Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1862-06-19
c,,E GREAT RIVER BATTLE.

lllE pA'N
n the exclusion of our usual variety
,nater, we present TO our readers tins
" " .,'ing very graphic account Of the
HO, ., naval battle which took place in the
,,'s;ssippi River before Memphis, be-
"an ,he Union gunboats and rams, and
confederate Armada, in which the
w I',.r WAS completely destroyed. This
NV 10 have been one OF the most
p ,,'od aud holly contested naval engage
sn,s of the war, not even excepting
", ,okmr Of New Orleans. We would
oad 10 publish the whole of the letter
o('br correspondent of the Tribune from
L;ch the interesting extract below is
' " but its great length forbids. 1t
' ISL, he interesting, however, TO know that
10 gives most encouraging account OF
,Ss Union sentiment in Memphis. He
avs that prominent secessionist con-
's:.ed TO him that there were two Union
mem to one Secessionist in that city.
Mississippi Flotilla Opposite Memphis, !
friday noon, June 9th, 1862.
Tomorrow, to which my last letter al
bded has come, and crowned our en-
rance into Memphis with signal bril-
liant, and overwhelming victory
The great gunboat battle of the hotilla
Ia. been fought on the Mississippi, oppo-
sic the city of Memphis, and the anxious
faces ofthouSands OF her citizens, and the
Rebel fleet has been destroyed by its foes
before the eyes OF its friends.
As though it were holiday spectacle,
the people of Memphis were gathered
upon the bluff to witness the advance OF
tbe Union fotila, and the defeat and de-
truction of their own. They saw the feet
that had been taught to believe could and
would protect the town, and "drive back
the Northern invaders from the sacred
soil Of the South" crippled and conquer
ed in the very waters they had striven il
vain to control.
The people of one of the most disloya
and unjust rebel cities, who had been as
sured again and again that the Yankee
we're miserable, cowardly, inferior race
who never could obtain foothold in Sc
cessia, who would never dare to come
within cannon-shot of Memphis, witness
Cd the utter discontinue of their gascona
ding malcontents and stupendous liars.
The falsehood of all the stories that tn
Memphis papers had told was occularl.
demonstrated.
There was no further chance for decep
ton and betrayal.
A great fact extinguished theory, an
sleuced presumption. Hot work an
hard blows suppressed insolrnt Boosting
and made even the most rabid rebels G
Memphis see how ludicrous they and thei
vulgar Boosting had become in the eye
Of the entire world.
All is quiet now-quiet after the roa
Of battle, and we are lying pacifically q
anchor off the city, and the peace of tn
Sabbath rests on Memphis city and a
around.
APPROACH OF THE FLOTlLLA.
At 4 o'clock 20 minutes this mornin
our flotilla weighed anchor and slowl
dropped down towards Memphis. Their
we're five of our gunboats, the Benton
Cairo, Carondelet, Louisville and the S
Louis, with four rams, the Monarcl
Lancaster, No. 3, and the Queen of tt
West.
The river seemed clear. No boats
any kind were visible until they ha
steamed opposite the northern part of tt
city, where, so rapidly had the news
our approach been difiused, the levee an
bluff were filed with people, a number
them women, even at that early hour
the morning,
The officers then perceived the reb
feet lying in bend of the river, on II
Arkansas shore, in front Of the town, ar
in few minutes after, the gunboats of t
enemy Advancing &c give battle.
Our fotilla did not open fire. becau
Commodore Davis was anxious that Il
officers and crews should have breakfa
before going into action, knowing, mat
rial as the tact is, that the men fight be
ter with full than with empty stomachs.-
Indeed, impressed with this idea, he 81
nailed to his vessels to ascend the rive
and they did so. The enemy, no doul
suppose this to be a symptom of fea
and followed up the fotilla still steamiI
against the current.
THE BEGINNING OF THE BATTLE.
The position of the foe near the Arka
sas shore was in two lines, in regular {
der, the first line consisting of the Bea
regard, Little Rebel, General Price a
General Brag-and the I'd Of the Gene
al lowell, Gen. Van Dorm, JEFF Thorn
son and Sumter-the Little Rebel bel
the flagship, with Commodore Ed. Mo-
gomery on board and in command.
The secession flag still advanced a
the National fotilla still retreated, thou
very slowly, anxious to gain a little til
IOr the consumption of the morning me