March 20, 1863, The New York Herald
The most important news of a late date from Vicksburg and Port Hudson which reach us from rebel sources is the disaster which occurred to Admiral Farragut’s fleet at the latter place, resulting in the burning of the Mississippi and the disabling of the Hartford. The Richmond papers claim it as complete […..] victory, but we will take that for what it is worth. Despatches from Jackson, Miss., dated the 14th inst., have reached Richmond, stating that St. Helena was attacked in the rear on Monday, the 9th, and that heavy firing was heard there on the 13th. St. Helena is about twenty-five miles in rear of Port Hudson in an easterly direction, and when we remember that the forces of General Banks have been for some time moving in that direction from Baton Rouge towards Port Hudson by the Amite river, the heavy firing may probably be accounted for by the fact that Port Hudson is being invested by land and water. The position of both arms of the service engaged will be readily seen by the map in another column. It is a remarkable fact in this connection that the Richmond Whig of the 18th instant […..] over the reverses in the Southwest;” and it is equally remarkable that a despatch from Port Hudson was read in the rebel Senate the same day which caused a lively sensation.
The intelligence from the Yazoo expedition is not very encouraging. We learn from Memphis that our fleet has met with a check at the mouth of the Tallahatchie and Yallabusha rivers, where a battery of five heavy guns opened upon the Chillicothe, and did serious damage to her, one shot killing four of her crew and wounding fourteen, through the porthole. The firing continued all day Friday last. She received sixty-four shots in all. At latest accounts our fleet was three miles above the junction of the two rivers above mentioned, a distance of about 150 miles from Yazoo City.
The rebel account of this affair is given in a Richmond paper. “Fort Pemberton, at the mouth of the Tallahatchie river, was bombarded on the 12th instant. We have lost some valuable gunners and a few others. Our loss is not heavy.”
Our map illustrates all the points.
The other news from various points at the South is also interesting. A despatch from Columbus, Tennessee, dated on the 14th instant (rebel source), states that four brigades under General Rosecrans endeavored to hem in Van Dorn on the day previous just across Duck river, knowing that he had no means of crossing. The rebel artillery was kept in position, and replied to our fire for some hours, and then escaped by way of White’s Bridge, twenty-six miles above.
It says that our troops were greatly surprised and exasperated at Van Dorn’s escape, and that they returned to Franklin after burning the houses that Van Dorn had occupied as his headquarters.
A battle was considered imminent in the vicinity of Tullahoma, as some skirmishing took place on the Murfreesboro road, near Old Fosterville, on the 13th inst.
The blockade runners appear to be carrying on a successful game, if we can rely upon the rebel intelligence upon that point. It is reported from Charleston that a British steamer reached a Confederate port on Friday night, loaded with merchandise, bringing Nassau dates of Thursday. The steamers Ruby, from Charleston, and Giraffe, from Wilmington, had arrived safely at Nassau. Many new steamers had reached Nassau from England, intending to run the blockade. It is also stated by a despatch from Wilmington, N.C., that the British steamer Britannia, from Glasgow, arrived on Sunday, with a valuable cargo, and that the steamer Gertrude, from Greenwich, Scotland, arrived at a Confederate port on Monday, with a valuable cargo of merchandise.
Our pickets near Williamsburg, in the direction of Richmond, were fired upon on Monday by the enemy, who immediately retreated. On Saturday a force of 2,000 rebel cavalry and two pieces of artillery, under General Fitzhugh Lee, made an advance upon our lines at Gloucester, but finding our troops were being reinforced they withdrew.
Our correspondence from Newbern, N.C., today details some very interesting and important expeditions from General Fosterarmy, one of which had a pretty severe conflict with the enemy at Deep Gully, on the Trent road, where they had a powerful defence, consisting of rifle pits and batteries, and were posted in strong force, greatly outnumbering our men. After a brisk fight they retreated to Kinston on Sunday, and our forces returned to Newbern. General Hill is said by rebel accounts to be moving on Newbern.