the exaggerated details in which it lias been pre¬ 
sented het'ora them. Island No. 10 has either been 
taken by the enemy in the way they say it has, or it 
has not been taken". It lias either been evacuated 
by pur troops, or it has not been evacuated. It is 
believed that the government in Richmond has the 
means of’removing all doubt on these points, and 
as we cannot for the life of us see any objection to a 
candid disclosure by them of the tacts which they 
may be in possession of, we hope that, they will give 
them to the public without further delay." 
How THEY FEEI. WHERE TUB 1\U'T3 ARB KNOWN. 
—The Richmond Dispatch having become satisfied 
that the Island has been captured, together with the 
munitions of war, goes into mourning thus: 
The circumstances connected with the surrender 
of this position, with all its guns, ammunition, &c., 
are humiliating in the extreme. The daily bulletin 
from Island No. 10 for many days represented that 
the enemy, after an incessant bombardment of many 
hours, had inflicted no injury. We were constantly 
assured that the place was" impregnable, and that 
the enemy never could pass it, Brigadier-General 
Mackall assumed command of the post in a flaming 
order, in which he pronounced himself a “General 
made by Beauregard- a General selected by Gen¬ 
erals Beauregard and Rragg.” Two days after¬ 
ward the Island was surrendered, and along with 
it, according to the Federal Commodore Foote, 
seventy cannon, varying from 32 to 100-uounders, 
water. Proctorsville is a port o( entry, and con¬ 
sists of a small village and an old sand fort. The 
land in the vicinity is low and marshy, and the 
place cannot be approached by land forces. 
The next accessible point of approach to New 
Orleans is a canal connecting Back Bay with the 
Mississippi River, just below the “ English Turn.” 
On this canal, five, miles from the mouth, is situ¬ 
ated Fort Dupree. This is one of the old forts built 
in the last, war, and can bo approached only by 
vessels drawing less than five feet. This is at least 
fifty miles above and in the rear of the principal forts 
on the Mississippi. 
Proceeding to the southward, there is a narrow 
canal, five miles below Forts Philip and Jackson, 
connecting the water in the rear of Bird Island with 
the Mississippi, The canal was built for the pur¬ 
pose of supplying the salt ponds in that neighbor¬ 
hood with salt, water, and is surrounded by land 
sufficiently bard to admit, of the passage of land 
forces on foot. Artillery and cavalry cannot pass 
except in a dry season. The bomb fleet can operate 
here. 
We next como to the mouths of the Mississippi. 
At Pass a l’Outre, the principal entrance to the 
river, eighteen feet may be carried over the bar, and 
at the South-west Pass fourteen feet. All the 
Passes come together at tho Head of the Passes, so 
called. From this point upward, the eastern shore 
of the river is sufficiently solid to allow an army to 
pass. 
Ten miles up higher is a bayou on the west side 
of the river, called the Jumps. Vessels drawing 
six feet may be taken from the Gulf through West 
Bay and this bayou into the river at this point, but 
the ground iu the neighborhood is so marshy that 
no foothold cau be obtained for even infantry. The 
approach is also below Forts Philip and Jackson. 
To the westward of the Passes, on the coast of 
Louisiana, in Bastian Bay, which is connected with 
the Mississippi by a small bayou, passable only to 
boats. 
Still further to the westward is Barrataria Bay, 
the entrance to which is defended by Fort Living¬ 
ston, a brick fortification, consisting of oue tier of 
casemate guns and a battery mounted en barbette. 
The fort is in good condition, well manned; but 
still it may be approached from the land side. A t the 
same time, vessels drawing as much as eighteen 
feet may approach to within two and a half miles, 
or easy range, of the work. Vessels drawing nine 
feet may euter Barrataria Bay, which is fifteen miles 
long. 
Seven feet of water may be carried to the upper 
end of the bay, which connects with the Mississippi 
in tho rear of New Orleans, by means of tho Bayou 
Dennis and a canal which passes through marshy 
laud, the water being six feet deep. This is the 
passage out of which small cotton-laden vessels in 
great numbers have escaped from New Orleans. It 
is used principally by oystermen iu supplying the 
New Orleans market with bivalves. The shore on 
either side is marshy, save where the surface is 
broken by clumps of bushes, and land forces would 
not be sure of a footing by this route. 
