water channel. Almost immediately on passing the lower end of the island, the boats and the forts were in each others' range, but on both sides an ominous silence was preserved a silence that betokened deadly intent on the part of the belligerents. On swept the boats, coming in full view of the long line of breast works that broke the east shore-in full view of the black muzzles of the heavy guns which seemed watching the approach of the gallant little fleet in ominous silence-in full view of the flag waving defiantly from a high staff in the centre of the works, until one could almost see down the huge bore of the guns, the bright straps of the shells, which seemed like leashes to prevent the deadly missiles from springing forth upon their work of destruction-and yet not a trigger was pulled on either side.

Less than a mile separated the fleet and the fort, and yet not a word was said. The insurgents appeared to be confidently anticipating the conflict; and grouped like statues around their guns, with lanyards stretched, they waited for the onset.

When about six hundred yards from the fort, the bow-guns of the flag-ship poured their contents into it, and so close after, that the reports seemed almost one, the other three poured in their fire. Scarcely had the smoke cleared from the muzzles of the pieces, ere the whole ten guns of the rebels belched forth their contents, sending a terrific iron shower in, above and around the gunboats. Taking their cue from the others, the three wooden gunboats, which were about a mile below, opened from their bow-guns, and then the contest was fairly begun. For one hour the roar was so incessant that the successive reports of the guns could, not in many cases, be distinguished. Occasionally there would be a momentary lull-then a single reverberating roar would give the key-note, and an instant after all the voices would swell together in one tremendous chorus.

A thick cloud of smoke enveloped the boats, hiding them completely from view. Over them hovered a dense white vapor, from which quick flashes of flame leaped and quivered, incessantly followed by delicate balloon-like forms of smoke, which burst like ghostly shadows from the enemy's shells.

From the very first, the fire of the rebel guns seemed directed at the Essex. In their first volley two thirty-two pound shots struck the Essex on the starboard bow, indenting deeply the iron sheathing, and then glanced off, down the river, while a perfect storm of the iron missiles whistled over her decks, and plowed into the water on either side. She received in all eleven shots-one of which carried death through the whole length of the vessel. It entered a larboard port, carried off the head of the master's mate, and passing on, entered the boiler. The steam and water poured out, filling the whole space be

tween decks, and causing more destruction than all the enemy's missiles put together-four men were instantly suffocated, and some twenty-five severely scalded, among whom was the gallant Commander Porter. The two pilots, who were in the pilot-house above, had no escape except through a passage from below, and up this the steam rushed, as if coming from a safety-valve, and of course with fatal effect. Both these poor men perished.

Of course the Essex was thenceforth unmanageable. She slowly drifted down the main channel, and was soon after met by a steamer, which towed her down to the place occupied by the boats before starting. Soon after the Essex became disabled, the pelting of the iron storm proved too hot for endurance, and the rebel flag came rapidly down. The firing on the part of the gunboats immediately ceased, and messengers were sent off from the flag-boat, which found, upon landing, that the rebels were disposed to an unconditional surrender. In scarcely more than an hour after the first attack, the flag of Fort Henry was in the dust.

The fort was soon after taken possession of, and it was found that the sum total of rebel prisoners was between seventy and one hundred, the balance having left the night before on the steamer Dunbar.

Among those who surrendered were Brigadier-General Tilghman, Major Corrico, Colonel Carmichael, Captain Hayden, of the Engineers, and Captain Miller, with several other commissioned officers.

Ten of the rebels were found killed, and some twelve or fifteen wounded. Three hundred and six tents were found on the west side of the river, and about as many near the fort, all of which bore evi dences of the haste with which the rebels had evacuated their quarters. Several hundred stands of arms were found, chiefly squirrel rifles and double-barrelled shot-guns, also a large amount of clothing, forage, provisions, wagons, mules and horses.

There was a large supply of ammunition, and when the Union forces entered the fort there was beside each gun an abundance unexpended. The tents were new and of excellent make, sufficient to shelter five or six thousand men. The enemy had flour, corn, bacon and sugar in large quantities, but no salt, and not a large supply of beef.

There were nineteen guns in position, of the following calibre: two 128-pounders, one 80-pounder, two 42-pounders, rifled, ten 32-pounders, two 24-pound howitzers, two 12-pound howitzers. Three 6-pound smooth bores, five 6-pound rifles, found outside the intrenchments.

A twenty-four-pound rifled gun exploded on the fourth round, and near the close of the fight a shell from one of the Union boats entered the eighty-pounder and burst, disabling it. Several caissons were captured in the redan upon the west side of the river, but no guns were in position.

