The New York herald., 1862-08-15
our NAvAk CORRESPONDENCE.
UylTrn grArro croun.r

UNrxD STATS GrEBoAT ESsEs,
Or BATON RoUGE, Miss July 90, 1862. !
SsrtAer Interesting Dsas Of the Engagement Bstoeea M
Usios Ganbsat Essea ana TIE Rebel Ram Arsansas ~
On Eye Witaes-Ftarful Fire from TIE Water Bate
ssss Field artillery and Austsry the Esser-Her En-
Sagensu sk the hGntThe Shots Of the Esser Penet,a
NE Sides Of the ArkGsas, Killing Siz cen and Woaadns
fA1ty--Skedcddsin9 81 Her Cree-Ddncge Sustained
~ tAe isstD-One Man Killed and Three Wounded, &C.
Thcro many conflicting statements going the
rounds of tho newspapers far end vide as 10 the late
action of yoksburg between the Essex and the rebe
Arkansas That should feel indebted by your insert
ing in your paper the following account which as an eye
witness can youch for
On the morning the 22d ns four O'Clock leaving
our anchorage, about tEreo miles above Yicksburg we
slowly steamed down the river Approaching the point
about twelve hundred yards above he town. 10 fun
OF the encmys batteries, they ygo ousy opened
fire that would IN ten minutes have caused the desruc-
ton OF any other boat at present oat the Western
waters Rescrvng our Gre for closer quarters with our
antagonist, the ram, adyareed 20 the Mississippi
shore to the point where tho Arkansas was moored The
cnemy's batteries keeping Up inccssant FIRE, did
also the ram, noared. The rssex endeavoIod to
strike her. but ~ onr approach they let 20 hcrbow lnc
and the current drified her stern on ~ cuass ence
was just c.aZcd her side and with considerable
force the river bank, causing engines to stop,
and tor several minutes fearful tlro from the
kctry poured us the hnd batteries sending their
heavy rilea cannon shot thieRly as hail a storm
around and II was at this time That delivered
into the Arkansas at about six yards distance the
fro three line-inch Onward g1.s rakin and
forcing her iron plating as II II had been slight pine lGu
bcr Above the roar Of the guns yell Of distress from
her told Of the confusion and injury the SOLID shot
had caused Reports from uLGreationabe authority
this fire caused her the loss OF sixteen killed and thirty
wounded. BE IL as IL may the balance OF the crew quick
y rcreated to the Shore and had there been support
given there is little doubt should have captured her
Slowly passed. down the river closely TO the Mssis
Spp shore possible " AVOID the fire OF the higher bat
teres which could not dspress their guns sufficiently TO
be effective against We nevertheless became point
blank mark FOR the lower batteries who failed not to take
advantage OF the opportunity From at least one hundred
guns OF heavy oalibre assaied for hour ana
twenty minutes with every conceivable missile cannon
and m'sketry could belch forth The Essex hidden
from the view Of the lower fleet by the immense quantity
Of water raised by the shot and shell falling around
yet with three exceptions, proecte penetrated the
b0at-one, heavy shell, which, after cutting through
she iron and India rubber sheahng expode in her side
hnaber, tearing away one OF the knees and send
ing splnters around, killed and wounded
three men; and . rifed cannon conical shot pene-
guard mbers OF the wheehose did material damage.
similar shot passed through the whcelhouse, but with
out result The smokestacks literally riddled with
grapeshOt and shell explosions, aud ndcntatons from
shot that had been resisted were visible the iron
plating all the Ship The object OF attack
throughout the fleet that both the uppsr and lower feet
would assa the batteries whilst the Essex engaged the
ram. Yet strangely, and from cause unknown,
left alone The 1ag,hp Benton and ram Queen Of the
West came within long range OF the enemy and
quickly returned To their anchorage. Tho lower feet
We arrived at the anchorage groand Of the lower fleet
at ten minutes to seven A. NJ.