At Bayou La Foucbe, still further to the west¬ 
ward, there was no fort one year ago, and none has 
been reported there. The water course runs from 
the Gulf of Mexico in a 
“ Entrenched at Yorktown is the foe, 
Where, in the days of yore, 
Britain received tht»deadly blow 
That drove her from our shore. 
On to the final conflict, on! 
Ye men with battle scars; 
The gloom that wrapped the land is gone- 
God bless the Stripes and Stars!" 
ROCHESTER, N. Y., MAY 10, 1862. 
DON CARbOS BUEbl, 
have fallen into our [their] hands.” The Commo¬ 
dore says that (he works were “ erected with the 
highest engineering skill;’’ were “ of great strength, 
and, with their natural advantages, would have been 
impregnable, if defended by men,” ho chooses to 
say, “ fighting for a better cause." 
It may be that Foote desired to magnify his own 
achievement by representing the place as stronger 
than it really was; but. then, aid not our own 
accounts, and the vain boastings of the Memphis 
telegrams, make the defenses just as strong and 
impregnable as the burnt-toot Commodore does? 
They certainty did; and were it not that we have 
been so often surprised by the surrender of forts 
and fortifications that were boasted of as impregna¬ 
ble, we should indeed be amazed at. the surrender 
of tho famed Island No. 10, which has furnished so 
many paragraphs for telegraphing. But even the 
surrender need not have carried necessarily along 
with it the ammunition- and the boats. Could they 
not have been destroyed? Why add all this and 
the provisions to the new present of cannon to the 
Federalists? Our gifts of cannon have been quite 
munificent—even to impoverishing ourselves— and 
we need not add ro liberally of other things in our 
offerings to those who are better supplied than 
we are. 
CONFEDERATE NOTES FORCED UPTO PAR VALUE. 
—The basis upon which the South went into the 
banking business being very weak, and the worth¬ 
lessness of its issues becoming daily more apparent, 
“ Confederate promises to pay ” were daily dropping 
down to their true worth, when the banking officers, 
Jeff. Davis & Co., passed the following: 
The traffic in gold and silver against the notes of 
the Contederate statcs of America is hereby express¬ 
ly prohibited. Delinquents will be visited by prompt 
and severe punishment. 
All traffic in paper currency tending to create dis¬ 
trust in the public mind, or otherwise to produce 
embarrassment, shall be held as acts of hostility 
against the government, and will be dealt with 
summarily. 
The Reisers Sueing for Peace. — The Norfolk 
Day Book of the 15th ult. has a significent article, 
the tenor of which is shown by the annexed extracts: 
At the present crisis, when the spirit and prowess 
of the Confederate arms have been so signally vin¬ 
dicated, is it not a favorable lime for the Confederate 
Government to propose to the Goverumen f at Wash¬ 
ington a cessation of the fierce and unnatural strife 
which has watered our soil with blood and tears, 
and darkened the annals of our country’s history? 
What dignity and sublimity in the proposition, 
coming from the Confederate Government, now 
bristling in readiness for the dire conflict which 
fanaticism and wrong have forced upon tis! 
Why not say to the Government at Washington: 
We are countrymen and brothers; come, let us 
reason together; let us terminate this murderous 
controversy, and settle our difficulties without 
thirsting for each other’s blood. 
Is not the precious blood already spilled, poured 
out from the hearts of brothers and countrymen, 
enough? Are not the hecatombs of fathers, hus¬ 
bands, and sous, already made sufficient to appease 
the vile demon let loose among us? 
THE WAR’S PROGRESS 
Ulysses S. Grant was born at Point Pleasant, 
Clairmont county, Ohio, April 27.1822, and entered 
W'est Point Military Academy from Ohio in 1830, 
where he graduated with honors in 1843, and was 
attached as brevet second lieutenant to the Fourth 
Infantry. He was promoted second lieutenant at 
Corpus Chvisti in September, 1845, and served as 
such through Mexico, under Gen. Taylor at Palo 
Alto, Resaca do la Palma and Monterey, and under 
Gen. Scott from Vera Cruz to the city of Mexico, 
and was twice promoted for his bravery. lie was 
regimental quartermaster from April 1, 1847, and 
when he resigned the sendee on the 31st of July, 
1854, lie was a full captain in the Fourth Infantry of 
regulars. After his resignation lie settled iu St. 
