Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1862-04-03
norali1ilg and speculation.

morali1iIg and speculation.
Nc. it is four o'clock, and the
steamer comes down the river
1t is the Alps, from below Fort
Donelson. She speaks the flag
,ship, then hurries past us and
hides in a bend in the river; then
comes back word from Flag Officer
Foote to 'hurry up"
TIE GUEBOAT FIGHT-ErFECT OF Con-
PEDERATE HUNDRED FOUNDERS ON
THE IRON PLATED GUNBoATs.
The flagship St. Louis tcck the
advance. and was hugging the west
Iern shol e; then came our own 1.-THE
Louisville), then the Pittsburg and
iCarondelet, in order, as near, side
by side as was possible in a river
scarcely wide enough for two boats
to pass each other. In this ordsr
we formed straight battery of
twelve guns in front, while the
two gunboats, Conestoga and Lex
Iington, followed in our wake.
pouring in their quota of missiles
from their bow coiumhiads at a
safe distance. By this time the fl
ring On both sides was truly terrific.
The enemy's shot and shells were
screaming through the air or raw
aging our sides and decks without
cessation, while ours were divest-
ing them Of their most exposed
batteries, ploughing up their hill
: sides and deci1nating their camps
in terrible haste. saw one large
shell from the Louisville fall and
explode directly under one of their
5 guns sending a score of rebel sol
diers to their long homes, demol-
ishing the battery and scattering
those not killed or wounded in In.
decent haste to the nearest covers.
/ When we attained the last named
) position, viz: within three hun
, dred yards of each their works,
r we stopped our Roadway, and
: when the boats were motlonless
we poured in cur last and most de-
: structive fire. 1t really seemed
e at this time that the quintessence
t of destruction was contained IL
5 those twelve great iron thunderers
: With each discharge rebel guI
e was silenced, at each broadside c
s host of frightened rebels would as
e cerd up TIE hill to place Of safe
y ty behind the upper earthworks
: and all but two Of the lower guns
+ had ceased to deal us their destruc
It ton. Now a new battery of ont
|, hundred and twenty-pound gum
e opened upon US from the left an(
II rear Of TIE first works. We wer'
!, within point blank range, and tn
r destruction of our feet was reall,
is terrible. One huge solid sho
o struck our boat just at the angl
of the upper deck and pilot house
y perforated the iron plating, passe'
g through the heavy timbers' an,
W buaed itself in pile of hammocl
&c just in front and in a direct lin
Sc with the boilers. Another, a shell
,e raked us from bow to stern, passe
6 through the wheelhouse, emerged
= dropped and exploded in the rive
re Just at our stern. Then ter
P inch solid shot entered our stal
r board bow port, demolished a gu
lr carriage, killed three men an
th wounded four others, traversed tn
m entire length Of the boat, and sun
&c into the river in our wake. The
w a she'll came shrieking throug
a the air, striking fair into our fol
~ ward starboard port, killing al
st other man and wounded two more
il passed aft, sundering our rudde
ly Chains, and rendering the boat III
n manageable. Now we were cou
ue PEELED to drop astern, and leay
the scene of action; but our gun
ne ners sent theirrespects to the rebe
y, as long as their fire could be th
lis, least effective; and, SO far as "
is were concerned, the battle we
n. over.
j. This last battery was one tn:
D. put the finishing stroke to tt
RI fleet. One of the enemy's shell
ur entered and exploded directly
ty the pilot-house of the st. Loui
It's killing the pilot and woundin
I'd Flag Officer Foote severely in th
r. leg. Two of the shots entere
the Pittsburg, below the guard
On causing her to leak badly, and it
ne probable that she will sink befor
n morning. Another entered tn
of Carondelet, killing four men an