New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-07-25
sTsRRIyC TAMES AT yKCkSEUEsG.
TIE "Arkansesc Gut t. She Runs the
H!ochaae- GFnmd stsbpede OF Hams
ana stcsr,soDts-sbc Cripp!cs thc Corr
on.:eiei--Sarrcw EsCupr Of the Cincin-

| Bali.
| Correspondence Of The Chicago Tribune
UNITED STATS GusBo.r FIorirLs,)
"Wednesday. Jolly 49, 1902
| The monoiony aud enDn which has hung like a
nall for the last TWO weeks over our feet was most
efectually broken yesterday morning, and rather
nupeas ant break it was. Bat to facts: Abou 3oo
A. M the Qunboats Carondelet and Tyler and the ram
Queen of the West got under way, steamed up the
river a short distance, turned and headed up the
| TaZoO.
| Rumors had been rife for several days that the
| Arkansas was preparing TO come ont. but large
majority booted it down, aud ecoilei al me pare
idea. IL seems however that those In authority
placed rome credeDce in the report, ana conse-
quenily the two gunhoats and ram were sent TO
| look MP matters. Upon entering the river, the
Queen shot up ahead OF the rert, the Carondsiet
following. while the Tyler brought up the rear.
| They had proceeded about five miles only, when
those on the gnnboas were startled by the appear
ance of the Queen coming full speed Gown the
riyhr, with evidently every pound Of steam she
| could make ut work on her shaft. She flew by the
| Carondeiet with the words, "Ibe Arkansas Is
coming" and shortly alter long, low, mud-coi-
ored craft with short, timex, black smoke stack IN
her middle, pulling out huge volumes OF black
smoke came swiftly around the point, and mace Tor
| tie Carencelet. .
The river was too narrow to turn back, even If
Cant. Walker had so wished but the captain III one
who knows ho such word as back out, aud,
|
the Caropdelet belched forth whole troadside on
10 TIE rapidly -ady ancng craft. Imagine the con-
| sternation produced when the balls were seen 10
strike and fall harml. ssly in the water Az him
again was the cry, and another broadside wns
| ponred into the monster al fifty yards range bnt
\ with no more effect than If so many peas had been
discharged
| The Arkansas row ran into the CaTondelots star
board quarter with fearful crash, pouring broad
side after broadside in the eunboat, which, pass,,
ing through the wooden casenate, raked the vessel
from stem 10 stern. The Arkansas showed 10 inten-
ton of leaving her victim, bnt remaining along Ter
starboard Quarter raked her fore and att with
| roiutsd shot The Carondelet's stern and after
division Of starboard batteries kept mp AN ineessaot
fire; but the huge Gold shot flew oil ike lndia rub
Der balls. ,
There wa. no tangible spot to be seen very small
round hole lust large enough TO admit the gun,
stued her ports and elevatlDg or depressing, the
poythole moved with tho gun. Finding his guns
were doing no service Capt. Walker had his beard
err called away and into the Rebel craft they poured
hut no, a man or passage way could be found. The
arders now returned and the guns set TO work. on.
IL was so much powder wasted The CarODdelets
stern was now perfectly riddled, all the officers
quarters shot away, and everything literally torn to
piece.
Az length shot cut away the steam.pipe aud the
scalding yapor spread to every part of the boat.
Many Of the men Jumped overheard. At this juno
,ure of affairs Capt. Walker led boarding party on
the Rebels deck, but could possible way of get
ting below The matches were all secured under
neatb and the smallest kind of an aperture or hole
WAS nowhere to be found. This discovered, the
t,rty returned to give up their beat only when the
bottom OF the river called for her. The flag, which
still hoaed from her stern WAS never 10 be struck
to tho Rebels as long as one board ioaied to hold
| il ny. 49,
What men were left stood by what guns couId be
brought to bear and worked them until the Arkan-
sas, thinking she had abcut finished her victim,
pushed along past her and stood for the Tyler which
had stood by the Carondolet through the whole
6oht. The TYLER discovered her notion and know
ng her thin frame would stand no chance when
brought IN contact with the enemy lnvulnerable
sides headed down the stream, keeping just clear OF
the Arkansas, aud firing her stern battery. This
chase WAS kept mp until the mouth OF the rver was
reached, when the Tyler, her boats shot away and
badly cut up Otherwise came INTO view oI INC whoe
fleet
Not a vessel in the whole fleet, from some strange
fatality, had steam enough to move. The Louisiana
shore was lined with transports, ordnance boats,
&c, while directly opposite them, three or four
abreast, lay Fa.raguts and Da,s's fleet, scarcely
two OF which could fire without pouring their broad
sides into come of their vessels. AL eyes were
strained to see the cause oil the Tylers compotion
The amicet which lay nearthe mouth oil the iaZoo,
are scattering IN every direction A moment more
and the opgdreaded Arkansas steams into full view,
and heads night for the center OF orr fleet.
Bang goes guu at the ordnance boat Great
W estern while one is fired from her port battery at
the rams which leaving IN every direction. She
now passes the Richmond whoss splencd battery
of pine.inch Dahlgren guns is held quiet by the j.
IA. Dickey, which lies Just opposite. Bang bang,
90 TWO more guns ut the ordnance boat. Passing
down. she puts two balls into the Champion, while
in the mean time her port battery is busy with Far
ragut fleet.
steadily she pursues her way, nothing dsunted
nothing checked. She is now than bali way
down. She passes the Hartford, but the noble old
flagship is situated ike the Richmond for the same
broadside which would have hailed on the Arkansas
would have annihilated the splendid hosp,tal-boat
Red Rover, with her cargo OF human freight. The
Oneida hits her with eleven-lnch, but her ponjerous
missile produces no effect. The Wenona and VISA
hcon engage her. but she passes their lire unscathed
unliarmed.
shake OF the head is the only Response, as ball after
ball drops from her sides into the water. Steadily
but surely she keeps on the way, firing one broad
side az the transports, and the other al some vessel
ON the other side. She hss nearly run the gauntlet
One more boat only 70 dispute her progress, and
that the Cincinnati which, TAR below the rest OF the
fleet is doing picket duty near the point. AL, eyes
are upon hor, and repetition oil her Fort Pillow
experience seems inevitable.
On comes the Arkansas seemingly like Anteus OF
old picking up new strength at every step. She II
sure of her prey, and is making right tor it, The
Cincinnati had not steam sufficient TO tackle OH her.
Oh even hardly enough to hold her head up stream
Sic slipred her cable, however, and Loaded for the
Mississippi shore, fitting down stream all the time
her own motive power being insufficient TO stem the
current. The Arkansas discovering her intention
heads for her, when the gunboat opened brink and
CALLING fire on the advancing Rebel at short range
the rihed Parrots apparently piercing her the other
shots dropping hsrmlessly oil.
The ram hres heavily as she advances, and is
rapidly gaining on her opponent. When just as all
were expecting a collision, the Arkansas suddenly
checks up, heads the other way, fires parting
brosdside, and rapidly leaves the Cincinnati behind
her. The gunboat had drawn her into too shallow
water, which she had no intention OF being caught
in. The Cincinnati, assisted by the Wenons, kept
up an ncesssnt fire until she had rounded the point,