, 1862-07-22
ExtraTaganee of Rebel Ae.
counts Exposed.
WHAT FOLLOWED THE FEaT0F
TIE ARKANSAS.
Particulars OF the Fedeyaf
tOS3s

the protection Of the batteries at VicEspurg.
referred to in my yesterdays dispatch, actiy..
preparations for anything which might vet
occur were visible among our gunboats, and
at about five O'Clock, all Of Commodore
Davis fleet, with the exception Of the Caron-
dt1et, Zeer and Essex, slowly dropped do FL
to the point opposite the city. Tie two first
named were too much damaged ia the mora
ipg for present service, and the boilers of the
Essex having been burnt out, she WIS getting
in new ones, sud could not get up steam.
The eight vessels Of Far1asut's fleet fell in
behind, and just at dark, as the Benton turned
the point, the upper battery opened upon her.
Meanwhile the Brooklyn Lad steamed III,
and engaged the batteries, from belo9, and in
few minutes the fight became general. The
roar OF cannon was iucess4nt and deafcning.
For nearly two hours the battle ragged without
internfssion, the quick booming Of riaed
guns often varied by the swelling Of whole
broadsides, as the 1o0 guns in their turu sent
forth their death dealing messengers As the
last Of Farragut's vessels passed the bat
teries, our bouts, with the exception
Of the Sumter, slowly steamed back
again, passed the batteries, and once
more silence rpirnpd Tba ob;o,t oe41ss
affair was not alone the passing Of Farragut's
vessels below the batteries, but On endeayor
can+,ro Tr +b,, hon.,,os .l.A
casstn1 md tho Tan,o.s s,.,, -. :: a. uAous
guns Of Vicksburg. The rebels had prepared
eon,ba stible materials along the waters edge,
which they fired as our boats passed down
.reatlv facilitating their a;,n Tia a,m,xa -
en- yesse1s 1own7s~ - -zae -am 49,. ~ .'ue ~ W
oui 'essels' no"e'e1' WAS very llsot, and the
loss OF life In consideration Of the plumber OF
shot and shell tired, very s,nalI. 4 recon-
no;eonce of +he art,rs,e ehoraa w., 80.
=, ~. s:so -. A,4e noAee
- nef siue' hone o. "n1cn, however,
seem TO nave greatly impaired her lighting
qualities. During the fi.ht vestera ~ morn.
inp c,nt Tvnn ,1d t1ra yan ~ ~ 49, ~. 1ot ur:.
,,a7,s,, -,o-o ,.:,,os .'s -. ~ 1ue ,'n ~ "ae'
eonein "cle hlneo a1lu ELK "ounded- they
we're acting as sharp-shooters on the Tyler,
Tue whole number killed in both engagements
!. ahour ctv+r
1e"' 01A9' ~
a large namocf OF buildings back Of the
bluff were burned by our shell in the enr,oe.
nent of last e.on5nr rho r,o,a w., - -
~ 'N.... ~ 0~ens "a' one u
ene lnost eAcl'lng ever Witnessed Inc burn-
1pg buildings With the combustibles on the
ebort castfnp ov.r the xuholo ,nr;a ,x1sr,,
,,,vine :, rcdd7s1, .;,+ a., a., 51,'-a ..1. So -
5''' . A0u 49,. ~ 'ne oeooe Foaunss oi
shoke, winch rolled up all around and fornl-
iLg With the inccssRnt din OF the battle, an
elect which must have been seen in he an.
s-@ '" ~ ny
Pieelateu'
CAIRO, July 2l-12 m.-Ihe Rowenna, Just
arrived trou Memphis, brings the folio Sing
news:
On the report OF Price: having crossed the
mississippi, reacbing Helena, Generals Curtis
and Fitch, with detachment Of troops,
went do"n on the steamer White Cloud to
aseGr1aln the irnth oi the report
Inc dispatch boat, which arrived at Mem
phls or c4tufohy evening, from Fltksburg on
ing lota, prlhgs Tue follo ElnS startling news.
