, 1863-02-10

For future reference, append the following
table Of distances from important points Oh
thr Missjssir,pi River;


In s16uT or TIcTsHuR0, Feb. 9, 1858.
Tie dull inonotony Of life on board Of the
transports vas Unexpectedly varied just be-
fore daylight this morning by the report Of
heavy firing in the direction Of Vicksburg.
went to the hurricane deck, and there, with
the aid of glass, discovered the ram Queen
Of the West attempting to run the blockade
and engaging the rebel batteries. When /
first saw her she yyas abreast Of the upper
batteries, and nearly opposite the point Of
the peninsula.
The top and sides Of The bluff were alive
with fire from hundred guns, and for a time
it seemed as If the gallant little craft must be
oycrpowercd and eunk. But she seemed to
bear 4 charmed existence. The very first
shot Tired at the Queen was huge eleven inch
missile, which canlc from such direction that
1t would inevitably have DESTROYED the boat
had it not fortunately hit the brass gun sta
toned on the bow. This broke into thous-
and fragments, and turned The formidable
mass Of iron llar1nlcssly to the side 1t the
tho boat, whence 1t dropped into the river.
| Ne who were on the Magnolia thought she
llad received her death blow, but the log line
| Of black smoke belchinG forth from her chin.
ucys and moving down the river, showed that
I
| craft.
| BUNTING REBEL 1DoS-CLAD.
Directly in front Of some Of the heaviest
and most formidable batteries at Vicksburg,
aud moored at the landing, Ncsthe sidc-wheel
| steamer Vicksburg. This Is Il cotton boat, for
mcr}y running between St. Louis and Ne"
Orleans, Of great speed and power IGe r.
bcls arc covering hor With railrosa ison, IN the
tioin among the Federal transports, tied to the
leyec above, She Is said to be armed and cor
crcd like the Azkansas-thc rebel r2m de-
etroyed Inst summer.
Tic Intention was for the Queen to give
her q 1,assinE blow as she Mored down the
river, but she was lying so straight and raral'
lei with the lerce that it vas found that no
great harm could be done her.
When directly opposite her, and while c1.
posed to the tire Of tho heaviest batteries.
Gen, E1tet, who was on board and personally
directed her movements, ordered her to makt
| for the other shore. She did SO, and. turning
faccti the town, put on a full head Of steam
and started for the FickshurE. During al
this time, she Lad been the object o. rtsReet
every battery, and fire and iron held high car
niral Her whee1honse was pierced thrice
one ehot went into Capt. Su'hcrland's room
and, passing through hts wardrobe, lodged II
hail, and the water around her boiled like
cauldron kettle. Sic stEuck the ficks burr
lust aft Of the cook house, her sharp pointct
prov cutting through the guardsand crushing
! | in the hull, until The bales Of cotton pilct
, | upon her own decks acted as fender, ant
!. prevented further destruction. Just rs Rh
struck, she let slip her dogs Of war, and dis
charged two shells, which, bursting amids
> Ike machinery, broke them into fragments aa
, ;snitcd the cotton packed around it.
!. BOTH 1RoScLAps ON FIRE.
!, At tic same time, from n similar accident
our own cotton was discovered to be on fir
aud the attention of all parties was turned Il
wards its extiaguishment. Tho Queen ha
!. lost her capstai6, md was hit ut least doze
:, times during thu brief engagement. Thing
began to look little gloomy, and appea
anrcs indicated that bolh might burn togcl
D. CT, Tho current, however, here setting
,e strongly, wrcnc}cd tho Queen from the Wick
i'll burg, and they eepnrated, The former unhur
rxcert as above related; the latter listed or
j. to one sidr, and was probably considerably |
a. iurcd On the Queen the fro was soon exit
r. guishcd, and she pssscd on below the low
ar Batteries without further injury. She is no
10 uoo1cd below tho mouth Of the canal, Whe
H. her crew will today join her: The Wick
burg, easily seen from where ] nm writing,
H. evidently working her engines. probably b
he pnmps. 10 keep her aaoat. I do not natl
nate that the injury she received Is irrepa
ID. ble, OF tllat she will not soon ba rs strong
~ There Is great consteguation Vicksburg.