Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1862-06-11
MEMPHIS is OURS!
A BIG RAgsa Fight
\ BRILLIANT VICTORY.

ne steamer Il Ntte y tAey sill"Ct GU
the levee about sunrise this morning
From parties direct from Memphis, We
full particulars of the occupation of the
city. Contr to the general eZpecta-
ton, and the tenor of report, telegraphs
from New Madrid last evening, to the ef-
feet that Memphis had surrendered with
out firing gun, we have to record bril-
liant naval engagement resulting in the al
most ENTIRE ANNIHlLATION OF
THE REBEL FLEET AND DESTRUC-
TION OF A LARGE NUMBER OF
CONFEDERATE MARINES AND SOL
DIERS The incidents of the fight will
appear in the narrative below:
We have received no account of the en-
gagements from our special correspondent,
and are chiefly indebted 10 mail agent h.
Maxwell, of the Platte Valley, to whose
courtesy we are Obliged for facts and com
plete files of Southern papers.
Thursday afternoon at one O clock, the
national hetilla left Fort Pillow for that
den of sec ssion, rattlesnake rebellious
city of Memphis, passing the much vaun-
ted and somewhat apocryphal fortifica-
,-1 -I,.t without hajr fr N, eft
with that destruc..ye broadside which was
said to be laid up for the detila whenev-
or it should attempt to make the passage
at that point The mortars. rams and gum
boats steamed rapidly down the river,
with guns shotted, magazines opened. and
every preparation made to answer shot
for shot About 9 clock in the eve ming
they made tho bend in the river above
Memphis, and laid to for daylight Du-
ring the night no demonstrations were
made. Their appearance above the bend
caused considerable of futter among
the citizens of Memphis.
At early dawn the rebel feet composed
of the Gen Van Dorm (aagship) General
| Price Gen. Bragg jeff Thompson, Gene
raj Lowell, Gen. Beauregard, Sumter and
Little Rebel, all rams, and under the com
mand of Com. Eo Montgomery, left their
moorings before Memphis started up the
river to offer US battle Commodore Da-
| Wis, witnessing this movement ordered the
| decks Of the gunboats to be cleared and
prepared for action. When opposite the
mouth of Wolf River, while the Federal
boats were still at their moorings, the Lit
| tie Rebel opened ly firing three guns.
which were soon answered by the gunboat
| Cairo and Immediately followed by the
guns Of the whole flotilla. Brisk cannon
| aiding was kept up for some time without
doing much damage on either side, when
| finally the Confederate fleet fell back to
point opposite the city Of Memphis
where Beal street runs into tho river,
when tie Federal ram Queen City shot
| ahead Of the rest Of the fleet in pursuit
| There were preparations made for her on
! the part of the rebel steamer Beauregard
and placing herself, she struck the Queen
| City IN the wheel partly disabling her
| This did not prevent her from continu-
ing in the engagement The ram Monarch
! then came to her assistance and aimed
heavy blow at the Beauregard which
| barely missed her, but was received by
her consort the Gen. Price. This boat
was struck squarely in the wheelhouse,
and was made complete wreck. The
Benton, Carondelet and Mound City then
appeared on the scene of action, direct
! ing their attention principally to the Gen.
Lowell, which soon after struck amidships
and sunk in deep water with all on board
The Little Rebel by this time concluded
| that that region was becoming too hot for
! her, and made for the Arkansas shore,
| having received Federal shot in her hull
which caused her to fill and sink rapidly.
| The Gen Beauregard was subsequently
| made the recipient of Federal favors in
/ the shape of a tremendous butt from the
| chief ram of Capt. Ellet's flock and soon
! after commenced sinking rapidly in deep
water. Her officers and crew were taken
| off by Federal tug and conveyed to the
| Arkansas shore as prisoners. The re-
naming Confederate boats, the JEFF.
Thompson, Van Dorm and Sumter. and
Bragg now moved rapidly down the river.
Aware that their only safety after the loss
of the other four was in retreat, the JEFF.
Thompson steamed to the Arkansas shore
and soon after flames issued from her up-
per decks. Tho Federal boats followed
IN pursuit of the rest, and after an absence
OF an hour returned
The Sumpter and Bragg were both cap
tured, the Van Dorm escaped down the
river
The engagement lasted an hour and ten
| minutes, and resulted in the entire de-
struction. with the exception of the Van
Dorm, of the Confederate navy which for
so many months has blockaded the Mis-
sissippi
The loss of life On the part of the Con-
federates is undoubtedly great, probably
about 500; on our side not man was
killed and only one wounded
NO damage Of shy moment was done to
the city during the entire engagement
The bluffs in front of the city were crow
ded with spectators witnessin. the grand
spectacle