The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1909-06-18

n ihs umelsi fl~slstsf ~ ihs s,s,e.
isN complied ~ Hon fmassf no~.
lsai psse ~, ssgs the Cfysts
SPRINGS iHlss wstew. "a f1aad the
oHielsl fessef n ths aevea sttr Am
lefy fhis fpstes dses sas mention
% " Miller |. beios . iieussnsns
The stsssmenf N aeftsst PIERS n
verified IN eyefy fespert vita the "a.
ceptlon ~ tbe omission " the name
Lieut. y q W cciemsn md this h
explained ~ the fact thst Lieut..
Wade dled Al Port Hudson and w,s
succeeded by Lieut.. Coleman. The
historical record places the Seven
stars ARTILLERY IN trenches a. Port
Hudson and mot on the river front and
this fact connfms tho statement made
by both gentlemen that the sertlon
n which o. W Miller was attached
was not IN action when the Mlsslsalp.
pi attempted ~ pass tho forts
The Meteor IL Indebted ~ Mrs.
Evelyn Dsbooy Mitchell, ~ Jackson,
daughter ~ the late Capt y v. Dab
ney, q resident NJ Crystal Springs, Tor
an account NJ the destruction OF the
Mississippi at Port Hudson. Capt
Dahncy at the time ~ his death was
engaged IN writing an autobiography
and the account he gives " the his.
torical Incident differs materially from
the accepted versions and refers the
destruction of the vessel to the con.
generated fire Of all tho shore batter.
les which caused her TO sheer on aud
in doing 20 became grounded. Capt.
Dsbney was Captain OF Eogtncers In
the Confederate army and planned the
Qualifications OF Port Hudson. He
writes OF tho event m follows:
1.-THE event OF the night, however,
was the destruction OF the sloop OF
war Mississippi. On account OF her
superior size, carrying, 1 think q
heavy guns, she became target for
every one OF our guns, and rs she ap.
preached the bend In the river. where
our batteries were most heavily con.
ccntrated the quantity of iron hurled
upon her sides was enormous. In
shccrIng of toward the opposite bank
she went aground on the bar and her
officers and men soon realized the
utter hopelessness Of extricating her,
under the heavy 6re which was being
concentrated upon her from all quart.
ers. She was accordingly abandoned,
her complement OF men taking to
their boats, and landing on the oppo-
site shore. In short time flames
began TO make their appearance and
before long she was q sheet OF fire
from stem to stern. Our hot shot bat.
terry boys set up the claim that they
had set her on dre, but l believe that
1t was generally admitted afterwards,
as claimed by them, that her own ofii.
GERS had started the fires before aban.
doning her.
when she was fully afre from end
to end, and the flames had enveloped
her rigging she presented one Of the
grandest pyrotechnic displays have
ever witnessed. Az her upper works
were consumed, she gradually light.
ened and 6nally 6oated on down the
river, her guns, many of which had
been left loaded, firing 10 right and
left Into the banks Of the river, amidst
the cheers Of our boys who lined eithel
side. About daylight, or shortly
before, she passed Prophets Island
| At the bend below, and became lost Il
view. shortly after which the Or,
reached the magazine and the explo
, sion which followed scattered her I,
the four winds OF heaven, and be
strcwed the surface OF the river Will
her many fragments"
II II will be seen from this description
OF the engagement, that no mention
is made Individual OF skill, prowess o
J conspicuoasness, but that the glor
: was inferentially bestowed upon al
/ the batteries engaged, whose concer
' trated fre was so heavy a. to force th
' vessel to sheer on and ground.
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