The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1862-07-24
The Yazoo River, Its GbstruclioM and the
Fleet Of Boats upon Its Waters.
Contest Between the Union Vessels
and the Ram.
The Rebel Craft Somewhat Injured ard New
Lying Under Protection Of the Rebel
Batteries at vic&sburg,
Our Special Correspondcpcc.

y
Tho quiet that for few days has brood over vicks
burg and It's vicinity, BY of cessation Of
boz rdment, has at last been broken The rebel gun
boat Arkansas has made her appearance at time when
she not expected by officers she has done
fusy 70 fleet, and she herself has been seriously
damaged Ia return Owing & the pecuar circumstances
BY which surrounded, unable to give you the
full particulars ~ the affair They literally circur-
stances which ! had control" Were il other
wise would be in position 10 furnish ample Intelligence
from the scene Of action,
PRocEEpisGs WEEK
But little has been done in the matter Of bombarding
tho town and batteries of ycksburg since the third
fourth day sabseq to arrival. Commodore Far.
ragut the day his heet with the aud forces Of Gene
raj Williams, in sight Of Vlcksburg, e.t adent
hat he could reduce the forts and compe
render in from six to eight hours after commencing
attack. On Saturday the 2Sth UT, Just tho Gay
brelkng, the ect assisted By C.pt.n portcr's tar
boats opened Tho enenys works, bu., unfortunately,
found them too strong be eoped with successfully
rIIE TEMPORARY CESSATION OF IosrIll TIES.
As is well known to the readers OF tn HERALD, the
boats hauled or after hot encounter OF hour and
asf vessels Of Commodore Farragat's ect going
above and anchoring IN the river while the remainder
dropped beI5w AMI again took noorngs OF range OF
shot she'll that time what little assault has
been made has been by the mortar fleet, their huge
thi,teen-,nch shells being dropped within tho rebel
ues II irregular intervals On the 9th inst orders were
received twelve of the mortar boats, In sw Of several
of the s&cam vessels aud accompanied by their flagship
to 60 below to the mouth of the Mississippi On the
afternoon Of the 10th inst. they dropped below the
anchorage Of the brooklyn and before sunset had dis
appeared around bend OF tho great stream.
THE BoiBARn,iEyr.
On the ID instNit tho Cuff foct joined by tom
Davis aotlla from above consisting Of the enboats
Ben on louisville Caondclet Cincinn III and Cairo
companod by several transports and mortar RATS. The
vessels Of Commodore Farragnrs feet that had passed
TIE batteries vcksburg during the action Of the cath
at anchor the neck of the peninsula,
and con4mcdor Davis no,la took position among them
TIE MORTAR
were tasea to deep in the bank, near tha
trem.y Of the peninsula whence they opened fire the
caemy works Thcy threw their shell tho tops OF The
trees on the point by which they entirely screoned
During the last few days they like lhe mortar
ieet below, have been silent and our only pa7ume has
besn watch the autering Of tie flags OF tho various
craft Oh The river and battle with tho myrlads OF
Gutoas that upon from the Louisiana shore An
stroll aorg tho lovcs, and glance at the town
aud
me FRowsISG BATTERIES,
50 rcgcusly tabooed Yankee have furnished
variety the above monotonous pursuit. The
labor fowly the canal which thus lar has proved an
abortion. aad The "dirty white ash" mas contcntsd
itself with uteing profanity about everything in general
aud making periodic forys upon The transports in search
Q. consoIatory cocktails and cobbcrs
rlsssoyaI INFERENCE.
Roused at an early hour by daylight and tho mcaqui-
toes your correspondent took ante breakfast strol
along the lsvoc this morning. and endod his promenade
~ stepping board the transport, tied to the Loais
ana shore The vessel the upper boat Of tho dect
tb. bat teriac of
Sicssburg. Above her anchorage tho river makes
broad bend so when steamer approaches from tho
upper district The smoke from her pipes Is visible above
tho tree toys more than half hour before the boat
kes her appearance As was about returning 10 tho
boat in which am usually "crbbed, cabnsd and con.
fined " observed volume OF smoke across the point.
knowing that despatch boat was expected from above
and the locality Of the craft was on would afford an
earlier view any place further down, concluded TO
remain until the arriva! OF the coming steamer. As
the cloud Of smoke and neaier ! de-
tocted the absence OF blackness resulting from
buston OF the btuminoys coal furnished TO al
the river boats IN government service ] thought
little OF the circumstance, supposng that steamer
might have exhausted her coal and was making usc o.
wood for place OF tho less bulky material though
il did occur that the Arkansas might have escaped
from her imprisonment and was moving down 70 attack
HISTORY
will be recollectcd tina; tho Arkansas was in process
Of construction Memphis at the time notilla and
land force laying siege 70 Fort Pillow. Two days
borc the evacuation OF that post the plating and guns
of the Arkansas placed board she taken
in TOW by two powerful steamboats, and guided up the
Yazoo where he would be ont of danger.
HER PREPARATIONS FOR SERVICE
Her engines ana machinery already in position,
but were useless IN consequence Of her prcpcers
being quite ready for service. The design was to take
her up the Yazoo and put her readiness for action,
after which tho rcbes confidently believed she would bo
able 10 clear tho M,sss sippi OF all obstruc,ions.
LsSerH, nsEADra MODEL.
Her length over all is hundred and eighty feet
aud she has sixty feet breadth of beain Her mode
Is a combination Of the fat-botiomed boats Of the
West aud the kcebGilt steamers designed fer navi
laicn in the ocean deep inland waters Her
bow vs. made sharp, like that Of tho Plymouth Rock
Commonwealth, and her apcrs so as TO permit
the waters to close readily behind her. In tho centre Of
her hull she is bro and OF greet capacity, and for
nearly eighty 70 along the middle she Is almost Hat
bottomsd Ike an ordinary freight passenger boa.
tho Western waters.
HER MACHINERY.
The ensipes of the Arkansas are low pressure, ana Of
nina hundred horse power, ali placed below the
,;ne and well protected IRON injury by hostile missiles.
,or ,n.rs are said 10 be twenty -four inchos diane
,s ana seven feet stroke she Is provided with pro-
rel,ers working the stern and acting Independently
These prosecrs seven feet in dismster and sr5 osc
provided with four Wigs or anscs, and arc capable or
making ninety revolutions 70 the minute. In oJBse-
quence Of independent action Of the engines pro-
peler eau be revoNed forward who tho other is re-
vcrscd thus permitting tho boat TO bo turned N ltle
mors than her own length. network Of iron rods
inch In diameter and with meshes more than aioct
extends around The upper pat tef The prorserste