The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1905-11-02

to say that the Queen of the West and
Other gunboats captured the Indianola,
which was tied to the river bank and
being repaired by the Johnnies. Now,
the article does not mention what the
Queen of the West was doing between
that time and the night of the 18th,
when the dummy made its appear
ance.
Co. c, 55th Ill.,, was detailed on the
morning of the 9th to do picket duty
from the mouth of the canal down the
river on the levee. We relieved Co.
of the same regiment. When we came
i'm sight of the mouth of the canal we
saw that monster dummy" lying right
in an eddy at the mouth of the canal,
and down the river in plain sight be-
tween US and Warrington lay the Queen
of the West. j. G.. Garner Henry
Woodring and Scott Wright made a
raft of fioOdwOod, on which they
crossed a bayou on the highland
on the bank of the river where
the dummy was lodged. We examined
scratch or sign of cannon ball-she
had not been hit in running the Vicks-
burg batteries. We then got long poles
and showed her into the current and
started her on down stream toward
the Queen Of the West, expecting the
Queen to at once attack the dummy
and blow it into kindIing wood. 1t was
rainy and misty weather, but not so bad
but what the gunners at Warrenton saw
the dummy move off, and the Warren
ton batteries Immediately opened a
terrific fire on the dummy, which made
1T decidedly bot for Comrades Garner
Woodring, and Wright, who had to
hustle behind the levee till the dummy
got out Of range. To our surprise the
Queen of the West turned tail and I'M
der full steam sailed down the river
which was the last We ever heard of her.
| In regard to the effects produced by
Porters dummy, the Richmond Ex-
aminer of March Z, 1863, says:
| THE telegraph brings us tidings of
something which is tremblingly de-
scribed as a turreted monster Gun
i than dugouts. but when the case is
altered to an interview with a turreted
monster, then the brave defenders OF
the Father Of Waters can do nothing
better than make twO-forty toward the
mountains.
| is even more disgracefuf than farcical
Here was perhaps the finest ironclad
In the Western waters captured after
a heroic struggle, rapidly repaired and
destined to join the Queen of the West
In series Of victories. Next we hear
/ that she was of necessity blown up in
the true Merrimac- Mallory style, and
why? Laugh and hold your sides, lest
you die of a surfeit OF derision, oh,
YankeedOm. Blown up because, for
soOth, fatboat or mudscow, with a
small house taken from the back garden
OF plantation put on top of it, is
! fioated down the river before the
frightened eyes of the Partisan Rang
ers. a turreted monster
"A most unfortunate and unneces-
sary affair says the dispatch. Rather
50. The turreted monster proved to
be fiatboat with sundry fixtures to
create deception Think OF that.
| 'She passed Vicksburg on Tuesday
night, and the officers (what officers?
believing her to be a turreted monster,
blew up the Indianola, but her guns fell
into the enemy's hands That is pass
ing odd. Her guns fell into the enemy's
hands after she was blown up. In
credible. Mallory and Tatnall did bet
ter than that with the Merrimac
/ THE Queen OF the West" continues
the facetious dispatch, left In such a
hurry as to forget part of her crew,
who We're left on shore.
We'll done for the Queen of the
! West and her brave officers.
| Taken altogether" concludes the
inimitable dispatch. lit was a good joke
on the Partisan Rangers, who are no.
toriousiy more cunning than brave.
Truly an excellent joke-so excellent
that every man connected with this
AFFAIR, IL any resemblance Of the truth
Is contained I'm the dispatch, should be
branded with the capital letters IT M
and enrolled in a detached company.
to be known by the name of The Tur-
reted Monster henceforth forever
~. c. Garner and Henry Woodring, Co.