Arizona republican., 1898-05-14
CAPTURING A GuNRoAr.
An Unheard of Feat in Which a Pboo
 nix Man Took Part.

All OuuedIu Ol ! cat III w ulCQ PhOn- nix Man Took Part.
 Now at a time when the attention of the world is dirested toward naval operations, an account of Ine most unique engagement in naval history is not inopportune, the capture of a gunboat by a small land force. There has been but one printed account of it in Mayor John Edwards "SheIbv and His Men," and that is now out of print. The story is of some local ill., terest for the reason that at least two men now living in Maricopa county assisted in the capture D. F. Green wood of Phoenix, and Captain Ridley of Tempe.
 In the winter of 1862 force of5con- federates under Generals Holmes. Jo Shelby and Kirby Smith, had gone into winter quarters at Fort Cable on the White river in Arkansas. The fort lay in a pine forest on the left bank of the river three CT four miles above it's junction with the Arkansas. Several gunboats which had been de tached from Farragut's Mississippi fleet lay in the Arkansas about three miles in a direct line from the fort. but about seven miles by water A mile and three-quarters below the fort there was bar across the river known as Indian creek bar, formed by the emptying of the Indian creek into the White. It effectually pre- vented the gunboats from coming up the White and the confederates settled down to a prospect of a winters un- disturbed tranquility.
 But Yankee ingenuity found a way to overcome the bar. Dams were thrown out from each bank below the bar until the ends of the dams were about sixty feet apart. This not only raised the water above the dam, but had the effect of creating a strong cur rent which cut channel rhroug1 the bar. When this was done three Or four gunboats with great difficulty made their way against the powerful current, passed the bar and anchored in front of the fort, which was quickly reduced to ruins. The .onfedel ates took refuge in the hills and the gun boats drifted back into the Arkansas to wait for spring.
 Among the confederates was Dick Collins, who has since earned fame as a lawyer, orator and democ fatic poli- t1c1an. Collins was consumed by an ambition to capture Yankee gun boat. the whole fleet if possible. He laid his plan before General Holmes the senior officer. He not only did not believe it was practicable, but | pronounced it unorthodox. Nobody had ever heard of a land force trying | to capture vessel in regular warfare
 Malay pirates had attempted such things. Beside, General Holmes be- lieved that evsn the attempt would re- l suit in loss of life. Collins then
 went to see Smith and Shelby, but
 they were unwilling to set aside the
 ruling of Holmss. At length Collins l determined to put his plan to a trial anyhow, having secured the tacit sup
 port of Shelby. He planted twenty
 kegs of powder along the lower side of one wing of the dam. Then he
 built several smudge fires among the trees on the site of the ruined fort
 He caused half dozen feld pieces to
 be conveyed to the junction of the dam and the river bank They were planted unostentatiously behind a levee where there was also concealed a small force of men.
 | III luC SdIty iUt ISQlI ddS saw the smoke rising from the pins trees and imagining that the confed-
 crates had reoccupied their old posi-
 tion, a gunboat was dispatched to shell them out. It steamed lazily out
 of the Arkansas into the White, up
 the White to the dam. It struggled
 against the fierce current and at
 length passed beyond the bar and steamed in front of the pine forest. A
 few shells were thrown at the smoke
 Then there was a mighty explosion
 followed by terrific rush of water
 There was at first an impression that the bottom had been blown out of the
 river. The gunboat drew nine feat and settled down into the mud in six
 She was stern wheeler with iron ! clad bow, turned up stream, her stern wholly unprotected. She had six guns on each side, we'll to the front and in l capable of moving unless the whole
 boat moved. The boat could now move only with the earth upon which
 it rested solidly. Before the smoke and roar of the explosion had died away Collins leaped upon the levee
 and demanded the surrender of the
 boat, pointing to the muzzles of his field pieces which appeared just above the bank. The officer in charge saw
 there was nothing to do but sur render, for the river had been left in such shape that he could expect nc assistance from the rest of the fleet
 Beside, if the way were open for as- sistance, it could not lossibly reach l him in tune to save him from destruc- tion by those field pieces. Forty-five men were taken off, twelve guns, a large quantity of ammunition and some provisions were captured and the l gunboat burnt to the water.
 The chagrin of the captain was