Louis county, Missouri, and moved from there to 
Galena, Illinois, iu I860. Upon the breaking out of 
the present war he offered his services to Governor 
Yates, and was appointed Colonel ot the Twenty- 
first Regiment of Illinois Volunteers, and served 
with his regiment until promoted a Brigadier-Gen¬ 
eral, with commission and rank from the 17th ol 
May, 1861. He was engaged as Colonel and Acting 
Brigadier-General in several of the contests in 
South-eastern Missouri; and his course as com¬ 
mander of the South-east district of Missouri has 
been thoroughly scrutinized. The manner in which 
he conducted the battle of Belmont is still fresh in 
our readers’ minds. The rest of his course, as com¬ 
mander there, is too well known to be repeated 
here, and certain it is that his actions have been 
applauded both by his superior officers and the 
people. Aficr the capture of Fort Ilenry a new 
district was created, under the denomination of the 
District of West Tennessee, and Gen. Grant was 
assigned by Gen. Halt.kck to the command of it. 
After tho capture of Fort Donclson Congress made 
him a Major-General. At the battle of Pittsburg 
Landing, Grant’s column was alone attacked on the 
first day, and nothing bnt, desperate fighting saved 
him and his men. On the second day he formed a 
union with the forces under Buell, and Beaure¬ 
gard was forced to retreat. The press strongly 
Tbc Engagement at .South Mills. 
The Fortress Monroe correspondent of the Phil¬ 
adelphia Press has obtained the following particu¬ 
lars of the recent engagement at South Mills, N. C., 
from the returned wounded prisoners: 
The. battle Reems to have been an affair of some 
magnitude, from their account of It, meager as it is. 
From what I learn, it appears that, in accordance 
will) orders from General Burnside, and in fulfill¬ 
ment of the grand plan of Geueral McClellan—that 
ol cutting off the coast water communication of the 
rebellious States—Brigadier-General Jesse L. Reno, 
of Pennsylvania, moved the troops composing his 
brigade to Elizabeth City in transports, where he 
effected a landing under the cover of our gunboats. 
After the landing, which took some little time, 
the column of march was quickly formed, and the 
troops marched fifteen miles In an enemy’s country, 
and over marshes and swamps that had hitherto 
been considered almost impassable. Beside the 
difficulties of the march, the rebels appeared in 
force at several places on the march and offered bat¬ 
tle, but they would always run after a lew shots 
from the Union troops. Thus advancing and fight¬ 
ing, they went ahead until late in the afternoon. 
1 will violate no parole when I inform you of the 
object of the expedition. The Norfolkitea drive a 
very profitable trade through the Dismal Swamp 
canal. The canal runs through the Dismal Swamp, 
so celebrated for its morasses and lakes, its malaria, 
the noxious insects and reptiles that infest it, and as 
being a haunt, secure from intrusion, for the negro 
who escapes from his master. To destroy the locks 
on this canal, and thus cut off communication with 
Norfolk, was the object of the expedition. 
About four o’clock in the afternoon, (Friday, the 
16th ot April,) the enemy was met in some force, in 
a very strong position, at an insignificant place 
known to the residents of that region as South 
Mills. Here our brave men engaged the enemy 
until the sun sank below the horizon, when the 
rebels retreated discomfited. Still, the object of the 
expedition was not wholly accomplished. Seven 
locks had been destroyed, but all had not been 
attended to. The remainder of the work was left 
for the morning. 
Prudently and thoughtfully, and like a soldier, 
guards, and 
raised and disciplined. On the reconstruction of 
the Departments, he was created a Major-General. 
The Federal success at Pittsburg Landing is in 
great measure due to Gen. Buell. He is a man ot 
great physical strength and powers of endurance; 
has light hair, blue eyes, and Wears a full beard. 
