Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-07-09
CAVALRY AGAINST GuNBoArs.
7Iowthc Horse Marines StaInpeded
Fleet.
Fron. lie 81. Loais ReDWdiicaa

ttS
r>,,oNrowN. KY, June 3d. will re-
1ate the following experience our OLD orE
cade mad with the gunboats:
In the early part of the summer OF 1904
cen. Joe Shelby was detached and, with
Fra4man,s, Dobbins', McCrary's and his
own brigade, sent north of the Arkansas
rfver to watch the Federals, who had been
d.orpdating in the White river valley,
corryiug of all the cotton, negroes, work
horses and everything they could conns-
cate. TO the horror and disgust OF the peo-
ME of that valley.
Gen. Shelby accordingly took up his
ba950uarters at JacksonpOrt, small
Iwn on the north bank OF White river,
and sent out his scouts over the country
10 discover the situation of affairs. Ihey
snon brought the news that a fleet OF gum
boats and transports had left Memphis
and was then ascending White river.
Leaving Freeman's, McCrary's and
Dobbius brlgades to watch the enemy
near his base, Shelby took his old brigade
and four pieces OF Collins battery and
started out with the determination to In
tercept and drive them back if possible.
Fjgnting gunbosts with cavalry was
something new to this brigade, although
they had fought everything from Federal
0utpost picket to an army corps OF imam
inv Fighting was their business aud they
made it "A business to fight.
From Jacksonport to Augusta the trip
was made in one day (forty-two miles)
without incident. Arriving at Cache
river about noon the second day, we found
that stream bank full from recent rains,
also the bottoms and bayOus we're flooded.
After much delay we ferried over this
river,
SWAN AND wADED
for twenty miles more and arrived on high r
ground back OF Clarendon. Twelve miles e
anOye this place and on the west bank 81 t
White river was situated DuyalPs blu C
a strongly fortified Federal garrison. TF
place was connected with Little Rocky f
railroad and it was by boat up we o
river to this point, and thence by this I'll C
road that the Federal army at Little.0ck h
was supplied. Gen. Shelby knew mat v
any interference on this line wOulFe IKE S
seYerng their arteries, so he deDmiheu
to attack the first boat that pasru CIar-
endOn. -,,
Scouts reported that a fleet Of oats mad 7
passed up that morning, butknHlng that
he would bag some game befC' WaiNhZ
very long. Gen. Shelby put oupicketS all
around the town and moved CuIousy 10 7
within sight of the river. 1st at DUSK I
the accommodating party rerrted large =
r0n-clad having rounded tdh0 ahchored o
near the wharf. Well. SUI enough, mere D
was some game, rather la;e 10 Dag ana Il
Il looked defiant, too. 'has should we t,
4 d.? Pull up and runor nghtE Gen
Shelby resOrted to sUtegy ana 0eter- q
mined to wait and fight :
Every road leading ito the town was -
we'll guarded, and eYeY person, gong or :,
coming, to or from th town, was placed =
q under arrest, and enry precautlon was y
taken to conceal our 'resence. Inc com :,
n mand waited nIpatintly until 10 O'Clock, n
when the hores wee taken from the bat .
\ terv and dttail of twenty men to the gun .
was made . haul vDem into position, The {
Fl night beinia Ittb hezy and a slight fog q
on the rIer favored US. We moved the /
Il guns alOg cautiously. 1t became neces-
sary to ali our coats off and lay them on =
n the BRIGGS for the cannon wheels TO roll I
n on to Eevent noise. All this vas done
s with ne greatest care, until we had the
4 tour ieces Of cannon drawn up in line
4 WITHIN FIFTY YARDS
q If his silent, grim monster. We could II
II esr the steam kissing through her ma =
hnery AMI see the blue smoke from the c
ling emDers in her furnace curl above 3
be mist. "a
The whole brigade drew up in line above d
md below the battery, with eager eyes S
lent on the black OF ject riding at anchor a
5ut In the stream. 1
The clear round moon made its appear @
nee late in the night. The ''stars and c
tripes" hung lazily at her flagstaff, her II
a tceSh nun 5lNtS VIII UGI rs CiOS6u
ocked slowly in her cradle of blue waves. n
No sound save the change of guards, and
De time bell pealing forth the hour OF q
night, and the sentinel on his beat re- s
Il pOnding AL is We'll" but little realizing il
he true situation on shore. For there V
vas brigade Of as determined men as d
yer looked through the sights OF rifle n
Il ylng fiat on the ground, elbows touching, a
4 OF sixty Yards away. -
The idea Of surprising a gunboat with
aIairy is something not recorded in his n
"A Dry. a gunbCat with an armament ca u
able OF sweeping us from the face of the q
u arth lay right under the muzzles of Z
nelby's guns. y
4 The cray dawn of bright June morn q
ny finally made its appearance in the |
-asl. shelby moved cautiously up and I,
own the column to see that every thing Z
as In readiness. The men were waiting o
iserly Tor the word. ! was lying fiat on n
re ground between Joe Terry and Mike \
oach, and L thought | could hear their
carts beat as the word ready was I
assed along the line. Then came the !,
oiu "hre,' LOCO muskets and carbines a
ri four cannon heavily loaded like :
isn oil lightning and clap of thunder q
BROKE THE LONG STIFFNESS, t.
ID sent shower of iron and lead rat
NJ ana crashing upon the decks Of TINS d
antagOnst-this enemy encased in 1
|
Vlce, thrice and until she was rent with ?
col and shell fore and att and lay help c
es upon The water, her crew was so r
0ly disabled that she could not fire fl
sl0l She struck her colOrs and whstled +,
7'eaJ. At once the firing ceased and b
en- shelby took charge of his prize, the
queen CITY. She proved to be one OF the
LenyS finest irOn-clad war vessels Her
Mament consisted Of thirteen heavy l.
oIiott guns manned by large crew Of
saiIY lars" that knew their business
rms was truly one OF the most brilliant >,
sues OF the war. A complete sur '
re- The mutlled wheels OF the cannon, n
Sed uu 10 within fifty yards of the II
ne.l's lron-clad and the men for five n
~ uodrs lying on the ground, not per- =
'St.eu 10 speak above a whisper.
RI mn, shelby knew the enemy at Du- J
6 a4 DIul had heard his guns aud that Il
my would know what it meant The q
anooats We're soon heard on their way "
MN S%u ana we knew the days work had l
Wy commenced. +
d '"Ains TWO Of the large Parrot guns "
sa m 1e prize land, battery was impro- q
L.