The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1862-06-26
Especial Dispatch to the Chicago Tribune.)
GRAND FEDERAL VICTORY
ON WHITE RIVER.
Terrible Disaster to the Gum5oat
Mound City, yer 100 of the Off,
GERS and Sailors Killed.
CAIRO. June 2l. 1852.

Mound Ouer 100 of the Off,
GERS and Sailors Killed.
CAIRO, June 2l, 1862.
This community were electrified this
morning by the report brought by the
naval dispatch boat of the terrible ca
lamity on White River, and that of the
most spirited and gallant action in Ar
kansas, which has covered both army
and navy with imperishable renown.
On the 18th the gunboats Mound
City, st. Louis, and Lexington, left
Memphis for the mouth of White
River. On the morning of the 14th
Col. Fitch, with the captured trans
ports, the New National steamers
Jacob Musselman and White Cloud,
with stores and provisions, followe
conveyed by the Conestoga. On the
morning of the 10Th, the latter Joined
the gunboat fleet, and together they
steamed up White River until o'clock
in the evening, when they came near
the little town of St. Charles, situated
npon high bluff near a hundred miles
from the mouth of the river. 1t was
known that this point was fortified.
Just below this point the fleet came to
anchor. Col. Fitch sent out company
of scouts on each side of the river to
reconnoiter. A ting had gone up ahead
on the same errand. Presently the report
of the boat howitzer was heard, fol-
lowed by several guns fired in quick
succession, and soon the tug returned,
saying she had been fired upon from
both sides of the river. Previous to
leaving the locality the ting had opened
upon the enemy with her howitzer and
driven from the bank the enemy's pick
cts. Col. Fitch then ordered his men
back upon the boats and waited till the
morning of the 18th. About O'Clock
the Mound City, the flag ship, the Mus
selman and the New National with the
troops, then the st. Louis, Lexington
and Conestoga ran up until they came
within sight of the bluffs in the bend,
half a mile ahead, and the Mound CITY
opened fire. The troops were landed
ard the other gunboats passed on slow.
ly up the river until within range of the
batteries when they poured in a de-
structive shower upon the rebels, to
which they made no reply. In the
meantime Col. Fitch had landed his
troops, about 500 men, formed them
into line and started them forward on
the double quick, intending to attack
the fort in the rear. Soon in that d.
rection were heard the voleys of mus
kerry, sharp and continuous, indicating
that warm work was in progress.
Presently Colonel Fitch, who led his
regiment in person, sent word to the
gunboats that the enemy's pickets were
driven in, and advised an advance to
engage the batteries at short range.
The steamer Musselman was ordered
to advance to the bend, but the shot
and shell commenced to fall thicklv
around her, and she retired in obedi
ence to Col. Fitch's request. The gun
boats advanced a short distance when
battery stationed on the bluff above
them, on the south bank of the river,
opened fire. 1t was afterwards ascer-
tanned that the battery consisted of four
small guns-twO brass six-pounders
and two rIf1ed PARROTS. The intention
of part of the rebels was to create
the Impression that this was the strength
of the whole rebel Notifications, as
though within easy range the remain
ing guns maintaining obdurate silence.
The gunboats advanced steadily up the
stream until they came to the bend OF
the river opposite the middle of the
bluff where the enemy had that morn
ing sunk three transports and gun
boat, in the expectation of obstructine
the passage of our feet. While sink.
ing one OF the transports, it had hoated
with the current SO as to leave Just
space enough for the gunboats to pass.
If necessary, before reaching the OBJ.
structions.
While advancing slowly, the rebels
opened adestructive fire from two rifled
42-pounders on the fleet, to which the
four gunboats replied vigorously for a
half hour. 1t was at this moment that
the great catastrophe occurred. An
unlucky shot from one of the heavy
guns on the hill came plunging down
and struck the Mound City on the lar.
board quarter, forward ahead of the
iron plates, and cut its way through the
heavy timber as if it was an inch board
and struck the steam drum, passed
through it and the heater, and brought
mp in the pantry, where its progress
was stayed.
Then followed scene which beggars
description. The decks were crowded
with nearly 200 men, and as the hot
scalding steam was thrown with tre-
mendous force between the decks a ter.
rible cry of agony arose which my in.
formant says, will ring in his ears to all
eternity. Ont of $50 men twenty-five
are all that escaped injury. Every Off
Ger but one was scalded or killed out
right He was on the upper deck, and
out of reach of the steam. He was
first master G. Dominy, of Peoria.
Capt. Kitty was in the pilot house,
and was badly scalded about the face,
hands and feet, but is expected to re.
cover. Several jumped overheard, and
the yawls of the other gunboats quick
ly went to their assistance. At this
Ijuncture Col. Fry. the inhuman devil in
carnate commanding the rebel fortified
tons, ordered his sharpshooters to pick
off the poor sailors swimming in the
water, and for some time kept firing al
them with their large guns. A sbo,