He is 42 years of age. 
In connection with the foregoing we give the pen- 
ograph of a writer to the Chicago Journal, relative 
to two of our Western Generals: 
“ While seated at the upper end of the steamer at 
an early hour yesterday morning, at Pittsburg 
Landing, with a party of military friends, a quiet 
and observant gentleman of about fifty, about five 
feet eight in height, whoso weight would, perhaps, 
be not over one hundred and eighty pounds, was 
pointed out to me as, Vith one hand in his pocket, 
and the other employed in removing a cigar from 
hi3 mouth, and replacing it there, he walked about 
the muleteers and wagons, among the stacks of 
pressed hay and bags of oats and corn, among the 
newly arrived batteries of artillery and regiments 
of infantry, and, iu short, cast an eager eye on every 
object animate and inanimate — a sallow-faced gen¬ 
tleman, who was unmistakably, like Paul Pry, ‘ol’ 
an inquiring disposition.’ Occasionally during his 
peripatetic rambling an officer would bo seen to 
a missive. 
approach with a missive, and awaiting his answer, 
would disappear, the stout gentleman resuming his 
ramble and observations. Soon a thin gentlemen, 
with a full gray uniform and glasses, wearing the 
uniform of a Major-General, and followed by several 
staff officers, came riding up and took a survey of 
the plateau as if in search of some one, and then 
dashed forward and shook hands with the gentle¬ 
man with investigating proclivities. ; On that old 
fellow with the cigar,’ said my friend, Col.-, 
‘depends the fate of our army in the South-west, 
and on the other rests the glory of saving it from 
utter annihilation.’ As my readers will have 
guessed, I was gazing upon Halleck ami Buell.” 
north-west direction, 
and connects with the Mississippi River at Donald- 
sonvillo, seventy miles above tho city of New Or¬ 
leans. This bayou is navigated by steamers em¬ 
ployed in transporting the produce from the rich 
sugar regions to New Orleans, There are many 
valuable plantations on its shores. 
The western-most approach to the groat cotton 
port of the Gulf is at Atchafalaya Buy, the entrance 
to which is defended by batteries at Belle Isle, 
Point au Fer, and Deer Island, the latter being at 
the month of the Atohaialaya River, to which point 
nine feet may, with great care, be carried. Fifteen 
miles above Deer Island is the head of Berwick’s 
Bay, above which passes the New Orleans and Ope¬ 
lousas Railroad. 
Steamers of five feet draft and under go from Ber¬ 
wick’s Bay through Bayou Plaquemine into the 
Mississippi River, at the village of Plaquemine, or 
through the Atchafalaya River to tho Red River, 
and thence through a canal into the Mississippi at a 
point 160 miles above New Orleans. Both routes 
pass through a rich country, and arc constantly used 
for the transportation of produce. 
Geueral Reno formed his camp, set his 
the tired men lay down on the damp ground to 
snatch a few hours of slumber. But General Reno 
was busy planning out the operationsfor the morrow, 
when information was brought by a trusty hand that 
the enemy had been re-enforced, and was advancing 
ten thousand strong, under General Huger. Gen. 
Reno would not be out-generaled. Calling his 
pickets in, and collecting all the wounded that could 
be found, he immediately gave the order to retreat, 
and in less ihan thirty minutes the line uf march 
was taken up for the sea shore. This was accomp¬ 
lished soon alter daylight, without an accident, and 
the transports were safely reached. 
Judging from the accounts of the prisoners and 
the few paragraphs in rebel newspapers, this must 
have been one of the best conducted and most 
memorable retreats on record in the annals of our his¬ 
tory. For a brigade to do so much work in a day 
and a night, to march twelve miles, fight every stqp 
of the way, with a stubborn foe disputing the ground 
inch by inch, to tight, a battle lasting over three 
hours, and then to retreat in good order to the fleet, 
allows the bravery, courage and endurance of the 
national troops, and the consummate skill with 
which they were handled. A good General, when 
he finds his foe too strong for him, must retreat — 
humanity and reason compel him to. 
