Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1863-03-24

Admiral PoFter's Narrative Of the Gem
srrucfion and Caree r Of his "Dananny
Mouiror.r
From the washington Cor. of Che New York Herald
A private letter has been received here BY q
naval officer from Acting Rear Admiral Porter,
which has created much amusement ia Cabinet
circles. It seems that Porter was much sar-
nrised 10 learn.on the 25th OF February. that
the ram Queen Of the West was at WsgrentoD,
seven miles below Yieksburg, with tie rebel
Tag flying and steam up. The account Porter
had received from Ellet led him to believe
that the Queen was in such q condition that she
could not be repaired for some time. Il knew, I"
says Admiral Porter in his letter, "thet Brown
could take care Of the Webb HIMSELF but ] have
no idea that he viii be a match for the Queen
and Webb both amusing him at the same tine
The Indisnola is q weak vessel, and the Only
good thing about her IS her battery" He pro-
eeeds 10 say that "during the time Of the
running Of the blockade by the Queen and
Indianola, five rebel guns were burst and dis
mounted IN their forts. Therefore it was an
object to make them FIRE IS much as possible.
/ got 8 mortar in easy range, and opened on that
part Of the town where there was nothing but
army supplies, and soon provoked q fire OF four
Of their heavy batteries. The shell az first fell
over the mortar and around it, bursting close to
orr men but the range began to grow shorter
and shorter. until they let Us have il atl our own
way. Finding that they could not be provoked
without an object, 1 thought of getting up an
imitation monitor. An old coal barge, picked
up in the river, was the foundation to build on.
Ii was constructed in twelve hours, OF old bar
rels, with pork barrels piled on top Of each other
for smoke-staek, and two old canoes foT quarter
boats. Her furnaces were built Of mud, and
only Intended to make black smoke, and not
steam. On the night of the 24sh We heard at
nine o'clock, heavy guns, about fifteen miles be-
low. We knew that the rebels had n@king but
light guns there, which could not be heard
at any great distance SO we thought IS
was the Indianols engaging the batteries
at Carthage, fifteen miles below WeksbuTg.
Not knowing that Brown was in peril, we let
loose our Monitor. Il was towed to within g
couple of miles of the first battery, and let 60,
when it was discovered by the dim light Of the
moon that VicksbuTg Was in & stew. Never did.
her batteries open with sueh a vim. The earth
fairly trembled, aud the shot few tbickly around
he devoted Monitor, which returned no shot
with her long wooden gun. The Monitor ran
safely past all the batteries, though uadef a
heavy fire for an hour, and dTifted down safely
to the lower mouth Of the cansl, where she WGs
tucked into an eddy. The rebels were com
pletely deceived by her, As soon IS tbey saw
her by daylight, they opened on her again wit3
all the guns they could bring to bear, but with
out a shot hitting her 70 DO auy harm iof
the shot went through one side aud came
out at the other, without causing the vessel
TO sink, as she was full Of water already
Our soldiers shouted and laughed Ike ws3;
but the laugh was somewhat against them
when, at daylight, we discovered the ram QQesn
Of the West lying st Wsrrenton; and the qu=s-
ton at once arose what had happened t. the
Indisnola. Bad the tgoTsms sunk her or cap
tuTed her in the engagement VIZ had heard the
night before 2 One or two Of the soldiers got
the Monitor out in the stresm, and let her 20
down on the ram Queen. All the forts CEN.
menced firing and signalizing, and as the Mon
itor approached her, the ram turned tail and
ran down the river IS fast as shs could e., the
Monitor after her, making al the speed chat
was given her by q fve-knot current. The
forts st WarrentOn fred bravely and rapidly
and It was reported that they bit cur Monitor il
a very Vulnerable spot"