The Attack On Paducah

Cairo, March 28. Forrest had about 7,000 in the attack on Padocah. His line of battlo ! was two and a half miles long. The fight lasted all the afternoon. Four asaaults were made on the fort en masse, each of vhich was repulsad with great slaughter to tbe enemy, The gunboats iired 600 rounds. A lárge portion of the towu is in ruina. The rebels oarried off horses duriug the fight Forty convalescents ia hoHpilals were captured. - Forrest sent a fl.ig of truce to exchane prnoners but Col. Hieks deolined. Tbree hundred rebel dead lie in front of our fort Generáis Ilm ris and Burbridge, with rebel boats from Paducah, at noon yegter-day, report ;ill qttiet. - The c: tizeua are returuing to towi . - Sovunil women wei e killed durillg the fight. üur lo-s was 14 kileil and 4t wounded. The Pi'octor and Paw Puw, fn clads, were the gunboats which participated in the late battle at Paducah. opening fire simultaneously with the fort uil the enemy's advanee iuto the city, and reuderud invaluable service throughout. the engagement. Aftel' being once repulsed in the assault on the fort, Forrest sent a communicatiou to Ooi. Hicks demundiug the surrender of the fort, troops and public stores, promising if the deinanj was complied with, tlr.it our troops should be treated as piisouers of war, bul if compelled to storm the fort tliey might expect no quarters. Col. Hicks replied : he was placed there to defend the fort, which he should do, and peremptorily declined to surrender. The enemy then made a second and third assault on the works, but were repulsed each time with heavy loss. The rebela Ihen broke lines, formed in squads, occupied a house kept up fire till late in the evening, they were driveu away, our artillery turned upon all the buildings occupied by them. On the way into the city the euemy fired the railroad depot, which was consumed, and towards evening burned the Quarter master's buildings and the steamer Dacotah, not Arizona, our marine railway stores, an immense amouut of goods, and took all the horses thoy could find - Sotne merchants lost $25,000 to $50,000 worth of property. Early next moruing the rebels agiiin attacked, when Colonel Hicks burned all housesin musket range, but the enemy made no advanee. After asking for an exchange of prisoners, which was decliued, they retired in the directiou of Columbus. When it was discovered that our ammunition was nearly exhausted, Col. Hicks said, should it give out, the fort should be defended by the bnyonet as long as a man remained alive, whch was received with hearty cheers by the troops. Negroes, to the nuuiber of 220 in the fort, fought with great gallantry. All quiet at Paduuah yesternay. Our forces are burying the dead. The enemy bad six small cannon, and about 50 buildings were burned. The hospitals, gas works, some of the finest residences in the city, the Gustoso House, Postoffice and Continental Hotel were not injured. Our troops were the 4th Illinois Infantry, Col. Hicks and a battulion of negroes ; regiment not learned.