It is quite possible that Ill the hurry of prepara¬ 
tions for the retreat some few of the wounded might 
have been left. In fact, it could hardly have been 
otherwise. Peeking wounded by night is a difficult 
work, and would be rendered doubly so by the 
nature of the ground on which the battle was fought. 
Those were found by the rebels the next day, and 
have, with a rare generosity, been sent North. No¬ 
thing could be gained by keeping them, and the 
South have quite enough to attend to with their own 
wounded. 
tions. One can see the shell as it leaves the mortar, 
flying through the air, apparently no larger than a 
marble. The next you see of the shell, a beautiful 
cloud of smoke bursts into sight, caused by the 
explosion. Imagine ten of these monsters thunder¬ 
ing at once, the air filled with smoke-clouds, the 
gunboats belching out destruction and completely 
hidden from sight in whirls of smoko, the shell 
screaming Ihrough the air with an unearthly sound, 
and (he distant guns of the enemy sending their 
solid shot and shell above and around ns, dashing 
the waters up in glistening columns and jets of 
spray, and you have the sublime poetry of war. Au 
incident, however, will show how completely the 
battle may lose its poetry and develop into a stern 
and suggestive reality. 
Impatient of being at a distance, and wishing to 
witness the effect of our shells, which were playing 
upon the head of the island, in company with one or 
I strolled round the point until we came 
locomotives and rolling stock of which were seized 
by our troops. Huntsville has a population of about 
tluee t housand. The Huntsville Canal is one of the 
important public works of the Stale. 
Items mid lucideutri. 
Parson Brownlow and Governor Andrew 
Johnson. —Parson Brownlow, in his speech at 
Columbus, thus referred to Governor Andrew 
Johnson: — “ I am not afraid to say to you, in con¬ 
tradiction of what is so continually published iu the 
papers, that tho Uuion sentiment of the South is not 
crushed out. Far from it. There is a terrible 
Union element all over the South, and, mark my 
prediction this afternoon — hold me accountable for 
it — whenever Andrew Johnson, the Acting Gov¬ 
ernor, shall issue a proclamation for holding an 
election upon the naked issue of the State remain¬ 
ing in the Confederacy or going back into the 
Union — when the bayonets and side-arms of rebel 
soldiers are out of the way, and men are not intimi¬ 
dated, but allowed to go to the ballot-box and vote 
without surveillance—T tell you, Tennessee will 
vote herself back into the Union by a round major¬ 
ity of fifty thousand votes. Governor Johnson told 
me, in Nashville, she would go hack by seventy-five 
thousand votes. I told him to fall a notch or two, 
aud I would indorse him*” 
Who Destroys tee Cotton.—A secession Ten¬ 
nessee planter, when iu Nashville the other day to 
sell his cotton, was reproached by a rebel for so 
doing. His reported reply was: “ Do you suppose 
I’m such a fool as to burn up cotton when I can sell 
it? Out of 1,000 bales destroyed in my county, not 
one has been by planters’ hands, but all by raga¬ 
muffin thieves, who never had a bale in their lives, 
aud never will.” 
The Chicago Tribune says the volunteer regi¬ 
ments from Illinois, embracing at first some 70,000 
names, have sustained a loss of at least 10,000 in 
killed or disabled, since recruiting was stopped. 
Since tho occupation of Tennessee by the Union 
army, prices of provisions in Georgia and Alabama 
have still further advanced, the supplies having 
been mainly derived from the former State. 
The Yorktown cor- 
Nature of the Rebel Defenses at Yorktown. 
Did we not know and implicitly trust the skill, 
the combinations, and the indomitable valor of our 
works of attack 
Generals- and troops now erecting 
at Yorktown, we might be appalled at the number, 
strength, and relative position of the rebel defenses. 
They consist of three principal lines. 
First, From Yorktown to Williamsburg, along the 
turnpike, are six detached works flanking each other 
along the whole line, and mounting turn hundred 
and forty guns. Behind these are the great encamp¬ 
ments of the troops, in four grand divisions, while 
at the western extremity General Magruder has 
the headquarters of tho rebel reserve at Williams- 
burgh. This line constitutes tho “last ditch” of 
rebel romance. Large numbers of negroes have 
been “ drafted ” to make it deep and strong, and to 
place “impregnable” works at Williamsburgh. 
