March 19, 1863, The New York Herald
News of much importance, if it be true, reaches us from Fortress Monroe, based upon the statements of rebel newspapers at Richmond, to the effect that the fleet of Admiral Farragut has been repulsed by the rebels at Port Hudson, the frigate Mississippi burned and the flagship Hartford disabled. It would appear from the account of this affair, that our land forces were not engaged, and it may have been merely a naval reconnoissance, attended probably with some disaster, which has been considerably exaggerated at the rebel sources of information – the only ones from which we derive any intelligence so far. We give today a map of the locality and sketches of the vessels engaged.
Despatches from Cairo state that the report of the capture of Yazoo City is premature. the conviction, however, exists there that a decisive collision has occurred on the Yazoo.
A very spirited battle took place on the Blackwater on Tuesday morning. General Peck despatched the Eleventh Pennsylvania cavalry and two sections of the Seventh Massachusetts battery to attack the enemy’s intrenchments, commanded by General Jenkins, of South Carolina, opposite Franklin. The fight commenced at nine o’clock A.M., and was carried on briskly for an hour. Two separate cavalry charges were made on the fortifications. These were found to be literally lined with infantry, who poured a deadly fire into our ranks, wounding many in the first charge, which was made by Major Stratton, who was wounded in the shoulder. The second charge was conducted by Major Cornog, who led his men up to the fortifications to try and jump the ditch, but the move was soon found to be impracticable. The enemy opposed a heavy force of infantry and cavalry to the right and left of our position, in order to try and outflank our troops, but without success. The fight had not ended when our correspondent left the field. The enemy’s reinforcements were coming up to defend the pass.
The rebels have recently been considerably reinforced from Petersburg, and a battle had been expected in that quarter. They made an attack on Newbern, N.C., last Friday, but were repulsed. The attack was most likely directed by General D.H. Hill, who has just been placed in command of the rebel troops in North Carolina.
Some skirmishing is going on upon the Rappahannock. On Monday a rebel camp was discovered in the vicinity of Hartwood church, near Stafford Court House, and a force of cavalry and artillery was sent in that direction to reconnoitre. Heavy firing was heard in that direction on Tuesday, which would indicate that a fight was going on. A body of General Averill’s cavalry had a brush with the enemy near Kelley Ford, five miles above Falmouth, capturing twenty-five of them. A short distance from the shore General Averill’s command encountered the rebel cavalry under Stuart and Fitzhugh Lee, who had hastened from Culpepper to prevent our passage. They made some dashing charges upon our troops, who repulsed and in turn charged them with fatal effect, using sabres only in the conflict. The battle lasted five hours, and was a series of charges and hand to hand conflicts, resulting in the falling back of the enemy. The forces were about two thousand on each side.
By the arrival of the supply steamer Union, from Galveston and other points on the Gulf, we learn that the rebels have erected some formidable batteries at Galveston, which are mounted with the guns taken off the Harriet lane and Westfield. Three batteries are on the island on which the city is located, while Pelican island is fortified equally strong. Our fleet, which consists of four gunboats and the frigate Brooklyn approach to within a mile and a half of the town, where they anchor, and occasionally throw shells into the town and forts; but they cannot bring their broadsides to bear, and have to operate exclusively with their rifled pivot guns. On the 12th ult. the Brooklyn steamed up to easy range of Pelican Island, and threw a number of shells into the fort, shooting down the flagstaff, and on the 24th she sent a few shells into the town and fired the city in three different places, which was soon put out. The Brooklyn had to withdraw, however, as the forts began to send shot from their fifteen-inch rifles, one of which cut her rigging.
It has been ascertained from deserters from the rebels, who came off to our fleet from Mobile a few days since, that an attempt was made by Admiral Buchanan, with four steamers and a ram, about four weeks ago, to attack our vessels at midwatch, and was only prevented by one of his vessels running on a snag. The attempt, however, is to be made again, and we trust that, our fleet being now forwarned, will be ready for the emergency. Five rebel gunboats are being constructed at Selma, Ala., two of which are now on their way to Mobile.
The rebel privateers are still moving in the Gulf. Captain Ames, of the bark Mollie Metcalf, reports when at St. Thomas, that the bark Sarah A. Nichols, from Buenos Ayres for Cuba, was chased into port by the rebel privateer Florida. The authorities at St. Thomas detained the Florida twenty-four hours after the bark sailed.
The highly important intelligence of the capture of the City of Mexico by the French army is announced in the Richmond papers of the 17th instant, and probably reached Richmond on the 16th inst. by telegraph from Houston, Texas, by way of Port Hudson, on the Mississippi; having come to Houston across the Rio Grande by some of the trains that are now continually passing to and from Mexico across the Rio Grande.
Mexico was splendidly defended, and unless the French reduced Puebla on their march to the capital – which they could hardly do without meeting a stubborn resistance – the capture of Mexico looks problematical. We give a fine map of the vicinity today.
