Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1862-08-07


gone on, and was then in advance one half
or three quarters of mile.
THE STEAM RAMS GALLANT PART.
The Queen was now exposed not only to
the batteries of the enemy, but to those Of
the gunboat, which lay with her stern into
shore and her bow up stream, apparently ex
pecting and prepared for an attack.
All This while, SO far from the gunboats
drawing the hostile fire, and standing be-
tween the Queen and harm, she was re.
ceving most damaging attention from all
sides. Shot and shell were raining around
her, and she had been struck number OF
times in very delicate localities.
| Col. Ellet saw his was desperate chance;
that he had staked his life upon cast, and
that he had probably lost; that those. on
whom he had depended had failed, and he
,ould now depend only on himself and fate
DESPERATE SITUATION OF THE QUEEN OF
THE WEST.
To attempt TO strike the Arkansas with
his wooden boat while score Of the heavi-
est guns were pouring their fire upon him
seemed certain destruction. There appear
cd no chance for escape above, and none
below. He was hemued in on every side.
A wall of fire on both sides. And still he
saw and heard nothing Of Farragut who
was to occupy the lower batteries, while the
ram relieved herself from her hazardous
strait.
Aman can die but otce, and never better
than in bis country's cause, thought Col.
Ellet; and he determined, come what might,
to strike the Arkansas willing, if he could
but sink her, to lose his existence.
The gunboat' position was unfavorable.
He would have to take roundabout course,
before he could reach her, and strike her
r going against the current; thus decreasing
the rate Of his speed, and diminishing the
accuracy Of his aim. But even these ad
verse circumstances did not deter him, moi
the fact that heavy shot we've every mo-
, ment piercing the vessel going through
0 and through her, as if she were made Of pa
r per.
r THE ARKANSAS STRUCK BY THE RAM.
The Col. was resolved to take the odds,
: sink or not--and he took them. He wen
/, against the Arkansas partially up stream,
U designing to butt her forward of her sid,
! guns-her weakest place-but the eddies il
y the river altered his course somewhat, anC
= he struck her aft Of the aft side gun, and
. unfortunately, glancing though violen
: : blow, that made both the tratorous and tn,
loyal craft tremble,s The Arkansas seemed
. to shrink and yield before the blow, and fo
q moment it was thought her side woul,
give way but she reacted, and the ran
@ flew back from her, and, in moving towar,
b her again, ran into the bank.
II The Queen reversed her engines, and, a
IS she went sternward into the stream, he
!, head veered up the river and it was the
/. evident her sole opportunity, if any ther
was Tor escape, was above.
d CONSERVATION ON THE ARKANSAS.
n xv,u.. a. A.,. .,.
J, oons,o, nem tnn nrSansas S was s.rucS, greo
g SnanI Is'on Eom oe aHI oIpldipn prevaiicu
!. ao"uoi u - iou y, .ne tepel o'e" ~ere VI
ir ,na,nn ,J W. Uui " .co Po,., .o.os 'h.p VI
a 49, g, GU" No, ou;,;n " I'nol: - run asno.'
1T I;ont I'll Eiat 81 amu eAo..Hs "io'neu
ia ar LIN -, ,i,o nD; ma, Nc y, ,".. ~
is y'hs, % y" Wy hu,i.cnne rool' oes'ue VI
pm,u s;U,oe, VIZ J;aais1 sa,"V o'n, you';,
A. .nS ,hnS H, a,IIu" I u'sonais1u MS !e'p,ver in'
1T ;m';,ppVa m "Go ~, noa,osI h'l'' HIS o'a'e W
" 'rhov hanrJ on;'' f.", a.. ph,,
o. "Shs I, H. ;me ,aepH' y, S".pJa ,.
le tbemsel vns "end soa " I"S ~" aS ,ao D"s ~ '"I 't
e, aIleaoJ tact 'o"" ''' nv '''u'"'' VI y
5 WV
On FoHLoRN HOPE INDEED.
b.. Nothing more could be done, and Gu
We Eliot determined, if possible, to save h
n men, though that, under the circumstance
was the most forlorn OF forlorn hopes.
No friendly gunboat Or Union vessel WI
:, near.
~ ~ Three or four OF the hostile batteries wei
~ playing upon the devoted and seeming
10 doomed Queen, which must run by the q 81
~ death, bolching guns before she could be r
r no garded as IN any way, secure.
II, Where were Davis's gunboats that wel