The National tribune., 1904-09-29

lie queen Oh the w est, MOnarcn, SWltZ-
erland and Lancaster, and five stern-wheel-
ers, the Lioness, Sampson, Mingo, Fulton
and Horner, all were remodeled river
steamboats,. Decks cut down, engines and
boilers protected by heavy timbers, prows
made sharp and built in solid for the spe-
cial purpose misunderstanding and de-
stroying the enemy.
1t is not surprising that there are some
points connected with the capture OF Mem
phis on June q, 1862, which have got into
history with considerable departure from
the truth. Some of the scenes of that event
full day came under my personal obServa-
ton, and may be of interest, in so far as
they bear upon that memorable event and
the part taken therein by the Ram Fleet.
was First Lieutenant, commanding the
LiOnesS, one vessel of the Mississippi Kan
Fleet. This fleet had been QUILTED under
the personal direction of Charles i. FL
lett, ST., n noted civil engineer of the ante
war period, of which feet of vessels he
was given command, with the rank of Col
onel. The command had proceeded from
New Albany down the Ohio and Mississippi
early in May, 1862, arriving at the fotllla
of gunboats and mortars (then at anchor
a few miles above Fort Pillow commanded
by Commodore Davis. Col. Elicit reported
to him as commanding officer. The Ram
Fleet consisted of nine vessels of which
four were powerful side wheel steamers.
1t was a fact not then generally known,
but of which Col. Elicit was well advised.
that the rebels had already resorted to the
same mode of warfare, and were likely to
sweep our fimsy naval craft from the Mis-
sissippi waters. A demonstration of their
power had been given but few days be-
fore our arrival above Fort Pillow.
Several vessels of the rebel fleet, lying
under the guns of Fort Pillow, had been
showing themselves around the point al
most daily, and on the day referred to one
whose name | am not now sure OF, but
think it was the Gen. Price, had boldly
approached the Commodore's feet, and at
lacking the Cincinnati had inflicted dam
aging blow, causing her to sink. and es-
capped with scarcely a scratch from the
Cincinnati's heaviest guns.
The arrival of our fleet of rams, to-
gether with army operations in the rear
of Fort Pillow, caused its evacuation on
the night of June 4. The entire Federal
fleet then moved on down the river toward
Memphis, anchoring above the city about
dark 1t was expected that the enemy
would make stand there against our fur
Their progress. In sailing orders for the
morning Commander Davis placed some of
his own vessels, five or six in number, In
the lead. and allowed the rams second
place The rebel feet of vessels, eight in
number, if l remember correctly, were
u
city, the right in advance, and as our fleet
slowly dropped down the engagement was
opened with shot from one of the rebel
vessels. Firing then became indiscriminate.
the contending fleets gradually approaching
each other. This was the supreme moment
for Col. Elicit and his rams. Col. Elicit
was on the Queen of the West, and his
brother. Capt. Alfred w. Elicit, was in
command Of the Monarch. the best two of
his vessels, which two vessels he had re-
solved should demonstrate the feasibility Of
the ram principle. Ordering his own yes
sci forward, he hailed the Monarch to fol-
low, and calamity these two vessels. the
the line Of Federal gunboats, and directed
their course toward their nearest antag-
onist.
I will not undertake to give descrip-
ton Of the battle, as from my own vessel,
three miles in the rear, landing couple
dimly see the battle going on amid the
smoke: but / was well acquainted with the
results, and many eye-witnesses have de-
scribed the scene of destruction in which
the rams Queen and Monarch took con-
spicuous part, several of the enemy's YES
sells having been struck and disabled by
them. Suffice it to say that in the space
Of half an hour, as the result of the COM
bined actions of the rams and the gun
boats, with their heavy ordinances, every
vessel of the rebel feet, with a single ex-
ception, was sunk or disabled and captured
Arriving upon the scene with the Lion
ess as quickly as it was possible. | was
hailed alongside the Queen by Col. Elicit;
his vessel was lying disabled ashore Oppo-
site the city, and he wounded on her upper
deck. Going aboard / received note from
him addressed to the Mayor or commanding
officer of Memphis. demanding the surren-
der of the city. He accompanied it with
verbal instructions to land at the foot OF
the Levee under flag OF truce, and take
with me his son, Charles r. Elicit (then a
medical cadet) and three men without
arms. and to take two flags. and upon re-
ceiving the surrender in writing. to hoist
these flags upon the Custom House and
Post Office. BY this time the Monarch
which had pursued the retreating rebel
boat, was far down the river. and all the
boats of the Commodores fleet, which were
slow and heavy in the then high stage of
water. were from three to FIVE miles be-
low the city. / at once obeyed the order.
Leaving eight of my ten soldiers under
arms on board, We four, Serg't William
II. Mcdonald and Private Cyrus Lathrop
1.-TWO brave men of my old command, the
18th I'D each with flag under his arm,
with young Elicit and myself, went ashore
and made our way through dense mass
of people congregated upon the Levee and
crowded down to the waters edge. Passing
several docks ana lnQu1r1ng our way. We
at length found the MAYORS Office and de-
livered our message. He replied verbally
that the city was in disorder, having Just
been evacuated: that the City Government
was powerless. being without police, and
added that he had nothing to surrender
but insisted upon written response. and
his reply is matter of history. We then
incurred for the Custom House and Post
Office. reminding him Of our instructions
to hoist the flags. To this he objected, urg-
ing that in the wild and disordered condi-
lions OF things We might receive bodily
harm. ard that he was powerless to pro-
tect US. But when we persisted in carry
ing out orders. he volunteered to accompany
us. continuing to appeal to US to desist
from our purpose until troops should be
landed and the city regularly taken posses
sion Of. Again we made our way through
the crowds which seemed to grow more
hostile at every step as our purpose be-
came known.
HOSTING THE FLAGS.
Arrived at the Post Office, three story
building, We ascended the stairway, the
crowd following to the upper unfinished
floor. The only mode of getting upon the
roof was through q hatchway reached by
climbing a post with lateral strips nailed
on. Leaving the two men at the foot OF
this ladder. | and young Elicit, with one