Without
delay, batteries were at night sunk at points along the river just back
of the river-bank, and the captured siege-guns, hauled laboriously by
hand down the the strip of more solid ground between the river and
swamp, were placed in position in them. The lowest battery was below
Point Pleasant, and opposite and a little below Tiptonville. This
extended General Pope's line seventeen miles along the river. The lowest
battery commanded the lowest solid ground on the Tennessee shore--all
below was swamp. This battery, if maintained, cut off the enemy alike
from retreat, and from reinforcements and supplies. When the morning of
the 15th disclosed the muzzles of the heavy guns peering over the
river-bank as over a parapet, five gunboats moved up within three
hundred yards, and with furious cannonade strove to destroy them. In an
hour and a half one gunboat was sunk, others damaged, gunners on them
shot from the rifle-pits on shore, and the fleet retired.

On March 15th, Commodore Foote moved with his fleet of gunboats and
mortar-boats to the neighborhood of Island No. 10, and next day engaged
the batteries on the island and the main-land, at long range, to
ascertain their position and armament. Next day five gunboats and four
mortar-boats moved down to within two thousand yards of the upper
battery or redan, and opened fire. The batteries on main-land and island
replied. One hundred pieces of heavy ordnance rent the quivering air
with their thunder. The rampart of the redan had been constructed
twenty-four feet thick, but the high water beating against it had washed
it, and, by percolation, softened it. The heavy shot from the gunboats
passed though it. Thirteen-inch shells exploding in the ground made
caverns in the soil. Water stood on the ground within, and the
artillerists waded in mud and water. The conflict lasted till evening.
The staff of the signal-flag used in the redan was shattered by a shot;
but the officer, Lieutenant Jones, picking up the flag, and using his
arm as a staff, continued signalling. The rampart of the redan was torn
and ridged, and one sixty-four gun was dismounted and another injured,
an officer killed, and seven enlisted men wounded. On the island a one
hundred and twenty-eight pound gun burst. In the fleet a gun burst on
the Pittsburg, killing and wounding fourteen men.

The fleet and batteries exchanged fire with greater or less severity
every day. On the 21st, another large gun, called