New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-06-11
NETWORK DAILY TRIBUNE,

The river eeemed e.ea.. no poaS Vi my Nil,
,sre visible until they had steamed oppoIite the
bern part of the city, where rapidly bad the
news of our approach been ditiused, tds levee and
hlnG were filed with people, number OF them
women, even at that early hour Of the morning:
The officers then perceived the Rebel feet lying
in q bend of TIE river, on the Arkansas shore, IN
front OF the town, and, few minutes after, the
crinboat. Of the enemy advancing TO give battle.
0ur no,;la did not open fire, because Commodore
Davis was anxious that the officers and crews sboud
have breakfast before going into action, knowing
material as the fact is that the men fight better with
full than with empty stomachs. Indeed, impressed
with this idea he signasd 10 bis vessels TO ascend
the river, and they did 30. The enemy no doabt
supposed this to be symptom Of fear, and followed
up the iotilla still steaming against the current.
xuE BEGINNING OF THE BATTLE.
The position Of tue foe near the Arkansas shore
wac in two lines in regular order, the first line
consisting Of the Beanregard, Little Rebel, General
Price and General Bragg, and tho second OF the
General Lowell, General Van Dorm, JEFF. Thompson
and Sumter; the Little Rebel being the flagship,
with Commodore Ed. Montgomery on board Ghd III
nlnand.
The Secession fleet still advanced and the Ma
tonal ho.illa stiN re.reaied, though very slowly,
anxious to gain little time for 'he consumption OF
the morning meal. The enemy grew impatient and
impudent. The old and unconquerable love oil 6lus-
ter prcdomiuated, and the Little Rebel fired shot
at tho Benton, which, with the Louisville, w.is
below the remainder OF its companions.
No reply was made from our side. Then the
Rebels felt certain we were alarmed, and again a
shot from the hostile flagship sped far away from the
Benton and fell into the river mile above. STU the
no,il,a steamed mp the Mississippi aud third time
the Zoe disch irged gun the Yankee craft without
effect.
The Union officers were too well disciplined to
uurmur but the seamen were burning for hgh''
and complgiued loudly. When told that the Com
flav
goinx INFO action, they secuted the idea, and sad
battle would be batter than breakfast; that they
were only hungry 10 fight.
10 say truth, the tlag-Oliicer himself was losing
his temper and be ordered tie retreat TO be checked
and the action TO begin. The Cairo opened the
martial entertainment on our side by sending she'll
al tho Little Rebel, and placing II within few leet
Of her hull This WAS followed by the other Ma
Ii0ual vesseis, aud answered by the enemy, ana a
great roar and "a huge smoke went up from the river
like hitting fog from tie sea.
INCREASE OF THE STRIFE.
At this time the two fleets Were about three-quar-
ters Of nile apart, hut were gradually decreasing
tie distance The firing both siees was raj Id and
incesssnt. al our vessels We're engaged, and 80
were ihose OF the enemy. Our boats generally hred
their bow or stern guns, but during the action the
Cairo Louisville and ~. Louis fired broadsides two
or three times The Rebel boats had fewer guns
than We, ranging generally from three to eight or
ten, but ounnmbered us by three, and this odds gave
they hope.
After fighting for fifteen Minutes, the distance be
tween the contestants could not have been more
than half mile, and still the battle ragged heFceiy
in full view of the crowd on the Memphis levee,
who mist lave been intensely excited over the
scenes on the river
The air was blue with smoke, and through the
dense clouds the flashes Of the guns visible like
the lightning through the mist vi tins descending
storm. The shells were bursting every second IN
the atmosphere and amid the walls Of the devoted
city. -,
works; and not one OF our boats was struck, cor
tainly not nnred while the National ycsle's often
lii tie Rebel craft from whose sides the spbuters
were seen to hy ever and anoD causing now ana
then The protrscted silence OF a believing gun.
PARTICIPATION or THE RAMS.
The engagement had continued about half an hour
when two of our rama, the Monarch and Queen OF
The West. which had been lying on the Arkansas
ward the scene of action. AS soon as the enemy
saw them, he began 10 retire IRON The contest,
breaking his line OF battle 81 once, but Sill trinZ bis
guns AZ we advanced. The Queen Of the West
started directly for the Beauregard and the gunbOat
fired at but ini-sed her. A second shot struck the
ram, but did her no injury, and she still steamed
stesdily and swiftly toward her adversary. just as
she wa. within ten feet Of the Btauregari the latter
swung round and the ram missed her prey. In no
manner discouraged, however, the Queen ran to-
ward the Genenti Price, which fred several shots
bat did no damage, and thrust her iron Prov into
the whcelhousc knocking il TO pieces, and causing
her to leak badly that She was run 10 the Afkan-
sas shore TO prevent her sinking, and she now Hes
there, only prevented from linking completely
down by tie shaiiownoss Of the water.
The BeaurePari, sOon As this occurred deter
mined to revenge the Price, and sped toward her,
while the RAM in full motion, was dashing toward
her foe. They bore down upon each other brGyely,
but the skilliul pilot II the enemy contved 10 evade
the shock of the Unonist, and strnck her an 70
heavily that the ram was disabled, and began leak
ing. The Monarch seeing the condition Vi affairs,
came calamity up, and steamed toward the Beaure-
yard resolved she should not long enjoy her triumph
/ The Beeuregnrd fired four times at the ram, and
struck her bnlwaIks once. the ball glnncng harm
lesfly. She could not AVOID the unerfng ann of The
Monarch, which crashed through her bow with the
force OF an avalanche, and caused her TO I'LL In few
minute- aud 20 down az far ~ her csbn-tle shall.
lownces Of the river at that point preventing her
loss aud The white flag she had run up from further
damage from the iiotilla.
The fo;la continued to fire at the enemy, but
were careful TO withhold their fire whenever on
rams and the hostile guIboats were, as they often
were, in close proximity.
The Monarch now turned her attention TO her
disabled consort the Queen Of the West, and towed
her ashore, placing her in position Of security and
out Of the reach OF danger.
PROGRESS OF THE ENGAGEMENT.
Bentos Lousyille aud the other three National
gnnboats increased their fire, stukiug TIE onemy
frequently at various poin's and leaving no doubt
as to its isfue Of the combat. The tlsg.bip now
obtained excellent range Of the Genera Lowell and
Capt. w. l.. Phelps hmsel. directed "a j0-pound
iiAed Parrot 40 the General Lowell, striking the
vessel aft above her water ne and tearing great
hole IN Der, through which the wGter rushed ike a
torrent. She began to sink at once, giving few Of
the officers and crew time to save themselves. In
less than four minutes the vessel had annk IN 49,
feet u water, and passed entirely out of sight.
MiGSANIAIITi OF TIE uNIONisTs.
Some Of the enemy went down with the Lowell
bns ahomt lLv u tie crew eaned INTO he liver md