New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-07-13
Blockade Of White Rivcr-Loss Of the
Queen Cty--GaIinntry of the Gunbosts
Battle nenr sberidsn-RebeIs De-
(euted.

/ Fr0u- Our Special Correspondent.
NorTn of WHITE RIVER. Ark, July l, 1854.
On the evening Of Sunday. the 26th ult., the
startling intelligence reached Memphis. where yoar
correspondent then was, that White River had been
ockaded. the gunboat Queen City and the Govern
meut transport Kate Hart captured ond the remainder
Of the armed vessels In the vicinity If the point At which
the blockade had been established held stouty at bay
BY formidable Rebel battery, whore strength Sas
broadly estimated at from 10 20 guns Of calibcrs as
various NJ tho numbers woro broad Luckily steamer
fjr tho lower river waE unmoorng within q score OF
psces Of the boat that had jest arrived with the painful
news By dnl Of loud calling succeeded In having
plank run out 10 me and We were out OF sight OF
The CITY whose streets well knew from experience
worh directly be filed with thousands ~ stories ~
pressing every degree 81 fortune W misfortune "a
seelcs command, from decisive yicioiy 10 disastrous
defeat.
We arrived at Helena after midnight when few
hasy Inquiries served 60 confirm what we had already
learned and gave rs the further information that All
TIE transports that had entered White River for "a
hours had been turned back nj point near Clarendon
and that MaTmadukc had crossed to tho north side OF
the Arkansas River with 1000 men and ~ cannon,
and was marching on Duvalis Bluff Steele's principal
depot No commupication had been had with Little
Rock for two days but heavy fighting, II was conlec'
tured had taken place somc1heru between Little hook
and Clarendon. Hut still there Was nothing Afforded
by all could gan upon which any rational sPoeua'
ton could be founded There was one fact. however
contingent II is true but nevertheless hct-whch
was that II the Rebels had succeeded IN eiioctualy
stopping Gen. Sieelos supplies, and II haImaduke
was also north Of the Arksnsas with lo.W0 men, The
former would have 10 tight his way through " the Mis
sis-ppi aud abandon the State 70 another season OF
Rebel rule. | speak If this not as state ~ ehatrs
probably then IN existence but ne mere possibility
The suppoalton Of which founded on meeger facts
speeuations almost grOnDdlcsJ, fears unIounded aud
oonoctures run Wild We reached the mouth ~ White
River next morning and found beside the vessels gen
orally present at ganbos. station quite Meet Of
transports, Marine Brigade boats, aud tin-elIds.
win arrange IN proper sequence the history Of al
fairs preceding during and subsequent TO the blockade
Witnessed by myself or related TO me by Officers
prisoners, and others VINO We're personally coshNeit
whereof they spoke.
CAPTURE or THE GUYBoAT QUEEN CITY.
Some time during the night VI the I'D the Rebel Gen.
Shelby under cover Of the darkness moved battery
of two and two l.ponndcrs cautiously and with per
feet silence within 100 yards OF the gdnbcat Queen
City No 90 which At he time anchor in front OF
the town OF Clarendon and within twenty yards Of
shore So quietly Vfs this done that no suspicion what
ever entertained on board Of the neighborhood of
any enemy u dagSeroa; rce aud certainly no Of the
contend. A little after seven bells g, o'clock lad
sounded md without the least noise 10 give even
shadow Of warning Of what was coming, the entire
battery discharged 'nl into the vessel and before
the laundering echoes had ceased sounding from hin 10
h the guns again loaded and shot followed shot
in rapid succession, every one crashing and ripping It's
way through the timber, Of the gunboat and sweeping
her decks IRON end 10 end
Taken completely by surprise, the crew was for
time panic stricken and nninanegcable. Acting Master
Hickey, who commanded the Queen kept his presence
Of mind however, and ralbing bis men ordered them
to their guns and replied rapidly with three lopound.
ors. The engagement was then continued even handed
for several minutes when shot from of the Rebel
guns raked the gunboat from mdsips to stern, strk
Ing tho near engine and knocking the machinery COM
Ietcy ont Of gear Three other shots struck the boats
machinery Immediately aterward disabling the vessel
so that she fohtcd hepessly along at the will Of tho
current. Finding himself fighting at great disad.
vantage, Acting Master Hickey checked his firing,
with view TO getting better range of the Rebel
battery his boat dropped down the stream only send
ing shell NJ the enemy nj adyantag intervals. But
rs she followed the current she swung round in such
position that the battery enabled TO rake her from
end 10 end. II becoming now evident that the boat
could not he saved. Hickey told his that such as
chose might ondeayOr to escape by swimming ashore
number sprang into tho river. but how many Of them
succeeded in reaching the shore Is not knosn The
boat helpless wreck, rddlod from one end 10 the
other, was now surrounded and was Immediately
boarded by the Rebels. aud her bow hauled into
the bank The greater portion OF the men remaining
on the boat were coored iremen and gunnsrs. These
taken ashore In body and marched of into the
woods. Tho nature Of their fate is yet unknown
The white men and officers Wero taken OF, part toward
Duyars Bluff and part toward Helena Ihnve heard
hat Of them have been offered for exchange at
both these places. The boat being made fast no time
lost b. the captors in removing to the bank her
stores guns. and everything else portable.
CLAUS rawn And 4sadnksaF was coming down run
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