Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1863-04-20
FrSna VfcIss55srg- -E1aasago OF the Federal
Efeegs

From the whis, April lsh.
THE AFFAIR on THURSDAY NIGHT-We
we're enabled yesterday to gain some further
particulars Of the bombeTdment Of 'PhuIsdsy
night when the Yankee fast ran our batteries
The feet consisted of the gunboats Benton,
General Price, Cincinnati, and Tuseumbia !;
rams Aleck Scott and Lafayette, and transports
Henry Clay, Forrest Queen aud Silver Wave
the latter a stern-wheel steamer. The Henry
Clay was among the FIRST boats 10 come down,
but ere she passed Headley's guns it was dis
covered she was in a sinking condition, aud the
crew abandoned her Some reached The Lou
isisns shore and were brought here yesterday.
The Henry Clay was a side wheel transport and
had six thousand retons on board. The other
boat sunk proves to have been the ram Lsisy-
ette, and the one burned taa transport Silver
Wave.
The damage to the other beats is not known,
but adviees from below Wauantoa state that
where the boats were lying yesterday the yes
sells we're al undergoing repairs, and that the
gTosns Of persons on board indicate they sHS-
tanned serious deniage. Our loss here was
small Two men were killed at the upper bat
tsries By The premature discharge of guu, and
one by the enemy's shell. Seven government
mules were killed ia one lot by the explosion Of
3 she'll from the passing boats, and several
buildings injured, We heard Of no casualties
below. The firing OF our guns was very goo1,
generally being very accurate.
We had a conversation sines writing the
above, with woman who was on the Henry
Clay at the time she sunk, and from her learn
that four OF FIVE lives, including the captain
and pilot were lost. The Clay was siruck
three times, once ia ber upper works, her
wheelhouse and stern. The third shot tore tre-
mendoUs hole in her hull, aud she immeaiatsly
commenced settling, when the crew abandoned
hsr in two boats and started for the Mississippi
shore, but fearing they would be shot, wheeled
round and went over to the point, where four
remained until We sent boats after them yester-
day
A wooden gunboss or ram Che Lafayette,
says rumor) was next to suffer severely. AS
she rounded the point Holidays men poured
shot sfter shot into her, and our informant says
that this craft too was IUn toward the shore,
where she sunk out Of sight,
This woman asserts, positively, that it was
the Silver Wave which we set on fire and de-
strOyed This steamer had two bsrgss in tow, !
loaded with hay to protsct her, which our guns 1
set On FIRE, and in g few minutes the flames |
communicated 20 the gteamer, when it became I
evident that the boat could not be saved, /
and she was abandoned to the devouring ele-
ment, which very soon consumed her. All the
boats were either protected by hay or cotton
-1fcH tto AuLl-CAhuh lldu tAAdit GRATIS III tOff
with bales of hsy piled up to protect their sides
There were few men on the bOats-ouly enough
10 work them-Bnd they were forced on board
One man was taken on beard the Silver Wave
in chains, by order of Grant But half the sx-
petition came down Thursday night The
ether was to come down about the same time
LAST night, if the FIRST was in any way success
full. The object of this expedition, says this
woman, was to get all the boats possible below
and then cross Grants army to the Mississippi |
sids, below Warenton.