Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1863-04-02

(precisely the hour at which we saw the
light and heard the report her after mag
azine containing twenty tons of powder,
ignited, blew her to atoms, and shook the
earth for miles around"
INCIDENTS.
"The first shot against the Mississippi
struck her foretopmast, and brought down
heavy 12-pound howitzer with man.
officers who were at Forts Jackson and St.
Phillip say that the firing of this engage
ment was much more accurate.
"The Richmond exploded a torpedo un-
der her, and the Mississippi also, but with
out any damage to either.
During the engagement very awk-
| ward and painful accident is said to have
occurred, which some few deny, but the
majority of officers and men insist upon
as correct. 1t appears that while the
Richmond was passing the Mississippi, on
the return Of the former down the river,
she mistook the Mississippi for shore
battery, and the Mississippi, mistaking
her for some rebel craft both fred into
each other. 1t was one of those painful
mishaps which all the officers declare there
was no possibility of avoiding at such
moment The night was dark, the Missis-
| sippi had extinguished all her lights to
battle the fire of the enemy, and in the con-
| fusion, the mistake, however lamentsble,
appears to have been quite natural. 1
would not have alluded to the subject, if
were not spprehensive that it might be
mentioned elsewhere, without any miGgat-
ing explanation.
"Among the incidents related to me by
the officers of the Mississippi, is one which
should be mentioned and that is the
Dravery exhibited by Rev. Thomas s. Ba-
con, Episcopal clergyman of Christ
Church, in this city, who was on board the
Richmond. An officer assured me that
during the heat of the engagement, Mr.
Bacon was standing on the bridge, along
with Commander Allen and the pilot, and
when invited by DR.. Henderson to go down
into the cockpit, he preferred remaining
where he was. When he did change his
position, it was to 90 and assist in kindly
Offices to the wounded, with all the ooolness
and eomposure of war veteran"
THE OFFICERS AND CREW OF THE MISSISSIPPI.
al should do violence to my own feel
ings if neglected to tell you how deeply
have been impressed with the bravery of
the gallant men who have just made them
selves so conspicuous on board the Missis-
sippi-from the captain down TO the rough
est seaman, or youngest powder boy. Their
bravery needs no comment-that has al
ready become matter of history; but in
social Intercourse, never met a more mod
est, Unassuming and genial set of men
than 1 found among her oficers,-a more
orderly, quiet and warm-hearted set of fell
lows than the jolly tars who had just pass
ed through such scenes.
"0ne thing was most charming 10 an out
slider, and that was to hear how the sailors
spoke of their officers. 1t would be invid-
ious to mention names but could easily
tell you, if l would, of officers there who
were literally adored by their men. Of
one man there is no harm in being out
spoken, and that is the gallant Captain
Melauethon Smith. Officers and men all
agree in saying that sublimer courage was
never exhibited than he showed He has
never been known to speak an angry word
to anybody said one of his officers to me,
and yet no one is so readily and so
cheerfully obeyed' In the heat of the en-
gagement, with death and destruction hail
ing around him, there he stood coolly light
ing his cigar with flint and steel, and calm
ly arranging with Lieutenant Dewey how
to destroy the ship that he found he could
no longer save. Captain Smith, without
making any outward parade of religion, is
q truly deVout man. When the bloody en-
gagement was over, and his officers had
collected around him, taking retrospect
of their losses, and commenting upon the
almost miraculous nature Of their escape,
he turned round and said in the hearing Of
the officer from whom received the anee-
dote: Gentlemen, is not this enough to
make any one Christian
Il could fill column with the sufferings
Of the sailors after they were compelled to
leave the vessel. Those Of them who es-
capped alive to shore, by swimming, walked
along the river side, watching the progress
Of their beloved and ill-fated vessel, on
fire, until they got to our pickets, nearly
opposite which she blew up. This was five
o'clock A. n, and they had been ever since
two o'clock Wading through unknown
swsmps, shoeless and many almost naked.
Several lost their lives in the attempt. Of
icers and men all came away with nothing
whatever but what they had on their bod
les. Some Of these poor fellows lost their
way through these desolate swamps, and
did not find their way to the river side uu-
til twelve o'clock next day, when the st.
Maurice brought them TO Baton Rouge"
PRESENT POSITION OF MATTERS.
Whether or not any other movements
immediately contemplated is not known,
and could not be revealed if it were. The
bulk Of our army has for the present re-
turned TO Baton Rouge and immediate
neighborhood, as well as the feet, and both
army and navy are in good spirits and
ready for another movement whenever it
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