Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1861-10-28
The Naval Engagement at the Month
Of the Mississippi.


Commodore Mex cans dispatches are received at
the Navy Depari nent:
Capt. Pope, Of the Richmond, report, that tho
hole made In her by the Ram, was Two feet be.os ~
the water line, and five inches il circumI
At the first alarm the crew COOL repaired To qIar
teIs, and as the Ram passed abreast OF the ilich-
mond, the antiTe port battery WAS discharge a.
Der with what effect it Gas inposs bio To dlscov
in the darkness. red light shown o. II
signal Of DANGER, and the squadron was under way
in a very lew minutes the klchm covering tho
retreat. The Preble went over the bar, while the
Vincennes and Richmond grounded The encny
now coming down the river with fire stearners,
commenced hrlbg at US, while VIC returned the
fire from our port batteries and rlfed guns tho
poop; our shot however, falling shcrt, while her
shot burst al sides OF Us. md several passed
rectly The ship. At 9:zO, Commander Haniy
of the Vincennes, mictaking my signal for hin. To
ABANDON his ship, cams On beard the Richmond
with all his officers aud large number of his c. W.
the remainder having gone on board the Water
Witch. Capt. Handy, bciore leaving his ship, h ad
placed Ii htcd slow match at the magazine.
iiaviDg waited reasonable time for an explosion
he directed Commander Handy to return to his
ship with his crew, to start his pumps, and if ne
cessary, at his own request, l. throw over boart
the sinai guns, Tor the purpose Of lightning his
ship, ard carry out his kedge WITH = cable 10
heave of by
At 10, A. NJ, the enemy ceased firing ard with
drew up the river. During the cngag.meat a
shell entered port, and one of our boats was
stove by another shell.
Capt. Pope reports the r chmond and Vincennes
both afoat. The leak Of the former is 60 re-
duced that the small engines keep her free
This is only temporary, and tho ship will
have to 60 to some Place and have the planks put:
in. have received the rihcd guns "a nd pl aced ihe
3-ponnders on the forecastle and the ~ pour defs
on the poop. Could have possibly managed ,ais
ship in any other way than keeping her head up
and down the river, | would have stopped at P.lot
Town and given battle, l., this found haz-
ardons owing to her extreme length. The AZ. .mpt
was made, but broads.de could not be brought TO
bear without runnin. the ship ashore.
Commander Alden, of the steamer South Carroll
na relates the capture Of the schooner Exilda com
manded by an ex-officer Of the sumter, Wm An
derson, and the schooner J. II. Toone: The vessel
contained 1000 guns. many Of them old flint locks
and some entirely ussiess. Two passengers, " m. !.
H. Amos, a merchant Of New Orleans, owner OF th e
vessel, and Thos Lewis, OF the l.. ). Army, were
made pris. ners # war. The captured cargo also
embraced = quantity Of powder, caps, revolver,
blankets, lead dc.
Adj't. Gen. Thomas nas ordered that troop.
transported by rail road through diasaected parts
o. the county, shall march on foot over bridges
where posi- oity exists Of the cars breaking
through, to this end there vii be an agreement in
the contract for tran port it0n that the trains
be storpe! TO permit the troops to alght before
crossing the bridge.