[504]
fire of the gunboats that did so much damage to the town.
Had it not been for the navy, Colonel Hicks would have had a much more severe contest.
Upon arriving within the Fort, we learned that when Forrest first came in, he formed a line of battle about two and a half miles in length, after which, he sent a flag of truce to Colonel Hicks, stating that he had enough men to storm and capture the Fort, but desiring to avoid unnecessary bloodshed, he demanded a surrender, promising to treat his captives as prisoners of war, and threatening, in case of refusal, to give ho quarter.
Colonel Hicks replied that he had been placed there to defend the Fort; that he was obliged to obey orders, and could not, as an honest soldier, comply with the demand.
While this parley was going on, Forrrest advanced his sharp-shooters, and placed them in houses where they could pick off men in the Fort and on the gunboats.
The battle soon began, and for several hours, raged with great fury.
The gunboats poured their broadsides into the city, demolishing buildings, and killing and wounding many of the enemy.
The guns from the Fort thundered forth into the rebel ranks, and as the confederates rushed up to their breastworks, mowed them down like grass.
Forrest put his best regiments in front, and, notwithstanding they exhibited great courage, some of the men marching up to the very mouths of the guns, they were repulsed four or five times.
Their commanding general said they had never faltered before.
There were about eight hundred men within the fortifications, but only about one third actively participated in the fight.
Colonel Hicks calmly directed all the operations, and showed such bravery and skill as entitle him to the highest praise.
Around the Fort lay heaps of unburied rebels, and the blackened remains of many beautiful dwellings.
While the battle was raging, parties of the enemy scouted through the city, plundering stores and robbing stables.
A large amount of goods was carried away, and many horses stolen; none of the latter belonging to the Government were taken, as the rebels were told they were the property of a prominent secessionist.
The fight lasted all the afternoon, and resulted in a Federal loss of as stated below, and about thirty prisoners. These were convalescents, and were taken from the hospital.
The names of some of them are as follows: Thomas S. Wakefield, Corporal, company K, Twenty-fifth Wisconsin infantry; George W. Babb, company A, Thirteenth Tennessee cavalry; Thomas Daniels, company C, Sixteenth Kentucky cavalry; Hiram Smith, Sergeant, company B, Sixteenth Kentucky cavalry; Z. Booth, Sergeant, company B, Sixteenth Kentucky cavalry; John Mullin, company E, Thirteenth Illinois infantry; G. T. Sharp, Corporal, company K, Sixty-third Ohio; John S. Howard, Corporal, company K, One Hundred and twenty-seventh Illinois; Samuel Loder, company I, Thirty-first Iowa infantry; John Morehead, company E, Ninth Illinois infantry; Hanson Hart, Acting Assistant-Surgeon; Simon A. Murphy, citizen; John Jordan, company K, One Hundred and Twenty-second Illinois; M. R. Waller, company C, Sixteenth Kentucky; J. A. Sadford, company B, Sixteenth Kentucky cavalry; R. J. Martz, First Ohio battery; G. W. Farley, company D, Sixteenth Kentucky cavalry; Isaac Austin, company G, Twenty-fifth Wisconsin; W. J. Bridges, company F, One Hundred and Twenty-second Illinois; P. Byerly, company I, Twenty-ninth Missouri; Thomas Pollard, company A, One Hundred and Twenty-seventh Illinois; James Park, company E, Seventh Tennessee cavalry; W. Waldeman, company F, Thirty-first Iowa; Henry Nabors, company E, Seventh Tennessee cavalry; A. Irwin, S. Hamilton, and Robert Barnes.
These, with the four hundred taken a day or two before at Union City, Forrest offered to exchange for confederate prisoners, man for man; but Colonel Hicks replied that he was not authorized to make any such arrangement.
The number of white Federals killed, is fourteen; wounded, forty-six. Eleven negroes were killed and wounded, all shot in the head.
The rebels had three hundred killed, and about one thousand wounded. The latter they took to Mayfield by railroad; the former, they left unburied.
Among the confederate officers slain was Brigadier-General A. P. Thompson, a former resident of Paducah.
The enemy remained about the city until three P. M., on Saturday, when they moved off in the direction of Columbus, where it was supposed the next fight would take place.
Learning that that place was threatened, your correspondent hurried aboard the despatch-boat Volunteer, and returned to Cairo this morning.
Another account.
Now that the sounds of battle have died away, and the smoke cleared off, and we can see the losses that have been sustained, the destruction that has been wrought, the repulses met with, and the victories gained, I will give some details of the recent attack and fight at Paducah.
For a long time past, our town has been threatened with a rebel attack and raid; but we thought that they would hardly have the temerity to make one, knowing, as no doubt they did, that we had one of the best fortified forts (Fort Anderson) in the country, sufficiently garrisoned and supplied with guns and ammunition; and that it was the determination of our commanders, if the place was attacked by the rebels, that it should be shelled until made too hot to hold them.
But we found, recently, that we were mistaken, and it became too plain that they intended an attack, and that very shortly.
We had information a few days before, that the rebel General Forrest, with seven thousand men, had attacked Union City, Tennessee; then that it had surrendered; then that the rebels were at Wingo Station, in Graves County, Kentucky, advancing toward Mayfield; then that they were on this side, advancing on Paducah; and then, on Friday
