, 1865-02-01
FROM ARKANSAS.
ThestcamersC sChippewa,An-
ME Jacobs and Lotus At
tackled by Guerr11as
onArkansas River.
Rebel notwithstanding on
Cnarmed Men, Women
and Children.

fiom Van Burcn tor Little Rock. The Add.
Hine was several hours behind. At11S o'clock
p. m., the Chippewa came into the narrow
channel at 1yJ's Ford, about two miles below
Rosevi1le. Here rebel battery threw q shot
over her bow, and she Immediately sur1en-
dcyed. She was laden with refugees and
about forty cont1abands, mostly servants ana
cooks Of officers belonging to the ed {colored)
brigade. These were taken off abd the boat |
fired. The refugees aud citizens were stripped
nearly naked and released. The colored pco.
pie, thtrty-nine n all, seven Of them were
marched south with q guard Of twenty sol
get his nancy of the 50th 1nd.vol. The men
said they should shoot the colored men and
take the woman to Texas. God and the
rebels only know their fate. \
The Annie Jacobs came in sight of the Clip
pcwa about 8 p. N. 6ho was on the south
ont, and 1t was supposed she Was wooding
till the Annie got into the narrow channel,
quarter Of a mile above her; the battery had |
been moyed up to this point, and Us the
flames burst through the Chtppewa's deck
the battery opened on the Annie Jacobs !; and
o line that rose up from the grass. She had |
the choice Of turning In narrow channel or |
running the blockade. The fire became so |
hot that she turned around and ran on the |
north shore, still IN easy range. When she
and wadcd to Tic shore under a raking IRE
from the enemy. The boat VAS struck abont |
fifteen times BY solid shot or shell, and her !
cabin riddlcd with sma1 arms. She had about |
500 souls on boatd, citizens, refugees, cont1a-
command Of Lieut.. Cox, OF TO. D, 10th Iowa
'oasse1s; Can't I'm. eere, Of ths Annie jacobs, de.
serves great credit ior his Goodness and judge !
ment on the occasion ; aud SO do his pilots,
who stood at their posts TIL the boat was on
assisted by VIM. Scruggs,
The following military officers were also on
board: Cal. Tnos. N. Bowen, 18Th Kansas
volunteers, the ranking officer; Col. G. ".
Adams, 18th Kansas volunteers Col John
E. Cone, saith U. s. co1ored infantry Lieut..
g.on Hurt, MEDICAL Director Of The District
81 the Frontier; Chaplain, Francis Springer;
Capt. G. Dtrbip. A. @. H.; Capt. Arthur
Gunther, I'd kansas cavalry Lieut. j. 8.
Lane. 9Th Kansas cavalry; Lieut.. II. s.. Cox,
10th Iowa rolunteere: Lieut.. Hutchinson, I'd
Kansas volunteers. !.
The moment was one of great excitement
and danger, but the cooluess Of the
military officers, WAS highly spoken Of hy
nil on board. Asiucredib1e as the statement
may seem, not a man was touched on the AN
ME Jesoes though completely riddled: ylns
ehot through the thigh while fastening her
hauscr to d tree, {sinec amputated at Clarks-
rille, where I'LL the wounded was sent from
both boats.)
The Lotus came in sight Of the shoulder
| ing fires Of the Chippewa at half past three
| O'Clock, but as the brat was burned to the
water's edge the fire was supposed to be one
kindlcd IN the btach By the contEabands to
| cook their bacon and coffee, while the b1at
was wooding, as this is the constant practice.
! .InLA Af.n1 n1nAa NM
Jacobsa half mile below, on the north shore.
We we're suspicious Of the bushwhackers;
at this moment the Annie blew long whistle
| which the Lotus took for signal Of distress,
aud supposjng that the Annie was snngged and
sinking, buried towards her. When about
200 rods from her in The narrow channel close
under the south shore, 4 line Of rebels rose up
(jcm the weeds and from behind rail fence,
within si1 or ight rods Of the Lotus and tired
upon her; this was the first news we got Of
the enemy's being in the immediate neigh
borhood. at the sauae instant q shell went
CRASHING through the top Of the PILOT housc,
about one foot above the heads OF the pilots.
