Southern War news.
the Lincoln gunboats on the Tennessee.
River — what they did at Flarence — Flow the people received them — the War in Tennessee.
The Tuscumble (Ala.)
Constitution, of the 13th Inst., gives us the following particulars of the visit of the enemy to
Alabama:
‘
The news of the arrival of
Lincoln's gunboats in our waters, on Saturday last, created the most intense excitement in our community, Hitherto the people had reposed in fancied security.
The neighboring towns sent volunteer companies on the iron-horse, and the people of the country for about fifteen miles around, came trooping to town through mud and darkness immediately to the rescue.
Promptly
Gov. Shorter out the militia, and the
Confederacy sent assistance.
There is no longer any need to appeal to the people to take up arms.
Every man you meet introduce conversation by the remark, ‘"I came as soon as I got the news,"’ We have made it our special business to find out what aid and comfort the enemy got from
Fort Henry to
Florence, and as yet have heard of only one man, who at
Florence went down and showed them where to land, and took bacon for his services, and hauled it away after night.
A deputation of citizens of
Florence vidted the gunboats to see what they were doing and what were their intentions, and we are informed were told that the enemy did not intend to burn the bridge or to interfere with private property, but would take the
Government stores and destroy the property of disloyal men, (men who were not Lincolnlies.)
Only two
Lincoln gunboats came up to
Florence.
They did not burn the old warehouse at the
Tuscumbia landing.
When they arrived in sight of
Florence the three steamboats loaded with about $90,000 worth of Confederate stores, lying at the bridge, were set fire to by the
Confederates and one of them turned loose, at which the enemy filed two shots and backed down the river to let it pass, and after that fired two more shots, one in the woods and the other not known where.
By direction of a bacon-bought Lincolnite the boats landed at
Florence, bursted open the warehouses and took what they wanted, however, not interfering with goods marked to privats individuals, cut the telegraph wire and tried to steal the news stayed until night and put back down the river.
We understand that five more gunboats came up as high as
Newport, no transports were seen with them.
The report that they whipped us at Big Bear.
Creek and took the bridge in false — the cars ran through yesterday.
The report that they tooka false.
The report that they burned the bridge at
Danville across the Tennesses is untrue, but it is true that they have put a guard on the bridge and boast that in two weeks they will have the whole road.
If that be true it is easy to devise the meaning of their mild policy here.
They intend to return, put cars on our roads to be able to move their armies upon us. This expedition was simply for the purpose of exploring, and they will return with their transports just as soon as they can secure the river behind them.
’
The Crase and destruction of our river boats.
A correspondent of the Memphis
Appeal, who witnessed the action of the
Federal genboats on the
Tennessee river, says:
‘
After the action, the
Dunbar, a Confederate boat, with our transports
Time,
Samuel Orr,
Appleton Belle, and
Lynn Boys, left for the bridge.
Arrangements were made, amidst great confusion, to remove the hospital, commissary stores, and other Government and private property then at Danvilie, all of which were placed aboard of the different boats, and the small fleet started up stream as soon as ready.
The
Dunbar being a Government boat, remained at the bridge.
Sentinals were placed on the bridge; the military sommanders of the small force left at the bridge, taking all proper steps to prevent surprise, and save their command from capture by the enemy; and a special train standing ready to start at a momentle notice for
Paris station.
At six o'clock in the evening, two gunboats have in sight, the military force fired off their guns and retreated, the
Dunbar put out only half a mile in advance of the gunboats.
A anell, fired at us, announded to us that the chase had commenced and before we could get out of eight or range of the
Conestoga, eight shells exploded in a dangerously close procimity of our boat, own escaped, however, and the
Dunbar fiew like a deer before a pack of hounds, giving warning to all boats and all points along the river up to
Florence, Alabama.
Not able to escape the chase, the Sam.,
Orr was first abandoned by her crew, and set on fire by them; next, the
Lynn Boyd and
Appleton were devoted to the names by the owners; next, our gunboat, the
Eastport, about half way finished, was souttied in forty feet water.
We arrived in
Florence at eight o'clock on Friday night, and found at the landing several companies of Alabama volunteers with a large lot of army stores.
