The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1862-07-31
STIRRING TIMES AT
WICK BURG.
THE ARKANSAS" OUT,
She Rms the BiOchutle- Grand iStuna
pede Of Runs md Stedn.ers-C Grip
pies the CdrOndelet-N arroac Escupe
Of the Cincinnati.

trTte nuns me OtOchUHS- GTO1l4 sum
,eOe Of Rums md Stedmers- Grip
pies the Cdrondelet-Ao orroac Escupe
Of the Cincinnati.
| U. s. GUNBoAr FLoTILLA,
| Wednesday, July 10. 1862.
The monotony anl eunni which has
hung like pail for the last two weeks
over our fleet was most tffeciuallv
broken Yesterday morning, and rather
unpleasant break it was. Bul to facts |:
About $50 "A. IN. the gunbnats Caron-
dclet and Tyler, and lheram Queen of
the West got undcr way, steamed NJ,
the river Il short distance, turned and
headed up the Yaz,o. Rumors had
been rife for several days that the Ar
kansas was preparing la come out but
II large aj',riiN Ilnoicd it down and
Sc,tfrd at The idea. II seems, however
that those IN authority placed some
credence In the report, and consequent
| ly the two eunboats and rainwere sent
ont 10 look up matters. Upon enter
ing the river, the Queen shot mp ahead
"f the rest, the Caronielei following,
while the ~ Ter br"ught up the rear.
The. had proceeded about five miles
only when those ON the uunboats were
startled 10y the appearance of the
Queen coming full speed down the
nver, with evidently every pound of
steam she cond make at work on her
shaft. She flew by the Carondcle,
with the words, THE Arkansas is com
ing" aud shortly after long, low
mul cOlorrd craft, with n shnIt, thick.
| black smoke stack in her middle, puff
lng ont huge volumes of black smoke,
camrsMifrly around the point and made
for the Car"n.irlrt. The river was too
narrow To turn back, even, it Captain
Walker had so wished but the cap
tain is one who knows no such word ~
back ont," and swinging around
br"adslde, to avoid raking shots, the
Caronds'let lanched forth n whole
br,adsidr on t." the RAPIDLY advancing
craft. Imagine the CONSIDERATION pro
.lmcrd when the balls were seen to strike
and fall llarnllrssIy in the water. ''At
him again." WAS the cry, aud another
broadside Was poured into the monster
at fifty yards range, but with no more
effect than if :" many peas had been
discharged. The Arkansas now ran
into the Caron.lrlet's starboard quarter
with "a fearful crash, pouring broadside
after broad-idc into the gnnboat, which
passing through the wooden caspmate,
rakea the vessel from stem tn stern.
The Arkansas showed no intention of
leaving her victim, hut remaining along
her starboar,l quarter raked her fore
and aft with pointed shot. The Caron
delet'sstern and after division of star
board batteries kept up I'M incessan,
fire; but the hinge solid shot flew of
like i.lia rubber balls. There was no
tangible SPOT tn be seen, a very small
round hole, just large enough to admit
the gun constituted her ports, and on
elevaling or depressing the porth"le
moved with the gun. Finling his guns
were doing no service, Capt. Walker
had his boar.lers called away, aud into
the rebel craft they poured; but not a
man or passage way could be
found. The hoarders now returned
and the guns set TO work, but it was
50 'i'Ni l''NNtl WdSttu. t / ilt. Adtpfl
delets stern WAS nowIertectly riddlesl,
all the officers quarters shot away, and
eryihing literally torn To pieces. Al
length Il shot cut away the steam pipe
aud the scalliny varnr spread {" every
part of tn. boat. Many "f the men
jumped overheard. At this jnncture
of affairs Capt. Walker led boarding
party .n the rebels deck, but could find
u" p 's>ible way of getting below. The
haichps were all secured underneath
and the smallest kind of an Aperture
or hole WAS nowhere 10 be found This
discovered, the party returned to give
mp their boat only wIrn the bottom "i
the river calls for her. The flag which
still tlaate.l from her stern Was never
To be struck To tie rebels as long az
one board f1nated I" hold it mp. Wha,
men were left stood by what guns conld
be brn,i sht IL bear and worked them
q uutil the Arkansas, thinking she had
I