transpired to detract from (he success of the enter¬ 
prise. We met them iu their stronghold, drove 
them out, took them prisoners with all their arms, 
ammunition, stores, and equipage. Our loss, com¬ 
pared witli the result, is irifliug. We have lost 
brave men, but they died with the sounds of victory 
ringing in their ears, the highest ambition of the true 
soldier. Friends will mourn their loss; but the 
pang is softened by the consciousness that they died 
to sorao effect. No disastrous rout adds bitterness 
to their sorrow. On the contrary, the light of a 
brilliant and unqualified victory forms a halo around 
their bloody couches, causing the hearts of mothers, 
wives, and sisters to rejoice, though their eyes may 
be suffused with tears. 
do his duty.” The effect of this on the “ shell-backs" 
was electrical. They worked their guns with un¬ 
flagging energy, determined that their country 
should have nothing to complain of, in relation to 
them. As our vessels came within shorter range 
the fire became more rapid, but the regular fire did 
not commence until noon, when the flag ship dis¬ 
played the. signal for close action. 
COMMENCEMENT OF THE ACTION. 
The number of the rebel gunboats visible in the 
early part of the engagement was seven; but as our 
vessels came into closer action they moved to the 
northward with the design of drawing our fleet after 
them so as to bring them under the guns of their 
batteries on the island. At twelve o’clock the 
engagement became general between the retreating 
gunboats of the rebels and our fleet, witli an occa¬ 
sional shot from a battery on shore. The fil ing was 
exceedingly brisk for Some time, but the distance 
was evidently too long for destructive effect. The 
rebel gunboats kept up a steady fire in reply, and 
ig the water 
Their tire was varied at times 
Fort Oonelson—The First Day’s Fight. 
Up to present date (Friday, Feb. 21st,) we have 
received the details of only the first day’s conflict 
at Fort Donelson. The fight was then almost totally 
confined to the gun-boats under Com. Foote, and 
we condense the description furnished to the Cin¬ 
cinnati Gazette by Us reporter. The subject will be 
resumed in our next, 
FLAG SHIR ST. LOUIS—GOING ON BOARD. 
At eight o’clock, just one hour after receiving the 
first intimation that I could get an opportunity to 
accompany the expedition, T charged at the point of 
the carpet sack down to the Government wharf, at 
which “the Commodore’s lug” lay moored. A 
number of men were busy loading the tug with 
powder and shell for the St. Louis—the flag ship— 
which lay up the river about two miles. Avery short 
time elapsed, when it was announced that all was 
ready, and the signal being given, the little vessel 
headed up the Ohio, and with groat panting and 
puffing made her way against a strong current at a 
slow rate of speed. While going up, one of the 
men belonging to the crew of the St. Louis, an old 
salt, who had seen very active service in the Crimean 
war, after glancing at the pile of grape and shell 
which lay on the deck of the trig, said very “dryly,” 
« Well, if some of them things don’t get foul of Fort 
Donelson, I’m very much mistaken.” Two of his 
comrades who had lieen in the Fort Henry fight, 
joined in, “We’ll make ’em tell this time, sure." 
The St. Louis Won laurels in the Fort Henry 
attack. She was in the thickest of that well-fought 
battle, taking the lead about thirty yards, and keep¬ 
ing her how hard upon the fort all the time. Several 
of the enemy’s shots struck her, but she sustained 
no serious injury. 
UNDER WAY. 
The powder and shell were soon transferred from 
the deck of the tug to the magazine of the St Louts, 
and then the flag ship of the flotilla awaited ouly 
the arrival of Commodore Footo to be in readiness 
for starting. At a few minutes past nine o'clock, 
the shrill whistle of the tug announced its approach, 
with the flag officer on board, and at a quarter of an 
hour afterward, we were under way up the Ohio. 
AT PADUCAH. 
Wicn.visHOAY, Feb. 12. M. 
We have just reached Paducah, Ky., fourteen 
hours from Cairo. At an early hour this morning 
we passed the gunboats Lexington and Conestoga, 
bound for Cairo. They have just returned from 
■ the Tennessee river expedition, which Capt. Phelps 
so nobly commanded. The Lexington was materi- 
, ally damaged by an accident before -he had gone 
, far,and was going to Cairo for repairs. Com. Foote 
hailed both vessels, and ordered the Conestoga to 
- turn round and accompany us. Our fleet now con- 
! sints of the St. Louis, the Pittsburg, the Louisville, 
! and tlie Conestoga. The Taylor is at this place 
, and will accompany us from here—making in all 
live vessels. Ouly Ihu three first, named, however, 
landing 
u x,on-(!. long was the night of her Wrong, but the High 
with the flashing of steel, like a day-spring, hath broi 
And its dawn shows the van marching on to a man, 
To die in the call which his country hath spoken; 
For that coll now awakes 
All the seas and the lakes, 
To catch the bright morn of her might as it breaks, 
And shout by the banner that Treason forsakes— 
1 The Union—Now and Forever!’” 
their shots could be seen skipping alon 
among our vessel 
by the hauler report of a 100-pound Parrott gun on 
board one of their vessels. The Sawyer gun on 
board the Fanny, which was captured by the rebels 
at Hatleras Inlet, was the most annoying in its 
effects, as the range is long and very accurate. 
