Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1863-03-05

e.
Down-Rebel Steamer Captured
The Queen Betrayed by Pilot
Parsiculsrs Of her Loss and Aban-
donment-List Of Her Prisoners
Escape Of Colonel Ellet and Others
The Escaped Run Gauntlet Of Mis-
sissippl Bstteries.--Thrilling Details
by one Of the Escaped.
Special Dispatch to the Cincinnati Gazette.
Tx sreHr OF vIcKsBuRa, Feb. 99,l
VIA CAIRo, February 98.
On Tuesday evening. February 10th,
the Queen Of the West. with the ten
der. De Soto, ran past the rebel bat
teries at Warenton, without receiving a
shot. She passed Natehex the follow
ing day. and anchored for the night al
the mouth Of Old river. forty-6ve miles
below. On Thursday the 18th, she
cruised in the Atchafslaya, capturing
and destroying train Of army wagons,
seventy barrels Of beef. and an Arlil-
lery wagon, containing baggage
U pon her return, she was fred into
from the right bank Of Atehafalsys, by
the citizens. who, in day light had been
seen quietly smoking their pipes in
their houses. First Master Thompson
of the Queen was very seriously woun-
ded.. He is not expected to live.
On Friday morning. the Queen
again entered the Atchafslays, and in
retaliation burned every house, barn,
sugar mill, and negro quarters, be-
tween the mouth of the river and
Semmesport. At the latter. place she
captured rebel mall. and FIRST learned
Of the occupation Of Berwick Bay and
Lower Alehafalaya by Admiral Farra-
gut. -,,
On Friday night she entered Red
river. and anchored for the night at the
mouth of Black river. At ten on Sat-
urday morning We captured the Con-
federate steamer Era No. 5. laden with
stores for the rebel army at Little
Rock. There were on bOrd fifteen pri-
Yates and three commissioned officers.
The priyates were psrolled and the
officers detained. We had heard that q
rebel battery was in position 80 miles
from the mouth Of Red river. at Cor.
don's Landing, and as we approached
within three hundred yards Of the fort,
while rounding q point, the, pilot ran
the Queen hard aground. In this posi-
ton the rebel batteries opened FIRE
upon us, with guns Of heavy caIber.-
The Queen bad no guns bearing on the
fort. and could not reply. One shot
coming between casemate and the,
deck perforated the steam chest, and
we were compelled to abandon her and
escape down the river, some in skifis,
some on cotton bales, and some on the
De Soto. The steam penetrated every
portion Of the vessel, but the fracture
was so small that but one man was
scalded very seriously. One engineer
is not expected to live. One. white
man. and four negroes were drowned.
The following are prisoners: LIST
Master Thompson, Cd Master EddisOn,
Sd Master, Duncan, Engineer Taylor,
(scalded, } ! blacksmith, 2 carpenters,
Surgeon Booth, Adjutant Bailey, pri-
Yates Jarbon, Williams, Mccullough,
Larmer, Smith. Hailsten, Faulkner.
Bates, Rice, Brown. Hill. and thirty
negroes. The correspondent Of the
New York Herald was taken prisoner
and is now with the rest at Alexandria,
La. Col. Ellet escaped to, the De
Soto on a bale Of cotton. - The enemy
have possession of the Queen Of the
West.
All the escaped survivors were re-
moved to the Era No. 5. and the De
Soto was blown up and sunk. We
were pursued by the gunbOat W. II.
Webb, but fortunately just before she
overlook US, when We we're eight miles
south Of Natchez, we met the United
States gunbost Indisnols, which bad
run the batteries at Vicksburg the FRI
day previous. The Indianola fred
two guns at the Webb, and she ran
like a deer.
We remained with the Indianola two
days, and started for Vicksburg on
Wednesday evening.
lam happy to say that your cores
pondent, who accompanied the Queen
Of the West, escaped bodily injury
He lost his hayersack, papers and
suit Of clothing.
At Grand Gulf the Era was hred
into by Founders. but although 80
shots were fred, not one took effect.
At Carthage We were again bred
upon with three guns, I2-Pounders.--
Forty-six shots were sent alter US
At WsrTenton we received twenty.
two shots, one hundred in all, north Oh
Natchez, not one Of which disabled US.
At midnight on Friday night We az
rived at our old anchorage.