Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1862-06-25
The Fight on White River---The Disastel
20 the Mound CITY.


The Fight on whine River--The Disastsr
70 the Mound City.
Wequote from the correspondence of the
Missouri Democrat the following details Of
the affair on White river, on Tuesday the
l7th:I OG LL tEHIIIHTBF
On Saturday last the feet reached the
mouth Of White river, and on Monday, the
18th, began 10 ascend the stream. On
Tuesday morning, at about o'clock, being
within two miles of the supposed locality
of the fort, and the Mound City being in
advance, Capt. Kelly began shelling the
woods on each side Of the river, as they
moved up, in order to cover the landing Of
Col. Fitch's troops from the Transports
The landing was effected little over mile
below the fort, on the southwest bank Of
the river.
The fort, situated on ridge of about rs
| feet in hight, which runs nearly parall el
with and about two hundred feet back from
| the southwest bank Of the river was not
completed, having only breastworks for the
| two batteries, but no works of defense for
the rear. The upper battery Of two forty
two Founders was on the point Of the ridge
where it puts in close to the river; these
two guns had been the armament of the
gunboat Ponehartrain which the rebels had
sunk so as to obstruct the channel Of the
river Immediately abreast Of the battery
Two transports had also been sunk close to
/ her, one of which had on her pilot-house
C Eliza G. |" The battery on the point Of the
ridge was manned by the former crew of
the 4" Ponchartrain." The lower battery,
composed Of five 12-pound field pieces, was
about three hundred yards further down
stream, where the ridge was further from
the river, and the whole place was in COM
mand Of Capt. Fry, the former Captain of
| the Ponchartrain, and who was once q
Lieutenant in the o. s. Navy.
A about half-past eight, when the Mound
City approached within less than mile,
the first or lower battery opened FIRE upon
her; this was the first indication Of the
exact location of the batteries, as they had
been concealed by the heavy timber in the
intervening bottom land, which was only
cleared along the rivers edge, and at one
or two other places, so as to give the guns
Of the batteries clear range The Mound
City Immediately moved up and delivered
several broadsides, and leaving the st.
Louis and ConestOga engaged, passed on
up to engage the upper battery, which had
now opened FIRE. The fight had lasted
about thirty minutes after the firing had
become general on both sides, and the low
er battery of.feld pieces was nearly silenc-
ed, when forty-two pound shot from the
upper battery struck the Mound City on
the port side, near the second gun from the
bow, passing through the easement, kill
ing h7e or six men, and knocking large
hole in the steam drum Instantly the
hot steam burst out in dense volumes, fill
ing the engine room, gun room, and pilot
house, and scalding over one hundred and
twenty-five persons. The shrikes Of the
poor fellows confined between decks in the
scalding vapor were said to be heartrend-
ing beyond description. Many we're in
stantly sufocated, but all who were able
CROPPED their way to the ports and jumped
into the river, and minute after the ex-
plosion fifty or sixty Of them were strug-
1 Cling in the water. The Conestoga imme-
diately came up and sent out two boats tc
pick them up. One Of the Mound City s
boats was also launched by Masters Mate
SHINES Browne, one Of the few officers
who was not seriously hurt 81
During this time both gunbosts and the
small boats were drifting down the river.
As the Mound City drifted near the shore,
near the lower battery, E Bortie MAS made