Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1861-09-11
FROM

W. VI Jul Nv ~ SAA9
ton, and, also, Of our little semi-navai en-
gagement Of yesterday, between ore Of our
guaboats, Capt. Hamilton's and Capt. Jack
sons batteries, and two Of Lincoln's p%iraticai
craft, which, Of late, have been cruising about
from below this point to Cairo and Paducsh.
As this incident was initiatory Of what may
prove a bloody conflict in this section Of our
military operations, and wishal was somewhat
interesting and exciting, will endeavor to re-
late the circumstances Of the fight as correctly
as possible.
A little after y o'clock yesterday General
Cheatham, who has command Of the forces
here, received a tslegraphic dispatch from Co.
iumbus, stating that two gunboats were below,
and would, in all probability, pay US a visit
before they returned. lie had scarcely time
to wara our gunboats, lying just above us, be-
fore they made their appearance around the
point about four miles distant. They con-
tinued to proceed down the river until within
three miles of our lower battery, when they
evidently began preparations to make the at
tack.
Oar guuboat swung round in a moat grace
full manner and opened fire upon them with
one Of her heavy sixty-four Founders. The
shot was well directed and struck in poiat-
blank range Just this side of the boat in ad-
vance. This was followed by another from
our boat which sglashed in the water, throw
i~g it up in vast columns apparently between
them.
E-.A u,-sIa--g. L-+Az-- ,,-,-.g - Al.
Southern Guards, one Of your best volunteer
companies, then came up to the assistance Of
the gunbOat in q most gallant style. Then
commenced a brisk and sharp canucBading on
both sides-the enemy firing broadside after
5TOadside, as fast as they could turn their
boats. The Kissing Of the shell and shot
through the air, the bursting Of bombs, the
loud roar OF the cannon, and the beating Of
the rrums calling the infantry to AIMS, made
the scene highly exciting.
Capt. Jackson, OF the S.eUben artillery,
another excellent company from Memphis,
took a position higher up the river, and opened
FIRE on them with riied cannon. The peculiar
whirT Of the balls seemed to have frightened
the Hsssians so much that they TUNED and
ingloriously fed up the river. Col. McCown,
however, came near cutting them off at Colum
bus, they having passed there only ten minutes
before be reached that place with several
thousand infantry and twenty iald-piesas.
The boys of the 4th regiment, commanded
by Col. r P. Nicely, the only infantry | had an
opportunity OF observing, exhibited the coolest
discipline during tie whole affair. TIE officers
Of tue separate companies we're promptly at
their posts, and gave their orders as calmly
and deliberately as in ordinary drill. All our
field officers, from our gallant and beloved
colonel to the sergeant-maj0r, gave urCnistaka-
bic evidences that they are as brave men as
"E'er broke a lance, or led squadron il the field"
and showed themselves fully competent for the
positions they occupy. The officers and men
OF the other regiments, | am told, behaved
equally az well.
Had We known two hours sooner that we
were to be favored with the august presence
OF LiDcoln's hireliBgs, they would have had
another masked battery story to tell, and
Abraham, in balancing his accounts, would
have found himself minus two gunboats, which
be cOulI easily have reconciled by placingth them
to the credit Of Jefferson Davis, in the same
account with the Equality and Cksesey, hereto
ore captured in these waters. We were I'M
fortunate in first firing heavier guns than they
have, which Induced them to believe that their
sixteen guns were hardly sufficient to cope
with a half dozen Of ours. This is in accord
ance, however, with true Yankee bravery.
While in Missouri the appearance Of one or
two regiments OF our gallant boys was sufH-
ciest to rsise an alarm 10 their fortified places
garrisoned by 1000 to 1000 men, and every
effort to ret them out Of their lurking places,
even at The odcs Of four 10 one against US,
proved utterly vain. That they will not fight
us With even numbers is a fixed fact, and We
will have 10 fight them On their own terms, if
We fgaC them at al.
Poor Missouri! From The bottom Of ny
heart / pity her. The talons Of the black eagle
OF the North are fastened in her writbing flesh.
Her citizens have the halter hanging over their
heads. Il they take up arms for their own
property and rights, the fslon's death is the
penalty. II they dare exercise their plain con-
stitutional rights Of free speech, their property
is sequesteTsd, their wives and children driven
from their homes, and all manner Of out
RACES committed upon them. The pro-
c'smatioH Of Fremont shows the policy
OF Lincoln in its true color, and r.
walls in outrageous infaRy the edict of
The celebrated bloody council pronounced
against the Netherland provinces during
the reign Of Phillip II. Of Spain. AIva
wrote his own history in blood, and dictator
Fremont seems anXicuG to follow In bis foot
steps. The indignant censurs OF the civilized
world was the eulogy Of the one nav the fe-
Ions death be the cen0taph OF the other. Not
wittstsLding Flemcnt's threat Of fire, sword,
and the halter, the gallant Missourians are
Tallying around the scars and bars BY thou
sands It's cheering folds is the only bright
pharos they see shining over a dark and gloomy
sea. j. is to them as The beacon light to the
shipwrecked mariner, and they are going TO it
If they perish in the attempt. Their deplora-
HE and almost helpless condition loudly calls
for every southern man to come to their res
cue. They have bid defiance to Lincoln and
his vsndsls for the sake or the South and her
iHsti' %utions, ana it is lncgmbent on every south
ern man to make every possible sacrifice to
aid them. Rally around her patriot citizens
in their efforts to be free, and the time is net
far distant when she will be one of the bright
est gems in that constellation of Confederate
stars. Kentucky will soon be in the same con
dIaon. TIE cloud is gathering over her hith-
erto bright horizon the muttering thunders Of
King LincOln's wrath tell too plainly the bolt
will ere long descend upon the land Of Clay
and Boone.
Let it come, Tennessee will be her shield in
the hour Of trial and danger, and like twin
sisters, they will stand eide by side in the
fierce conflict, and when one goes down the
other will fall with her. All Lincoln's trooDs
have been withdrawn from opposite Colunhus, /
and are now terrifying themselves on the Ken
lucky side, at a place called MaYGeld's Point,
six miles below Cairo. So you see a
is inevitable somewhere between Co.
lumbus and that point. A battle is imminent and
will certainly occur within a few days. Look
out for interesting times from up here. We
have no great amount of sickness in camp at
present, and the boys are generally in fEe
=. ". Y.