Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-05-16
The Battle of the Gunboats above Fort

via CAIRO. Saturday, May IL. !
At last the m0notOny is broken. We have
had a fight, and glorious one. too, purely
naval, with nearly an equal number Of boats
on each side and have sent the rebels back
down the river badly crippled They attacked
us this morning at six o'clock, and before
eight they were so badly whipped that they
will never again attempt such a job. YeSter-
day morning they sent boat up with a flag of
truce, ostensibly to arrange an exchange of
two surgeons captured at the battle Of Bel
mont, but. as now appears, simply to ascertain
definitely the position Of our feet.
THE RAM LOUISIANA IN SIGHT.
Early this morning, as usual, our mortar
boats were towed down to their position for
firing it being point on the Arkansas shore
about one mile from the end Of Craigshead
Point The gunboat Cincinnati ran down as
4 convoy. Scarcely had the mortars been
moorcd in their position, when the rebel ram
| Louisiana appeared coming around the point,
| accompanied by four other gunboatS The
ram Immediately opened fire on the Cincin-
matt, to which the latter replied with interest
The rebel boats were all held in check bv the
Cincinnati alone, when the rest of the federal
fleet got under way and came to her assist
ance. In the meantime the rebel ram, finding
her guns Intellectual against the iron armor OF
the Cincinnati, approached her with the evil
dent intention Of running her down. Capt
Stembel Of the latter, prepared to meet the
assault of the ram by opening his steam bat
| teneS and putting them in readiness for use.
THE BATTLE COMMENCES.
As the rebel craft approached within close
range, the Cincinnati turned her head about,
causing the ram to run along close beside her,
when Capt. Stcmbel drew his pistol and very
| pnniy S,t tbn ,,il,r l-illi,r
a second afterwards a musket ball struck the
gallant captain in his left shonider, intiicting a
! painful though not serious wound At this
time the contest between the two boats was
most intensely exciting. The crews Of each
were armed with carbines, cutlasscS and
boarding pixies, and were diScharging volley
after vOlIey in quick succession at each other;
while the ram was also cndeavOring to get her
head about so as to run into and. if possible
sink her antagonist. just then the steam
batteries Of the Cincinnati were opened with
terrible effect, throwing heavy volumes of
steam and Scalding water into the midst of the
rebel crew, placing all who appeared on deck
hOrS dU combat instantly, and causing the craft
to withdraw with all haste In the meantime
the rebel fleet had been reinforced by three
other vessels, and among them the new IRON
clad gunboat Mallory, lately built at Memphis
These three ran Immediately up to the Gin
cinnati, and engaged her at once. She with
stood the assault most nobIv. the shot NJ tb.
enemy gloncino off from hnr iron rlatino, will
ont causino the sIirhtost damarn ,,Li,o La,
| own nrns ,vnrn roi,inu shot a1d sbnu iii,
fearful effect unon the enomv Cort Ston,-
| he'll thouoh badly ,youndrd rop,oincd ,t hi,
most and directed everv movement with tho
! rooIness and dolihnrotior for which Lo !,
noted
nun pr,,,,r o,.,,po,rs ,,,,.r,,,,.r.,,
Drrinc, his o,,,raoo,ao,,+ +I,c, Nh. -,
nro,cIod tbn Cin,.irTot; With tI,o iasi,,, ~ .r
rnmnIis bing thar which tba 1.ot,, bod f,iIod i,
doing As she came in close nrovirn;t, tI,a
federal boot ~ Louis born down mon han
and ,on,inr with - AN bo.d NJ sto,,, 49,,
strurl, bcr ,midsbinsN c,ttino bo,. noorI,, ",
two and r,usiro bar to sipL in ,.l.,, f,,,
Minutes Numbers of her rro,, oscorcd I,,-
clincinp TO tbe ST. Lopis, and Others won,
ricl[.d nm by, rho Cincinnati Lut tIa Ior,rar
nronortion won't down with tho boot VIII
This worl, was in ,,rogross tho otLo. boat, -
orr cct had enatrad tba ron,ainJnr of I ,S' ro
beI Acct and . most tar,iRc bottIo was ,r;,,Cr
the Ike f which tl,o ,,.ralI,- 1,aool
Of the NTissi.sin,,; has reyn,. haf,,, -;.,aSs,d
Report folIowcd unon renort EI,e tbo conti,,.
mons rattle of ,nusLntrv Tho rehoIs f,,aL+
hravelv and with dnformination but 49,.
ware moi bx, ,yrootor h,,,,or,, Lii n,1
metal and yyern bainr badl,, ,ro.staJ
Can't D,ris ~, H.. aoosL;7 p, -
c,.d,,, ,,,ovon,ont If one, aoot ,itI, tb,
rit, and styIn If 3, veteran in ,,o,.al ,,.,rf,7H
H. ,oJo M mistakes Voto boot -
but with f-,rf,,I effect tnon the ornr,,. M
the Carondnle+ ,,,+ bor bov-s nm st,oo,,y NV
tn Lot a,, bnr etdrr ,rr,s. did +Lo Ca,, .,,.
about. twas that broadside might rive its
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