Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1863-03-27

"a the other side OF the river, Just below mere.
was guarding the Erie No. 5, the boat upon
which Col. Ellet and part of his crew es-
capped after the loss of their own boat, which
lay below my headquarters. In answer to
my dispatches to headquarters l was instruct
ed, should the ram come up any further, to
burn the Erie, and that reinforcements would
be sent me Immediately.
At about noon Quaker gunboat, convert
ed from an old hay barge by the fleet above,
and looking so like real gunboat with guns
mounted, &c, that you couldn't tell the differ
ence, came floating down on this side of the
river. The enemy kept up continuous fire
upon her from their batteries, but strange to
say, without sinking her. As she hoated
down and neared the ram, the ram cut loose
and went flying down the river IS though the
whole Federal fleet were after her.
As we learned afterwards, from negro sea-
man who escaped, and whom my scouts pick
ed up below here, the heavy firing the night
before was the fight between the ram Queen
of the West, the ram Webb and the ram
Irwin City, against the Indianola, in which
the 1ndianola was taken by the rebels, but in
so damaged condition that they tied her to
the shore, and it was all they could do to keep
her from sinking.
When the ram Queen Of the West, which
next morning paid US visit, ran away from
our Quaker, she passed Carthage, where the
fight of the night before occurred and where
the Indianola lay, without stopping, but hail
eral gunboat was coming and to make ready
for her. And sure enough, as soon as our
Quaker came silently floating down the river,
at about - o'clock at night, they blew the
Indianola up. The explosion sounded here
like an earthquake, and the same at the fleet
above. 1t was a mystery to all what it
could be.
The day previous there had been sent to
reinforce me, the 18th Ohio, two batteries of
20-pound Parrot guns, and 100 cavalry
Gen. Sherman came down in person, and was
pleased to compliment me on the disposal l
had made of the forces he had placed under
my command.
The following day there came up steam.
boat with a flag of truce, and signalled that
she desired an interview. took the Era No.
5 and went out to her. She proved to be the
Confederate boat Frolic, in charge of Major
Watts, rebel commandant for exchange of
prisoners. He had on board 800 rebel ex-
changed prisoners, As commissioned officers
and Gen. Clark, whom he had the assurance
to ask permission to deliver at Vicksburg.-
These prisoners had been exchanged at Baton
Rouge and delivered at Port Hudson, and he
only desired permission to pass our guns and
reinforce Vicksburg with them. told him
he could tie his boat to stump which stood
out in the river, and would send his request
to headquarters.
soon received dispatch that Maj. Watts
and his boat would leave forthwith, which 1
made known to him. He told me at that
time that the Indianola had been taken and
sunk, but this they would not believe at head
quarters.
Ho ALL YE TRAPPERs-Look at this and
Weep.-William Finn, a mere boy Of twelve
years Of age, son of the pioneer school teacher
of the West, on the morning of the 21st of
March, caught very large otter, measuring
four feet one inch from the end Of the nose to
the tip of the tail, before it was stretched,
which, we understand, will materially increase
its size. He (he boy caught it in the Mus
catine Slough, about six miles below this city.
The otter weighed twenty-five pounds.
About three years ago the boy purchased
an otter trap, and frequently set it, but never
caught any thing. The other day he observ-
ed that his big trap did not pay its "board,"
but when he caught the otter, he concluded
that the trap had now paid its expenses.
What we want to know is, did any body
in this county ever catch larger one?
A WHoPPER.-Mahony, the pioneer traitor
of Iowa, is circulating an enormous lie
throughout the East He states that when
he was arrested for reasonable practices, the
United States Marshal chartered a steamboat
oil the way up from Burlington to Dubuque
to arrest him. He further states that it cost
the Government three or four thousand dol
lars to arrest him.
The truth of the matter is, that Mahony
was taken down the river past this city on
the regular packet Jennie Whipple, for which
his fare was the same as is always charged
passengers. Mahony must have an exalted
opinion of his own importance, to suppose
that the Government would charter boat for
his especial accommodation.
COURIER ON HurcH1Ns. Hutchins an in
cfsnsioe mani" who ever heard the like
We venture to say there isn't an editor in
Iowa that has been engaged in as many rows
as Stilson Hutchins. His ability is of the
plag-ngly, pot-house order. No one but him
self ever boasted of it before. He may be a
member in good standing of the Presbyterian
church; so is - well, some other men
we know Of Who ever dreamed that Still.
Hutchins was church member2 Did the
editor of the Courier ever hold a carousal, or
have good time with Still. at Democratic
Conventions (hic)?
The GALLANT 11TH ALL R1GHr.-We learn
by private advices that series of resolutions
condemning the action of Northern copper
heads, and protesting against the "peace :"
agitation SO long as that measure signifies
only the most ignoble surrender to armed
rebels, have been circulated among the Iowa
regiments in the field, and will soon be pub
lished. Speaking of the 18th the writer says :
"You will hear how the 18th and 18th
stand in reference to these peace propositions
and the emancipation proclamation of the
President. can speak for the 18th. There
was not dissenting vote. I feel proud Of
her."
RETURN OF THE 35TH.-We learn that the
detachment Of six companies of the 85th reg
iment, which have been up the Tennessee
River on an expedition, returned to Cairo on
the evening Of the 10th inst. They went up
the river as far as Pittsburg Landing, where
a small body of rebels were shelled and made