The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-07-04
The Explosion ON the GunbOat
Mound City.
FULL DETAILS OF THE TERRIBLE DIS.
ASTER, BY AN EYE WITNESS.
HEROIC DEATH OF YOUNG KNIFE.
COL. FITCH'S OFFICIAL REPORT.

A correspondent of the Cincinnati Com.
nercdal, who accompanied the expedition up
White River, gives the following account
of the disaster on the Mound City, On the
18th inst:
At IL A. NJ. the Mound City having fired
fifty~one guns, an unusual quantity of steam
is seen issuing from her ports and through
the ventila on the upper deck. At first We
suppose her boilers have exploded, but, by
mark on her side forward perceive that
she has received a shot from the enemy.
From conversation with First Master
G. Dominy, of the unfortunate gunboat,
we learn that, after Smelling the woods, the
Mound City proceeds on up the river, en-
gaging the lower rebel battery, which was
soon effectually silenced. The Mound City
had then engaged the second battery-some
200 yards distant-and also shelled the
woods filled with the enemy ssharpshooters
At l A. NJ, an elongated rifle 42.pound
shot entered her port side forward of the
forward port, at an angle of thirty degrees,
instantly killing four men at their guns, and
then, passing through the steam drum and
heater, finally lodged in the pantry of the
Storage room.
Walter McOlain, John McCIintock, En-.
anuel Stokes, and j. P. Lee-the latter of
Helena, Arkansas-are the names of the
men killed while working at the guns.
Stokes right shoulder was shot off; Nc
Claims whole breast carried away; Nc
Clintock and Lee were literally cut IN t0o,
just about or above the hips. Their man.
gled bodies, torn from limb to limb, pre-
sented the most horrible spectacle we ever
witnessed. In an instant, the whole boat,
inside and outside, was enveloped in steam.
In the confusion of the moment some sixty
men, badly scalded, jumped overheard
thirty or more of whom we are sure were
drowned or murdered-the enemy's sharp.
shooters literally picking off our poor fell
lows while they were swimming and strug.
Cling in the water for life.
When the accident occurred Master
Dominy was standing out forward on the
starboard spar deck, captain Kelly being
at bis post in the pilot house,, giving Or
ders during the hail of cannon, rifle and
musketry shot. Discovering the flow of
steam, Dominy pulled off his coat with
which he covered his head, begging his
men "for Gods sake not to jump over
board" He next went to the stern, waved
his handkerchief for the gunboats below to
came up and tow the disabled Mound City
out from under the rebel batteries-42
pounders-which were playing on her very
heavy at the time. While signaling the
gunboats to come up, bis handkerchief was
shot out of his hand. As fast as he pulled
his men out of the water at the stern of the
Mound City, the enemy's sharpshooters shot
them down. Quartermaster Mexican and
one of the coal beavers, we're both shot
while Dominy was pulling them out; Nc
Kean through the hip and the coal HEAVIER
the head. The latter, with his hand c.inch.
ed in Dominy's, fell dead on the deck.
While the small boats of our fleet were
busily engaged in picking up the drowning
men, the Conestoga, Captain q. NJ. Blod
gett. q. s. N. commanding, in foil face OF
the fire from the enemy's batteries, gallant
ly came to the rescue of the Mound City,
and, passing line to her stern, passed the
disabled gunboas out from the shore where
she had drifted to secure point one mile
below. In the meantime, party of sharp.
shooters endeavored to board the Mound
City, but were soon shelled off by dis
charge from the tug Spit6re's Dahldren
howitzer and a round or two from the Con.
estoga's big guns. One of the Lexingtons
and two of the Conestoga's small boats,
while picking the men out of the water
were ridded with bullets and shot from
the enemy's 42.pounder, A AZ poundel
passed through both of the Conestoga's
boats, when one of the latter was run
ashore to save the men, one of whom was
severely injured by splinter.
The agonizing scene cannot be described
or imagined. Your correspondent, through
the courtesy of Lieutenant Commanding
Shirk, Q. S. n, of the Lexington, was sent
on board of the i'll fated vessel, together
with Surgeon Carver, with the hope of af-
fording all possible relief in the capacity Of
nurse. Here lay the bodies of some twenty
men scalded to death, others with their
mangled bodies severed asunder by the fatal
shot. The gun deck was literally strewn
with from IS to 80 Others, who, being scald.
ed and horribly dis6gured, were tearing of
their clothing, and long strings of bleeding
flesh dangling from their fnger-ends
hands, arms, and lacerated bodies, and with
eyes burnt out and closed, crying out for
"Help, help-water, give me water, water
save me. Oh! God, save me, end my
misery. Doctor, will live? Tell my wife
how l died." and numerous pitiful exclama.
lions and pathetic appeals of this character
The features of all were wonderfully dis
tOrted. Many could not be recognized by
their most intimate friends. We pray to
God We shall never have occasion to look
on such a scene again. The pilots, engi.
neers, and all other officers of the boats
stood their watches to the last moment,
while several died at their post. Many were
moaning piteously; others, in all their mis-.
cry, were cheering up and sympathizing
with their comrades others frantically
screaming, running wildly about the decks
in their circulating agony, nearly all strip.
ped to the buff. Strewn all over the deck
lie the raw, bleeding, mapgled bodies of the
dead and dying seamen.
While our gunboats were shelling the
bluff and batteries, Colonel Fitch's com.
mand bravely drove off the enemy's sharp