American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1851-1863, 1863-04-03
Vol. XIII.


against the black sky. The noise was
stunning to the ear, but they knew not
Jet the position of our batteries. and the
shot and shell. fred at random. had no
material effect. The shelling from the
mortar boats presented the finest scene
OF the two. First the distant fash and
puff OF white smoke. then the star of light
rising by spasmo1ic efforts-so its rero-
lutions make il appear-up to the very
armament, while the more slowly trav-
cling sound brings the hoarse roar of the
mortar then the now Frightening star
descending by the same spasmodic mo-
ton next the ominous whirring, grow
ing louder and still more clear. until
bang right in your face it seems, flash
like that of sheet ligbtning-a sharp.
terrible explosion-and then. thud thudi
thud The rent iron shakes in every di-
reciion. burrying its gagged fragments
deep in the solid earth.
Minute after minute passed away. each
driven to eternity distracted by the of
so many cannon, and the feet kept up its un
checked course up the river. Amusement
seized upon the Yankee officers and men
Where were the long talked of batteries the
rebels had been constructing with which TO
bold the Mississippi +? Had they been aban-
doned in panic, c7used bv the terrible bonn
bardment of the fleet The marine officer
of The Mississippi, now prisoner. tells rne
the query was seriously proPounded whether
the rebels had not evacuated their strong
hold. and thus cheated the brave Yankee
tars' out of the glory they were expecting to
reap. Only too soon did the enemy discover
that they were but waiting to bring their
whole fleet irretrevabiy under our guns be-
/ fore thew went To work. For fifteen minutes
! hod Iau Mi aI nd
now they were commencing TO relax. from
sheer vexation. when a lash of light from the
crest of a cliff lights the way for she'll TO
go plungiDg through the HaItford's deck.
This was the monitor, aud at once the enemy
saw a cordoa Of vivid light as long as their
own.
Now commenced the battle in all its terri
bic earnestness Out numbered in gans, and
loutweighed in metal, vollies were as
quickly repeated and the majority of them
tunerring in their aim. As soon as the enc
my thus discovered our batteries. they open
ed on them with grape and canister, which
was more accurately thrown than their shells,
and threw clouds of dirt upon the guns aud
gunners the shell went over them in every
conceivable direction, except the right one.
The Hartford, very fast ship, now made
straight for up the river, making her beat
time, and trying to divert the aim OF our
gunners by her incessant and deafening broad
sides. She soon outstripped the balance OF
the fleet. Shot after shot struck her, rid
ding her through and through, but still she
kept on her way.
Every craft now looking out for its sell
and bound to make its very best time to get
by, the fleet lost its orderly line of battle
and got SO mixed up it was difficult, and
sometimes impossible, to distinguish one
from another. It was speedily apparent TO
the enemy. that the fire was a great deal
hotter and more destructive than had been
expected. and the captains of the two gun
boats and of the Monongahela doubtless re
solved quickly that it would be madness to
attempt to run such a terrific gauntlet OF iron
hail Whether the commanders of the Rich
mond and Mississippi had already arrived al
the determination, or came to 1t scon
after is not known, but they all. except the
Hartford. undertook to put about and return
the way they came.
For this purpose the Richmond sheered
close to the left bank, under the batteries
and then circled round. her course reaching
nearly up TO the opposite point In execut
ing this maneuver she gave our batteries
successfully a raking position. and they tool
excellent advantage of it. ripping her from
stem to stern. From the crash OF timoer'
plainly heard during every brief interval o
the din, aud from the view had OF shots tina
struck her. it vas evident that her doom wa
sealed Instead of making run for it
down the river, hugging the opposite shore
: she again turned her prov towards orr bat
teries and right in under them As sh.
. pot this position, voice from on board of he
cried out Now let you strike IN.
from those hills Cd d-u your A. II II
answer to this blasphemous appeal, bat
, terry above and below got his range. and
, while a she'll crashed through his forecasti'
a double charge of grape swept his decki
from the mizzenmast forward. 1t mus
: have done fearful execution. and the voice
, which had Just before rung out an oath and
defiance, now exclaimed. in Pi,eous accents
..For Gods sake don't shoot any more !
> We arc sinking
1t was reported among crowd OF obseTv
? ers on The bluff that = voice from her d-cl
. bad called ont: I'VE surrender we sur
repdert'' IF this was said IL was not prob
ablx shaken by her commander, who, howev
err appealed to our batteries 20 cease hrini
upon her. as the ship was sinking. As 81
was evinently drifting down IN an nnnahag
, able condition. and apparently settling, tn
, batteries let her atone, aud turned their al
,eption TO another craft. Whether or no
+ she sank do not as yet know. her com
! mander NAV have used a Yankee artince Z
4 ,scap.. by the mistaken humanity OF the VIC
,or- bpt If she il not seriously disabled. the
many an experienced eye was greatly de
: ceived.
|, The Mississippi undertook to execute tn
D same maneuver of turning round and makiu
J her escape back TO the point she started from
r She had rounded and just turned down stream
when one of our shots tore OF her rudder
: and another went crashing through her ma
4 cbipery Immediately after came the rush
e ing sound of steam, escaping from som
broken pipe. and the now unmanagabie yes
: sci drilled round directly opposite our ores
! cent hne of batteries. Her range was quick
" gained, and she was being rapidly torn Z
S nieces by our missiles. when the commando
= PAVE the order for all hands to save them
Selves the best way they could. At the sam
:. time FIRE broke out in two places. The prs
u oners we have taken are of opinion that sh
i was set on ere by her own officers. but it
, quite as likely that it was caused by on
red hot shot. which were being poured int
her unin;erruptedly. At this time her decz
e vere strevn with dead and wounded, accord
J. ing to one Of her crew, with whom l hav
d lconvcrscd, who thought that one half OF be