Second. In front of this, within range of its guns, 
is the second line of works, covering Yorktown on 
the east, aud diverging slightly from the first line as 
it proceeds to the James River. Here, on this lino, 
there are one hundred and twenty guns. This line is 
particularly intricate and strong, and has double 
outworks on the west, behind Skiff’s Creek. These 
works command the third line with their guns, 
should that be taken. 
Finally, the third, or outer line, extends—protu¬ 
berant iu the center—from the mouth of Skiffs 
Creek across to the upper part of Wormsley’s Creek, 
which is thoroughly defended, and was the scene of 
the late battle. Water communication is supplied 
to the ditches of the works ou this creek, so that 
they may be suddenly filled in case ol an attack. 
To a direct attack in front, these defenses are, 
though not impregnable, very strong and difficult, 
forming, as they do, a web of lire over a space of at 
least five miles square. 
Mitclicl’s Occupation of Huntsville. 
A correspondent of the Cincinnati Commer¬ 
cial thus describes General Mitcbel’s occupation of 
the city of Huntsville, Alabama: 
The march was at first considered impracticable, 
the road being excessively muddy and rough, cross¬ 
ing, as it did. the slope of the Cumberland Mountains 
to tho valley through which flows the Tennessee at 
this point, tor miles the most beautiful of streams. 
It was decided at last io attempt it with a single 
brigade and a detachment of cavalry, and a battery 
of artillery. For this purpose. General Turchin’s 
brigade of infantry, Col. Kennett’s 4th Ohio cavalry, 
and Capt. Simonson's battery of Ohio artillery, were 
decided upon as being the most mobile in the corps, 
and they began the march. Geueral Mitchol com¬ 
manded the corps, leaving the rest of his division in 
charge of one of his Brigadiers, and ordering it to 
remain at Fayetteville. 
They reached Huntsville at about two o'clock in 
the morning. Col. lvennett dashed into the town and 
succeeded iu surprising two companies of rebels 
who were there for the purpose of guarding the 
railroad. They were quickly disarmed, and the 
city was taken possession of by Gen. Mitchel. The 
citizeus were taken completely by surprise, aud came 
from their houses only to be ordered back, to remain 
in doubt until daylight. Squads of men were dis¬ 
patched about the town to different poiuts, while 
companies and battalions were sent to destroy the 
bridges over the several creeks which the railroad 
crosses. There are, in all probability, not less thau 
six or seven bridges destroyed, ruining the road for 
some tiino to come. 
The post-office and telegraph office were also cap¬ 
tured. In the former were found two large bags of 
mail matter, containing many important documents 
and newspapers, giving the fullest and latest 
accounts of their “great victory” at Pittsburg 
Landing. Two telegraph operators were captured, 
one of whom was compelled to telegraph the account 
of the success of the expedition to A. A. G. Captain 
Fry, Chief of General Buell’s Staff. 
Huntsville is the residence of the Hon. Jerry 
Clemens, who so long held out, against the wiles of 
secession, and who was oue of the five who voted 
against the ratification of the Constitution of the 
rebel States. The city is one of the most beautiful 
and one of the richest in the country. It is the 
capital town of Madison county, Alabama, and is 
situated about eighteen miles from the Tennessee 
line, on the Memphis aud Charleston Railroad, the 
two others, 
in full view ot the enemy’s lower forts. We kept 
along the bank until we passed our pickets, and 
then took to the cornfields and behind fences, until 
we reached the old deserted mill, where we emerged 
in plain sight of the floating battery, which was for¬ 
merly a dry dock at New Orleans, and mounts 20 
guns. It lay in the river a mile distant. No 
sooner had our party come iu sight than a flash ot 
light shot from its sides, and a shell came screaming 
like a fiend over our heads, bursting a short distance 
behind us. The poetry of shells suddenly changed 
with a double-quick retrograde prose. 
Extracts from the Southern Press. 
