The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1898-11-03

sank in the middle Of the river, with all her
gay dressing of flags still flying
A minute later th9 Little Rebel, with the
water pouring into, her hull from dozen
shot-holes, floated over to the Arkansas side,
and rs she totIehed the shore her crew,
headed by her clustering Commodore
sprang ashore and fed into the woods. The
Gen. Bragg was esinking, and, hosting the
white flag, begged the mercy of her con-
guerors. In an0thermoment the Sumter and
jeff Thompson were seen to float helplessly
out of range and strand on the Arkansas
side. An instant later they were wrapped in
flames, and they soon exploded with deaf
ening noise But bne rebel gunboat was now
left, the Gen. Van Dorm, and she turned and
fed as fast as steam could propel her. Our
| gunbOats followed her few miles, but she
outstripped them, and they returned from the
chase
! In one hour and three minutes from the
| time the first shot was fired the battle was
over, with seven out of the eight rebel boats
that entered the action destroyed or in our
hands. 1t was the most brilliant and dra-
matte spectacle of the whole war.
| AS the fight progressed and the combatants
| drifted down the river, the spectators on the
banks followed with the greatest eagerness.
| The rebel General in command-Jeff Thomp-
son-was among these, and as he saw the
| final issue of the fight, he formed his men
and abandoned the city in haste.
Commodore Davis, the senior officer, sent
flag of truce to the Mayer, to demand the
city's surrender The latter responded that
the city's military defenders having retired,
it was at the mercy OF the fleet Thereupon
Commodore Davis informed Col Ellet that
he would assign to him the honor Of raising
the Stars and Stripes over the captured city.
Col. Ellet detailed two of his officers who
had distinguished themselves during the
action to do this and ssigned them guard
of 10 of the infantry who had been most
efficient, and Bronson and Karl were the
first two selected
They entered yawl with the officers, and
were rowed to the shore, where they were
met by an insolent crowd OF the white riff
raft OF which Memphis had as large pro-
portion as all river towns had in those days.
Even the recent crushing defeat of their
feet did not cove or depress them. 1t
rather infatuated them, and they assaulted the
ears of the soldiers with storm of taunts
and epthcts.
It's lucky that we haven't O'Neil with
| US, said Bronson as they marched up the
street He wouldn't stand this talk from
those loaiers a minute. Somebody would
get terribly whipped, and we'd probably
have a row that would result in the gunboats
burning the city,"
As they passed toward the heart of the
city, an open carriage driven by negro
and containing an old gentleman and two
ladies, drove slowly by, as if returning from
the spectacle on the levee. The crowd on
the street compelled the carriage to drive
close TO the squad. At one moment it
seemed as if the wheels would strike some
of the men, and Karl caught hold of the
reins, and threw one of the horses back al
most on his haunches saying sharply to the
driver as he did so:
stop dere I"
At this, one of the, ladies took from her
face the handkerchief with which she was
drying her fast-howing tears, and Karls
hand dropped from the reins as if they had
been the pole OF an electric battery, for he
recognized the FEATURES of Artemisia Smp-
kins. Their eyes met, and some glimmer of
recognition seemed to come into hers, but
at that moment one of the crowding loafers,
anxious for an opportunity to interfere, said
to Karl: n
Don't you dare to stop gentIemans
carriage, you villain and stepped forward
with motion as if drawing a weapon.
Karl was still gazing in dazed way at the
carriages occupants, and paid no heed to the
rufiian, but Bronson brought his gun-barrel
down on the fellows head with force that
sent him to the ground bleeding from .
strengthening skin-wound.
The ladies' screamed, the mob yelled, and
the soldiers pressed nervously into line and
cooked their rifles. 1t was q critical mo-
ment, but the appeals of some of the better
class of citizens were listened to by the mob,
which drewback a little, and let the soldiers
resume theirmarch.
ITO be conttnued)