The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1862-08-04
Col Ellet Attack on the Ram Arkansas

We are indebted To the correspondent oil tue
New York Tribune Tor The following graphic
and thrilling account OF the late encounter oil
the Queen OF the West with the Rebel lam Ar
kansas;
Three of the vessels of Com. Davis-'r- Beh-
ton, Cincinnati and Louisrile-were 10 engaSe
the upper Rebel batteries, the Bragg to be be-
hind the bend in readiness IN butt the Arkan-
sas in the event OF her appearance above ana
the Essex 10 run down in advance OF the queen
and grapple her as she passed draw her OF IN
to the stream, 10 give the Queen an excellent
opportunity to ram her Farrugui ."eanwhlle
engaging The lower batteries.
After the Queen had s;ruc., the enemy she
was to come up or go down the river, as was
most advantageous, the Benton protecting her
ret.eat in the Iurmer and the Essex in the latter
case The Sumter to ram the hostile gunOoat II
the Queen failed to perform her task Inls ar
rangement wac GOOD and entirely satisfactory
to ali parties, and promised TO be faithfully car
rled out.
The three gunboats opened FIRE the Bragg
took her position. ana the Essex led OF in hne
style. the Queen following at nigh rate OF
speed, and under very favorable auspices.
As the ram passed the flagship, Commodore
z
near the pilot house and erred " Good luck,
good luck - The Colonel misunderstood the
words, surprising the Commodore SAID, 4" 90
back, 90 pack and Sherelore turntd The
Queen about and steamed toward the Benton,
when be heard - 90 on, 20 Oh Without
mprehending this apparent Inconsistency, and
believing the first duty OF Il soldier is II obey,
the Colonel steamed Gown under the hatteIi /:
and arriving at the first water hattery, near She
Marine Hospital, where The hostile gunboaT MAS
lyiny he discovered mat the Essex had gone on,
and Was then in advance one-hHH Or three quAF-
tiers Ot mle.
The Queen WAS now exposed t.ot only to the
batteries of the enemy, out to those OF the gan
boat, which lay with her stern into shore and
her bow up stream, apparently expecting and
prepared Tor an attack.
All this while, So tar from the gunbolts draw
ing the hostile tire, and standing between the
Queen and harm. she was receiving most dam
aging attention from ali sides. shot amt shell
were raining around her. and shn ha,i been
struck number Of vines in very delicate LOCAL
lties.
Col. ElIet saw his was 1t desperate chance :;
that lie had ,taked his HE upon ii cast, and that
he lad probably lost az thoS. or whom he
had depended bad failed. and he could nuw de-
pend ouly on himself and fate.
10 attempt to strike the Arkansas with his
wooden boat wnlle score OF the heaviest guns
were pouring their fire upon hlm, seemed GER
tain destruction. Thee appeared no chance tor
escape above and none below. He was bemmed
in on every side. A wall of lire on both sides.
And still he saw and heard nothing OF Farra
gut, who was to occupy the lower batteries
while the ram relieved herself from her hazard
Gus strait.
A man die but once, and never better
than in his country's cause, thought Col. Ellet,
and he determined. come what might, 10 strike
the Arkansas-wiling. If he could but sink her
10 lose his existence
The gunboat's position was uniavorable He
would have to take a roundabout course, before
he could reach her, aud strike her going against
the current; thus decreasing the rate Of his
speed, and diminishing the accuracy of bis aim
But even these adverse circumstances did not
deter hun, nor the fact that heavy shot were
every moment piercing the vessel; going through
and through her, as II she We're made OF paper
The Colonel was resolved to take the odds,
sink Or n0t-and he took them He went
against the Arkansas partially up stream, de-
signing to butt her forward of her side gunS-
her weakest place-but the eddes in the river
altered his course somewhat, and he struck hey
ait of the aft side gun, and, unfortunately, IL
CHANGING though violent blow, that made both
the traltorous and the loyal craft tremble. The
Arkansas seemed to shrink and yield before the
blow, and for u moment it was thought her side
would give way hut she reacted, and the ram
flew back from her, and, in moving toward her
again, ran into the bank.
The Queen reversed her engines and, as she
went sternward into the stream, her head veered
up the river, and it was then evident her sole
opportunity if any there was, TOR escape WAS
above.
When the Arkansas was struck great conster-
nation and confusion prevailed On board fuuy
OF the Rebel crew were observed to leap out OF
the PORTFOLIOS into the water, and u number OIL
! Others to run ashore. Even at that critical ans
| exciting moment Lieut.-Col. Ellet, who wa.
standing, Or rather lying, on the hurricane roof
beside the pilot house, with his gallant son, ,
youth OF only sixteen discharged his revolver
into the port-hoe nearest him, his brave bow
initiating his example.
They heard cries from the Robe gunboat
:" She is sinking, she is sinking !" but they
themselves could see no whence OF the alleget
fact.
Nothing more could be done, and Col. Ellie
determined, If possible, to save his men thou I'll
that, under the circumstances was the mos
forlorn of torlorn hopes.
No friendly gunboat or Union vessel was near
Three or four of the hostile batteries wer
playing upon the devoted and seemingly doome
Queen, which must run by the great death belch
ing guns before she could be regarded as in an
way secure
Az n =,