Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1863-03-02
- FaoM yIoRsnunG.

ARFEEEks FKoM ICkAeHAAUs
Special Conespo8dence q he Memphis ApPeall
YIcKsBua5. FEBRUARY 60, 1858.
Immediately after the close Of my kitsr yes
tasdsv. / received further Intelligence about he
eunboat fight on the night previous and 8 con
frnsaon Of the general belief hat the Qseen
ofas Ress had captured the hdiaaela- This
success over the saemy's gunboas hsa been
looked for, and was expected With 50 much GER
taipty, sbas great disappointment would have
followed any other result. Il spPeais %nntoTta-
na,eg that the latter named beat was seriously
injured, butte what extent IS not known. She
is stil afoat. and active preparations are max
ing to save her from sinking.
From what have been able to learn concern
ing Che engagement, it appears that the crew on
the Queen Of ths Hest escaped without any cas-
uaities, and the number Of killed and wounded
on the Federal boat is also as yet unknown
The officers were sll captured, and most Of the
crew also fell into cur hands. Gen Stephenson
yesterday afternoon dispatched a train Of amhu.
lances te Wsrrenton to bring in the wounded Of
the enemy. Both the Queen and the Lndianoia
are st Warrenton. and a force has been sent to
repair the latter Immediately, and have her fitted
up for service.
No time is to be losti in this matter Of repair
ing, and the utmost energy viii be necessary to
hasten the work with the most energetic force
that could be employed The enemy will, no
doubi, make an attempt to recover these boats
end if be is in possession Of the knowledge
that oue Of them is in disabled condition, he
viii be sure to take advantage of that time for
her capture. The Queen is uninjured, and
ready for another battle with the next Ona that
may venture down. L Is hardly probable that
the enemy win send any more gunbOais down
single-banded, bu. will probably come with a
dozen, TO recapture those below from US.
The highly gratifying results which have been
derived by Us from the running of the batteries
BY these boats, makes Us almost feel sorry that
more have not gone down, and seems to confrm
the impression that our batteries we're indifer-
eut about sinking them IS they passed the city.
Il they send a few more down we viii soon
gather quite 8 little navy below, and viii get
our boats in this way much cheaper than BY
building them. The boats, already in complete
running order, with the foest kind of armament
on board, are quite a valuable acquisition OBJ
tanned at little cost
But little is known Of what the enemy was
doing yesterday. The skies were unfsvOrablC
for minute observations. and no discoveries were
made. A few shots from some Of our guns
a~dmonished Us that parties Of the enemy were
proving about. in the woods bsck of De Soto
A watchful eye is kept on them, and whenever
they make their appearance within range of oul
guns. q shell or two always notifies them thai
they have been discovered, and that they are il
dangerous proximity to our batteries, which
always has the desired effect of driving then
away 10 double quick.
Yesterday afternoon the enemy had 8 boat in
tho canal, and it is reported that it passed
through It's whole length, coming cut into the
river below. 1 did not observe this Graf. myself,
but am informed that it must evidently hav,
made the entire passage of the canal 1t was
small vessel, but whether transport or guaboa.
IS not known It was no doubt one ofthesmos
diminusive Of their crafts, and oa'y made a trial
trip for experiments Perhaps the ditch may Be
nearly in asvigable condition, snd preparation;
are making for the transports to pass down
Nothing is known at present of what tn
enemy has in contemplation The continued
operations on the canal indicates that it still is
his intention to thro a force below the city by
means Of that celebrated ditch. But what he
can accomplish by taking bis transports below
IS more than I can comprehend, as bis chance;
Of approach from that direction are just as pre-
~cariousa as from any other. Al entire change o.
programme viii have to be adopted before he
can land troops on this side of the river, event
the transports get through the caEL
This morning the rain continues in torrents
the same as yesterday, and nothing is to be seer
Of the enemy. A false alarm was created las
night by a sentinel mistaking the light of oul
signal corps for the Ugh. Of a gunbost He dis
charged bis piece as the proper signal, which
Immediately extended along the whole line, sn6
in a few minutes everything was in readiness fei
seton; but when the cause was fully explained
all returned to their quarters, satisfied that the
danger was not SO imminent as had been sup
posed. NEsToR.