Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1862-07-30

Cairo, July 2l-l2M
The Roaoeppa, Just arrived from Mem
phis, brings the following news
On the report of Price having crossed
the Mississippi reaching Helena, Generals
Curtis and Fitch, with a detachment oi
troops, went down on the steamer White
Cloud to ascertain the truth Of the state
ment
The dispatch boat which arrived at
Memphis on Saturday evening form Vicks
burg on the 10Th brings the following bad
news
The reported escape of the rebel gun
boat 4rkonSas turns out to be correct
The affair took place on the morning OF
the 10Th inst Two or three days before
this time Il reputed refugee came on board
the Federal feet and reported that the
officers o. the Arkansas were planning an
attempt to run her past the Federal feet
during the night On the morning of
Tuesday the gunboats CdrondeIet and Ig-
Ter, v ith the ram Lancaster, started M
the aaoo on a accommodating expedition.
Between SIX and seven clock in the NOR
mug, about eight miles from the mouth of
the river they came suddenly upon the
IRON clad rebel gunboat -4rkdaSaS, living
hidden under the bank, evidently waiting
for evening TO make the attempt to got
down the river She had evidently dis
covered the approach Of our boats, by the
smoke. before they saw her, for, rs they
rounded the head of the river close to her,
she suddenly opened upon them with her
batteries of twelve rilled 6S FOUNDERS
The two Union gunbouts Immediately re
-urned her fire, and for a short time a
fierce battle ensued
Only one of the Union gunbo0ts, the
CarOHdeket Is iron clad, and she Is a small
one, having only tWO guns which she was
able to bring to bear upon the foe The
Iyie,' IS a wooden boat and unfit to cone
with SO terrible an antagonist Neverthe-
less, both these boats maintained n gal
liant fight at close quarters for a time, bu..
bndlng that the main channel OF the riv-
er prevented successful maneuverins thew
gradually returned to the mouth, the 4fi'-
kansas following
Al the mouth of the river q small sand
bar had been formed by the action of the
meeting currents. just as the arkansas
was passing this point the CaroRde{ci
made 4 desperate rush and closed in with
her, intending TO board her She had sue
ceeded IN throwing grapple aboard her
and getting out a plank, when the 1rkaH-
sUS being on the outside, succeeded in get
ting away. The C0r0Rdelet however. re-
manned fast for nearly an hour before
she got of. Her crew gallantIy III .intain-
ed the fight, keeping up a fierce fire on the
ArhanSas until she had passed beyond the
reach OF her guns.
Ihe -IrE4aSIs, IS soon as she was clear
from the bar, immediately started down
the river The Iy{cr seeing this, passed
her and preceded her down, maintaining
a gallant runnir fight with her superior
adversary
She distance from the mouth of the VA
100 river TO the batteries at Njcksburg is
ten miles
The fleet Of Davis and Farrasut with a
number ot transports, ammunition boats,
mortar boats AMI wooden rams, were ly-
nG scattered over space OF nearly two
miles OF the river, Just above the upper
batteries. Unfortunately none OF the iron
gunboats had steam up. and the entire
fleet was SO scattered about that few Of
them could fire at the ArkansaS as she
passed without danger Ct hitting some of
our own boats, until she came into close
range.
As she approached such boats as could
safely do So opened fire up-n her, but her
heavy iron plating successfully resisted
most OF the shots.
Spectators describe the appearance Of
the shots as they struck to haze been GU
rious in the extreme Eve time n solid
shot struck her plating a cloud Of blue
blaze seemed to rise from the spot and n
streak OF brighter fire, caused by the fric
ton, marked the entire course Of the shot.
until it passed off the vessel into the wa
ter. Some OF the heavier shot, however,
passed enirely through the plating, and
penetrated the interior of the vessel. As
the arkansas approached Farraguts gun
boat, Ne. 6, she swerved little from the
course to reply to a shot from one Of tha
other boats. At this instant a solid shot
from the ll-inch colunbiad of the Ne 6
struck her on the larbOdrl bow. near the
forward port, passing through and under
her plating, and ripping it of for consid-
erAbe distance " hat further DAMAGE it
did IS n t ascertained, but it IS evident
that the 4rkdRsaS is considerably injured
as at the time our informant left there she
was lying covered over on the bank under
the shelter OF the batteries. and large
number Of men could be seen at work on
her
The injuries to our fleet were much less
than at first represented
The Benton received a shot which
struck near the edge OF her after port, on
the lar5oard side, instantly kilIinE a man
who was standing there, passing through
the gunner room and the wood room,
and finally landing on the commanders
bed. Tbs was the only shot which did
any particular damage, and this was from
one OF the shore batteries, and rot from
the ArkaHSaS
The Tyler is wooden boat which en-
gagged the arkansas longer than any 9TH
er. uearly an hour and a half, and receiy-
ed the most damage. She had seven men
killed outrightand some nine or ten woun-
ded Among the killed were two we'll
known river men-Charlie Sebastion, pi-
lot OF the Iyier, one of the best known
and most popular men on the river. and
Mr. Davis, the engineer David Hiner
another we'll known pilot, had his arm ia
ken of by shot.
The ram Lancaster received shot
which penetrated the mud receiver under
meath the boilers, causing an escape of
hot water. by which six men were scalded,
three of them fatally.
The entire Federal loss, so far as can
be ascertained, will amount to about II
killed and Il wounded, of whom FIVE or six
will probably die.
What the loss Of life on board the ar
|, J.