The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1862-06-12
ANOTHER BRILLIANT victory
MEMPHIS Is OURS /!
Great Naual Engagement Before the
z Cty.-Ihe Rebel Fleet Annihiluted.
The City Q,aet.


-dAe City Quiet.
CAIRO, Sunday, June s.
The regular packet, Platte Valley,
the first boat through from Memphis,
arrived this morning.
Our forces are i'll possession of Mem
phis.
Our fotilla of five gunboats and
eight rams left Fort Wright at o'clock
Thursday morning, finding no obstruc.
tions. The Fort Randolph flotilIa
passed on, and at s O'clock Thursday
evening our gunloats anchored two
miles above Memphis. the rams remain
ing short distance above. A recon
noisance was made of the rebel fleet,
consisting of the following vessels:
Gen. Van Dorm, flagship, Gen. Price,
Gen, Bragg, Gen. Lowell, jeff. Thorn
son, Beaurega,d, Sumter, and Little
Rebel. They were discovered lying
near Memphis. tase
During the night the rebel fleet
moved down the river, and at daylight
were out of sight but in half an hour,
afterwards were seen coming up formed
in line of battle. Our gunboais had,
in the meantime, weighed anchor AID
was followed by several rams, moving
slowly toward the rebel fleet, when a
shot from the Little Rebel, from a rifled
gun, at long range, fell within short
distance of the gunboat Cairo, which
was in advance. The Cairo replied
with broadside, and soon the engage
ment became general, at long range.
The rams had in the mean time adj
vanced, and the rebel ram Beauregard,
being some distance in advance, was
singled out by the Federal rams
nj march and Queen of thu West, each
striving to strike the rebel craft. The
Monarch succeeded in striking her
amidship, almost cutting her in two,
causing her to fill and sink immediate.
~, in the channel directly opposite the
city. AT this junctnre the Little Rebel
made dash ut the Monarch, which at
this time was in the midst of the rebel
fleet, but by skillfu movement of the
pilot of the latter. she dropped out of
the way and the blow intended for her
struck the rebel boat Gen. Price, taking
away her wheel and making it neces
sary for her to run ashore, when she
sent shot which, unfortunately for the
rebels, struck the boat Gen. Lowell,
rendering her unmanageable. Imme-
diately after she was run down by the
Queen of The West. A brOadside from
the Benton took effect in the sides of
jeff. Thompson. She ran ashore soon
after and was in flames and burned to
the waters edge. Four rebel boats
having been disabled the remainder of
their fleet retreated down the river pur-
sued by our boats, firing as they adj
vanced, resulting in the capture of the
Sumpter, Bragg and little Rebel, which
had been abandoned by most of their
crews. Capt. Montgomery, flag officer,
and most of the officers and men sue
ceeded in making their escape in the
woods of Arkansas shore. The fedcr-
al ram Lancaster, struck by the Bean
regard early in the engagement is
Slightly disabled.
Col. Elicit, commander of the Fed
eral rams, was struck in the bresat by
a splinter and was stunned temporarily,
but soon recovered, and continued on
deck throughout the action. This is
the only casualty on our side. ON
rams, manned by sharp shooters, most
ly from Illinois, did good execution by
picking off the enemy's gunners a,
every opportunity. The rebel loss il
killed, wounded and prisoners is heavy
but not yet fully ascertaiued.
Our Tugs were busily engaged ir
picking up the crews of their disabled
boats. After the return of the gun
hoats from the pursuit, Commands
Davis sent the following note TO the
Mayor of the city.
u. S. FLAG STEAMER BENTON, off Memphis
June 9Th, 1862.
SIR have respectfully to request
that you will surrender the city o
Memphis TO the authority of the United
States, which / have the honor to rep
resent.
am, Mr.. Mayor. with high respect
your obedient servant,
II sua CH.DAyIs, Flag Officer.
In reply the Mayor said, "Your not,
is received. In reply ] have only /,
say. as civil authorities have no meani
of defence, by frce of circumstance,
the city is in your hands,"
Immediately after boats crew land
ed and the National flag was hoisteC
over the post office. Our party wa'
followed by an excited crowd, but wer,
not interfered with. The AID and Ash
Indiana regiments now occupy tn,
place, Col. Fitch in command. Cit,
: quiet and no demonstration whateve
has been made. 1t is even asserte,
that it will not be necessary to declar,
martial law. Five of our gunboat
now lie abreast of the city. We cap
tured FIVE large steamers which wer,
, moored at the levee. The Rebel
| burned the new gunboat which wa
, nearly ready to be launched.
The Vicksburg Wig of the At
inst, says the Federals have landed 81,
: thousand troops at Baton Rouge.
5 The Memphis Avalanche of the Gil
3 inst, says, the locomotives recent,
run off by railroad employees are re
covered.
The same paper says, all bridges be
tween Memphis and Humboldt are Dc
5 stroyed.
CHICAGO, June s.
The Memphis argus of the 9th, il