Everything was removed up town that night and place on a train and run to Tuseumbia.
During the night the
Sam. Kirkman and Time came in, having made their escape from the chase.
At half-past 8 o'clock on Saturday morning a dispatch was received in
Florence from
General Johnston, at
Bowling Green, commanding a span of the
Florence bridge to be out, in order to let all boats escape.
The boats that were then in
Florence, and could have been saved by that measure, were the Dunher,
Jullus Smith, Time and
Sam. Kirkman.
But, although the
Florence bridge serves only as a connecting link between
Florence and
Tuscumbia, and, consequently, is of the most trifling value to the Southern Confederacy, that same bridge has been built up by
Florence money, and is the pride of that city.
Consequently, a meeting was held, composed mostly of stockholders, and it was decided best to wait before injuring the bridge until it should be ascertained that the gun boats were coming up to
Florence.
Of couse it was remarkably sensible, and the coming of the gunboats was ascertained beyond a doubt a few hours afterwards when within fifteen miles of
Florence.
Of course it was out of question to then go to work and try to do in two hours the work of half a day, and of course the boats had to be burnt to prevent them falling into the hands of the enemy.
At half past 2 o'clock P. M., the gunboats
Conectoga and
Tylor have in sight.
The
Julius Smith was out loose and floated down the river a burning drift.
The
Kinkman and Time were set on fire at the landing.
The
Dunbar and
Alfred Robb had put out and were destroyed below.
’
The Roanoke defeat — additional particulars.
The North Carolina
Standard says:
‘
Lieutenant Bryant,
Commissary of the 81st North Carolina regiment, (
Col. Jordan's,) and
Lieut. Steagal,
Quartermaster of the same regiment, with one or two others, have arrived.
These two officers were left with a few men in charge of the stores, camp equipage, &c., at the camp in the north part of the
Island.
They were charged by
Colonel Jordan, in the event of a disaster, to secure the valuable papers and other effects of the regiment and to make their escape, and deliver them to the authorities here.
On Thursday night before the battle on Friday,
Col. Jordan was ordered down the
Island with his regiment, and took position near, the battleground.
Col. Shaw, of the 8th State Troops, was in command, and his regiment, with a reinforcement from the
Wise Legion of about 500 men, were in position in the advance.
On Friday the aftempts of the enemy to land were ineffectual, being prevented by our advance force.
The bombardment from the enemy's first, though kept up nearly all day, did no damage either to our fleet or men. The enemy was mainly replied to by our fleet under command of
Com. Lynch.
Early Saturday morning the enemy succdeded in landing 5,000 men on the south end of the island, but they were two or three times repulsed and driven into the sound up to their armpits.--These charges, we understand, were mainly screened by the Richmond Blues, under
Capt Wise and others of the
Wise Legion.
The enemy succeeded in forcing our men to retreat up a causeway through a marsh at the north end of which we had a field battery of three pieces drawn by old mules.
This battery was well served by
Col. Shaw's men, and as long as their ammunition lasted it played have with the
Yankees.
But just as that auspleturs moment the ammunition gave out, and they bad to send six, miles up the
Island to get more and
on or cert was dispatched in bridg it. The driver was soon killed by a chance shot, and another took his place; but the battle ended before the ammunition was obtained.
About this period, it was discovered that the enemy had landed about 18,000 additional men at other points, who were about to surround our small force of Only two companies (
Capt Knight to and capt ) of
Colonel Jordan a regiment are supposed to have been in the fight.
They had the best arms in the regiment, though not of the best.
The rest were held in reserve, except
Capt. Godwin's company from
Robeson, which had charge of the batteries on the Tyrrell shore, and it is believed they effected their escape.
Colonel shaw's entire regiment is believed is have been to the action and the 500 of the
Wise Legion — making only about 1,300 men actually against the enemy.
The Richmond Ripes were hadly out up as were other companies of the
Wise Legion and
Colonel shaw's regiment.
Lieut. Bryant Cary that
Col. Jordan arrived at the camp between 12 and 1 o'clock Saturday and ordered him and
Lieut. Stergal to make their escape with the papers of the regiment informing him that the battle war that our men were further says that
Col. Jordan told him tha the courage on both sides was dreadful.
’
