Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-09-01
The YnrI,ee Gunbout sumter

The MissisSippiaa publishes some extracts
from the log-book of the Yankee gunboat Sumter
captured and destroyed by our forces at Bayou
Sara, from which we take the following:
FIGHT AT BATON ROUGE, August 5.-This
dav is one always to be remembered as one Of
| anxiety and excitement At four, A. n, the
enemy, under Breckinridge, made the promised
! attack upon our forces On shore. l took my po-
| sition, and was ordered By Commodore Porter
/ TO examine the river above for gunbosts.
/ Steamed around the point, but could sec moth
ing like vessel Of any kind. Returned to my
| station and opened fire with shell upon the
rebels The fight at this time halfpsst five, was
very fierce, both artillery and infantry being
hotly engaged. Received direction from time
to time from shore how to firs. Our troops fall
ing back. Enemy burns up the camps of the l4sh
Maine regiment. ! fred into the smoke and
drove the enemy back. Largs Humber Of our
soldiers skzlsiHg uHder The rirer bank. Ordered
them away, threatening to fire into them.
SINKING OF THE STEAMER WHITENIAN.-It
is known to our readers that the United States
military forces a! New Orleans made quite stir
over the pretended body of Gen. Williams. The
Delta gave long account of the funeral cere-
monies and stated that after their conclusion
the body of General Williams was placed upon
the steamer Star Of the West and carried to its
far of home in tle North. The following extract
however, shows that all this lugubriOus parade
was merely Yankee strategy"
AUGUST In the morning saw several Of
Farragut's fleet coming up. By noon seven of
them al anchor of the city No news on shore.
Enemy still retreating We captured some of
their csissons. The Dfeids, Captain Pfeble, az
rived. Reported having been run into by the
steamer WhitemAn. The Whitemsn sunk, car
rying down with her some seventy wounded
men on their wey 10 the New Orleans hospital.
All were drowned but the captain, two pilots
and thirty wounded. The body Of General Hl-
iiams lDas also sank.
We close our extracts from the log-book of the
Sumter by giving the subjoinod closing entries /:
AUGUST 14.-Left this morning at ! o'clock
for Bayou SsTa-suived at A. NJ Reported to
Captain Porter. end received orders 10 remain |
here uutil further orders, and guard the ferry /
gave him all the information regarding the |
movements Of the Confederates. He affected to
think light Of it, saying, there was nothing IN
the shape of q gunboAt or ram on the river. L
did all could with him, but to no end. Here l |
must Temain in q crippled condition in crew and |
engine. Received two persons from the Essex |
as prisoners, taken from this place. At five the |
stock of tue anchor parted, aud we hogan drift |
ing. Heave up the anchor, bat working OF our |
steam became unmau3geable and drifted aground |
under the bank of the town. Tried every way |
to get off, but could not succeed. Sent boat, |
with Mr. Chess, to Baton Rouge for steamer to |
tow US off. Spent restless night, as was so |
completely in the power of the enemy; made |
ready for fight both from shore and river. At |
midnight vessel hard and fast.
AUGUST I5.-I fully expected assistance this |
morning early. Everybody is feeling rather |
gloomy for reslly there is fair prospect of our
being taken prisoners of war. CAptsin Porter |
must have received the message frem Mr.. Chess. |
Anxiou.ly have been waiting all the morning |
since daylight for steamer, but up to this, 10 |
A. III, mona ID in sight
A short time after the penning of this, our |
troops demanded surrender. The FedeTals |
asked for a short time to consider. Why they |
were allowed to consider" we are not sble to |
say, but they did consider " until a steamer
hove in sight, when they precipitasely abandoned
the Sumter and msde their escape. The gun |
boat was afterward burned, and thus ended It's
history.