Evidences ab unded on all sides of the deadly accuracy of the Federal gunners. Every one of the eleven log buildings within the ramparts was perforated with shot, the roof of one of the small magazines was torn open, hurdle-work scattered in all direction, half the guns knocked out of place, and great gulleys cut in the parapet and the ground. A thirty-two pounder bearing upon the gunboats had been struck by a Union shell, completely shattering the muzzle. The ground beside the embrasure was stained with blood, which lay in pools on the uneven surface. Beside one of the buildings, with gray blankets thrown hastily over them, lay six dead soldiers, all fearfully mutilated. Inside, ten wounded men were stretched upon cots, or on the ground, some insensible, and others rending the air with groans, while the surgeons of the garrison were attending upon them. Just above, on the river, was the hospital ship of the rebels, the stern-wheel steamer R. M. Patten, which had been captured with the fort. The ensign of disease, the yellow flag, was flying from the staff, waving off destruction from sixty invalids.

THE REBEL CAMP.

Upon a high plateau, the heavy trees had all been cut away over a large area. They were designed for the construction of an abattis, and though nothing had been done beyond chopping down the heavy timber, the large trunks and limbs, lying in all directions, would have presented almost insurmountable obstacles to the approach of cavalry or artillery, had the rifle-pits, just beyond, been filled with men.

Crossing the rifle-pits, the Unionists were in the enemy's camp, though still more than half a mile from the fort. Here were the wall tents of a regiment, all standing in complete order, with the camp-fires still blazing, the copper pots of soup for dinner boiling over them, and the half-made biscuits in the pans. Inside the tents everything was just as the enemy had left it-pistols, shot-guns, muskets, bowie-knives, clothing, tables partially set for dinner, letters half-written, with the ink scarcely dry upon the open page, cards thrown down in the midst of the game, overcoats, blankets, trunks, carpet sacks, and so on through all the articles of camp life. It seemed as if the men were out at guard-mounting, and expected to return in ten minutes.

Along the river bank were long rows of log barracks, enough to accommodate two or three thousand men, and finished comfortably. Inside they bore the same indications that the inmates had decamped without a moment's warning.

ADVANCE OF NATIONAL GUNBOATS UP THE TENNESSEE RIVER.

In accordance with the instructions of Commodore Foote, given before the attack on Fort Henry, immediately after the capture of the fort, February 6, the gunboats Conestoga, Lexington and Tyler, under the command of Lieutenant Phelps, advanced up the river twenty-five miles, to the crossing of the Bowling Green and Memphis railway, breaking up a portion of the railway bridge, and rendering it impassable. They next proceeded to destroy the rebel gunboats and transports, capturing large quantities of munitions of war and supplies, and advanced up the river for upwards of two hundred miles to Eastport, in Mississippi, and Florence, at the foot of Muscle Shoals, in Alabama, annihilating the rebel flotilla in the Tennessee river. The expedition was welcomed at every point by the inhabitants. Twenty-five Tennesseans enlisted at Cerro Gordo, where also three steamers were seized, containing 250,000 feet of valuable ship timber.

Toward the latter part of February, intelligence reached Fort Henry that the rebels were fortifying a point on the Tennessee river, near the Mississippi State line, whereupon Lieutenant-Commanding William Gwin, with the gunboats Tyler and Lexington, were sent forward to reconnoitre the position.

Having learned that the rebels had occupied and were fortifying a place called Pittsburgh, nine miles above, on the right bank of the river, he determined to attack them.

At twelve M. the Taylor, followed by the Lexington, LieutenantCommanding Shirk, proceeded up the river. When within twelve hundred yards of Pittsburgh, they were opened upon by the rebel batteries, consisting of six or eight field pieces, some rifled. Getting within one thousand yards, the Taylor and Lexington opened a well-directed fire, and had the satisfaction of silencing the batteries.

They then proceeded abreast of the place, and, under the cover of grape and canister, landed two armed boats from each vessel, containing, besides their crews, a portion of company C, Captain Thaddeus Phillips, and company K, First-Lieutenant John C. Rider, of the Thirtysecond regiment, Illinois Volunteers (sharpshooters). Second-master Jason Gondy, commanded the boats of the Taylor, and Second-master Martin Dunn, commanded the boats of the Lexington. The landing was successfully accomplished. This small force drove back the rebels, and held them in check until they had accomplished their difficult object, which was to discover the real strength and purpose of the enemy, and to destroy a house in close proximity to the batteries. In addition to their artillery, the enemy had a force of not less than two regiments of infantry, and a regiment of cavalry.