Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-08-26
eF THR FEBFRAE,
NAVY On LOWER lEassIssHPPE.
OaeiaI Eseporfs Of Co..n.gaore Earrag..l.

Official Reports OF CoBsHsoaore FarragsF
The Navy Department is in receipt Of vo-
luminous dispatches from Adnifal Fsrragut
and among them is the following:
FLAG SHIP HAETFoaD,
BATON ROUGE, August :, lr62.
SIR. II is one Of the happiest moments oi
EIny life that 1 am enabled to inform the depart
ment Of the destruction Of the ram Arkansas
not because / held this ifoa-clad 10 such terror,
but because the community did. On the 4th
inst. 1 sent the Tennessee up to Baton Rouge,
with provisions for Commander Porter and the
| gunboats stationed at that place. Oa ths night
/ Of the 9th she returned with the information
| ths. the enemy had made a combined attack
| upon Baton r juge by the ram and two gun
/ boats, the Webb and Music and calling for as
sistance. At daylight the Hartford was under
weigh for this place, with orders for the other
vessels to follow me as fast as ready. arrived
here to-day, at u n, in company with the
Brooklyn, Westheld, Andrew jackson, and
Scioto.
had sent Ceyuga up agreeably 70 a request
! OF General Bltler, in consequence Of the guer-
rillas firing into some Of his transports. Oamy
arrival I was informed by Commander ". D.
1 Porter, that yesterday morning st two o'clock
the enemy's forces under General BreckinTidge
pickets. General Williams having had ample
wsrning, all was prepared for him; the fghtwas
continued with great energy on both sides TIL
ten o'clock A. 81 which tins the enemy had
been driven two or three miles; but unfortunate
ly the gallant General Williams was killed.
Fortunately he had informed LieUtsnant-C Com
nanding Ransom, the evening before, Of his
plans and requested him not to fire gun until
he notified him; and when he did 50 our gunOoats
a1 4L.s.- fl-
directly IN the midst OF lhs ca my pro 1ucing
great dismsy and confusion among them. Lieu
tenant Ransom had az officer on the STATE house,
which overlooked the adjacent country, e1d
could direct the force of our shells As soon rs
the enemy was Tepulsed, Commander Porter,
with the gunbOats, went up the stream after the
ram Arkansas, which was lying about five miles
above, apparently afraid to take q share IN the
conflict, according to the preconcertsd plan. As
ne came within gun-shot he opened on her, aud
probably soon disabled some of her machinery or
steering apparatus, for she became unmauage-
able, continuing 5b0WeveT TO fire her guns at tie
Essex. Commander Porter says he took ed-
vantage of her presenting a weak point toward
him, and loaded with iucendisry shells Alter
his first discharge Of this projeefile, gush Of
/ IRE came out OF her side, and from that moment
1t was discovered she was on fire, which he con
/ tinued bis exertions to prevent being ex-
| tinguished
| They backed her ashore and made line fast,
/ which sOou burnt, and she swung eff into the
/ river, where she continued to BUrn until sne
/ blew up with a Tremendous explosion, thus end
ing the career of the last ron-cIad on the Missis
/ sippi. There were many persons on the banks
of the river Witnessing the fghk, in which they
anticipated a triumph. Lwil have q sufficient
force Of gunb0ats here to support the army, and
/ viii return tomorrow to New Orleans. and de-
I
heart, that have left 10 bug5ear TO torment tee
| communities Of the Mississippi in my absence
Very respectfully, your o5ediort servant,
/ d G. FARBAGUT,
Flag-Oficer Commanding.
/ To Hon. G. Wees, Secretary Of the Navy.
/ Commander w. D. P0rters dispatch 10 Ad-
| miral Fsrragut Is thus given:
i SIR; This morning at eight O'Clock / steamed
/ up the river At ten O'Clock a 81. attacked tBs
rebel ram ATkansas. and blew her up Tsere i5
! not fragment Of her left
/ Lieutenants Ransom and Roe, and also Com
mander W. ID Porter each give = eircUmstaR-
tal account of the affair.
Lieutenant Roe SAYS the enemy are still how
ering il the resr of Baton Rouge, and that IL
/ formation Is received shat in addition 10 The
5000 already in the vicinity 1900 more sre ap-
1 preaching from Madacha aad others from 4icEs-
| burg.
/ 1 keep in constant communication with the
! commander-n-ehiaf OF the troops here, ready TO
open IRE when and where he may dasire-
! Commander Porter says the Arkansas had a
| crew of $50 men, and mounted ten guns. SIX
| 8-inch and four 50-pounder rifles TIE gunboat
| Essex, Commanded by him, mounted seven guns,
/ and had oEly forty men On du:y at tbs time Of
her going into action.
| TIE following rcbel account Of She arkansas
is submitted to the Seeretsry Of tie Navy by Ad-
miral Fauagut:
FLAGSHIP HARTFORD,
! Nxw ORLEANS, August 10.
SIR: Since forwarding the reports OF Lieu
tenants Fairfax, Ransom and Roe, We have
| picked up number OF prisoners rom tho ram
/ Arkansas, all OF whom 1 have eatechised very
! closely. They agree very we'll respecting her
! exit from the Yaz9o and her passage through the
feet, and they also agree as 10 number Of killed
and wounded on each Of these occasions, making
! in ali eighteen killed and large number Of
wounded
At Vic5sburg they plated the deck with iron,
and fortified her with cotton inside. She then
came down ia command Of Lieutenant II. X.
Stevens, Lieutenant Brown being sick st Veks-
J burg, and with the intention OF making a COM
bined astsck with General BfeckiuTidge on
Baton Rouge; but her port engine broke down.
They repaired it in the course Of the day, and
I went out to meet the Essex The next morn
ing, when they saw her coming up, the star
board engine gave way, and they run her
ashore she being peTfsetly unmanagesbls.
They saw thGt when cur gUuboats were seen
coming up, the Essex commeEcsd firing, the
captain set the ram on hra and told the crew to
run ashore They also state that the gunboats
Webb aud Music were sent for to tow her up
the river, but that they did not arrive.
DEsTRUCsIoE or DoNALDsoxvILLE.
Adrniral Farragut, under date of the 18Th Au-
gust, thus addresses tbs Secretary Of the Navy:
SIR: l regres TO inform the department. that
at ths town Of DOnaldsOnville they have pur-
sued q uniform practice Of firing upon our
steamers passing up and down the river. l
sent a message TO the inhabitants that if they
did not discontinue this practice 1 would destroy
their town. The last time passed up to Baton
Rouge to the support Of the army, anchored
about a nile from DOnaldsonville and heard
them fire upon the vessels coming up. In the
latter case they made mistake, and it was so
quickly returned that they ran away The next
night they fred upon the ST. Charles I there
fore ordered them to send their women and
children ont Of town, as I certainly intended to
destroy it on my way down the river, and I full
filed my promise, to certain extent.
I burnt down the hotels and wharf buildings
also the dwelling house and other buildings Of q
8ir. Philip Sandy, who is said to be a captain
of guerillas. he fred upon our men, but they
chased him off. We also brought off some ten
or twelve Of his negroes, and supplied ourselves
with cattle and sheep from his place.
Latest WashinRtOa Gossip.
Dispatch 70 the heAssoeistcd Press Northl
WAsfINGTON, August 10 The Treasury De
paFtment VIII begin the delivery Of the new
I nOstal e1lrranev to-uorroVr II will ba ssnad at