, 1862-05-15
FROM THE MISSISSIPPI FLO
TlLLA.
BRISK ENGAGEMENT ON
SATURDAY.

BRISK ENGAGEMENT ON ]
SATURDAY.
The Rebel Rams McRae, Sumter
and Van Dorm. |;
TO OUR GUNB0ATS.
Especial Correspondence Of the Chicago Trf5une.l
Mtss1sstPpI FLoTul4A. OFF FoRT PnLow,}
On Board Steamer John H. Dtckey, |
Saturday, May 10, A. II. By way Of Cairo ~
The bombardment Was kept up as usual
yesterday until half past three r. H., when
just as Commodore Joote Was about to take
leave Of the fleet and 60 on board the De Soto,
er route for Cleveland Ohio, via Cairo, a rebel
tug made It's appearance: around ctalghead
Point, bearing flag Of truce. Immediately
the mortar firing ceased and the Fast steam
tug Jessie Was sent to ascertain the eErand OF
the stranger. It was hoped that the rebels
desired to capitulate and expectation rose to
fever heat, but It f1nally trnnspired thnt the
pretended object was to surrender tTs Of onr
Surgeons Gordon OF the 30th and another |
man-nsme not learned-of the 3lst Illinois. |
Surgeon Gordon had been exchanged during |
the winter, but had been detained at Tusca.
1oosa, Alabama, the rebel leaders fearing that |
he had eome important information regarding |
army movements which it would not be well
to have known at the North. The other gen
tlenan had been released on parole. The
prisoners came from Memphis and brought
papcrs OF that city, OF date the Sth inst, in
which was published General Buffers procla-
nation 10 the citizens Of New Orleans, with
other interesting matter. Surgeon Gordon
says that the defenses at Memphis are actually
Of no account. No army, no gunboatsand no
preparations ct any kind, for Withstanding
siege. Folt Pillow he was not allowed to visit.
At Fulton: he reported eight gunbeats
JEFF Thompson is continually passing between
Memphis and Fulton, and came up yesterday
in the ing bearing the two surgeons, but is
not in command Of the fleet, as reported by
late deserters. He probably has = small force
Of in1antry stationed on the gunhoats at Full
ton, which fact has given rise to the rumor
| that he had succeeded Villipigue at Fort Pill
| lon. Mr. Gordon and his companion, who Is
an invalid, left last evening with the Commo-
| dore, on the De Soto fer Cairo, to rejo1n their
| friends.
While nc were at breakfast this morning at
| about seven o'clock, and not long after our
| noftnr boats Lad commenced thelE daily pEac-
tice, brisk firing was heard from the rebel
works, and presently number Of their gun
boats were observed to creep around Craig
head Point and open with shot and shell upon
our vessels, resting IS they we're with the ex-
ception Of the CincinnatD when the flag OF
truce, bearing the prisoners alluded to above,
came up last evening. The Reconnaissance
made by the enemy under cover Of that treaca.
erou6 white. Dag undoubtedly taught them
| where to point their guns. Bnt it did not in.
struct them Is to the manaer Of cvading out
fire, which was Immediately and dereely open.
I'd upon them by the steamers nearest the
point, the Cincinnati, St. Louis, Carondolet
Cairo and Mound City commencing the ball
Wis with the Benton. The Cincinnati was
guarding the mortar boats when she was at
| tucked, and promptly returned broadside fol
broadside until she came in contact with tht
{ ram, which Ell be described in another place
The fight opened with great Tigor on bott
sides. Contrary to general expectation, thu
| rebels were provided with long range cannon
ca1ryiHg heavy shells, and for about hllfan hou
ttey kept their missiles flying over our head
, in Passable style. Most Ut them, however
| burst wide Of the mark in the air. having. en-
l ti1ely too high range to do the Federal lice
any damage. During this engagement on tl
: water, in the course OF which the rebel yum
1 boats eoon found it con7enient to drop slight
O y eouthcrnward with the river current, th
Union mortar boats at the foot Of tho bluff
q and their morars, probably located on til
a works ut Fort Pillow, Kept up steady bon
bardment Of shell. Thus, with land work
and mortar boats Of the army, and four Of on
g gunboats with their 50 ind 52-pouad gun!
