Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1863-03-05
The Loss OF the Queen of the
West. -a

The Loss of the Queen of the
West.
A correspondent of the Cincinnati
Gazette gives the following account Of the
cruise of the Queen of the West, and Of
her capture by the Rebels
In SIGHT OF VICKsBURa, Feb. %,
via CAIRO, February 2S.
On Tuesday evening, February 10Th, the
Queen of the Wcst, with the tender, De
Soto, ran past the rebel batteries at War
renton, without receiving shot. She
passed Natchez the following day, and an
chored tor the night at the mouth of Old
river, forty five miles below On Thursday,
the 18th, she crnised in the Atchafalaya,
capturing and destroying train of army
wagons, seventy barrels of beef, and an
artillery wagon, containing baggage. Upon
her return, she was fred into from the right
bank of Atcbufalsya, by the citizens, who,
in daylight, had been seen quietly smoking
their pipes in their houses First Master
Thompson of the Queen was very seriously
wounded, He is not expected to live.
On Friday morning, the Queen again en-
tered the Atchafalaya, and in retaliation
burned every house, barn, sugar mill, and
negro quarters, between the mouth OF the
river aad Semmesport. AT the latter place
she captured rebel mail and first learned
of the occupation of Berwick Bay and
Lower Atchafalaya by Admiral Farragui.
On Friday night she entered Red river,
and anchored for the night at the mouth Of
Black river. At ten on Saturday morning
we captured the Confederate steamer Era
No. 5, laden with stores for the rebel army
at Little Rock. There were on board fifteen
privates and three commissioned officers. -
The privates were paroled and the officers
retained. We had heard that rebel bat
terry was in position S0miles from the mouth
of Red river, at Gordon s Landing, and as
we approached within three hundred yards
of the fort, while rounding point, the
pilot ran the Queen hard aground. In this
position the batteries opened fire upon us,
with guns of heavy caliber. The Queen
not reply. One shot coming between a
easemate and the deck perforated the steam
chest, and we were compelled to abandon
her and escaped down the river, some in
skiffs some on cotton bales, and some on
the De Soto. The steam penetrated every
portion of the vessel, but the fracture was
SO small that but one man vas scald ed very
seriously. One engineer is not expected to
live. One white man and four negroes
were drowned.
The following are prisoners: 1st Master
Thompson, I'd Master Eddison, Sd Master
Duncan, Engineer Taylor (scalded,) black
smith, 2 carpenters, Surgeon Booth, Adju'
tant Bailey, privates Jarbon, Williams,
Mccullough Larmer, Smith, Hailsten.
Faulkner, Bates, Rice, Brown, Hill, and
thirty negroes. The correspondent OF the
New York Herald was taken prisoner and
| is now with the rest at Alexandria, La. :
Col. Elot escaped to the De Soto on a bale
of cotton, The enemy have possession OF
the Queen OF the West, 1,
All the escaped survivors were removed
to the Era No. 5, and the DE Soto was blown
up and sunk. We were pursued by the
gunboat w. III. Webb, but fortunately jus,
before she overlook us, when we were eight
| miles south Of Natchez, we met the United
States gunboat Indianola, which had rur
the batteries at Vicksburg the Friday pre-
vious. The Indianola fred two guns at tho
Webb, and she ran like deer.
/ We remained with the Indianola tive
days, and started or.Vicksburg on Wednes
day evening. - a. ~ 49, ~
| 1 am happy to say that your correspon
dent, who accompanied the Queen OF the
West, escaped bodily injury. He lost hi
hayersack, papers, and q suit Of clothing
AT Grand Gulf the Era was fred Into By
6-pounders, but although 80 shots were
fred, not one took effect.
AT Carthage We, were, again fired upoI
with three guns, Is Founders, Forty six
shots we're sent after us. At Warrentol
I We received twenty-five shots, one huudres
in all. north Of Natchez, not one Of which
disabled uk At midnight on Friday night
we arrived st our old anchorage. 3tfn