Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1862-08-27

probably soon disabled some OF her ma
chinery or stearing apparatus, for she be-
came unmanageable, continuing, however,
to fire her guns at the Essex. Comman-
| der Porter says he took advantage of her
presenting weak front towards him, and
loaded a gun with incendiary shell. Al
ter his first discharge of this projectile,
gush of fire came out of her side, and from
that moment it was discovered that she
was on FIRE, which he continued his exers
tions to prevent from being extinguished.
They backed her ashore, and made line
fast, which soon burnt, and she swung off
into the river, where she continued to burn
until she blew up, with a tremendous e1-
plosion, thus ending the career of the last
iron clad ram of the Mississippi
There were many persons on the banks
Of the river witnessing the fight, IN which
they anticipated triumph for Secession J,
but on the return of the Essex net soul
| was to be seen.
l will leave sufficient force of ofgunboats
here to support the army, and will return
to morrow to New Orleans, and depart im-
mediately for Ship island, with light
heart that have left no bug-bear to tor
ment the communities of the Mississippi
in my absence.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
d. G. FARRAGUT,
| Flag Officer Comd'g W. G. Block. Squad
| ron.
Hon. Gideon Wellcs, Secretary of the
Navy, Washington, d. G.
Com. Portcr's despatch to Com. Farragut
is thus given
'Sir: This morning at s, steamed up
the river, and at 10 A. Nj. attacked the
rebel ram Arkansas, and blew her up
There is not now fragment of her left
Lieuts Ransom and Roe, and Comman-
der w D. Porter, each give circumstan-
tial account of the affair Roe sayes thaE
the enemy are still lowering in the rear of
this pla ce, Baton Rouge.
Information is received that, in addition
to the six thousand rebel troops already in
the vicinity, four thousand are approaching
from Manchac, and others from Vicksburg.:
| keep in constant communication with
the commander in chief of the troops here,
ready to open fire when and where he may
desire Porter says the Arkansas had
crew Of one hundred and eighty men, and
mounted ten guns, six 8-inch and four-50-
pound rifles. The gunboat Essex, COM
manded by him, mounts seven guns, and.
had only forty men on duty at the time of
our going into action.
The following is the rebel account of the
Arkansas, as submitted to the Secretary Of
the Navy by Admiral Farragut:
FLAo-Surp HARTFORD, NEw ORLEANS, August 10.
SIR: Since forwarding the reports of
Liutenants Fairfax, Ransom, and Roe, we
have picked up a number of prisoners from
echized very closely. They agree very
well respecting her exit from the Yazoo,
and her passing the fleets. They also
agree as to the number killed and wounded
on each of these occasions, making in all
eighteen killed and large number woun-
ded. At Vicksburg they plated the deck witl
iron, and fortified her with cotton inside,
She then came down in command of Lieut.
FL. K. Stevens, Brown having taken sick
at Yicksburg-with the intention of ma
king a combined attack with General
Breckenridge upon Baton Rouge but her
port engine broke down. They repaired
her in the course of the day, and went out
to meet the Essex. The next morning
they saw her coming up, but the starboard
engine gave way, and they ran her ashore,
she being perfectly unmanageable, They
say that when the gunboats were seen
coming up and the Essex commenced fir
ing, the captain set the ram on fire, and
told the crew to run ashore. They also
state that the gunboats Webb and Music
were sent for to tow her up the river, but
they did not arrive, and neither of them
had been seen. '
; Partial Destruction of the Town of Don
sldsonTille, La.
Admiral Farragut, also under date of
August 10, thus addresses the Secretary
of the Navy
'SIR: | regret to inform the Depart
ment that at the town of Donaldsonville,
on the Mississippi, they have pursued
uniform practice of firing upon our steam
ers passing up and down the river. Isent
message to the inhabitants that if they
: did not discontinue this practice 7 would
: destroy their town. The last time pas
| sed up to Baton Rogue, to the support of
the army, | anchored about six miles above
Donaldsonville, and heard them fire upon
f the vessels comming up-frst upon the
/ Sallie Robinson, and next upon the Brook
e lyn. In the latter case they made mis-
, take, and it was SO quickly returned that
r they ran away. The next night they fred
again, upon the St. Charles. | therefore
q ordered them to send their women and
n children out of the town, as I certainly in
: tended to destroy it on my way down the
It river, and fulfilled my promise to Ger.
tain extent. | burned down the hotels
and wharf hnildinns. alun tka IualI;n