DESTRUCTION OF A WATER BATTERY AT WARRENTON BY THE MOUND CITY, LIEUTENANT COMMANDER BYRON WILSON.
United States Mississippi Squadron,
Flag-Ship Black Hawk, Yazoo River, May 15, 1863.
Sir: I have the honor to report my return to this place, for a few days, to look after provisions, and make some arrangements with regard to the upper portion of the squadron.
A few days since the Mound City, Lieutenant Commander Byron Wilson, came up as far as Warrenton to reconnoitre, and see what guns were there likely to annoy our transports.
The rebels have been engaged for some months in building a strong casemated water battery, intending to mount 8 ten-inch guns on it. This work was built with cotton bales, covered with logs, the logs covered with railroad iron, and the whole covered with earth. On approaching the forts Lieutenant Commander Wilson sent a party on shore to reconnoitre; on climbing up the casemate to look in, the party discovered that a company of artillerists had taken refuge there, supposing themselves perfectly secure. Our men fired their revolvers into the crowd, and warned the vessel that rebels were about. Lieutenant Commanding Wilson then commenced shelling the fort, and in a short time it was all in a blaze; after burning strongly for some time, the whole work was destroyed. Thus ended a fort, in the space of an hour, which had taken the rebels five months to build, working mostly day and night. I proceeded to Warrenton this morning to be certain that the work was thoroughly destroyed; it required nothing more done to it—the Mound City had finished it. The rebels set all the houses containing their stores on fire as the gunboats approached, and what they left I ordered to be destroyed. Warrenton has been a troublesome place, and merits its fate.
I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
DAVID D. PORTER,
Acting Rear-Admiral,
Com’dg Mississippi Squadron.
Hon. Gideon Welles,
Secretary of the Navy,
Washington, D. C.