The lire from the fort indicated a weak forco work¬ 
ing the guns. Their shots, which were inaccurate, 
and chiefly ricochet, were fired at considerable inter¬ 
vals. The gnus of the fort are evidently heavy, but 
not rifled. The rebel gunboats retire steadily before 
our fleet, and are now a considerable distance up 
the sound. A line of piles driven into the bottom 
across the principal channel obstructs the progress 
of our vessels in the direction of (lie retreating 
rebels, which occupy an inner channel under the 
guns of their battery, and our fleet now turn their 
attention to the fort, which keeps up a steady and 
rapid tire. 
General Burnside, on board the Spaulding, has 
approached sufficiently near to have an excellent 
view of the bombardment, and is now pacing the 
dock with impatience at the delay in the. arrival of 
the transport fleet. Our fleet of transports may now 
be seen crowding through the inlet. The stern- 
wheel boat Cadet with the hist New York, Colonel 
Forrero, on board, has just come up abreast the 
Spaulding, and Colonel Ferrero is ordered to be to 
readiness to land his men, to which he responds, 
“All ready, General.” 
PREPARATIONS TO LAND. 
The lire from the battery having slackened, a 
small cove, known as Ashby's harbor, about two 
miles south of the battery, is indicated by General 
Burnside as the point at which the troops are to be 
landed. General B. instructed Lieut. Andrews to 
take a boat’s crew, with ten soldiers, and pull 
toward the shore and examine the. character of the 
water at the landing. The enterprise was not unat¬ 
tended with danger, as the sequel proved. After 
completing the soundings, Lieut. A. returned to the 
boat and shoved off, when about thirty men sprang 
up from the tall grass and discharged their muskets 
at, the boat. One of the bullets passed near the 
lieutenant and took effect, ip the lower jaw of Clias. 
A. Vaill, of the 5th Rhode Island regiment, inflict¬ 
ing a severe but not dangerous wound. 
THE landing. 
At four o’clock in the afternoon all the transport 
ships were within the inlet and clustered in rear of 
the bombarding fleet, at a safe distance. Their 
boats are being lowered and got ready with crow 
and coxswain, to pull ashore or bo towed by a 
steamer. The stern-wheeled Cadet, with the 51st 
New York volunteers crowded on her decks, 
approached the shore gradually. The Patuxent, 
with the 21st Massachusetts on board and boats at 
her stern, next passed. The Pilot Boy, loaded on 
every available spot with the 25th Massachusetts, 
and towing a string of twenty boats, also full to 
their gunwales, passed along with Lieut. Andrews 
on board to pilot her into the water he had sounded. 
At live o’clock the first body of troops was landed 
from tlie Pilot Boy and her small boats, consisting 
of tlie 25th regiment of Massachusetts volunteers. 
The landing of the troops was unobstructed for a 
good reason. A body of rebels were discovered by 
the glare of their bayonets over tlie underbrush, and 
a shrapDel shell from the Delaware and Picket soon 
The landiug 
’** DOVER 
ROCHESTER, N. Y„ MARCH 1, 1862, 
nn/ W TO NASHV/LL P 
THE WAR’S PROGRESS 
The Capture of Roanoke Island. 
In our last issue we gave a brief* sketch of this 
brilliant movement of the troops composing the 
“Burnside Expedition,” and now present Rural 
readers with a full account, made up from the 
special correspondence of the New York press. 
Comment is unnecessary —Northern soldiers are 
writing their own history with the bayonet : 
DEI'A I! TUllE FROM H ATTERAS INLET. 
At hall past seven A. M-, on the 5th, Flag Officer 
Goldsboiough’s vessel (the Philadelphia) moved 
forward, heading partly southward, and was followed 
bv the other vessels of the naval squadron. After 
the naval squadron, came, the transports and gun¬ 
boats. carrying troops. The little propeller Picket, 
with General Burnside on board, was moving about 
in every direction and firing guns as signals of 
departure to the various brigades. But few changes 
hud been made from the order of embarkation at 
Annapolis. Some of the ships of heavy draft were 
relieved of their troops, who were transferred to 
other ships of less draft to facilitate navigation of 
the sound. 