The fighting VAS Kept up for three. quarters
| a1 hour, when the RESPONSES suddenly ceaset
= and as write two Of our gunboats are returr
ing to their old positions on the Arhansa
shore. The rebel lnortars are silenced. Or
e mortars puder the bluff Still keep up 1h
r shellng at regular intervals, showing TIL
+ whatever may have been the attempted Objet
> ! Of the enemy, it has utterly failed, and tnt
:, will Lave to try it again or give up in desPai
81 The nearest can get to the results Of th
ID contest, amid the confusion now prevailing
n the heet-not to speak OF The thousand ar
,,r one ru1nors adoat as to loss Of life. sinking
=. our gunboats, etc, ETC., none Of which 1 cz
I'd from evidences Of my Senses believes, th
y the Cincinnati first engaged the rebels, clos<
H. with craft bearing resent blance to rar
- - collision occurred and tbs Cincinnati RI
le idly filed with water to her por
a. from q hole made in her hull. Capt. SteI
"a bel, however, kept up q fierce cannonade, ne
:, Withstanding his disabled condition, until
- 1as himself hitiby muEket or minnie rifle bs
g, and severely wounded through the should.
,e The enemy's craft either from bursting Of b
~ boiler or . shot through her bottom, th.
endeavored to run, but her pilot was kilIe
ID and she &c d1ifted away sonthward until s
sunk. The Mound City, another Union boz
to to towed in and still hoats opposi
ID the Dickey, on the Arkansas shore. It is nc
Of supposed that the Cincinnati will also be e
OF The CALLING fire poured into the re6t
"a By the aagboat Benton and the St. Louis so
however, in getting out Of reach Of our gu
it. with their rams and boats adoat-With sol
K exceptfous-aud all in a more OF less damag
ns condition. Here the fight was brought te
es close. It Is more than probable that This be
90 onslaught Of the rebels was brought on
ae ae fear Of Commodore Farragut's speedy arr
NJ, M from below, or indications Of q land force
y. Union troops from the country east Of the
y, 2o'c1ock, II
~ ~ Along with the correspondents OF
" New York Tribune and Cincinnati Gazette, a
10 10 special artist Of the London Illustrated Ne
Itook tug in the afternoon and visited
rs scene Of the action of this morning. We n
9se politely received by Captain Phelps of
M Meal Flag Boat Benton, who had issued posit
en- orders that no newspaper men should be
are lowed to board that boat. Of course, be-
he unarmcd and rather peacab1y than otherN
Of inclined, VIC concluded not to contest
ing | -,:,+ -,;.e ~. ~a.4..x,. a, &c
In poin' "1hn Lily s 6eat.e1liaAl9 oH4ceE Ao iuAo
dif- ed us Of the fact that we were coutraba]
va and ,ro xr,+td~.u T., = ro,,a.+E,, l;..n
ing "a3 "'.nu" " 'eot'oesoi o4atauc7
or obtained MI the Information we could from !
eo1 ties who participated actively in the fight.
~ dare say that the incidents were as tru1nft
o'n told as they would hare been had NC sea
'ro- the iron sides Of the fas ship and sought
ere sa7lctu.l sanctorzan of the Lieutenant comma
I'M ing.
: It would appear that the Cincinnati IVES
lns gunboat Who're turn it was to guard the n
AYE Tar boats, md had not long been moored
r.d the usual point when the rebels came swi
' around The point, evidently with the intent
Ia" Of cutting of communication with and q
&C "gobbling up" the devoted shell boat. 4
!, steamer was soon followed by seven other
| the rebel class, The first named HaS fouu(