Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-06-30
rmE wAu HI ARKANSAS.
FHV "Details Of NE Erpiosf0H O" fh
.FsoHtfE Cify.
Cren. Loss Of FedernI soamen.

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on the Mound City on the 18th inst:
At eleven 4 NJ the Mound City, having fred
fCtv one guns, an unusual quantity Of steam IS
seen issriDe, from her ports and through the ven
lila on the upper deck. At first we suppose
her boilers have exploded, but, by mark on her
side forward, perceive that she has received q
shot from the enemy
From A conversation with First Master c.
/ D5miny Of the unfortunate gunboat, we learn
/ that after sbeng the woods, the Mound City
proceeds on up the river, engaging the lower
/ rebel battery, which was soon etfectually 81
lsnced The Mound City had then egaged the
/ second battery-some two hundred yards dis
/ tsnt-and also shelled the woods filed with the
/ enemy's sharpshOoters. At eleven A. M an
elongated rihed fOrty-two pound shot entered
her port side forward of the forward port, at an
angle of thirty degrees, instantly killing four
men at their guns, and then, passing through
/ the steam drum and heater, finally lodged IN
the pantry Of the steerage room.
Walter McCiaiB, John McCintock Emanuel
! Stokes, and J. P. Lee-the latter of Helena, Ar
z lssstsi-5 tho NAMES u The men killed Wiiiie
working their guns. Stokes right shoulder was
/ shot off; McClaiu's whole breast carried away;
/ McClain aud Lee we've literally cut in two, just
about or above the hips Their mangled bodies,
/ torn limb from limb, presented the most horrible
| spectacle we ever witnessed. In an instant the
DUdl, lIolGe anu Out5ltlC WAS tl II
steam Ia the confusion OF the moment some
sixty men, badly saalded, jumped overheard
/ thirty or more of whom we are sure were drown
ed or murdered-the enemy's sharpsaooters liter
/ ally picking off our poor fellows while they were
/ swimming and struggling in the water for life
/ When the accident occurred, Master DOminy was
standing out forward, on the starbOard spar deck
! (the only man then on the deck, Capt. Kelly be
ing G. bis post in the pilot house) giving orders
] 4 bas1 of n md m
| shot. Discovering the flow Of steam, Dominy
pulled off his coat, with which he covered his
/ head, begging his men " for Gods sake not TO
/ lump overheard" tie next went to the stern
waved his handkerchief for the gunboats below
| to come up and tow the disabled Mound City
/ out from under the rebel batteTies-42p0 FOUNDERS
which were playing on her very heavy at the
| time While signaling the gunboat5 to come up
/ the handkerchief was shot out of bis hand As fast
as he pulled his men out of the water at the stern
! OF tie Mound City, the enemys shsrpshooters
! shot them down QlaTtermaster Mexican, and
one Of the c0sI-hesyeTs, were both shot while
/ Douiay was pulling them out; Mexican through
the hip, and the c0al-heaver through the head.
! The later, with his hand elinched q DOmiuys
/ fell dead OF The deck
While tie small boats Of our feet were busily
| engaged in picking Bp the drowning men, the
/ COnestoga, Cspt q, n Bodgstt, L. 5. N. com
mandmg, in full face of the FIRE from the enc
/ my's batteries, gslisntly came to the rescue OF
/ the Mound City, and, passing line to her stern,
pulled he disabled gunb0at out from the shore
/ where she had dIttsd to a secure point one mile
/ below. In the meantime, party OF the enc
/ my's sharpsh0Oers ende2Vored to board the
/ Mound City, but were soon shelled of by dis
! charge from the tug S9it6re's DahlETen hOwi.Z-
er and q round or two from the Conestoga's big
guns One Of the LexiDgton's and two Of the
! COnestoga's small boats, while picking the men
out OF the water were liddled with bullets and
| shot from the enemy's - pOUnder. A42pound-
| er passed through both OF the Conestoga's boats,
/ when one OF the lastsrswas run ashore to save
| the men, one Of whom was severely injured by
/ splinter.
| The agOuiZing scene cannot be described or
/ imsgined. Your correspondent, through the
/ courtesy of Lieutenant Commanding Shirk, L.
