Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1862-06-19
Incidents of the War.


describing the great naval engagement, gives
the following incidents, which shows so .e of
the horrors of war;
While all this was going on, our gunboats
were getting up speed-head down the river.
The Bsnton. being on the left of our line of
gnnboats, became the antagonist of the Gen
Lowell, on the right of the second line Of rebel
| boats. Capt. Phelps one of the most efficient
artileriS;s in the service, ran his ewes along
the sights of one OF the Fifty pound riaed guns
at the Benton's bow, waited until the Lowell
Swang into the position which would give
him a raking shot, aud pulled the lanyard
The shot struck just below the water line and
ripped up the pankS The water poured in
with rush, aud in three minutes the vessel
was lying in seventy,fve feet of water
A ship going down in an instant with all on
board, is d terrible scene-one calculated to
appall the stouteSt heart. The current of the
river at Memphit sets close to the Tennessee
side and rushes by like strong man in race
The plumet gives from seventy five to one
hundred feet of water. The Lowell beiug in
the middle of the current took the girglns,
whirlng waters through her torn sides =
Down, down, down-she settled like lump
of lead Her crew became terror s,ricken-
They rushed hther and thither, bereft of rea-
son One poor fellow with his left arm torn
by cannon shot, with unSpeahahle horror in
his cOuntenance, Was seen beCkUHing now to
those en shore and to those on the gunboatS
and now looking up TO heaven to the Great
Father of Us all, for help ! UHavaiIing the
cry. A gent later, and the boat with Il
Iurch gave way beneath his feet and drew him
down in the eddying whirlpool.
A wall of agony went up from the water
and from the land. Fifty human beings were
buffeting the curreut. grasping at sticks and
s;raws and pieces of the boat, and such NOVA
be things as lloaed 10y them
Help help help y was the cry which
rose npon the air, and reached the cas- OF
thousands, amid the intervals of the still roar
ing thunder Of the canuoUadt There was
30 help fruu them on shore No pen car de
scribe the agony Of that moment 20 thousands
There were their friends, defeated, crushed,
hnmiaring, drowning. and they powerlcsS to
help. No wonder tn 1t tears were shed on
shore. No wonder that women wrpt They
had been invited TO different entertainment
to the annihjlation Of the "hiFling Yankees"
They had been promised an exhibition of Chiv.
airy and prowesS which shonld redeem all the
grounl lost in the war Aside from the pain
and agony CT the hour, prompted by human
Sympaths was the bitterness Of humiliation
terrible to behold by those who have ridden
rough shod over all who did not choose 10 ac,
cept secession.
No sooner was the cry for help heari than
by natural impulse, there was q rush made
by the men Of the Benton to render assistance.
The yawl was launched in a Uomrnt aid so
eager was the crew TO save the drowning that
it was swamped in the rush, and two of the
noble hearted men were barely saved from
watery graves. Other boats pat of from the
eeet and several wee saved when nearly ex
hauSred Some by their own efforts reached
the shore and crawled up the bank. N re dead
than alive and were kindly cared for by the
crews Of the Monarch and Green of the West
Btave, noble heated mrn are the srilors of
the We>tern feet Their all power 20 crush
theirs all effort t. save-tO crush an enemy
to save when crashed How glorionS such
conduct when coutrAsted with that which the
poor STRUGGLING sailors Of the Cumberland re
ceived at Hampton RoadS from those Oh board
the Merrimnc There rife shots. here help
Bright, amid all the distress all the horrors
all the infamy Of this rebellion will shine for
ever. Like the stars of heaven, these acts OF hu
NANNY"
,1np