Inc reported escape OF the rebcl ,gunbnat
AfkaDsas Turns out 10 he correct III: affair
lnok place on the morhiug of the 18th inst.
Two or three days before this time reputed
rfusee came on board the federal fleet, aud
REPORTED that the officers Of the Arkansas
were planning an attempt to run her past the
Fedora! hcet durlug LIE light. On the morn
lpS Of Iuesday the gunboats Carondelet and
l. LEI, H!th the ram Lancaster, started up the
1aZoo klver on a reconnolter1ng expedition.
BtlWeen six and s. ven o'clock in the morn
ing, about eight miles from the mouth Of the
river, they came suddenly upon the iron. clad
re.el sunboat Arkansas, lying hidden under
the bank, evidently whiting for evening to
1uake the attempt to get down the river. She
lad evidently discovered the approach Of our
hoats. BY the smoke, before they saw her, fur,
Is til, : rounded the bend Of the river close 10
her, she suddenly opened upon them With her
batteries Of Twelve riltd G8 pounders. The
two Cniou gunbuats Immediately returned
her tire, and tor slurt time 8 fierce engage
ment ensued.
Only one OF the Union gunboats, the
CurUndclet, Is iron clad, and she is q small
one. having only two guns Which she was
able to brintr to bear uutn tht fj,t. The Tvler
is a wooden boat, and unit to cope With 60
terrible IN antagonist. Nevertheless, both
these boats maintained gallant ti,rat at cl,,se
QUARTERS for tine, but fiEd1ng t1ia. the m lin
cllatbel Of the river prevented succ.ssfni
maneuyering, they gradually returned Il, the
mouth, the Arkansas folloIiuc closely.
At the moth uf the RIVER a small sand bar
had been formed by the actiou of the meet
l,E currents. lust as the ARKANSAS was ness,
11,T 1f,,s mint 1hr C,nnndt.Irt ,nada d.srar
a,s rush and closed with her. infsnf;nY r.
board her, She had succecdet in rhroW,1r
urarpl. aboard - aud geiting o.t a nlans.
y htn the Arkansas opened steam pipe aud
threw a stream Of not water acr1,ss th,. ri mi
The Carondelct replied in the samz n,annrr
and at the same moment. Both vessels r.n
hard and fast upon the sasd bar. The sh nj,
separated the tao vessels, and in few mn
n1tu's, the Arkansas being on the outside.
tuCCE* QCu III getting away, llG CAfDpdeIEt.
however, remained fast for nearly au hour De.
fore she got off. Her crew gailautly m aiu .
tafned the fight, keeping u2 4 fierce fire on
the Arkansas until she had passed beroud the
reach Of her guns,
The Arkansas, as soon as she WIS clear from
thu bar, Immediately started down the river.
The Ty Ter seeing this, passed her and prect.d+i
her dowp, nIaintainfpE gallant running fivht
With her greatly superior adyersare.
The distance from the mouth OF the Yazoo
Riytrto tie batteries at Vicksburg, is about ten
miIes.
The fleet Of Davis and Fa1ragut, with a num-
btr ot trantperts, ammunition hoats, mortar
boats and wooden rams, were lying scattered
over space OF nearly two miles of the river.
just abore the upper batteries. Unfortunately
none Of the iron guAboats had steam M. and
ihe entire fleet was SO scattered about that
few of them could fire at the Arkansas as she
passed, without danger of hitting some ol
cur Own boats, until ehe came into close
range
Asshe approached, such boats as could safely
do so, opened fire upon her, but her heavy iron
tlatiDg tucct s.tul,y resisted most Of the shnts
l. Spectators describe the appe ,rahce OF The
| shot as thty etrutk to hare been curious in the
extreme. Every time eolid shot struck bel
plating cloud OF blue blaze seemed to rise
from the spot and streak of brighter fire
caueed By the friction, marked Tue entira
course OF the shot, unsil 1t passed off the yes.
sci into the water Sume Of the heavier ehot,
however, passed entirely through the plating
ard penetrated the interior OF the vessel, As
tce ARKANSAS approached Farracut's gun5oat
No. 6, she swefved little from her course I'd