Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1862-08-01
THE STARTLING ADVENT or THE

RAM ARKANSAS.
Brief accounts have already been given Of
the emergenco Of the rebel ram Arkansas from
her hiding place in Yazoo river, and success
fol defiance Of the whole Federal fleet on her
! passage to Vicksburg. We find in the cor.
/ respondonce of the Chicago Tribune graphic
account Of this startling event, which differs
in some material points from the statements
heretofore promulgated. We quote:
q. 5 GuSnoAr FlorutA,
Wednesday July 10. 1869 (
The monotouy and cnnui which has hung hkc pail
ior the last two weeks over fleet most efcotuay
! break IL was But to facts About so A NJ the gun-
boat Catondclft aud TYLER and the ram Queen u The
West got under way. steamed up TIE river short dis
lance. turned and neadcd up the Yazoo. Rumofs had
been rife for several DAYS hat the Arkansas ptepar
ing 70 come out hni large majority hnood 1t down and
scolcd At the bare idea II seems however, that those
In authority placed some cence ia the report and con
scqueuty the two gunRoas and am sent 10 look
up matters. Upon cpterrg the river the Queen shot
up ahead Of the rest tho Cafoudeet following while the
Tyler brought up the rear
TitE ARKANSAS COMING
They had proceeded about five mics only when those
on the gunboats we're startled by The appearance of the
Queen coming full speed down the river with evidently
every pound u steam she could make work ON her
shaft She flew by the Carondcei with the words. The
coored cran with short thick black smoke stack in
her middle, puhinV out hus volumes Of black smoke
came swiftly around the Point and made or the CAron-
sm oaArrLEs wrm THE cAnoSDgLgr.
he river was too narrow 10 turn back even II Capt.
walker had so wished; but the Captain Is one who
knows such word a. black out and swinging around
broadsde to avoid rakinR Shots the Condcet hclched
forth whole hfoadsidc to the rapidy advancing Graf.
Imagine the CONSERVATION produced when the balls were
seen no strike and fall harmlrssly in the water At
I him again" was the cry and another broadside was
poured into the monster at fly yatds range, with
no more effect than II So many peas had been discharged
The Arkansas now run into the Carondcots starboard
quarter with fearful crash pouring br1adside after
broadsidc into the gupboat which, ptssiue through Inc
wooden easement, fakcd The vessel num stem 20 stern
The Arkansas showed intention Il leaving her victim
out remaining along her staboaId quarter rakcd her fore
and al with pointed shot The Caruudlcts stern and
after division n sarboafd batteries Kept up nccssan
trr' out the huge solid shot flew % like ludiafubhtr
balls. There was uo tangible spot hc seen ; and q
very small round hole constituted her ports and on olc
'aung or depressing the porthoe moved with the gun.
uAtIANr ATTEMPT 10 HOARD HEH
Finding his guns were dpug no service, Captain
Walker bad h, bnatdcrs called away and into the rebel
craft they poured but NOT passage way could
Doe found. The homdernow returned aud the gun, .et
20 work, but 10 va, 30 much powder wasted The Carou
dccts stern was now pefdcuy rddled all the Off GERS
quarters sh9t away ana everything LITERALLY torn 10
pieces Al length shot cut away the steam pipe and
ne sca'.1g 'apor spre9dto every part NJ the boat
Many gi Tie men jumped overheard Atuis Iinrtutc
affairs Capt Walker led tuareng party iu The rebels
deck but could find no possible way 4 getting below
The matches were all secured underneath aud the small
est kind NJ aperture hole nowhere tao be found
This discovered hc party returned TO give up their boat
only WHEN tlc 1nit1m ui The river called Tor her The
AAg which It'll noi,d FROM her sfu was never to be-
struck To- the rebels as lo one bard aated to hold
1t up.
suR An,NnoNs HFR VICTIM
What men were ,it stood by what guns could be
brought to bear and worked them until thu Arkansas,
lukug she had ab nut finished her vci pushed along.
passed her and stood tur The Ilcr which h,d stood by
the Carnudcct through tho whole fight The TYLER dis
covered her motion aud knowing her thin fame would
stnd no chance when brought 90 contact with the enc
my ir,u,ncrahe sides, headed down the stream keep
ing just clear of the Alkns,s and firing her bat
terry This ch,scvas kept until The mouth of ihc rvci
was reached when The 4, Ter. her boats shot away and
badly cut up otherwise came into view Of the whole fleet
rHE FLEET cAr0ur NArrINo.
10 lnnf fuu O..
tauy, had steam enough 90 move The Louisiana shore
Vas iucd with our transports ordnance boats, &c. while
directly oIpost" ihrm thrCc ~ four abreast lay Faua-
CUTS aud Davis fleets carcly two Of which could hfc
wlhgut pouring 'hdr broadsdes into some " their own
vessels All eyes N,fc strained the cause Of the
lycrs comm9iion. The ram hc which Ia, near the
mouth Of thc Nazo7 are scauccd in every direction.
moment more and the long dreaded Arkansas" scatns
into full view and heads rgh' r the center Of feet
Az uNoH>THucTED PASSAGE.
Bang goes gun al the ordnance boat Great Western
while one from htr port battery at the rams, who
leaving at every direction. She nov passe. the ch-
mpnd whose splendid battery II nucinrh pAhlgtcus Is
held silent by the H. Ditkcy who laws ust oppo,it,
Bang bang 20 two more guns at the ordnance boat
Passing down She puts balls INTO tie Champion,
while 10 the meantme her Ior battery is usy with Far
dauntcd nothing checked She is now more ,han hal
way down. She passed the Hartford" but the noble
old hag-ship Is situated like The Richmond fnr same
hroadsde which would have hailed the Arkansas
would have annhllled the splendid hospital boat Red
Rover with her cargo u human freight The ONEIDA hits
ger WIN hgf eleven inch hut the pnnderuus missile pro-
dueCs no effect. The Wnona and WissAhiekon engages
het ou' she passes thtr hre unscaed, unframed Can
nothing burst the rcbel mon'tcf! dubious shake Of
tne htap ht "hl response as nall after ball ops
from her side into The water Steadily but surely she
keeps on the way, firing roadsde the transports
anu he oln, AZ somt N's'eN "h the nher side She has
he"f> run ue gauntlet
- GINS NED nv tue CINCiHSArl
one more uoAt only ~ dispute her progress and that
t CINCINNATI "heh lar heln" the ret o the III ct Is do
ing pcNet uuV neAt the point All e es are upon her,
anu iepetuoh ~ hof furi fhow experience rccms in
rN'ao's oh COMES me Arkansas seemingly like Ante
Nv W uu' puN'hB up ne" S'ienstn az every siep She u
eus p h't prey Ah" Is lnAh'ns nsht i' IT. The Nmcin
"el nae nor steam sumccnt 10 tackle ON her OF ever
n'Iu'y enough 20 hol ncf head mp stream She sipp,'
,i '''' ''i anu ht"u'N i'i 'ht ml9alHnlppl sh"fr
uiuuns noWn Siieim au the time her own motive povt
being insufficient No. stem che current
Inc Arkansas discovering her intention heads for her
Nnen e kunn9Al opened bnsk aud Calling hre on The
advancing ftbt az snort range, The hcd Parrots appar