Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-15

to the waters edge at both ends. leaving
a box Of guns amidships. The straight
sides OF the box. foot in thickness, had
over them one layer of railway iron; the
ends closed by timber one foot square,
planked across by six-inch strips Of oak,
were then covered by one course of rail-
way iron laid up and down at an angle
OF thirty-f1ve degrees. These ends de-
Elected overhead all missiles striking at
short range, but would have been OF
little security under a plunging fire.
This shield. fiat on top, covered with
plank and half-inch iron, was. pierced
for ten guns-three in each broadside and
two forward and aft. The large smoke
stack came through the top of the shield,
and the pilot house was raised about one
foot above the shield level. Through the
latter led a small tin tube by which to
convey orders to the pilot.
The battery was respectable for that
period OF war-ten guns in all which. I'M
der officers formerly of the United States
hervice. could be relied on forGood work If
We could find the men to load and fire We
obtained over 100 good men from the
and about sixty Missourians from the com
mand Of Gen. JEFF Thompson. These had
never served at great guns, but on trial
they exhibited in their new service the
cool courage natural to them on land.
July IL We took our Missourans on
board and dropped below Satartia bar,
within five hours of the mississippi. The
14th We started from Sacartia. Fifteen
river, We found that the steam from our
imperfect engines and boiler had pene-
trated our forward magazine and wet our
powder so as to render it unfit for use
y
We were just opposite the site OF an
old sawmill where the opening in the
forest. dense everywhere else admitted
the suns rays. The day was clear and
hOf do fa no
down stream. landed our wet powder Tex
pecting the enemy to heave in sight every
mOment. spread tarpaulins over TIE old
sawdust and our powder over these BY
constant shaking and turning We got
1T back to the point of ignition before the
sun sank below the trees, when, gath
ering it up. We crowded all that we could
of 1T into the after magazine and resumed
our way, guns cast loose and men at
quarters, expecting every moment to meet
the enemy 1 had some idea of their
strength, Gen. Van Dorm, commanding
our forces at Vicksburg, having written
to me two days before that there were
then. 1 think he said. thirty-seven men,
ol1war In sight and more up the river.
We anchored near Haynes Bluff at
midnight and rested until am, when
We got up anchor for the fleet, hoping
to be with 1t at sunrise, but before 1t was
light We ran ashore and lost an hour In
getting again ahoat.
At sunrise We gained Old rivera lake
caused by "cut-off'' from the Missis-
s ppi the YaZoo enters this at the north
curve. and, mingling its deep waters with
the wider expanse Of the lake, after
union of ten miles. breaks through a mar
row strip Of land, to lose itself finally in
the Mississippi twelve miles above Vicks-
burg We were soon to find the fleet mid
way between these points. but hid from
both by the curved and wooded eastern
shore.
AS the sun rose clear and fiery out of the
lake on our left. we saw few miles
ahead. under full steam, three Federal
vessels in line approaching. These, as We
afterward discovered. were the ironclad
Carondelet Capt Henry Wake; the wood
en- gunboat Tyler. Lieut.. William Gwin,
and a ram, the Queen of the West. Lieut.
James NJ. Hunter.
Directing our pilot to stand for the
the center vessel of the three,
l gave the order not to fire our bow
guns, lest by doing so We should dimin-
ish our speed, relying for the moment
upon our broadside guns to keep the ram
and the Tyler from gaining our quarter.
which they seemed eager to do l had
despite our want Of speed, to
try the ram or iron prov upon the foe.
who were gallantly approaching; but
when less than half a mile separated us,
the Carondelet fired a wildly aimed bow
gun, backed round and went from the
Arkansas at a speed which at once per-
ceptibly increased the space between us.
The Tyler and ram followed this move
ment of the ironclad, and the stern guns