The daily Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1862-1863, 1862-06-11
FALL OF nTEnPRIs.


permitted this morning to give our readers
the article in full. 1t is a good description
of the fight resulting IL the destruction of
the rebel feet, and bears evidence of being
a very fair account of the struggle:
AS was generally anticipated, several
gunboa,s of the Lincoln feet made their
appearance around the bend above the city
this morning, arriving below the island a
little before SIX o'clock Their appearance
created an immediate movement in our
feet, under the brave Commodore Mont
gomery, who had been awaiting them, aud
his boats were Immediately headed up
stream TO offer them battle.
Our feet was composed of the Gen. Van
Dorm flag ship, Gen. Price, Gen, Bragg,
jeff Thompson, Gen. Lowell, Gen. Beaure-
gard, Sumter, and Little Rebel, all rams,
and under the supreme command of Com.
Ell. Montgomery. Upon arriving opposite
the mouth of Wolf the Federal boats in
the meantime advancing from the island,
tn, order was given to fire, which was ac-
cordingly done by the Little Rebel. Three
sho-s were fired by the Confederate fleet
fore any repy was made by the enemy,
who, however, continued advancing. A
short time afterwards fire was opened by
the advance boats of the Federal feet, and
brisk cannonading was kept up tor some
time, the shots from both sides generally
falling wide of the mark. Up to this time
no damage at all had been done. The en-
gagement had thus continued probably
twenty minutes.
Several more of the enemy's guuboats
now came in sight. Aware that upon their
arrival (which would give the enemy great
superiority he could not continue The en-
gagement at that point with any hope of
success, Com. Montgomery, who was
using the Little Rebel as his flag vessel, or
dered he feet to ial back
The order was reluctantly oheyed. The
firing, however, being kept up vigorously,
our fleet retired to opposite Beal street NJ
longer in line of battle, when one of the
Federal rams (name unknown) shot ahead
of the remainder of the feet in pursuit.
Upon reaching the vicinity of our 1eet,
preparations were made to receive her. The
Beauregard at once prepared to strike The
two bore down on each other in gallant
style, The contest was of short duration.
as the Beauregard, avoiding the blow in
tended for her, struck her adversary for
ward of the wheel-house. The blow placed
the Federal adveuturer virtually hors 6t
combat as she hauled off and made for the
Arkansas shore, where she remained during
the remainder of the engagement
In the meantime another Federal ram. the
Monarch, Started to the frsts assistance.
rapidly passing the city under a full head of
steam. The Beauregard having disabled
her first adversary, turne about to run
into the Monarch. The Price also moved
up, and the three boa were rapidly coming
together. A heavy blow, aimed by The
Ra. 4
struck the Price, which was unable TO get
out OF the way. She was struck suuarelv
on the wheel-house, which was torn com
pletely of, leaving the boat nearly wreck.
She at once made for the Arkansas shore.
and at last accounts had sunk as deeply as
the shallow water would allow. A num-
Der of persons On board were killed by the
enemy's sharpshooters.
Just at this period the four iron -clad gun
boats of the enemy, among them, we pre-
sumo, the Benton, Carondelet and Mound
City, none of which had yet taken any 9th
er part in the engagement than firing at
long taw, as they slowly advanced, moyed
down for the scene OF action. The cannon +
aiding, upon their arrival, was fercely re-
newed, and ia a short time the Gen Lowell I
was pierced by large shot, which caused |
her to fill rapidly, and settle down. We .
had by this time lost two boats, and the /
lighting was at close quarters.
The Little Rebel, which was all the time !
in the thickest of the tignt, was soon after /
wards struck by one Of the Federal shots.
She at once started fer the Arkansas side. +
making it, and stopping near the General I
Price. Com. Montgomery, and the majority /
of the officers and men, perhaps all escaped. /
The Beauregard, nothing dauuted by the /
disasters whicI had befaileu the others, still /
continued vigorously firing as she retired !
toward the point. Two or three of The |
enemys large boats closed in on her imme-
dletely, pouring in broadside after broad 7
side. She was struck several times by shot (
which raked her fore and aft. A Federal /
ram coming up, also dealt her blow, and
she commenced sinking rapidly in deep
water, opposite Jackson Mound. As orc
OF our reporters, who witnessed the conclu-
sion of the fight from the Mound, left, at a
quarter to eight o'clock, the gallant vessel
had already sunk, until her upper deck and
ehimneys only were visible A Federal tug
was sent TO her assistance, in which the off,
GERS and men were conveyed to the Arkan-
sas shore as prisoners.
The remaining Confederate boats, JEFF,
Thompson, Van Dorm, Sumpter, and Bragg.
now rapidly moved down the river, aware
that their only hope of safety after the loss
of the other four, aud the arrival of the
remainder of the Lincoln fleet, was in
further continuing to retreat. They soon
rounded the point, and from Memphis could
no longer be SEEM but our reporter who
their movements from the mound /
observed one of them (which could not be
run rapidly to the Arkansas
shore. Reaching it, she paused, and a
nome Mt afterwards flames were discovered
issuing from her upper decks. She had
evidently been permanently disabled by the
enemy's fire, and abandoned and fred by
her officers aud crew.
The pursuit still continued to the foot of
Presidents Island, as far as the eye could
reach, the guuboats rapidly firing as they
went, a shot occasionally being returned by
BUR feet. In short time two of the Fed
sraliron-clad boats were discovered steam
ng back, accompanied by the Monarch
Fhe conclusion arrived at by those witness
ng this retrograde movement from the
mound was that the remainder of our feet
lad met the fate of the others 1t is sin
.erely hoped, however, that thew MANAGED