderful brilliancy, upon the hill on which the city stands, the fire assumed a circular outline on the upper edge, |