Ne had barge alongside, and attempted to
turn the boat in this narroW channel she
struck On bar and hung fast. We cut tue
rods Of The enemy, Capt. a. E. JaquIth
xp177ed htr of, and then run her on the Dbrth
beach. Capt. Joquith, Ct the Lotus, is q
man who has a cool beed aud brare heart.
His pilote, Capt. Wm- Reasoner and James
Simpson, deserve great credit for their cool
ness and skill IN managing the Lotus during
this action. The boat was loaded With cati-
zeus, refugees, contr1bands, and the sick aud
wounded Of the colorcd brigade, under the
care OF Surgeon Samuel Boon, Of the ID Kan
Randall, Of the 4th d: s. colored Infantry.
AS sooh as The rebels opened On the Lotus,
fifty of The conyalescent colored soldiers who
bad their aims with them, and twenty white
guards from The SD Iowa volunteers, under
command Of Capt. S. r. Snyder and Lieut. ].
D. Hart Of the 54th g. s. colored, and Lieut..
/. Nichols Of the SD Iowa, fought bravc1y for
nearly an hour the boat during the time get
tinE aground and swinging completely
around, presenting to the enemy her stem
the beach, The armed men were ordered to
wade to the shore and retreat to the timber
on the bank, as the boat was within short
range Of the enemy, and nearly every shot
which hit her went through her decks
completely; when the eolored boys 1sashed be
tlcy stopped and gnre the rebs .
parting salute tor firing alike up
! on soldiers, citizens, women and children
s. There were between 400 aud 500 on board
the Lotus, and though 1876 rifle balls passed
through her upper deck, and q shell through
r great. Fur conyalescent soldiers were kill
ed and five wounded-tWo bad1y-And twt
were drowned in getting to the shore. Sur
geon Boon Was wounded In the head by 1
, | Iowa Vols, tnortally IN he head; and An
dew Heron, steward on the boat, throug]
the left shoulder.
The only thing that saved the Lotus from
\ being spllntercd into "kindiing wood, !" wa
the jact that soon after the battery opened o.
. CUR could not be worked. The woundc
were carefully looked after by Surgeon Huni
. The Surgeon and the writer read an order a
s | II o'clock In the evening, to move all tn
t wounded, elck convalesccnts, women an
! children, from the boats into the woods,
: mile back from the river, as We expected tha
=. Brooks would move up the battery be ha
L two miles below, and open on Us at daylish
d In tho morning. The sick and wounded SUI
$ fered much, as it was fleeing cold, and 81
!, sick and wounded to shore in leaky yawl
H. ard even the wounded were more or less wei
Just after daylight all we're put aboard Of
> forage trim and sent to Clarkesvi11e.
, 1t seems strange that the Annie Jacobs an
= especially the Lotus, did not hear the cannor
8 VILE, twenty miles away. The wind WI
+. blowing strong down the river. and the mt
n chinety makes considerable noise. This mus
!, be the explanation.
u On The evening Of the 18th aag Of true
IS went over and brought across COZ r7orsfagee
e. port that Brooks has brigad
with him numbering 1,50o men. tt
Ada Hine came down this moruln
at u m. She and the .Lotns started y
the river to hasten down Col. Williams Ut
the Co1o,ed Brigade. We are also lookIu
: for reinfotcements from Colonel Judson,
e Gainesville. a. 3. RANDALL,
\ Chaplain 54th U. 8. Col. Troops.
it Letter from Prof. Turner, of jackson
Il sonvtlle, on tho ssIndustr1ai Univea
; sity." ~ ,eet
q JArKsoNsfl1E, Dec ~. Ao0s'
rs | To the Editor Of the Tribune
'e When / first began TO read your edttofia
u m thr "Uufversity Fund.-" as It Ia 1r1et
. called, had many fears that yon would
c. The end lead OFT in that policy which the re-
: =. .ssnta1iYes Of Chicago. At FIRST, advocate
ae hefo1e our committee at Springfield; polt'
RI l -, tasr rrp1ornucd he Nrerv ainu