Delaware State journal and statesman., 1863-03-17
ADMIRAL PoRTERs NARRATIVE OF THE
CONSTRUCTION AND CAREER OF HIS
DUMMY MONITOR"


CONSTRUCTION AND CAREER OF HIS
DUMMY MONITOR"
private letter has been received at Washing
ton, by naval officer, from Acting Rear Ad-
miral Porter, which has created much amuse-
meut ia Cabinet circles. Il stems that Porter
WAS much surprised 10 learn, on the 25th Of
February, that tue ram Queen ct the West was
at Warreutou, seven miles below vicksburg, with
the rebel Gag flying, aud steamup The account
Porter had received from Ellet led him TO believe
that the Queen was IN such condition that she
could not BE- repaired for some time. ~ knew"
said Admiral Porter in his letter, "that Brown
could take care Of the Webb by himself, hut
have 10 idea that he will be a match for the
Queen and the Webb both amusing him at the
same time. The lndianola is a weak vessel, aud
the only good thing about her is her battery"
lie proceeds to say that, "during the time Of the
running Of the blockade, by the Queen ~ In-
dianOla, Eve rebel gus were burst and dis
mounted in their forts. Therefore it was AN
object TO make them fire Us much as possible.
got mortar in easy range, aud opened on that
part Vt the town where there was nothing but
army supplies, and soon provoked fire OF their
heavy batteries. The shell at first fell over the
mortar and around IL, hui sting close TO our men;
but the range began to grow shorter aud shorter,
until they let us have it all our own way. Find
ing that they could not be provoked without an
object, | thought Of getting up an imitation
Monitor An old con barge, picking up Ia the
river, WAS ths foundation to build OF. II was
constructed in twelve hours, of old boards with
pork barrels piled On top OF each other for smoke
stacks, and two old canoes for qu.rter boats
Her furnaces were built OF mud, aud Uny intehd-
Cd to make black smoke, and not steam. On the
night Of the 24th We heard, ut . O'Clock, heavy
guns about fifteen miles below We knew that
the rebels h. d nothing but light guns there,
which could hot be heard at any distance. 30
VIZ thought it was the lndauolH engaging the
batteries at Carthage, fifteen miles below Nicks-
hurg. Not knowing that Brown was in peril, We
Jet loose our Monitor. 1t was tOwed TO within u
couple of miles Of the first battery and let 20,
when 1t was discovered by the dun light OF the
moon that NieksburR was in q stew. Never did
her batteries open with such " vim. The enrtl
fairly trembled, aud the shot flew thckly around
tbs devoted Monitor, which returned To shot
With her loug wooden gun. The Monitor ran
safely past all the batteries, though under "A
heavy fire Tor an hour. and drlfed down safely
to the lower mouth VI the canal where she was
tucked into an eddy. The rebels were complete.
ly deceived by her. As sooa rs they saw her by
daylight they opened On her again with all the
guns they could bring 10 bear, but without u shot
hitting her 10 do any hahn, for the snot went
through Que side anu came out the other, wiihc ut
causing the vessel 10 sink, rs she WINS full VI
water already, Our soldiers shouted aud
laughed like mad, but the laugh was some
what against them when, at daylight, NC
discovered the ram Queen Of the West wing
at WarrcnIon aud the question at oucp
arose what had happened u the lnlunola
Had the Two rams sunk or captured her in the
engagement we had heard the night before
Oae or two of the soldiers got the Monitor OH