Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1864-04-22
The AtEemPT 90 Blew mp tke mfnReSStR-
Escape Of tke C-sasPtratSFs.


A correspondent Of the Philadelphia EaqEirsy, under
date of Norfolk, Va, April 9, 1864 writes as follows
No one bat a traitor, most vile, could cohesive or
execute a deed 50 base asths one which was attempted
blockading squadron, stationed At the mouth Of James
river. l. was about . o'clock, when an object upon
the water was discovered approaching by the deck afh.
GER Of the Minnesota, moving nsiseisssiY forward,
neareAr and nearer Il was hailed, but no reply was
II aid not stop is course, but continued to advance
in the direction Of the ship. Il was hailed again, and
this time, a. before, no answer came. Hsillng 1t the
third time, the officer shouted, Il You do nt answer
IRE and be -" was quickly returned. An instant
after the Minnesota experienced 4 tremendous shock
Men were thrown violentiy out Of their bammocks and
balls and shells rolled from where they were stored
The orockery wsrs was all shattered into innumerabls
fragments. The force Of the conclusion was SO g reHt
that it sprung some Of the tlmbsrs and started the
The torpedo was placed ~Rmidship, and wasnot properly
adjusted. Had 1t been rightly nxed to the vessel, there
cannot be doubt that it would have been blown to
atoms and the hundreds Of unconscious sleeping men
hurled into eternity without the least warning Amid
the confusion and excitement prevailing. the boat that
brought the torpedo down managed to escape.
The rebels must have become possessed Of many I'M
portAnt facts concerning the strength and position Of
The picket boats In the river had been materially re-.
duoed within q short time past Three had been sent
to this city for repairs and another to the atoreahip at
Fortress Monroe for supplies These were the most
formidable mail ~gunbOats Of the feet But notWith-
standing all this, Il seems exceedingly strange that the
mvFterfOR6 craft c0u40 come down Le riSor past all the
remaining picket boats and not be observed until almost
alongsids the Gag ship, which lay nearer the mouth of
the river thsa any other vessel of the Hsst.
Had thoro been less darkness prevailing, ana . full
head Of steam on some Of the boats, the rebel boat
could have been captured. Whore she came from La mot
known, but il Is surmiAed that abe ran out Of the Chuck
stuck. She must have been propelled by mufisd oars
az she neared the flagship, but a. soon as the torpedo
wss attached she steamed rapidly away. The report
made by the explosion was very heavy. It was heard
- 5ialiRetK et Fortress Monroe. The Minnesota
might be one reason why the rebef emisssias1S 1HS ~ !,
aitsmpf a. this time.
Whether this is a prelude TO the bringing down OK the
Richmond rams remains 10 be seen. These Pans are
living inactive and useless a. the rebel capital, and i has
been fer months past suspected that they would some
dark night, make the endeayor 70 run past the block
aiding feet and push out to sea. There was a great
recklessrsss displayed on the part Of the rebels, and il
seems as though some scisntihc and experienced men
were engaged in the undertaking. Surely they SUBJ
;ected themselves 10 much peril, aud II Is . great pity
hat they were not blown up for their temerity.