/ S. Il, Of the Lexington, was sent On board OF
/ the il-fsted vessel together with Surgeon Gar
yer, with the hope Of aE0Tding all possible re-
/ lief in the capscity of nurse. Here lay the
/ bodies Of soma twenty men, scalded to death,
others with ther manged bodies severed asunder
| by the fatal shot
| The gun deck was literally strewn with from
/ scven,y-fve 10 eighty others, who, being badly
| scalded and horribly diafgured, were tearing oit
their clothing, and long strings OF bleeding Hesh
dangling from their finger ends, hands, arms and
lacerated bodies, and with eyes burnt out and
closed, crying out for Help, help water
give me water save me On God, save me
! Oal kill me, shoot me. Oh do end my misery.
| Doctor, will / live Tell my vile how l died,
and numerous pitifuI exeamstions and pathetic
| appeals Of this character. The features OF all
were wonderfully distorted. Many could not
be recognized by their most intimate friends.
! We pray 30 God we shall never have occasion
TO look on such a scene again. The pilots,
engineers, and all other officers of the boats
stood their watches 10 The last momeut, while
several died at their posts. Many were moaning
piteoGsy; others, in all their misery were cheer
ing up and sympaihizing with their comrades
others franticauy screaming, running wildly
about the decks in their excruciating agony,
nearly all stripped to the bluff Strewn ell over
the deck lie the raw, bleeding, mangled bodies
of the dead and dying seamen.
The surgeon of the ConestOga DR.. Wilson,
and D. Carver, of the Lexington, and all the
officers Of the guubOats, did everything IN their
mower to alleviate the sUff5Tings of the poor
men. Fortunately, cotton was abundant, float
inc in the river One Of the Lexington's small
boats soon picked up sll the cotton required,
while a plentiful supply of ice was furnished
from the ConestOga. The tug brought up the
surgeons of the feet The dying and wounded,
within one hour after the accident occurred,
were removed to the Conestoga, Lexington and
Musselman-the ConestOga and Musselman pro-
csoding to Memphis with the wounded the same
night -
and batteries, Col Fitch's command bravely
drove OF the enemy's sharpshoOters, while au-
other column successfully stOrmed the batteries
from the rear, killing over twenty, and wound
ing and capturing a number Of prisoners, IN
Guiding the rebel commandant of the post,
] Lieut. Joseph Fry, formerly Of the United States
] army.
The gunboats did great execution, while Col
\ Fitch's gallant and daring IRdiana boys faced
the iron sleet Of the euemy's batteries most g.o-
riously, storming and capturing eight brass and
. iron pisces-riaed Parrots and u poundeTs-
4 their largest cannon being a couple OF AZ
/ FOUNDERS, riAed. The two largest guns were
o spiked, and the balance shipped for Memphis
r on the Conestoga The St. Louis, Lexington
e and Conestoga were within three hundred yards
of the lower rebel ba' sry when the accident oc-
s cured to the Mound City.
j The enemy occupied formidable position on
j q bluff, Just below the town Of St Charles, soma
{. City feet above and commanding the river
Il There being short tu or bend IN the river al
5 this point, our gunboats were necessarily com
pelled TO make the turn directly in fall range
= under aud within two hundred yards OF theil
< position, before our FIRE could possibly prove
effective.
:, Lieut.. Commanding w McGunnegle, U. S
N Of ST. Louis, was left in charge OF the gun
l. boat fleet, with instructions to cooperate witt
Col. Fitch Capt Kelly, U. S. n, comman
Of ing the expedition, being seriously seslded, wa
II, sent to Memphis, by the Conesoga. The Monn'
in Citv fred ffy-one shots before the disastTou
accident, when she was some 200 yards in ad
r. vance of the other boats. The St. Louis dis
ID charged over forty rounds, and the Lexington
some S; xty rounds of solid shot and she'll
he First Master Downing, Chief Gunner Thos
of McElroy and Masters Mate Symmes Brown
rs were the only three officers belonging to tn
ed Mound City unirjured. Mr.. Browne, aitaougI
i'll slightly wounded, and having a 6rother wa
died from the effects Of his wounds, renders
ps verv efficient service in nursing the wounded
Ms McElroy, during the excitement, was pushe
to into the river, and swan ashore