Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1863-03-20

The Sn.x MoNIroR.-1he \. Y. Tunes
publishes private letter lrJm Admiral For
ter, from which NC extract the following ae-
count Of the sham vessel, who's appearances
made the rebels blow up the Indianola. The
letter was written before the best success oi
the Joke had been found out, the destruction
of the Monitor. i" Brown war the COM
mandcr of the IndianJla
Amid the incidents Of war ridiculous Things
occur. and l must tell you Of litde affair that
happened here, and has created great mirth On
our side notwithstanding the loss Of the Queen
| think the loss Of that vessel is worse than the
affair Of the Galveston squadron. Ihavc scarce-
ly patience TO write about il, oe TO he amused at
any thing.
During the time Of running the blockade
by the Queen Of the West and the Indianola, tive
ofthe guns in the forts at Vicksburg, were burst
and dismounted; therefore it object to
make the enemy fire as much possible. got
a mortar in easy range. and opened on that part
Of the town where there vas nothing but army
supplies. and soon provoked fire Of four Of their
heavy batteries. The she'll at first fell over the
mortar and around, bursting close 10 our men,
but the range began to grow shorter, until they
let ne have it al our own way.
Finding they could not BE provoked to hrc
without an object, thought Of getting up sr
imitation Monitor. Ericsson saved the country
with an iron onc-why could not | save IL with
a wooden one. IN oil coal-bargc, pickcl up
in the river, was the foundation to build ON. II
was built Of Old boards IN - hours with pork
barrels on top Of each other for smoke-stackS.
aud two old canoes for quarter boats; her fur
Ill \ rN.gN -
make black smoke and not steam.
Without knowing that Brown was IN peril, !
let loose our Monitor. When it wss descried by
the dim light Of the morn, never did the batter
les Of Vicksburc open with such a din, the earth
fairly trembled, and the shot few thick around
the devoted Monitor But she ran safely past all
the batteries, though under fire for an hour, and
drifed down to the lower mouth Of the canal
She was e much better looking vessel than the
Inianols
When II ras broad daylight they opened Or
her again, with all the guns they could bring %
bear, without shct hitting her o. 70 any -Gr7
because they did not make her settle N tho water
though going in az one side az out at smother
Sfc ,ras c'rcc1y fuN g. Izt-- The soldiers Of
our army shouted and laughed Ike mad, but the
laugh vss somewhat against them when they
subsequently discovered n Queen If tn Wet
was living a. the wharf in WarrcntJvE The
question was asked. what hal happened 70 the
Indianola Had tho two rams sunk her OF cap
turel her IN the engagement we heard the night
before The sounds Of cannon had reCodsi down
the river which led u 70 believe that Brown
wa chasing the webb. aud that th' uussn bal
got W past him
One or tvosoli'ors got the .N9a.taS rut iu Oh.
stream again, and Jet her e. down au tho nam
Queen NJ III. forts kept fIing and .i-uahn-,
anil as the .No7ifor approached the Queen she
turned tail and ian down the river a, fast AS she
could 90. the VI lifgr after her, making an The
sreci that was gwen her 10y d hvo-ku"; current
The forts at Narrenton ircl brvely ami rapidly.
but the Monitor iii n't return the fire with her
wooden guns, bur preceded d1vu after the
Queen Of The Wet. IN hour after thi. the amc
heavy firing thst Ne hal heard the might before
came h.euinS up ou Nh. sill air.