The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1863-03-07
Capture OF the Queen OF the West.
~ Correspondence of the Chicago Journal
81 IouNG's POINT BoTToM, LA, I
r. br,o-r 90 1000 iHES 9

tss YouNG's PoINT BOTTOM, La, I e..
9aw. e III srr1f February %, 1853 3.
The ram Queen of the West, after coaling,
her supply having run the blockade as stated
10 former letter, aud taken On board 30.
FOUNDER PARROT, started on another cruise -
Thelcaptured ferry boat De soto having been
equipped with similar seige gun, accompa
MED the-ram as consort. The Queen Of
the West commanded by, Captain Suther.
and, the hero of the marriage with q secesh
widow COL R. E. Ellet was the principal ex
ecutive officer. She had ON board fifty infan-
try-a detachment of the 5Sth Ohio, which
fought so well and suffered SO severely in
the. crossing of Chicksaw bayou. The iron-
clad In IanOia had run the batteries the same
morning of the rams departure. N sj, an
1oSo far as know, the trip down to Red river
was without auy special interest, or event of
any particular moment. After reaching the
mouth of Red rever, she proceeded slowly and
with caution, up that crooked stream, in
search of rebel transports aud gunboats. COL
Ellet had sort of rowing commission, to OBJ.
tain all the information possible, and do the
rebels ahoat as much mischief as he could
Soon after1deaving the Mississippi, she came
up to and captured the rebel transport Era
No 5, stern wheel boat owned in Cincinna att.
Leaving her at the mouth of the river, the
ram and Desoto proceeded up the river Hav-
ling been informed that the rebels had three
steamers not very completely clad with iron,
and protected with cotton bales, living under
the guns of Fort Taylor-sixty miles above
the mouth of Red river-it was concluded, the
fort being represented as of inconsiderable
strength, to 60 up in the light and destroy them.
Upon arriving at the scene Of the proposed
adventure, they were received by fire 80 heavy
and from guns of such calibre as demonstrated
that they had been misinformed, and that their
wooden walls could not live in the face of the
batteries. Before the Ram could be put about
and started back, she ran aground; the first
three shots missed; the fourth crashed through
her boiler; the second shot cut the piston rod of
her engine; the next tore open her steam chest,
filling the vessel with steam and scaIding water.
Seven shots, following each other in rapid sue
cessien, all took effect on the unlucky RAM
Captain Sutherland and fifteen of the men we're
wounded The steamer was aground and hone
lessly crippled, and under fire within four hun.
dred yards of the rebel batteries Colonel Ellet
accordingly abandoned her with nearly all of bis
injured men. BY means of cotton bales and a
yawl, they succeeded in making their way to the
De Soto, and retreated down the river Tbey
we're pursued by toe Webb and three other gun.
boats. AS the Webb was about overtakinp and
capturing them, the Indianola met them and
opened upon the Webb. After the exchange OF
a few shots, the rebels retreated up the river.
and the two boats came down to the mouth of
the Red River. Thus, for the present, ended
the career Of the Queen of the W est as q menu
Der OF our river Eavy, Colonel Ellet, at one
time, had the match in his hands to blow her up.
but hesitated. BY destroying the ram, he would
take the lives of Captain Sutherland and twelve
wounded men. Consideration alone preserved
the ram for rebel service Her career in the
Federal service has been brilliant, and, until her
loss, successful. She had become quite terror
to traitors on the river, and her capture will be
cause of considerable glorifeation, as it is
| The principal loss, however, is that of the 80
FOUNDER Parrot, with its ammunition. We can
supply the place of the ram between Vicksburg
and Port HUDSON and have a plenty of other
artillery, but it is exceedingly annoying to have
such an elegant, "highly accomplished" piece OF
ordnance in the hands OF such soldiers as the
secesh Of these parts. Col. Ellet, and those Of
his command who were not taken prisoners, re.
turned yesterday morning on the prize steamer
Erie. The De Soto, proving worthless, losing
her rudder and being unfit to run up stream, was
abandoned and blown up. The Erie arrived a,
the mouth of the canal about midnight of Friday
The batteries opposite New Carthage and a
Warrenton opened on her tremendous fire Al
she passed, not shot taking effect, :s.a4a
The Indianola remains at the mouth of Rec
river, blockading the transports and gunboat
which are about there. Among them is one, tn,
Webb, which is of considerable Importance
She was formerly an ocean tow-bost, is clal
with railroad iron, and is very strong. She i.
well armed, but of no great earthly or water inn
portance In comparison with oor iron.clad gun
boats So that, the blockade being maintained
we are losers so far in the difference between
the Queen of the West and three TRANSPORTS
sunk, the vicksburg used up, De Soto captured
and sunk, and the Erie captured The raEcl i.
ahead on the account of prisoners, the number