The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1864-03-18
From the Memphis Argus.

The steamer Hillman, while wOOding
opposite Island Is, Wednesday noon,
was attacked by party of about forty
guerrillas For the subioined statement
of this affair we are indebted to a pas
senger who was on board at the time:
STEAMER c. E. HILLNAS, March 9.-Te-
day, at about halfpast twelve o'clock,
while taking wood at a point on the
Missouri shore, directly opposite Island
Is, near the Arkansas line, this boat
was attacked by a party Of gUerrillas,
numbering in all about forty They
had beed hiding in the woods near the
shore, and commenced firing and APP
preaching the boat They succeeded
in making a complete surprise, and
driving those Of the crew and passen-
gers aboard the boat.
A part of them made for the boat,
and demanded its surrender Two
men got on the boiler-deck and came
to the cabin door, where they were met
by private Joliff, of company G, 18th
Illinois infantry, who made a bold
stand, and defended the passage with
revolver in hand, calling loudly for his
men to aid him, leading the guerrillas
to suppose there was an armed force
behind him, which had the effect of
making them retreat--all the time,
however, firing upon us
Capt Clayton displayed unusual pres
sence of mind during the entire occur
renee, and showed great forethought in
giving his directions for the manage
ment Of the boat; and it was mainly by
his promptness Of action and courage
that the boat cleared the bank.
Too much cannot be said of the very
brave conduct of a deck hand named
Charles Wessain, who, in the face of the
firing, took an axe and cut the cable
rope, which was fastened to the bank
Even after the cable was severed, it was
with great difficulty that the boat was
gotten away, owing to the fact that the
tiller rope was broken, and the rudder
was broken in two, making the boat
nearly unmanageable. The only hope
left OF saving the boat was the working
Of the engines. Capt CaytOn, seeing
what was necessary TO save the boat
went down on the lower deck and gave
directions to the engineers to work the
engines, although, al the time exposed
to the fire Of the guerrillas.
Upon their retreat from the boat, the
guerrillas hid behind the woodpile and
commenced firing upon Us. They killed
one of the cabin boys, Charles Lawrence
(cOlored); one soldier, name unknown;
took one prisoner "a soldierl. and
wounded several -Four Of the guerrillas
were killed, and the number wounded
is not known Altogether, it was bold
and daring attack at that moment
the boat swung round The guerrillas
thenNyanished from sight
When the scoundrels were on board
the boat they made several attempts to
set the boat on fire, but the flames were
extinguished
There are, in all, about fifty shot
marks in different parts Of the boat,
some Of the balls penetrating the cabin
The guefTillas were armed with SOUR
rel rifles and Colts revOlyers The pi-
lot house has some fifteen shots in it.
Luckily for the pilots, they were down
in the cabin when the attack vas made
The ladies deserve great praise for
their brave conduct That IS more than
can be said for the gentlemen. With
few exceptions, they acted like Wild
geese.
The following is a list Of the wounded.
Major E Mellain, lst Mississippi cav
airy, badly.
John Miller, private, company K,
54th Illinois
John s. Edwards, Fort Pillow.
David Rhett, deck hand
John Dargon, bar-keeper
Two Others, names unknown, slightly.