The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-05-29

To the Editor of The Post.
Houston, Texas, May 26.--If America
is sincere in its declared intentions, OF
perpetuatug bravery, as exhibited by
Americans. whether haillns from North OF
South. then / consider it my right, as a
Southern citizen of this country, to assert
, that the most daring and successful feat
| ever accomplished by Americans or any
| other people. was performed by the crew
of the Confederate ram Arkansas The
| annals of naval warfare can not point ia
anything that can be compared to her
| combat with the Federal fleet on the
Mississippi river, a few miles above Vicks-
| burg. 1he archives OF the world, since i,s
! creation, must be searched iii vain Ior a
| like achievement, the particulars OF wni h
should be printed in letters OF gold for the
emulation OF posterlty.
Thirty odd years have interviewed since
her wonderful accomplishment. and later
performances, such as Dewey's at Manila
although deserving of praise pale into N
significance IN daring and otner elements
| OF wonderment When history is impar-
| TALLY and truthfully told, the performan, .
, of the Arkansas, ii will be discovered has
| never been equaled, nor can 1t ever be sur
passed, Dewey, with his splendid vesss Is,
possessed with all that art and money
could render to make them invincible, all =.
initiated the Spanish tubs stationed at
| Manila for the purpose of awning the ma
| tives. He performed a wonderful act OF
strategy in entering the harbor as he did
| but his squadron was composed of superb
! aggregation OF floating terrors, capable OF
| holding its own, when rightly handled,
! against anything near its own strength
This tells ALL
Now as TO the Arkansas. What about
tt?' will ask the rising generation, man,
OF whom never heard of 1t, simply becaus
the history they read is chary as to giving
Caesar his dues.
We are Americans, citizens OF the
United States. and are Jealous of the littl,
history we made, and insist upon racort
of the same, The Arkansas was $40 fest
long by 30 feet BEAM with burden of be.
tween 500 to 1000 tons. Railroad iror
formed her armor. This iron was about
three inches thick, heavily backed with
timber and cotton bales.
Her beak for ramming was below tht
water. Her hull was that of an old cotton
barge. She was built in six weeks. She had
ten guns, distributed as follows: In Tho
bow were two S-inch Columnads, In the
stern two 6-inch rifles In broadsides twr
e-inch rifles two So FOUNDER smooth
| JULES ana Two 9-lnch Dahlgren shell guns
commander Brown was every inch a man
ana mad he possessed feet like Dswey's
on, my countryman what tale would
have been written! There were forty or
more vessels of the enemy awaiting her
appearance, each and every one OF them
intent upon tackling the Arkansas. Shp
steamed slowly down the Yazoo. when
three ships hove In sight, the Caron ielet
| thirteen guns) the Queen Of the wes,
| and the gunboat Tyler The Arkansas M
once made for the Caroudelet and rammea
ner 10 death in short order The Queen of
me West and Tyler turned tail and spg
win their utmost capacity for the fleet.
seven or eight miles below. Right here
! again assert. the audaclty of the Arkan-
sas mas no parallel on earth, for with her
utmost speed she drove through eeet
Oh forty or more vessels, scattering dssth
ana destruction in every direction
! iney were like drove of sheen wber
attacked by a wolf. knowing not whsr. 80
n,ae; She passed through this hitherto In
vineible fleet apparently unscathed ana
uneoncernedly sailed up TO the Vicksbnrr
,anuihg under protection OF our hat,eriss
can never forget the scene. as Wa,
noarse many DAYS afterwards fror, ~.
enec's OF my cheering
NOW, throw your cap high In IN. afr =,
leeent exploits. but do not forget that TIA
eoniederate ram Arkansas performed M
nrsstest Feat ever chronicled In raval
| Philip II Fall