Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1863-03-06
rae san..sn rnalnna,n.

frcH zee Natcpal Ceurer
VS. pleai gdlty to tho " s0G imDaahmsnt
Of orr eosamPsaries of the Jackson APPFsf.
Cur hrs snd only view oil Tie FsdsrsI guaboat
Indianola, was through q very hssTy foe on the
river. III this situaion size did not appear very
str0ug-not Wkat she really was, a f0rm!dsbie
ir1n-clad boat ct The first class. Later informa-
fi1n, however, conVinces as that she was every
thing that genius. art and the depleted pursesoF
Uncle Sam could make her. il has been so
much the habit Of our enemies to publish ex-
tTavagani accounts Of their gunb0ats, and for
the Southern papers to re publish them, that
some Of our people began % think they were
impregnable and could not b blown up or ever
taken By our brave volunteers If We fell into
error, 10 describing the Iddianoa az a weak
3" G ncinnsd tub, il hzs not proved 10 Confsd-
crate Disadvantage, for our gallant Red river
and Port Hudson patriots have fully demon
stratsd that she was uot inViaeible. III they did
lot capture tie boat lor C0nfedsrate service,
they AZ least proved 70 the world that she could
b sunk b. Soushern rams IRIS was done
efecluaily.s
From her own officers, since tie surrender Of
the boat and her crew O. the C0aisderatess we
learn that this formidable engine Of wgr cost
the United States "S4S0,O00, before her keel was
wet She was faished in the most superb
manner, with brass plates to everything imag-
Unable The Iadianola bad on bOaEd mlr Of the
heaviest u1ad cannon, besides small arms ia
Vulnerable. She was feaviiy frsighted with the
most improved musaets, ammunition, naval
stores and clothing Taken altogether u VIII
prove q severe loss 70 the enemy, if it IS nos q
gsin 20 the Confeieracy.
Il has been frequently asked, Why the Ind-
snola carried 50 large an amount o. smmunI
ton and small arms. The proclamation Of lin
coin in regard to slavery is a probable e~zplana-
ton OF the mystery, for they had no white
troops 70 convey these instruments Of death to
On fhis coast
The engineers log Of the Indisnols aoassd
down the river, and We are indebted 10 Mr.
HaTPham, Of Waterproof, Louisiana, for e pc
rusai Of IT, this log contains very httis Of gen
eral interest. IL is a record Of Re hourly Bav-
cling time, The amount Of steam, and number
of bushels coal consumed, the working Of hsr
engines, etc with an occasional note Of what
he'd been seen or done On the nvsr. Oae ST these
memorandum struck Us as a new way 10 cover
the act Of robbery. The record SAYS they stop
ped below Eatchez Island. and aJ0rrolssd some
chickens aud two negroes at the passage of
the WcEs0urg batteries, his record ssys eighteen
shots were med at the boat, but none Of them
hi. her. The statement Of the engineer uas
written up In complies or1er until the 23i uh
when the aitack Of fha Confederate rams proba-
bly, broke his slate and knocked bis record over
board,
Alg omt7I m eenAaAu 6eHd tuei tne IN
dianola was the best gunbaat N the Western
Department, and aboard Of her be feltas secure
for himself and men under the Ere Of any bst-
terry as be would have felt twenty miles from a
forIheaiion- Imsgiue his surprise when be dis
covered his boat sinking from the terrible blows
given by the C0nfeGeTatss- Person. in the fight
ssy that Lieutenant Commanding Brown sur
rendered wlth IS good grace IS possible, request
ing the Confederate boar1eTs not TO come On the
gunboat.
With the loss Of The Queen Of the West, BY
The Red river batteries, and now the Iudiauols,
By the Confsderato rams, we think Federal Rear
Admiral Porter viii be Q little more careful how
be ventures bis vessels in the lower country.