Union Feeling in North Carolina.—A cor¬ 
respondent of the Petersburg Express, under date 
18th ult., writes: 
The account given in your paper to-day, by your 
South Mills correspondent, of the course pursued by 
the vandals iu the vicinity of Elizabeth Cily, is 
enough io excite the feelings of every man and 
woman iu the whole country. It is painful to learn 
that all along the coast of North, Carolina there are 
persons wlw welcome the invaders, and encourage 
them in their wicked raids. Until we can put an 
end to such encouragement, we shall have trouble 
at every point where the enemy can possibly gain a 
footing. 
Tantalizing Silence in Regard to No. 10.— 
Rebel editors are very slowto believe that Island No. 
10, with all its garrison and munitions of war, has 
surrendered to the Union forces. Tho rebel Cabinet 
preserves a profound silence on the subject, which 
fairly agonizes the “ knights of the quill 1 ’ in Seces- 
sia, and they are loudly calling out for official inform¬ 
ation regarding it. The Petersburg Express of 
the 10th ult. remarks: 
We call upon them now to say whether they have 
received any information about, the capture of the 
Island, and, if they have, to publish it, so that we 
can compare the two accounts, and arrive in this 
way at something like a correct conception of the 
reality. We do not ask them for any information 
that would be improper for them to give. We ask 
only for what pertains to a public event that has 
occurred, aud which is known to all Yaukeedom in 
New Orleans—Its Approaches and Fortiflcntions. 
The approaches to New Orleans, aside from 
the direct route up the river, which is defended by 
Forts Jackson and St. Philip, are from the Missis¬ 
sippi Sound. Vessels drawing nine feet and under 
may pass through Lake Borgne, thence by the Gor¬ 
don River into Lake PonOhartrain, to the Kigolets, 
on the south side of which, at the end of the bayou, 
is situated Fort Pike. This is a small fortification, 
mounting one tier of casemate guns, and a few 
pieces en barbette. The work is built on the marsh, 
andisentirely unapproachable from the land side. It 
stands on the edge of the bayou, and vessels of light 
draft may approach close under its walls. The fort 
may he easily shelled by the heavy mortars of Com¬ 
modore Porter’s flotilla. After passing Fort Pike, 
the Union forces will encounter batteries at Lake¬ 
ville, on the lake, just in the rear of the city, the 
terminus of a railroad and canal connecting Lake 
Ponchartrain and New Orleans. 
A second approach to the Crescent City is at 
Proctorsville, on the southern border of Lake 
Borgne. Here is the terminus of the New Orleans 
and Gulf Railroad, which may be approached within 
shelling distance, by vessels drawing nine feet of 
Revolt Among the Irish. 
respondent of Ihe Now York Tribune says that a 
deserter, a young and intelligent lad, belonging to 
an Alabama regiment, came within our lines on the 
24th. lie confirms the statements of the deserting 
rebel Colonel and Lieutenant who came within our 
lines on our left, regarding the refusal of an Irish 
brigade among the rebel troops to continue in arms 
against the Union army. The refusal originated 
from their seeing an Irish regimental flag on our 
side. The sight of the shamrock and harp of Erin, 
around which the gallant, sons of the Emerald Isle 
have fer centuries rallied with such devotional 
unity, revived the old feeling of brotherhood. They 
said they would not fight, and they will not. The 
entire brigade has been disarmed and is still under 
arrest. Among the Irish regiments on our side 
there is great rejoicing and enthusiasm at the course 
taken by the rebel brigade. If it were possible to 
The Poetry of Battle. 
A newspaper correspondent at the scene of 
action above Island No. 10, writes thus in regard to 
mortar practice: 
I took a position on shore, near the point and 
alongside tho mortars, to witness their practice. 
The firing of a mortar is the very poetry of a battle. 
A bag of powder weighing from eighteen to twenty 
pounds is dropped into the bore of the Lugo mon¬ 
ster. The derrick drops the shell in; the angle is 
calculated; along cord is attached to the primer; 
the gunner steps out upon the platform, and the 
balance of the crew upon the shore. The Captain 
gives the word, the gunner gives the cord a sudden 
jerk, a crash like a thousand thunders follows, a 
tongue of flame leaps from the mouth of the mortar, 
and a column of smoke rolls up in beautiful fleecy 
spirals, developing into rings of exquisite propor- 