The appearance of the fleet is very imposing. It 
consists in all of sixty-five vessels of all classes and 
characters. Each brigade forms three columns, 
headed by the flag ship of the brigade. The gun¬ 
boats of the coast division occupy chiefly positions 
on the flanks, to be ready for a response to any 
demonstration from shore that we may hear. The 
aisles between 
ONE MILE 
when a charge by the 9th New York, (Hawkins’ 
Zouaves,) was ordered. Major .Kimball at once 
the three columns of shi; 
unbroken through the whole length of tin 
which extends almost two miles over the surface of 
the sound, except, by the two or three small pro¬ 
pellers whoso duty consists in conveying orders in 
relation to the speed of some steamer that cannot be 
curbed down to the snail pace at which we are trav¬ 
eling-four miles an hour. This speed will bring 
us within ten miles of Roanoke Island about sunset, 
when wo will anchor for ibe night. 
At sundown this evening the signal to come to 
anchor was displayed from the flag ship, and our 
anchors wore dropped in about two fathoms of 
water, and within fen miles of the southern point of 
Roanoke Island, which, after to-morrow, must ac¬ 
knowledge allegiance to the Stars and Stripes. The 
marshes of Roanoke are within about seven miles 
of us to-night, and a sharp lookout is kept up by our 
gunboat flotilla. 
At dawn to-morrow we move forward and expect 
in two hours to lie at Roanoke Island. The precise 
point of attack is scarcely indicated yet, but will be 
determined by the presence of the enemy’s "batteries. 
Such craft as may appear with hostile intent will 
first be. disposed of. and the batteries will next be 
attended to. The channel through which we pass 
is at some points so narrow that a musket can do 
execution on the opposite shore. At other points it 
approaches the shore very closely. At no point in 
the channel are our vessels at any time beyond easy 
range of batteries erected on the mainland. 
weighing anchor again. 
The signal to weigh anchor was hoisted at the 
mast head of the flag ship at eight o'clock this morn¬ 
ing, (Fob. G,) the weather being dark and the horizon 
filled with heavy clouds. The fleet was soon in 
motion. The gunboats are a considerable distance 
in advance of 11 s. Our progress is slow and careful, 
as the water shoals considerably. A low point to 
the east of us has the remains of a lighthouse on it, 
but its warning eye is dimmed by the vandalism 
that characterizes every act of the Southern rebels. 
About north of UR the southern extremity of Roanoke 
marshes looms through the rainy atmosphere by 
which we are now surrounded (11 A. M.) Our pro¬ 
gress is entirely arrested by the storm for about a 
quarterof an liour, but there goes the clangol the bell 
to “start her.” A mile or two further-on wo anchor 
lor the night, tlie weather not permitting an attempt 
to pass through Roanoke Inlet without extreme 
danger. But to-morrow will decide whether ,-pongy- 
shored Carolina or sterile rocky-coasted New Eng¬ 
land produces the better men. 
PROCEEDING TO THE BOMBARDMENT. 
All our preparations having been made by ten 
o’clock of the 7th, tlie gunboats, under the lead of 
the flag officer's ship, moved forward, and were soon 
iuside the narrow passage leading into Croatan 
Sound, known as Roanoke Inlet. The mainland 
juts eastward, forming a point of marshy land at the 
southern extremity of Croatan Sound, which lorms 
the only navigable water leading past Roanoke 
Island. A small marshy island forms the eastern 
boundary of the channel, while the western shore is 
a low marshy point. One of our gunboats grounded 
in passing through, but was soon got off. Following 
Commodore Guldsborougb’s squadron were the 
gunboats of the Coast Division, all of which passed 
through without interruption. 
The S. R. Spaulding, with General Burnside on 
board, next passed through, but the remainder of 
the transports wore detained about two hours. The 
rebel gunboats could now be seen close in shore 
evidently under the guns of batteries on shore As 
our fleet passed into the sound a signal was fired 
from one of the rebel gunboats to announce our 
approach. This was about hall-past ion o’clock. 
At half past eleven the first gun from our vessels 
was fired from the flag ship, and was replied to by 
the rebels. The flag officer hoisted the signal— 
fleet. 
sent them scampering into the woods, 
of our troops was in itself a brilliant operation. 
Before eleven o’clock the bivouac fires of our regi¬ 
ments lighted up the shore and the woods the dis¬ 
tance of a mile. 
A slight advance was made by the 21sl Massachu¬ 
setts soon after landing. They proceeded along a 
road leading diagonally across the island, and when 
about a quarter of a mile from the shore they fell in 
with a party of the pickets of the enemy. 
On the morning of the 9th, a few shots were 
exchanged between our gunboats and tlie battery. 
This, however, ceased alter about, fifteen minutes’ 
tiring, and was not renewed during the day. The 
rebel gunboats were not seen after the fight of the 
7th, having gone up the sound in the night 
THE DECISIVE CONFLICT. 
