Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1903-03-13
FARRAGUT'S DASH 3: :: e:
~; :: 10, AT PORT HUDSON |

west shore just as the Confederates
opened fire. The shock Of striking tore
loose the lashings of her consort, the
Kineo, which tried to go ahead alone
but also grounded under fire. Owing
to the dense smoke the pilots of these
ships could see nothing. and the vessels
lay under the guns of the enemy. which
soon got the range and quickly disa-
bled the batteries of the stranded ships.
A shot struck the bridge of the Monon-
! gahela. and 1t went crashing to the
deck with Captain McKinstry In the
wreckage.
The Kineo finally got loose from the
bank and returned to the aid of the
Monongahela. Making fast, she pulled
her consort from the mud. and the two
again started up stream. In short
time the crank pin of the Monongahela
was so heated that the engines
stopped. and the ship being wholly un.
| manageable. drifted out of range.
At 1920 o'clock the old Mississippi
reached the bend at the upper bat
teries, where the leading vessels had
met with mishap. Just where the eff
feet of the shore guns was greatest
she grounded and heeled to port. With
his starboard guns firing as though
nothing had happened Captain Me-
lancthon Smith ordered the port guns
drawn in to tighten that side Of the
ship. Even then the vessel did not
come to an even keel, and the engines
were unable to bulge her from the
bank. Captain Smith then decided to
fire his own ship and save his men.
The Confederates kept up a terrible
nre on the luckless vessel. but her own
gunners at the starboard pieces still
fired as though all was we'll on board.
The fash OF the dSemys guns on the
bluff 100 yards away was the only
guide for the Federals.
All the guns not at work in the fight
were thrown overheard, also the small
arms and everything that could be re-
covered and used by the enemy. After
smashing the engines three fires were
lighted in the storeroom but a Con-
federate shot cut through the hull be-
low water, letting in flood which put
out the flames
Meanwhile the wounded had been
lowered into boats Fires were started
between decks fore and aft and soon
the grand old Mississippi, which had
been Perry's flagship In the war with
Tripoli, was a mass of flame. At last
the crew was all in the boats, the under
officers with them, and Captain Smith, |
with hiss lieutenant, spiked the still
smoking starboard guns and left the
vessel to its fate. Having lost so much
of her weight by the abandonment of
her crew. and the destruction of arms.
the ship soon foated and drifted down
stream In the wake of the vessels
which had retreated. Collision was
avoided, and she passed on, her maya
zines exploding at $50 in the morning
with a defamation heard for miles.
much to the JOY of the Confederates.
The Mississippi lost sixty-four men
killed and wounded In this encounter,
a very heavy casualty list for the hard
est naval battle and greater than that
of all the other ships in the feet that
combined. She also did more
execution than all the others, for while
she lay aground her guns plowed the
works on the hill Her Of
dcers and men remained cool through
out the trying ordeal, never forgetting
that they should fight the enemy's bat
.eries SO long as their guns could bear
upon them. Farragut had given his
ship commanders Instructions when
setting out that morning fo maintain