The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1862-07-03
The Gunboat Disaster at ~. Charles,
White River.

CoSs. MrLIAR has furnished the Gin
cinnati Commercial the following graphic
description Of the disaster to the gunboat
Mound City, at Fort Charles, Ark, on the
18th ult:
At11 A. NJ, the Mound City having
fred 10 guns-an unusual quantity Of
steam is seen issuing from her ports and
through the ventilators on the upper deck
AT first we suppose her boilers have ex-
ploded, but by mark on her port side
forward, perceive that she had received a
shot from the enemy.
From a conversation with the First
Master, @. Dominy, Of the unfortunate
gunboat we learn, that, after Smelling the
woods, the Mound City proceeded on up
the river, engaging the lower rebel bat
terry, which was soon effectually silenced.
The Mound City had then engaged the
second battery-some 200 yards distant
and also shelled the woods filed with
the enemy's sharpshooters. AHA. NJ,
an elongated riiled 42-pound shot entered
her port side, forward Of the forward
port, at an angel Of thirty degrees, in
stantly killing four men at their guns,
and then passing through the steam drum
| and heater, finally lodged in the pantry
of the steerage room.
Walter McClain, John McClintoek,
Emanuel Stokes, and j. p. Lee-the lat
ter Of Helena, Arkausas-are the names
Of the men killed while working their
guns. siokes's right shoulder was shot
off; McClain's whole breast carried away;
McClintock and Lee were literally cut in
two just about or above the hips. Their
mangled bodies torn limb from limb,
presented the most horrible spectacle we
ever witnessed. In an instant the whole
boat, inside and outside, was eyeloped in
steam In the confusion of the moment
some sixty men, badly scalded, jumped
OverbOad-thirty or more Of whom, we
are sure, were drowned or murdered-the
enemys sharpshooters literally picking
off our poor fellows while they were
swimming and struggling in the water
for life. When the accident occu nd Mas
ter Dominy was standing out forward, ON
the starbOard spar deck-the only man
ihen on the deck, Capt Kelly being al
his post in the pilot house-giving orders
during the hail of cannon, rifle and mus
kerry shot. Discovering the flow of steam,
Dominy pulled off his coat, with which
he covered his head, begging his men "for
Gods sake not to jump overheard" He
next went to the stern, waved his hand
kerchief for the gunboats below TO come
mp and tow the disabled Mound City out
from under the rebel batteries-42- poun-
ders- which were playing on her very
heavily at that time. While signaling
the gunbOats TO come up the handker-
chief was shot out of his hand. As fast
as he pulled his men out Of the water al
the stern of the Mound City, the enemy's
sharpshOoters shot them downs
Quartermaster Mexican and one of The
coal beavers were both shot while Dom
my was pulling them out; Mexican
through the hip, and the coal heavel
through the head. The latter, with his
hand clinched in Dominy's, fell dead or
the deck. While the small boats of oul
feet were busily engaged in picking ~
the drowning men, the ConestOga, Capt
G. NJ. Blodgett, U. S. N, commanding
in full face of the fire from the enemy's
batteries, calamity came to The rescue o
the Mound City, and, passing line 4
her stern, pulled the disabled gunboa
out from the shore where she had drift
ed, to a secure point one mile below. Ii
, the meantime, party of the enemy,
sharpshooters endeavored TO board tn
Mound City, but were soon shelled OF
, by a discharge from the tug Spitfire
Dahlgren howitzer, and a round or tw,
I from the COnestoga's big guns. One o
{ the LexingtOn's and two of the Cones
tOga's small boats, while picking tn
men out of the water were riddled will
bullets and shot from the enemy's ~
FOUNDER. A 42-pounder passed through
both Of the COnestOga's boats, when on
s of the latter was run ashore TO save tn
men, one Of whom was severely injured
, by splinter.
4 The agonizing scene cannot be de
i scribed or imagined Your oorrespon
dent, through the courtesy of Lieutenan
Commanding Shirk, U. S. N, of the Lex
ington, was sent on board of the ill-fateu
vessel, together with Surgeon Carver
with the hope of aifording all possibl
relief, in the capacity Of nurse. Her
lay the bodies of some twenty mer
: scalded TO death, others with their man
u gled bodies severed asunder by the fata
T. shot. The gun-deck was literally strew
with from 20 to 80 others, who, bein
badly scalded and horribly disfgureC
$ were tearing Off their clothing, and lon
= strings Of bleeding flesh dangling fror
d their finger ends, hands, arms, and LAGER
= ated bodies and with eyes burnt out an
closed, cry cut for "Help, help-wate
u give me water-save me. OH God, saw
e me, save me. OH kill me, shoot me-
OH do end my misery Doctor, will
live? Tell my wife how l died. an
8 numerous pitiful ordinations and pa
n thetlo appeals Of this character. III
- features Of all were wonderfully distorted
Many could not be recognized by the
70 most intimate friends. We pray 10 Go
e we shall never have occasion to look O
i such a scene again. The pilots, engineer
4 and all other officers of the boats stoO
their watches to the last moment, viii
several died at their posts. Many wei
n moaning piteously; others, in all the
misery were cheering up and sympathil
y ing with their comrades; others, fran
u dcally screaming, running wildly abo'
the decks, in their excruciating agon,
z nearly all stripped to the buff StreW
n all over the deck, lie the raw, bleedin
mangled bodies Of the dead and dyiT
q seamen.
The Surgeon OF the t0nestoga, Il
[. Wilson, and DIR. Carver, Of the LeXinl
!. ton, and all the officers Of the gunboaI
did all in their power to alleviate the su
y icrings Of the poor men. Fortunatel
d. cotton was abundant, floating in u
] e III ii - Ill h.s.a