A brilliant but bloody fight of two hours’ dura¬ 
tion has put us in possession of Roanoke Island, 
with the forts on the mainland destroyed and aban¬ 
doned by the enemy. The plan of attack Consisted 
of a central attacking column, led by Brigadier- 
General Foster; a left flanking column to attack the 
right of the enemy’s work, under Brigadier-General 
Reno, and right flank column to attack the left op 
the enemy’s position, under the command of Briga¬ 
dier-General Parke. 
The approach to the enemy’s position was through 
a swampy wood, with a dense undergrowth, render¬ 
ing it almost impenetrable. An ordinary cart voad 
leading through this wood from the shore to the 
field work, a distance of about a mile, was the only 
mode of communication. The woods in front of the 
battery had been cut down a distance of three hun¬ 
dred yards, forming an open space to bo played on 
by the rebel guns, about two hundred feet wide. 
The woods immediately in rear of the work were 
also cut down to permit the mameuvortog of their 
own forces. 
The battery consisted of an tfai tli work with three 
faces covering the open space before and the woods 
at each side of the open .space, but with a general 
direction of lire to the front. The guns were 
mounted in embrasure. In front of the work is a 
ditch eight feet wide ami about three feet deep, 
and tilled with water. This earth work is about 
thirty-five yards wide, and was erected across the 
road by which our men must advance. The ground 
in front of the work is a deep marsh, on which the 
trees which were felled still lie. The difficult 
nature of this grouud was increased by the pits 
the flank of onr center column. This movement, was 
intercepted by the 23d and 27th Massachusetts regi¬ 
ments, and a sharp encounter between their skirm¬ 
ishers and three companies of the 2d battalion of 
Wise’s Legion, resulted in the repulse of the Vir¬ 
ginians, with the loss of Captain 0. Jennings Wise, 
mortally wounded, Captain Robert Coles killed, and 
several officers slightly wounded. 
The engagement was now at the fiercest, the con¬ 
stant rattle of musketry, varied only when a volley 
was discharged, was perfectly deafening. The lull 
iu the storm was filled up by the roar of our battery 
and that of the enemy, which sent charge after 
charge of grape shot and shrapnel among our sol¬ 
diers. No sign of flinching was visible iu our ranks. 
The wounded from the field ihat were borne to the 
rear by their comrades, in their arms or on litters, 
passed our advancing regiments with a smile, and 
us much of a cheer as their faintness would permit 
them to give, and never without an encouraging 
word if they were not too much exhausted to speak. 
At each flash of the enemy’s cannon, our men 
were ordered to crouch down in order to avoid the 
flying missiles. The difficulty in executing such a 
movement was very great. Our men stood, in 
many instances, in water and mud to their hips, and 
to move in any direction required a scramble over a 
fallen tree, with jagged and torn branches to annoy 
and impede. The bodies of the dead and wounded, 
when they first fell, were in most instances covered 
with water, especially when they fell into the pits 
with which the field is cut up. 
The column under Gen. Parke, sent to attack the 
left of the battery, had passed the central column, 
beyond the enemy's range. In the afternoon she 
renewed the attack. 
We are now within thirteen miles of the fort 
The discharge of cannon lias been heard at inter¬ 
vals for about two hours. The weather is very bad 
—a cold sleet falling heavily. 
continuation of the conflict. 
Friday Night, February 1-ltli. 
At eleven o’clock last night, we arrived within 
two miles of the fort. Here we found the Caronde- 
let at anchor. She had been engaging the enemy 
iluring the afternoon, at a distance of a mile, had 
fired about two hundred shots, and retired without 
receiving any damage. By six o’clock this morn¬ 
ing. sixteen transports had arrived from St). Louis, 
Cairo, and Cincinnati, carrying, iu all about 10,009 
troops, cavalry, artillery and infantry. 
At 9 o’clock this morning General Grant came on 
board our vessel, and had a conference with Com¬ 
modore Foote. Between the two Commanders it 
was agreed that the gunboats and land forces should 
make a simultaneous attack—the ball to be opened 
from the river. 
At about noon the flag ship signaled the captains 
of the different vessels to come on board for con- 
sand men. The post includes the whole of Roanoke 
Island, with batteries mounting over thirty guns, 
and Fort Forest on the mainland, mounting eight or 
ten guns. Two large encamp’ments commenced in 
August by the 3d Georgia regiment, and completed 
by the rebels now our prisoners, were also surren¬ 
dered. The camp is composed of wooden quarters 
for from four to five thousand men, comfortably 
constructed, and shingled over, and in excellent 
condition. 
About six thousand of our soldiers are encamped 
in these buildings, with the rebel prisoners, who 
were assigned quarters and a guard placed over 
them. The batteries along shore were abandoned 
by their garrisons as soon as the knowledge of tlie 
capture of the field works by our men reached 
them. They joined the main body and w r ere sur¬ 
rendered with the others. 
Our victory was complete. Not one circumstance 
