Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-04-24

present stage. i an island. or towhead bar Par
alle with the foot OF this. on the Tennessee
shore, tho flag ship Is anchored. with the navy
transports above Opposite the head Of the bar.
and stretching upwards on the Arkansas shore.
lay the army transports. The gunboats are an
chorei in the stream below. and he mortar feet
Il in position the upper side OF the promon-
tory or bend The tugboats are here. there. aud
everywhere. skimming constantly over the broad
expanse Of water carrying messages and orders
Shortly after meridian Captain Nyndiers of
the army. the chief Of the mortar fleet announced
all ready The tug boat came alongside aud
Cole. Fitch and Mclean, Mr.. Holloway and my
self with the naval and military gentlemen imne-
diately interested stepped on board. The active
little craft ran down by the mortar feet, Captain
Myndiers giving his orders 10 the several NOR
tiers she passed the boats, and then she beaded
for the opposite shore, the pilot having orders TO
place her directly opposite the bend As she
passed il (the bend) the bluffs lifted TO view and
when we reached the middle of the river the up
per rebel battery was to be seen distinctly with
the naked eve. The tug headed up stream and
kept steady while the officers swept the hill with
their glasses Presently the signal was given 10
the first mortar boat TO open fire. volume of
smoke rose slowly up, heavy roar so loud that
j have not language to describe it succeeded and
this was followed by rumblihg as OF distant
thunder as the shell sped through the air These
immense shells do not scream or screech in their
progress "a lesser missiles do-they rumble and
reverberate almost beating nature in their im
tation of thunder Every eye strained 10
note the effect of the shot. Moments elapsed,
the thunder rolling on and on, when small
white cloud was seen Immediately above the cliff
which sent back a sound like n twenty four
FOUNDER. The shell had burst--the range was
right. Another and another succeeded in rapid
succession from the other boats, followed and
mixing up the thunder in such confusion that
earth and water seemed to quake They all bad
range. The rebel gunboats below steamed up 10
get out OF the way, for could the black
smoke from their stacks getting blacker and sway
ing in large clouds above them. The reconnOis-
sance was over--the fight opened and Capt.
Myndiers gave orders to run for the mortar boats.
The rebel batteries were slow to respond. but
when they did open they kept up the fire briskly
and with their heaviest guns. Their shells most
~ burst IN the woods on the prom0ntory and
their solid shot went clear over the mortar boats.
/ The boats were hid from their view by the timber
and they aimed tor the smoke of the guns as it
rose above the trees In half an hour the fight
was hot and the constant of such heavy ar
tillery was deaiening. The rebels evidently have
some fine guns in position and of heavy caliber.
a one hundred and twenty pound shot struck
within few feet Of the Carondoet. dashing the
water over Mr.. FIshback Of the st. Louis Demo
crat, as he sOod, one of the group on her deck
| The sight was grand. The decks of all the yes
sells we're crowded with spectators aud the pano-
rama OF the broad bay with its infinite variety of
craft aud the many thousands witnesses was
exceedingly beautiful. if such a word can be ap-
propriatey used amidst such a stormy cannon
AIDE. For two hours the mortar boats Numbered
and the rebels replied. when orders were given to
throw our shell every fifteen minutes and keep il
ap at that.
The trip to the fleet paid well if only to witness
the 5ombardment of few hours which | have 50
feebly described. Il.