Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1862-06-12
a THE FALL OF MEMPHIS.

hLOyIng Edcu = - -
Composed of Five Gunboats an
Eight Rams-Rebel Vessels Eighth
--FumBer-Tbe Rebel Ram Beaure
gard Sunk BY the Monareh-The Lit
tie Rebel Makes Dash at the Mon
ssrch but Disables the General Pfie'
InsteadATBe Gen. Price Fires OF
our Fleet but Hits the Rebel Gen
Loyell-The JEFF. Thompson Rur
Ashore and Burned-The Remain
ing Rebel Boats Retreat down th,
River-Tbey Are Pursued and thre,
Captured-Escape of the Rebel OF
fcers-Com. Davis Requests the
Surrender of Memphis-The Mayor
Complies at Once-Peacsful Recep
ton of Our Forces in That City
Indianians on Guard-Five Steam
boats Captured-Un6nished Gun
boat Burned-The Place Quiet
Martial Law Hardly Necessary--Siz
Thousand National Troops at Baton
Rouge--A Rebel Papers Descrip-
ton of the Fight.
aCArRo, June 8.-The regular packet
Platte Valley, the first boat through
from Memphis, arrived here this morn
ing. Our forces are in possession of
Memphis.
The fotilIa, consisting of FIVE gun
boats and eight rams, left Fort Wright
at 2 o'clock on Thursday morning. and,
finding no distinctions at Fort Ran
dolph, passed on, and at 8 O'Clock on
Thursday evening the gunboats anch-
ored two miles above Memphis. The
rams remained short distance above.
A reconnaissance was made, and the
enemy's feet, consisting of the follow
ing: Gen. Van Dorm, flagship; Gen.
Price, Gen. Bragg, Gen. Lowell, JEFF.
Thompson, Beauregard, Sumter and
Little Rebel, were discovered lying near
Memphis.
During the night the rebel feet moved
down the river, and at daylight were
out of sight, but in half an hour after
ward were seen coming up, formed in
line of battle. Our gunboats bad in
the meantime weighed anchor, and, fol-
lowed by several rams, moved slowly
toward the rebel feet, when a shot
from the Little Rebel from rifed gun
of long range. fell within short dis
tance of the gunboat Cairo, which was
in the advance. The Cairo replied
with broadside, and soon the engage
ment became general at long range.
The rams, in the meantime, advanced,
and the rebel ram Beauregard being
some distance in advance, was singled
out by the Federal rams Monarch and
Queen of the West, each striving TO be
first to strike the rebel craft. The Mon
arch succeeded in striking her amid
ships, almost cutting her in two and
causing her to fill and sink immediate
ly in the channel directly opposite the
city.
At this juncture the Little Rebel
made dash at the Monarch, which by
this time was in the midst Of the rebel
feet, but by a skillful movement of the
pilot of the latter, she dropped out of
the way. and the blow intended for her
struck the rebel boat Gen. Price taking
away her wheel, making it necessary
for her to run ashore, where she sent a
shot, which, unfortunately for the reb-
els, struck the boat Gen. Lowell, rem
dering her unmansgeable. lmmedi-
ately after, she was run down BY the
Queen of the West. A broadside from
the Benton took effect on the sides of
the JEFF Thompson, when she ran
ashore in flames and burned to the wa
ter's edge.
-Four rebel boats, having been disa-
bled, the remainder Of their feet re-
treated down the river, pursued by our
boats, firing as they advanced, result
ing in the capture of the Sumter, Bragg
and Little Rebel, which had been aban-
doned by most of their crews. Capt
Montgomery, the Flag Oficer, and most
of the officers and men, succeeded in
making their escape to the woods on
the Arkansas shore. The Federal ram
Lancaster was struck by the Beaure-
gard early in the engagement, and was
slightly disabled.
Col. Ellet, commanding the Federal
rams, was struck in the breast BY a
splinter, and was stunned temporarily,
but soon recovered, and continued on
deck throughout the action. This was
the only casualty on our side. Our
rams were manned by sharpshooters-
mostly from Illinois-who did great
execution, by picking off the enemY's
gunners at every opportunity. The
rebel loss in killed, wounded and pris-
oners is heavy. but not yet fully ascer-
tanned. Our tugs were busily engaged
picking up the crews of their disabled
boats.
After the return of the gunboats
from the pursuit, Commodore Davis
sent the following note to the Mayor
OF the city of Memphis:
"U. S. FLAG STEAMER BENroS.l
"OFF MEMPHIS, June 6, 1862.
"S1R: have respectfully to request
that you will surrender the city of
Memphis to the authority of the United
States, which l have the honor to rep
resent