Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-08-11


the white flag, under any circumstances, and the
only alternative was to run away and leave her,
like a parcel of corn-fed boys breaking their
necks to put the fence between themselves and a
small bull calf which happened to be plucky and
pugnacous. Really, after such a performance,
it would not have looked surprising to have
caught committee of three heroes applying
salt to her stern-p0s some dark night that she
might be safely Gagged the next morning
The upshot was sufficiently ridiculous to crown
the whole undertaking Throughout, the affair
was specimen Of imbecility When the Arkan-
sas came down, she feet lay helpless. like so
many turtles on their backs; not a pound OF
steam to move themselves with, aud each vessel
carefully anchored so that, if she fred gum she
was sure to rake her next neighbor or sink
transport. The small prodigy foated leisurey
along, delivering her fire right and left among
the astonished fogies, who were too much dumb
founGered at her audacity to do much besides
open their mouths and look; and finally rested
under the protection of the friendly batteries
The Benton walked up then, and made a valorous
rush at nothing, and got punctured for her pains
She might as well have rushed at the moon. She
pOked her nose around the corner, when there
nothing in the world to shoot at, and received
the full fire of the batteries, and was glad enough
to get back again, like valorous gander charg-
ing to protect his geese, after the danger is all
past, and perchanee running his nose into a hor-
nets nest. Then the feet must run the block
ade and sink her. They ran the blockade, but
did not sink her. Some say it was dark and
they could not find her, and others say that when
they found her, and picked her up, she was, like
the lrishman's potato, too hot to hold. At all
events, they left her there, although the supposi
ton that they mig Int have brought her away is by
no means incredible. There were nine of them
all powerful steamers, and. il they had grappled
with her and dragged her eff by main force, no
body would have objected But they did not do
that. And then they must knock her TO pieces
with rams. So the two brave boats above men,
toned went at her, and the rest looked on. 1t
was like boy fight at the back of the school
house, where two do all the hair-pulling and fin
er-clawing, while he rest sit and enjoy it. Of
course the enemy considered it joke, destitute
OF any SerioCs intentions, and refused to accom-
modate them with a surrender. Perhaps, if they
had all pitched in, as if they meant something,
and backed up the supposition with their two
hundred and odd guns, different result would
have been gained; but they never thought of that
Even the venerable fossil who presides at the
head of the Navy Department would have got
that through his hair sooner than they. If he
showed more imbecility, he ought to be made a
figure head for some bold rebel craft like the Ar
kansas, and be compelled to live thousand
years lobe shot at.
Having determined to evacuate the small col
Ony of IA thousand negroes which had been en-
plOyed on the canal, by whose united efforts the
work of genius had effected level five feet above
the water-line, with an increasing ratio going on
the river fell, were disposed OF by turning them
loose into the woods A portion were carried
down the river and deposited on the shore in the
neighborhood OF their homes, and the whole
pack was thus got rid Of This was bitter pill
for the blacks, who were sure that Kingdom
Come had arrived when the Federais got there
They made a rush for-the boats, and would have
taken them by force had they dared. They were
beaten off and told to shift for themselves, and
they had no alternative except to take to the
woods to starve. until they choose to 90 home to
their masters. They went with the Federals so
willingly, in many cases coming out of the woods
where their masters had hidden them, and in
many more insulting them most gratuitously in
the process, that they at present stand in bodily
fear of being killed the moment they are caught:
so they live between the danger of starvation and
murder.
The canal remains monument of ineficiency.
Ii is full FIVE feet above the water, and as that
fluid does not surmount such slight obstacles un-
aided, there Is no chance of its being baptized.
Until the Mississippi can be coaxed to run over
the top of a moderate sized hill, it will never
change its bed in that locality. The contrabands
did their best to dig fast the river went down,
but failed ignominiously. Half an inch day was
too much Tor them.
On the oath, Farraguts feet went down the
river, and is now at New Orleans. He took on
board Gen. Williams and his four thousand men
and left them at Baton Rouge. On the same
day Davis's flotla left the position and came
up to the mouth ofthe Yazoo river, where it now
remains, waiting for more invulnerabes to come
down.
The Essex and the Sumter, victims of the grand
policy which has directed movements, are below
Nicksbur3, and can not get up. Farragut left
three OF his gunbOats to protect them with a
strong probability that the Arkansas will come
out some fine morning and gobble them all up
before breakfast
In the meantime the rebels were busy up the
river Batteries had been planted at various
points, and the boats were being fired into
tinually. The Sallie Wood, a transport, which
left the feet on Sunday the 2lst with dispatches,
mail and passengers. was fred into at Island 81,
Immediately above GreenviIle, and disabled.
Shots passed through her steampipe and ma
chinery, and she was grounded on the Island.
The passengers and crew, some thirty in number,
l got ashore and r0amed about the Island until the
most of them were captured. From Lieut.. j. II.
Wing, the only one who escaped, learn some
particulars. Lieut.. james c.. Biddle, OF Phila-
delphia, was sick, and there were others who were
/
of the Island and were taken the next forenoon.
Those who were with Lieut. Wing took to the
woods, and concealed themselves until the next
day, when they discovered the Victoria going
down. They could not make themselves heard,
and she passed on. They returned to the weeds
Lieut. Biddle was left behind at bis own request,
being unable to proceed further. and captur-
ed. Lieut.. Wing left the party to explore, and
saw them no more, but met a negro the next day
toll kIo.. III
given themselves up. He continued his efforts TO
escape, and the next night waded to a tow-head
or small island near where he remained till taken
off by the Carondelet, which passed. He was
out in all four days, almost without food, and
underwent the greatest privations, but his perse
verance saved him. All the rest of them were
taken prisoners except the Pilot, who escaped ir
a small boat Lieut.. Tubbs, OF Jefferson county
Wisconsin, is among the captured; also Mr.
Fowler, OF Chicago, an army contractr. The
rebels burned the boat. The mails had beer
thrown overheard before she surrendered, and
Herewith went much valuable newspaper CORES
pondence to the bottom of the Mississippi
The Queen of the West attacked at tn,
same place on her way up, but she was well FRO
tected and managed to come Trough. She 20
large number Of cannon balls through her, on'
of which made two pieces Of the carpenter, whG
was instantly killed. There were many narrow
escapes he passengers occupied themselves II
peppering their assailants with some old musket
which we're on board, which probably did NOR,
execution behind than before. The rebels hav,
planted batteries in three or four different places
and have most eifectually blockaded the river, 81
far as ordinary steamboats, are concerned.
SHILOH.
From the indianapolis Journal
Astounding Developments before tn.
United states Grand Jury.