The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1862-06-28
Great Federal Victory on White
River.
Terrible Disaster 10 the Gunb0nt
MOuad City
Especial Dispatch TO the Chicago Tribune
CArRo. June 81.

ibis community were ei0ctrine0 this
morning by the report brought by the naval
dispatch boat Of the terrible calamity on
White River, and that Of the most spirited
and gallant action in Arkansas, which has
covered both army and navy with imperish-
able renown.
On the 18th the gunboats Mound City,
St. Louis, and Lexington. left Memphis for
the mouth of White River. On the MORN
ing of the 18th Col. Fitch, with the captur-
ed transports, the New National steamer
Jacob Musselman and White Cloud, with
stores and provisions, followed conveyed by
the Conestoga. On the morning Of the 10th,
the latter joined the gunboat feet, and to-
gether they steamed up White River until
six o'clock in the evening, when they came
near the little town of ST. Charles, situated
upon a high bluff near q hundred miles
from the mouth ofthe river. 1t was known
that this point was fortified. Just below
this point the feet came to anchor. Col.
Fitch sent out a company Of scouts on each
side of the river to reconnoitre. A tug had
gone up ahead on the same GRAND Pres
emily the report Of the boat howitzer was
heard, followed by several guns fred in
quick succc ssion, and soon the tug return
ed, say she had been fired upon from both
sides of the river. Previous to leaving the
locality the tug had opened upon the enemy
with her howitzer and driven from the river
bank the enemy's pickets. Col Fitch then
ordered his men back upon the boat and
waited till the morning Of the nth. About
8 o'clock the Mound City. the flag ship, the
Musseiman and New National with the
troops, then. the ST. Louis, Lexington and
Conestoga ran up until they came within
sight of the bluffs in tie bend, half mile
ahead, and the Mound City opened fire.
The troops were landed and the other gum
boats passed on slowly up the river until
within range Of the batteries when they
poured in a destructive shower upon the
rebels, to which they made no reply. In
the meantime Col. Fitch had landed his
troops, abont 500 men, formed into line and
started them forward on the double quick,
intending to attack the fort in the rear
Soon in that direction were heard the vol
leys Of musketry, sharp and continuous, in.
dicating that warm work was in progress
Presently Colonel Fitch who led his yegi-
ment in person, sent word to the gunboats
that the enemyh pickets we're driven in, and
advised an advance to engage the batteries
at short range. The steamer Musselman
was ordered to advance to the bend, but
the shot and shell commenced to fall thick
around her, and she retired in obedience to
Colonel Fitch's request. The gunboats ad-
vanced a short distance when battery sta.
toned on the bluff above them, on the
south bank of the river, opened fire. It
was afterwards ascertained that this battery
consisted Of four small guns-two brass six
FOUNDERS and two rifled PARROTS, The in.
tention of a part Of the rebels was to create
the impression that this was the strength of
the whole rebel Notifications, as though
within easy range the remaining guns main
tanning obdurate silence. The gunboats ad-
vanced steadily up the stream until they
came to the bend of the river opposite the
middle Of the bluff where the enemy had
that morning sunk three transports and
gunboat, in the expectation Of obstructing
the passage Of our feet. While sinking
one of the transports, It had h,ated with
the current so as to leave just space enough
for the gunboars TO pass, If necessary, be-.
fore reaching the Instructions.
While advancing slowly, the rebels open
ed destructive fire from two riffed ~
FOUNDERS on the feet, to- which the four
It was at this moment that the great catas-
trophe occurred. An unlucky shot from
one ef the heavy guns on the Hill came
plunging down, and struck the Mound City
on the larboard quarter, forward ahead Of
the iron plates, and cut its way through the
heavy timber as fit was an inch board, and
struck the steam drum. passed through it
and the heater, and brought up in the pan.
try. where its progress was stayed
Then followed a scene which beggars de-
scription. The decks were crowded with
nearly 200 men, and as the hct scalding
steam was thrown with tremendous force
between tho decks terrible cry of agony,
arose which my informant says, will ring in
his ears to all eternity. Out of 1870 men
TWENTY-FIVE are all that escaped injury. Ev-
cry officer but one was scalded or killed
outright. He was on the upper deck, and
out OF reach of the steam. He was first
master @. Dominy, Of Peoria.
Capt Kitty was in the pilot house, and
was badly scalded about the face, hands and
feet, but is expected to recover. Several
jumped overheard, and the yawls of the 9TH
er gunbnats quickly went to their assistance
At this jnnctnre Col Fry. the inhuman dew
il incarnate commanding the rebel fortifca-
tons, ordered his sharpshooters to pick off
the poor sailors swimming in the water, and
FOR some time kept firing at them with his
large guns. shot passed through the Con-
estoga's launch, but fortunately killed no
one. Many Of our men were killed in the
water, and several drowned.
the federal navy.
By this time firing had ceased, and the
Lexington towed the disabled Monnd City
into the bend. The tug came to the trans
ports for surgeons and assistance for the
scalded. The sufferers were all stripped,
the skin coming off in large fakes with
their clothing, and all turned to render the
assistance SO inperatively demanded. One
Of the men, who was dying on the gun deck
by some means caught hold Of the rope by
which the cap on the guns exploded, and in
the extremity Of his agony discharged the
larboard bow gun, very large one, and the
shot passed through the engine Of the New
National. forward Of the wheel, cutting off q
steam pipe Of the larboard engine and Sc
verely scalding the engineer.
AT this time news came from Col. Fitch
that he had taken the fort also that Col.
Fry, the rebel commandant, was badly
wounded in the shoulder:
COL Fitch did not loose man of his com.
mand.
The steamer Musselman was ordered to
take the wounded 10 Memphis, under con.
voy of the Conestogs. About sun down all
the living were taken aboard, and the steam
er started on the 18th, about day light The
steamer reached the mouth of White River
during the night. Twenty died !; among
them Sd master John H. Kinzie, Jr., OF
Chicago; five men died on the Conestoga |;