The Avoyelles pelican. [volume] (Marksville [La.]) 1859-186?, 1862-08-02

VOL. p, 10. .
A. LAT'A7GEE,

when the 1trl,ansa; mad. her appe r
ance above the federal fleet, until she
reached her 'roorings in the port "t Vicks
| burg. sa. tI.at no Imagination con, coE-,
ceiv-, no power Of description could con
v-v, al idea of the awful. su,Iimily ut
the spectacle.
One who occupied q most favorable
thing which it vas poss4blr to see or
! hear, states that from the dome or tlp.
! court house, distant about two miles from
the scene Of action. he had an nuob-
strncted view Of the magnificent pano-
rama. The Arkansas moved down. the.
avenue Of death as quietly as ever pleas
| urr boat iioa.ed on the bosom of pla--
cid lake. Hei entrance was signaled by
Il more furious tempest Ut terrible mis-
siles than ever descended upon single
vessel. From thirty to forty Of the most
powerful gunboats and rams, including
the famous Benton. the pride and the
boast of the Federal navy, exhausted
their magazines, and ordinance of i'm
nense callbre in the vain effort to en-
gulph her. But forward, still forward"
she went, pouring into this one broad
side, and rushing furiously against that
one, until two struck their flags, and
rushed ashore to escape the murderous
fire. Turning suddenly, amid the leaden
storm which was descending upon her
louder than the bolts of heaven, she dash
ed impetuously and with all the power
she could command, against the Ben
ton, giving her thrust in the side which.
is believed to have broken sereralof her
RIBS, if not to have inflicted mortal
wound.
The battle continued to rage with UNI
abated violence. The Arkansas still
moving forward majestically, amidst
death-shots falling thick and fast, and
yet, with the exception of her smoke
stack being rlddled, not casualty oc-
Cured on board. Had not the smoke
aud heat become so sitting as compel
the opening of one of the port holes, We
should have been spared recording a sim
gle misfortune That circumstance. how
ever, enabled the enemy to effect an en-
trance, and the losses noticed i'll our dis
patch of yesterday We're produced by Il
ball passing through the port-hole. And
now the gaun let was rum, the terrible
ordeal escaped, and the noble Arkansas,
having passed, through the avenue Of
death, nothing remained but to wave her
adieus, which she lid in the most gallant,
feeling manner from the t,oo sons Of Mars
who preside in the rear Of her court
And then the red field was won, and
Neptune crowned her Queen Of his
realm.
As she took leave of the formidable
feet, and rounded, the point above the
city turning her bow to. port-her no.
blerfag seemed instinct with life as TIE
gentle breeze displayed its glittering
folds. Had nothing else been done dur
ing the war, this single feat would have
written immortality, in characters OF hv-
ing light, all over those broad and ample
folds
The scene which. followed the land
ing Of the Arkansas, was Of the most
thrilling character. The crowd rushed
to the wharf frantic with joy. As the
immortal hero-Commodor Brown
presented himself to view, the warm.
blood still trickling down his ft,rrowed
cheeks, from his wounded head-the
enthusiasm became irrepressible. All felt
that a debt of gratitude was due to him
and his brave officers and crew which
could never be repaid.
When the circumstances are consid-
cred, is it too much to say, that the vic
tory is more signal and glorious than
any one recorded in naval history. In
the case of the Merrimac virginia. there
were these points, difference: She was
a vessel Of vastly greater dimensions.
She probably cost five times as much as
the Arkansas. Every facility was en-
loved in her construction which money
or material could furnish. She was at
tended by several other superior vessels.
She engaged only some eight or ten of
the enemys' fleet. In the case of the
went unattended. No
aid could reach her.. Failing in her ex-
pedition, escape was hopeless. She met
in deadly combat about forty Of the best
cannon proof vessels belonging to the
enemy's navy. @a ,a
The world will accord her the greatest
..L:ornl ~ ]ho xvo%.,rv