New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-06-11
THE ENEMY TERRIBLY woRsTED.


The oos reared ceaselessly, and at this time the
Ievee Of Memphis wac black with ns tnrong OF nu'
man beings. Every one bad been awakened oy tne
.hnnaer Of artillery and had left his couch to WI
ness the battle which, as many thought, wond de-
eide the fate Of Memphis. ,a ,,hon
Our vessels were not even once elrucs, ahu ~noi,
thew were. sustained no damage. The enemy nled
vcrv wildly either from excitement or discourage
ment and had in some instances, as Ia tn e
case If the rama shot az distance OF less than ~
wards without hitting their object Inc heoelS
never. within my knowledge, fired 40 poorly. was
surprised when ] expected 10 hear q sho! cfa.n.h2
sgains our timbers 10 observe IL iaI wlde oi Tue
mark. u.. ,.o,;or
and were as cool az if they were wnterng in Lap
| land Very soon the Little Rebel was struck 30
Frequently and 80 severely injured that sne ieakeu
greatly ana her commander ran her on the Athhnhss
shore-the officers and crew leaplng on ana IsnipS
fight. Our gunboats gave the retreating Rebels
several shots rs they sped through the woodS' Du'
with what effect in unknown.
| From the time the rams had made their appear
snce the Rebel boats had been steadily falling DacH
tbough continuing TO iirebeayily, before the Victo,
Ions ADVANCE of the national hOiIla At this period
of The ocion the feet must have passed at least two
miles below the town, a vast crowd following along
the Tennessee shore and watching She light with
broallcis anxiety.
FLIGHT OF THE REBELS.
The Jeff. Thompson, the General Bragg, and the
Sumter, and the Van Dorm were the only vessels Of
the Rebel feet remanng and these were 20 frequent
ly struck and saw so little opportunity OF escaping the
lue of their companions that they turned their heads
ashore and soon reached tho Arkansas side, ~neh
officers crew eaped OF and ran through the WOODS,
our boats shclling them before. \ shell had ex-
nloded on the Thompson, and set her on fire. but as
L was thought 10 be exlngnished, the hotilla ioi
lowed the other vessels, but not swifty enough 10
prevent the escape OF the crew, because the Rebel
ships were lighter and of superior hcetness.
| Tie General Bragg was enabled to reach the
Arkansas shore about laif mile below the Ihomp-
son and off her crew sprung on terra irna, flying III
great confusion and terror like Hook OF frightened
fheep before pack Of rayenous wolves. lie Bragg
was also set on fire by SHE'LL and would have been
destroyed had not Lieut. Bishop OF tie Benton gone
On board i'm n tug and extinguisbed the flames.
The Sumter followed the example Of her prede-
and as soon ID she touched the consecrated
earth of the Southern Greece lArkantasl, her crew
dispersed with npidty that was not checked by
the shells we sent after them. The totllla was now
near President Island, and had sunk, disaoied or
placed hors de combat every one OF the enemys
ieet except the Van Dorm, which was still hurryn9
down the river nuder full pressure Of steam.
The Union gunboats still fired at the Van Dorm,
and the Cairo and Carondeet, two OF the fastest OF
the feet. pursued her mile further than their COM
pani0Ds; but soon returned deslarinR OF ever over
taking her.
GRAND EXPLOSION OF THE Jeff. THOMPSON.
The hotilla steamed up the Mis: ieslppi
again, and it arrived opposite the spot where the
Jel. Thompson wss the hostile craft was discovered
TO Se all ablaze. The fire, supposed TO be extin-
ouished. had burst out anew and thus there WAS
possibility of taving her. The Runboat presented
magnificent spectacle, with the flames running Ike
crimson serpens all over her, and licking the water
with their fiery tongues IA If they were furnishing
of thirst. The flames cracked and trembled, and
the warm, free atmosphere danced aroundtne doomed
yaezal an III reiOiCfug rhe more.
The crowd from the Tennessee shore watched The
burning vessel with great interest, and We could
see the people eesiculstiDg ana pointing their hands
t. the scene Of conlagraon that no one could con
lecture whether they sorrOwed or Joyed over the
heavy disaster that had befaen the insugent fleet.
Lower and lower burned the Thompson. Her
wLee houses were gone, and her single chimney had
tnmbled overheard with huge crash, carrying with
i, par, Of the deck. The fames were rapidly
dwindling: the little fretongues were putting 90.
their burning lives by watery suicides, and people
were turning away, believing the coniisgration had
ended when suddenly and unexpectedly, a tre'nen-
dous explosion rent the air, nnd shook the waters oil
the Ms.isippi as if the mythic maelstrom were be-
/ meath iis surface.
The Rebel vessel had blown up when the llames
had reanhod her magazine and hundreds OF shells
exploded after they thrown into the air, pro-
ducing strange ard startling elect, and giving the
impression tha, the enrnged heavens Themselves
were opening terrestrial batteries upon the perldoue
heads of the iated MemphIans.
Bapc bang bang, was heard, and for more than
thirty seconds the puis OF blue smoke from Inc
bnr-ing bombs were seen in The still Summer AR.
The fragments Of the shells fell in mynads into the
river throwing up the water If small geysers had
become suddenly natural 10 the Father OF Waters.
4 Oh the Thompson nothing WAS left but few
blackeued and scattered tmbers, and these went
floating Of quietly ia the great iurbid stream'lIke
the limbs OF "A fierce monster that had been rent TO
pieces as we read in the ancient fables, by the light
niugs Of ayenging JOvc.
RETURN or TIE UNION GuNBOAIs TO THE
CITY.
The Flo,ills, consisting Of the five uninjured gum
boats that had entered into the engagement, which
had occupied one hour and three minuies returned
with living oolors--the good and gallant old fag-to
Memphis and with ports trced-up and guns run out
achofed oil the city, looking calm apd digniied, but
determined and dangerous, and well calculated,
especially after their lato performance 10 inspire
respect in the indignant breasts OF the dsloyal
NempLians.
Twelve months ago to-day Tennessee was carried
ont of the Union by tyranDical and desperate mi
nority who continued TO bully and hector drive
Oh and silence the loyal majority OF the State under
+ the wretched show OF All Election.
Z Twelve months ago.
/ What Commentary What a rctiibution How
Time at last in history or III poetry Gets all things
even
/ II was a rttreshing spectacle, those Yankee bull
dogs watching the suarling and nischieyous village
that had in few hours grown AS amiable and tao.
ituin as gOodnatu lumpkin his iirst visit 10
the metropolis.
Few, fancy OF the violent Secessonists of Mem
ils would have believed, one year ago, that fleet
Of United States gunboats would pass their city in
pursuit OF their fleet ana after destroying IT, return
aud cast anchor without opposition and uuder the
Union lac in presence OF an anxious hut uncom-
rlaineing popnlace. Had they believed it, their
-ubjugation" they pleased TO term II, wond
not nave been Necessary.
THE CASUALTIES ON BOTH SIDES.
The Casualties on our side were nothing, unless