Year: 1863

lub WS6Ns


"The mOnOtOny of the past few days
was broken this morning, shortly after
daylight, by one of the most daring feats
of the war.


at was arranged yesterday that the
ram Queen of the West, Captain Suther-
land, should attempt to run the blockade
at day break this morning. She was then
lying in the river about four miles above
Vieksburg. 1t was thought by naval OIL
GERS that the feat could be accomplished
better in the obscurity Of early dawn than
under cover Of dark night. Besides, the
moon has been shining so brightly for two
or three nights past that a steamboat
would attract more attention from the
shore at midnight than at midday, or
equally SIS much, and would present
much better mark for the rebel cannon
iers.


The Queen Of the West viii be remem-
bered as the vessel which under command
of Colonel Ellet, since deceased, achieved
such brilliant results in the naval engage
ment opposite Memphis, and afterward
under command Of Colonel Ellet, Jr, son
of her original commander, attacked the
Confederate gunboat Arkansas at Vicks-
burg, and would have succeeded in de-
stroying her had she been properly sup
ported by the gunbOats. In the hazardous
exploit of this morning she was under
command of Captain Sutherland Colonel
Ellet was also on board.


The intention being to get below the
batteries at Vicksburg with as little dam
age to herself, and as little loss of life to
her crew, as possible the greater number
of soldiers and sailors belonging to her
were transferred to another boat, and only
twenty-five or thirty left on board-just
enough to work her machinery, and if ne
cessary, to keep one or two Of her brass
guns in operation to prevent any attempt
at boarding by the enemy.


Z" She did not raise steam as soon as was
expected. 1t was nearly seven o'clock
when her anchor was weighed. The reb-
els, since our arrival here, have kept a
lookout constantly stationed on the cupola
Of the Court House at Vicksburg, a posi-
tion which commands an excellent view
of the Mississippi for several miles up and
down. When a steamboat arrives at our
feet from above, the fact is duly signaled
at the Court House; when a gunboat or
steamer leaves for Memphis, Confederate
headquarters are informed of the
movement through the same instrument
tality. This morning, while the Queen
Of the West was raising steam, the look
out waved signals Of all colors, shapes
and sizes, until it seemed as if he were
trying to shake the Courthouse itself in
his effort to awake the rebels to a sense OF
something about to be done. He succeeded
in giving the alarm, am sure, for the
valiant Queen, before getting within any
thing like range of the rebel batteries, was
fired at several times. She approached the
town under full head of steam. The
first dozen shots fell short, harmlessly
dropping into the water between the ram
and the Vicksburg shore. The first shot
that touched her struck one of her brass
guns on the port side It was a ten or
eleven-inch shell. that did not explode
Striking the hOwitzer near the trunnions.
it created a heavy indentation about the
size of q tea-saueer, and glancing of, fell
into the river. Il is believed by Colonel
Ellet, that had the progress of this shot not
been impeded as it was by the gun, it
would have done a great deal of damage
to the vessel.


Nothing daunted, the Queen kept
steadily on her way southward. She was
soon struck by seven-ineh shell, which
entered her cabin and lodged there with
out exploding A few moments afterWard
she was struck three times in succession,
but was not damaged to any considerable
extent. Her woodwork was fractured q
little, but nothing more serious was done to
her. Arriving just below the town, Col
onel Ellet determined to have tilt at the
steamboat Vicksburg-a heavy, large, and
powerful boat which the rebels have been
plating with iron, with view of convert
ing her into a gunboat. The Vieksburg
was lying at the wharf, with large num-
Der Of mechanics on board industriously
working on her. The Queen took o good
sweep in the river, turned halfway round,
and plunged at the embryotic Confederate
navy, with such force as to run into her
about twenty feet, on her port quarter,
cutting away her cook-house and destroy
ing her cabin. While in this position, the
Queen poured q heavy volley Of shot and
shell into the Vieksburg with such effect
as to set fire to the cotton bales designed
for the protection Of her boilers. While
the attention of Colonel Ellet was directed
to the demolition Of the Vicksburg, the
land batteries of the rebels were vigorous
II bent on his destruction, and shot after
shot was aimed at his vessel, but for FIVE
minutes with no other result than to raise
a muddy foam on the water in his imme-
diate neighborhood.


AT the expiration Of about five minutes,
however it became evident that the Con-
federates were improving in their efforts
10 get the range Of the Queen. Three or
four successive shots were lodged in close
proximity to the boilers of Col. Ellets yes
sell The last-a nine inch .shell-ezpIod-
cd after having penetrated bale ofeotton
to the depth of three or four inches. In an
instant after this the cotton was on FIRE,
and it became apparent to Col. Ellet that
there was nothing left to him but to with
draw from the contest with the Vicksburg,
extinguish the flames on his vessel, and
drop down TO his appointed place Of an
ehorage. An order to this effect was Civ
en-the Queen nobly responded to her
helm, and was swept down by the current
into safe anchorage, while every available
man on board lent helping hand to put
ting out the flames.


'The results of the expedition of this
morning are, that the Queen of the West
accomplished all that was expected of her
or asked of her commander, without the
loss of a single life, sustaining only dam
age which can be repaired at the expense
Of few hundred dollars. She is now be-
low the Vieksburg batteries, and it is be-
lieved she will succeed in cutting off the
rebels between Vicksburg and Port Hud-
son. She is well armed and equipped, and
her gallant commander will not hesitate
to meet any ything less formidable than the
Merrimae. But think the Importance of
the expedition consists chiefly in the de-
monstration afforded that the blockade
can be run. ia vulnerable boat like the
Queen Of the West san defy the Southern