The Portland daily press., 1862-07-08

FROM MEMPHIS TO vIcKsBuRe.


To the ram feet belongs the honor of OPEN
ing the communication with the national fleet
in the lower Mississippi; to them Is awarded
the credit OF being the pioneers in descending
the mighty river, until within range of the en-
emies' batteries.
The Union ram feet is. as you are aware. an
enterprise which was fathered by the War De-
partment. and has done great service wherever
opportunity offered. 1t was intrusted to the
command of Col. Charles Ellet, who, we have
since learned with regret, is dead, of wounds
received in the engagement before Memphis
The boats Of the feet are:
Monarch tfag), side-wheel, Captain David
Dryden; Switzerland, side-wheel, Capt. David
Willard: Lancaster, side-wheel, Capt VIM. F.
Mix; Queen of the West, side-wheeel, Captain
John Williams; Mingo, Capt. Isaac Bauslnan.
Lioness, Captain John NJ. Schrodes: HON.
er, Capt. Robert Dalzelle; Sampson, Capt. r..
H. Porter; Fulton, Capt S. Cadman.
Since the departure OF Colonel Elicit. the
command devolves upon Lieut.. Col Alfred w.
Elicit, brother of the late colonel. Major Rob
erts is Surgeon of the feet, and Capt. William
II. Lewis is aaymaster. The officers of the
boats are mainly from the towns on the Ohio
river, and a small detachment of sharpshooters
is on board from the Fifty -ninth and Sixty-third
Illinois Regiments.
Afer the surrender Of Memphis, we waited
to move down the river A couple of iron,
clad gunboats, the Mound City and st. Louis
had been sent down to the mouth of White
river three days, and the New National, with
the regiment of Col Fitch, the White Cloud.
with provisions for Gen. Curtis, under escort
of the Lexington, started down on the 18th.
Col. Ellet determined upon going down as
far as he could with the rams, whether the gun
boats would accompany him or not. He signi-
fled his intention to Commodore Davis, and
took in provisions and coal for the trip Of four
hunS,ed miles and back. The rams Monarch.
Lioness, Mngo, Fulton and Lancaster. com
posed the squadron. Two barges of coal, and
one loaded with cattle, were dashed to the stern
wheel boats to be towed down.
We were to be the explorers of the river
Not cannon or anything larger than a mus
ket for our defense, trusting to our ram. in
case of meeting a hostile boat, TO our speed
and shapshooters in case of meeting batteries.
and to our own stout hearts in any event for
our safety. We knew not what might beflll
us, but were, believe, one and all ready to
meet any danger.
= On the 10Th OF June, the ram fleet started
and were five days in descending the river
without meeting any Instructions by batter
les.
We were now approaching very near the
last rebel stronghold and proceeded with eau
ton. As the Fulton was passing around an is
land, six miles above Vicksburg. she discover
ed a man going down in a skirand overbanlad
him. He proved to be valuable acouisifion
and loyal man. He is German and lives in
Vicksburp. has been MAKING harnesses Ca ~
rebels and at the time had been conyevino n
lieutenant and private who were his friends
away from the city as deserters. We gained
from him much useful information at time
when we needed 1t.
Commodore Farragut's fleet, he said, was
about five miles below the city. The firing on
both sides had, he said, ceased for many DAYS.
Col. Ellet promised to reward him handsome
ly for his honesty If he would pilot party of
our men over to Farraguts fleet, and also as
sured him that in case of any treachery his
life would instantly pay the forfeit. The Full
ton Immediately volunteered to take the party
across the point The Col. then wrote out a
brief dispatch for Commodore Furragut. and
the Fulton steamed down to within plain sight
of Vicksburg, about four miles by the channel.
but only two in direct line.
rxprnrr,ox RI p.pp.
IT,, ~
me party .or thls hazardous enterprise was
Composed OF Charies Elet, medical cadet,
loeaIe. "a a'spatcnes ana son OF the late la
nen.e ~ coi Elet. Lieut.. =. w. Bartlett. Fifty
Iinu ILLINOIS regiment, Edward Elet, tson of
Lie . Eiiet ana private IN Fifty
h,hth limos volunteers and Wm.F. Warner,