Juliet signal., 1862-08-05
From Yfcksburr.

tlcksOurg. July 70.
BY an agreement between Commodores
Davis and Farragut, an attempt to take
the ram Arkansas was made yesterday
morning. By arrangement the feet below
was to come u2 and engage the lower bat
teries, while the western gunboats were 10
engage the upper. The Essex and ram
Queen of the West. in the meantime, were
to attack and tow out the Arkansas.
Accordingly, at daylight, the Benton
(aag ship the Cincinnati, Louisville, and
Bragg weighed anchor and steamed down
the liver. As they nesred the Point the
Bragg halted and LAID to securely under
the right bank. for what purpose is un-
known The Essex passed IN. hugging
the paint and right shore. with her ports
clused, while the remainder of the feet
engaged the batteries in spirited man
ner.
The feet below failed to come up not
even the Sumpter. which was relied IN,
fred a gun irum below.
A. the Essex passed down. the shots lit,
orally rained on and around her. the lower
batteries having M better mark.
The lower mortar boats fired few shells
but they had no effect in dive-ting the FIRE
IF the enemy from the Essex.
seemed as If every mans house yard had
been converted into battery. Not less
than sixty guns were planted in the town
The Essex intended to run into the side
of the Arkan'as and jam her against the
rocky levee, but the rebel craft swung out.
and the Essex grazed her side only, and
then ran into the shore. As she went on,
however, she gave the Arkansas the con-
tents OF her three eleven inch bow guns.
A. they lay alongside, they exchanged
shots constantly.
Al sonn as the Essex got loose from the
shore, thinking she could do no good, un-
supported as she appeared TO be; she drop
unsupported. The Queen of the West was
nobly coming to her aid, and, though she
! arrived too late TO act in concert with the
| Essex, she attacked the Arkansas alone.
! She ran head down, and gave the Arkau-
sas butt that made her tremble from
stem to stern. Recover ing herself, the
| Queen ran on again 80 forcibly as to strain
| her own works badly in the bow. The
Queen then backed out and came up the
river.
The Essex and Queen received terrible
shower of shot as they approached and
left the Arkansas. The Essex received
several shot through her, and Lad one man
| killed and two wounded. The Queen,
| though shot through and through a dozen
times. made a miraculous escape. She cid
not sustain any loss of life All her crew
were volunteers and acted no5ly. For an
unarmed vessel to run under sixty guns
looks like madness, and her escape ap-
pears little short of Divine Providence.
ofE
tanned no harm.
The whcle movement has proved fail
ure, and the terrible Arkansas lies secure
under the guns of Vicksburg.
The Ceres went d wn the river few
miles last night TO return a large number
of negroes lately taken from plautatinns t,
work on the canal. While returning, thi'
morning, she WAS fred upon by new
rebel battery below, and Captain of tn,
Sixth Y ermout was HID and several mer
wounded.
Five OF our gunh0ats are now laid NJ
Tor repaiTs. Never yet has there been
time when they were so much needed
About Greenville. Mississippi, the reb
els are doing an immense deal of uischIe
to transports. The VI. Wilson wa
rlddled on her last trip up, and the VIC
toria got dozen shots into her in cominI
down. Tae Salhe Wood, Capt. Gus Lyon
# ST. Luis, is said to have heen burned t
the waters edge while trying to make be
way up cay or two ago. Why dun't ou
people retaliate by burdiug Grcenville? ?
Rumors lresben that Gen. Price i
marching upon us from Gaines Landing
and fears are aPprehended that We shal
soon he forced 10 retreat. The situation
here has few pleasant aspects indeed.