Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-08-05

little or nothing From that time to the present
the events have not reached publicity, although
they are OF interest
The failure Of the attempt 20 capture the rebel (
boat sat heavily upon the consciences OF our ma
val heroes the audacity of her first appearance
disturbed their sleepy eqganimity. A plan was
accordingly laid by which il was hoped that she
might be taken, and on toe 18th, at about sun
rise. Il was put into execution. The new iron
clad gunboat Essex and the ram Queen OF the
West were detailed for the duty and at a given
signal the Essex led the way upon the field of sc-
ton. The plan was that these two boats should
attack her aud cut her and carryher of bodily.
while the rest OF the gunboats. above and below,
engaged the batteries The latter part of the
arrangement failed. the boats did not
ture within range, and the gallant pair we're left
10 fight il out alone
The Essex made grand dash around the
bend. and went at her enemy in fine STYLE She
was discovered Immediately, of course. and pre-
partitions were made 10 receive her. The bow of
the Arkansas was swung out so as 10 present a
front TO the Essex, and, if possible, receive her
on her iron PROV. This operated to throw the
assaiing boat out Of her course. and. in avoiding
the iron prov, she struck a CHANGING blow, which
did no particular harm. Her gunners had been
active IN the meantime, and several shots had
been fired into the Arkansas one Of which, an
eleven-inch solid shot, went through her from
stem 10 stern. killing FIVE men. Alter striking.
the Essex recoiled from the collision. and swung
around below the Arkansas, with her bow close
in shore, and, while in that position, both boats
opened a fierce cannonading. The balls took ef
feet upon the Essex, and cut her up badly while
the Arkansas, usual. was invulnerabe. She
seemed 70 be imperyious 10 the strength of pow
der aud turned the heavy missiles of her enemy
aside, like paper pellets or crumbed them to at
oms with flash OF blue light, and threw them
overheard piecemeal. The Essex was, meantime,
In danger of being sunk, and prudently cOnclu
ded TO leave. She had lost three men killed and
a number wounded, and fighting alone a bat
tie in which the whole fleet should have been en-
gagged. She swung off, and started down stream
under the fire of all the batteries, and
gauntlet WHICH would have sunk any ordinary
gunboat in theheet
Meantime the Queen of the West was getting
under way. She made her start, and had got a
good Roadway on, when she was hailed by Com
modOre Davis. In order to receive his commuRi-
cation, she was obliged to stop and return, when
it was ascerlained that the old gentleman was
merely telling them TO go it as strongly as WAS
feasible under the circumstances. This little d.
erosion sent the Essex into action alone, and be
fore the Queen was again under headway, she
had fought the battle and passed on The ram
went down in fine style She had hundred and
fifty pounds of steam on, and fairly bound
ing from the water when she struck the Arkan-
She made circle TO strike her square and
the conclusion was like an earthquake. The Ar
kansas careened, and rose out of the water as If
lifted bodily off her bed. A crash of timber and
iron resounded in the air as the two boats parted,
and the Quees backed her engines and prepared
for second blow. The Arkansas gave heavy
roll and settled back to her position quietly, and
again they came together There was another
crash and asother surge, and once more they
parted. The Queen turned and ran for the upper
fleet. amid IA perfect storm of balls. which rat
tied about her in every direction She was pierre
Ell in every part, and only escaped sinking by
miracle She in disabled condition, for
the only result OF her tremendous blows had been
to batter her prov into a wreck, and uBi0Int the
iron sheathlng with which il covered. She
got the worst of it by long odds for the Arkan-
sas seemed 10 lie as quietly "a ever, and as invul-
nerable as ever. She was, in reality. uninjurei.
1t may be we'll to add that the man vino took
her into this storm of iron, to encounter foe OF
ten times her strength, and fight single handed
battle in which there should have been hundred
fold more force, was Lieut.. Hunter who is stig-
matiZed by the commander of the Tyler as
coward and potroon for his course in the first
engagement. 1t shows that hasty words may do
great injustice. holder thing never was done.
1t having been demonstrated to the satisfaction
destinies OF the river fleet, that the Arkansas
too much for them, the next step was TO abandon
the field and leave her In victorious possession
True, she was but one, while they were fifteen or
twenty. She carried ten guns and was backed by
thirty five more on the bluff while they mounted
sonnet ing over two hundred; but all that
amounted to nothing so long as she was too
much for them. She could not be shot to pieces
or sufficiently banged about to induce her to show
fha VIII fa fl,r LII
only alternative was to run away and leave her,
like a parcel of corn fed bows breaking their
necks TO put the fence between themselves and
small bull calf which happened to be plucky and
pugnacIous. Really, after such a performance,
it would not have looked surprising to have
caught committee of three heroes apply ing
salt to hes stern post some dark uight that she
might be safely Gagged the next morning.
The upshot was sufficiently ridiculous to crown
the whole undertaking. Throughout, the affair
was specimen of imbecty. When the Arkan-
came down, the feet lay helpless. like 80
many turtles on their backs; not a pound OF
steam to move themselves with and each vessel
carefully anchored 20 that if she fired gun, she
was sure to rake her next neighbor or sink a
transport. The small prodigy hoated leisurely
along, delivering her fire right and left among
the astonished fogies, who were too much dumb
foundered at her audacty to do much besides
open their mouths and look, and finally rested
under the protection of the friendly batteries
The Benton walked up then, and made valorous
rush at nothing, and got punctured for her pains
She might as well have rushed at the moon. She
poked her nose around the corner, when there
nothing in the world to shoot at, and received
the full fire of the batteries, and glad enough
TO get back again. like valorous gander charg-
Ing TO protect his geese, after tie danger is all
past, and perchance running his nose into a hor-
nets nest. Then the feet must run the block
ade and sink her. They ran the blockade but
did not sink her. Some say it dark, aud
they could not find her, and others say that when
they found her, and picked her up, she was. like
the lrishman's potato 100 hot to hold. At all
events, they lett her there, although the suppose
ton that they might have brought her away is by
no means incredible. There nine of them,
all powerful steamers, and it they had grappled
with her and dragged her off by main force, no
body would have objected But they did not do
that Aud then they must knock her to pieces
with rams. So the two brave boats above men
toned went at her. and the lest looked on. Ii
ives like a boy fight at the back OF the school
house, where two do all the HAIR pulling and fin
ger cawing, while he rest sit and enjoy il. OF
course the enemy considered it joke. destitute
of any serious intentions. and refused to accom-
modate them with surrender. Perhaps, If they
had all pitched in, II they meant some e
and backed up the suppOsitIOn with their two
al and old