Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-07-07
FEDERkB REP0RT8 FROM YICKs-
REIRHn.

a %SA- @-
The Federal ram Monarch arrived yesterday
from Com. Davis ieet, above Yicksburg, and
brings US intelligence Of the most startling char
acter from thai point. The particulars, as we
learn them from Capt. Gee. l. Curry, who was
a witness Of the whole affair from on board
Com Porter,s flag ship Victoria, were as follows /;
Our readers are aware that some vessels from
Com. Porser's feet have once OF twice before
visited VicksbuTg and exchanged some shots
with the Confederate batteries at that point. Up
to Thursday last, however, there has not been
at any time anything like a real bombardment
at that place.
About daylight on Thursday, however, the
signal for a general attack was given. The FIRE
was mainly directed against the fort on the top
of the bluff below the town, which mounted
eight guns. The firing continued al day, the
battery replying with more or less rapidly most
of the time. AS evening drew on, the firing
ceased on both sides.
On Friday morning the attack was resumed
and continued until afternoon, when Commo-
dore Porter si2nalled to shell the town itself
which was done for about two hOurs-with what
effect could not be definitely ascertsined. The
shells could be distinctly seen to burst above
the town, but the nearer buildings concealed the
exact effect from view.
The batteries on shore replied lightly and If
regularly during most Of the time. About 4
o'clock the signal was given to cease firing, and
the fleet drew of. About half an hour after the
cessation of the bombardment, the water bate
ries suddenly opened upon the Federal mortsrs,
whichsrepli6d until the batteries ceased firing.
No damage was done to the mortars.
During the engagement the gunboat Octorara
fred a number of shots from her loo pound IL
fed gun, which exhibited surprising accuracy
until the gun became heated and began to throw
high.
Soon after the firing ceased, the signal was
given for all captains Of divisions to report on
board the flagship. Here they received orders
to open fire again with the entire number OF
mortars at eight o'clock that night. According
~, atihe- appointed hour, the entire feet of NOR
tars, twenty in number, commenced to hurl
their fiery missiles upon the devoted town.
The scene is described as grand and terrible
in the extreme. The believing of the mortars
was like a continued peal of thunder, the glare
of the explosions Illuminated the horizon like
incessant flashes of lightning. The earth fairly
shook with the repeated conclusions, and the
huge shells seemed 10 hover above the doomed
city as if psusing to select a place in which to
plant their deadly missiles.
For more than an hour this terrible scene coz
tinued, when the order was again given to with
draw.
On Saturday morning Commodore Farragut,
whose feet was then lying about five miles be-
low the city, got word to the moTtars to open
fire upon the batteries at four o'clock in the
morning, and he would endeavOr to run some of
his vessels past the batteries. Accordingly, the
bomhardment was recommended at the hour
named, and, during its continuance, FaTragut
succeeded in passing the entire Confederate bat
teries with eight vessels, viz Three men-ofwar,
two loops-ofwar, and three gun-boats.
These vessels, it viii be remembered, are all
wooden ones, being part of the United States
sea going navy, and not iTon-clad gunboats, like
those belonging to Commodore Foote'S fleet.
During the passage, the batteries continued
to pour a shower Of shot and shell upon the
passing vessels, but without i~nflictiDg any Sc
rious dsmage and disabling none.
The fire of the batteries was generally too
high, and oil the vessels had their rigging con-
siderably cut. The Hartford, Commodore Far
flag ship was struck IN the hull twice,
one passing through her starboard bulwarks
near the bow about ten feet above her water
line, the other about the sam hight near the
stern. Otherwise she was but little damaged.
All the vessels also kept up q sharp fire curing
the entire passage.
Two Of these vessels Immediately passed on
to the mouth Of Yszoo river, the rest, when our
informant left, were still at anchor above the
The damage to the city in these different at
must have been immense. Topping
houses, tumbiing c~himneyss cracking roofs, con-
isgrations bursting out on. every hand, trees
OverthIown, and the ground torn up by burst
ing shells, present a scene which no pen can de-
pict, and only the most vivid Imagination can
conceive.
Such is the vengeance which has fallen upon
the city which first, aud before even her own
State had seeded from the Union, attempted to
control Of the navigation Of the Missis-
sippi
II is assorted also that a large force of negroes
are being employed under orders from Major
General Butler IN cutting a canal across the
tend of the river on which Yieksburg issituated
which will change the channel Of the river and
cave Yicksburg an inland town.
Capt. Curry was informed by the people living
llong the river that the women and children
lad all been removed from the city previous to
he final bombardment, and they are now dwell
ing along the line Of the jackson railroad,
many of them in holes dug in the sides of the
ills. He represents the distress existing not
lone in the neighborhood of Yicksburg but
throughout the entire region to be terrible. The
state of the country prevented the
from putting in the usual creps, and
he amount Of provision taken for the use of the
rmy, has reduced the people almost to the verge
f starvation.
FRoM YAZoo RIVER.
We are further Informed thar a reconnaissance
nade by some Of the Federal rams up Yazoo
last week, discovered strong batteries
lsnted at a point on the right bank, some sixty
niles from the mouth of the river. This bat
cry mounts four guns. Just below the battery
heavy raft was moored across the stream
D obstruct the upward passage of boats, and
aleu- II Law kfrao ruuhOata and q frauen0rf the /
Id Mesrs. The gunboats were the Van Dorm,
he Polk, and another, name unknown. As the
'ederal rams approached, these boats were set
n FIRE and turned adriit to act as fre-ships
gainst the rams, but the latter succeeded in
them. Not having any guns, how
to cope with the battery, theTsms returned
hey learned, however, from the carpenter Of
ne Van Dorm, who was captured, and also from
erSons living along the shore, that the gunboat
rkansas and some twenty transports were
ing at a point about sixty miles above the
sttery, and that it was for the purpose Of
her to be completed that the raft and
were placed there to impede the passage
f the Federal ~gunboats.
An expedition consisting Of gunboats, trans
and rams, with sufficient force TO remove
Ie distractions and capture the battery, was
to start Hp the Yazoo when our inform
At left.
TIE WoUNDED.-The Richmond Enquirer
the 9th gives a list Of the wounded of our
my in the battle of the day before and that
brought into the Kent hospital. The fol-
wing are those Of Mississippi Louisiana, Flor
a and Alabama i,
Peter Heating, Iss Is; B.. r. McGurty, Sd
la Mai. Jas. Nelligan, 1st La Thos. S.
LAYER. % Fla: John Rags. 9th Ala: John T. +;
Duilen, J. w. Spencer, II. Steinfz, Ist La; L.
Sosssr, 9Th Ala; w. f. Strickland, I4th Ala; {,
,hn Thornhill, 9Th Ala JIG. Wheeler, 18th
a.; Lieut.. I. J. Buckley, let La; d. j.
rowu. 18th Miss; NJ Mnlligan, 1st La; C. f. Z
arson. 9th Alai John Curry, Ssh Ala; b.
,nklin, LIST La; VIM. Clark. 3D. Ala Wm.
igley, n. Flannery, Lieut.. VIM. +. Woodson Z
t La; jesse A. Graham, 9th Ala; A j. Ger :
IN, 18th Ala; Geo Haywood, 9th Ala. /
COURAGE OF MccLELLAN-A correspondent 9
from the battle-6ald near Rsebmond