with our side-guns. The enemy vigorously returned the fire from her heavy bow-guns as she pursued, and had greatly the advantage of us from being thoroughly protected by iron. We had continued the fight about one hour when the Arkansas came up, with the evident intention of running us down. I avoided the blow, and as we passed exchanged broadsides at very close quarter. I endeavored to board her, but she passed us too quickly, and I could only fire our bow-guns fairly at her stern. Not a shot entered her, however, the shot easily glancing off her invulnerable stern. about one hundred yards distant, keeping up a continuous fire on the ram from our stern gun and an occasional fire from our broadside battery, the Carondelet having already opened on the ram with her stern-guns. About half-past seven the rebel ram closed with and struck the Carondelet, and forced her against the left bank of the river, receiving a discharge from her stern-guns. Standing past her she received the fire of her broadside guns, and stood directly for us, at that time distant about two hundred yards. We then stood down the river at all speed, and managed to keep the ram from two to three hundred yards distant from us, keeping up a rapid fire from our stern-gun and an occasional discharge from our broadside batteries as we could bring them to bear, receiving the fire of her two bow-guns and occasional discharges from her broadside batteries. At this moment our wheel-ropes were cut off for the third time, and we had to run the boat into shore. As she swung round, we gave the rebel vigorous discharges from our bow and starboard guns. Two shot-holes were now seen in her side, when the crew were observed pumping her out. At this juncture a man was observed to be thrown overboard from the Arkansas. We had now received severe damages in our hull and machinery, more than twenty shots having entered the boat. In the engineer's department, three escape-pipes, the steam-gauge and two water-pipes were cut away. In the carpenter's At this time the ram was receiving the fire of department, nineteen beams were cut away, thir-most all the vessels of our flotilla. At half-past eight came within sight of the fleet; forty-five minutes past eight rounded to under the stern of the Essex, delivering a broadside at the rebel ram as she was standing down past the fleet. ty timbers damaged, and three boats rendered She succeeded in passing the fleet and in reachuseless. Our deck-pumps were cut away also. ing Vicksburgh, although, it is supposed, with We had some thirty killed, wounded and miss-considerable damage. The ram was pumping a ing. heavy stream of water from her side, from three miles above the mouth of Yazoo River until she passed the fleet. When the escape-pipes were cut away, many of the hands jumped into the water. The gunboat Tyler sustained me in a gallant and effective manner. Our officers and most of the men behaved in a gallant manner during the whole action. Yours respectfully, HENRY WALKE, UNITED STATES GUNBOAT TYLER, man. The following are the casualties: Killed belonging to the Tyler-Oscar S. Davis, Third Assistant Engineer; T. Jeff. Hood, seaWounded-John Sebastian, pilot, lost left arm; David Hiner, pilot, slightly; R. H. Smith, pilot, slightly; J. W. Holly, coal-heaver, lost right arm; J. J. Milford, seaman, severely; R. Williamson, seaman, severely; James Hughes, seaman, slightly; James Morris, seaman, slight The following is an extract from the "log" of ly; Richard Carter, seaman, slightly; Fred the Tyler, giving an account of the engage-man, slightly. ment with the Arkansas: From four to eight, clear and pleasant. At four A.M. got under way, ran alongside of the Lancaster and sent a boat on board of her, which returned with a pilot. At five, stood on up the river, followed by the ram Queen of the West, the Carondelet being ahead. Arrived at the mouth of Yazoo River at forty-five minutes past five; stood on up. At seven A.M., discovered a steamer standing down the river, at the distance of a mile, which proved to be the rebel ram Arkansas, and immediately opened fire on her with our bow-guns, which was returned. The Carondelet about a mile and a half astern, and the Queen of the West about a quarter of a mile. We commenced backing down the river, keeping up a fire with the guns that could be brought to bear. Finding that she was gaining on us rapidly, we rounded down-stream and stood for the Carondelet, which vessel was standing downstream, and took a position on her port-bow, Cooper, seaman, slightly; Stephen Tracy, sea Killed belonging to detachment of Fourth Wisconsin regiment, detailed as sharp-shooters, on the United States gunboat Tyler-Capt. Lynn, company I, commanding detachment; F. Barton, company E; H. Randall, company B'; L. Goodridge, company K; A. Palmer, company G ; C. Shafer, company D. Wounded C. Van Ormand, company F, seriously; Peter Tuey, company F, seriously; W. Kent, company G, slightly; Anson Ayres, company E, slightly; J. Doyle, company K, slightly. Total killed, eight; total wounded, sixteen. For the last half-hour of the engagement the after part of the ship was full of steam, from the port escape-pipe having been cut. The vessel sustained no serious damage, although a good deal cut up, fourteen shot striking her, eleven of which penetrated the vessel. BALTIMORE "AMERICAN" ACCOUNT. on board Commodore Farragut's flag-ship, the seem to like the looks of her antagonist, and steam sloop-of-war Hartford. UNITED STATES STEAMER HARTFORD, BELOW VICKSBURGH, July 17, 1862. DEAR FATHER: The events of the past few days have been of a highly exciting nature, but I was not able to write a letter yesterday before the mail closed, otherwise you should have heard from me sooner. steamed rapidly down the river, firing her guns at intervals. The Benton followed her under the guns of the batteries on the bluffs, which opened on her, and she retired, leaving the Arkansas to run down to Vicksburgh. The fleet below, which consisted of the Brooklyn, Kennebec and Jackson, together with one division of mortar vessels and a lot of transports, were soon aware of the nature of the fight above the city, and had made preparations for an attack. One of the mortar-schooners, which was aground, was blown up, as she could not be moved. The ram, however, did not attempt to pass below the city, but ran alongside of the bank under the guns of the fortifications. Her appearance is truly very formidable, and the rebels claim her to be superior to the Merrimac, as she combines the good On the night of the fourteenth instant two deserters from Vicksburgh came aboard and stated that the rebel ram Arkansas meditated an attack on the fleet either that night or the following morning. We had heard much of this vessel, and, in order to be on the safe side, the steamers Carondelet and Tyler, of Davis's fleet, were despatched up the Yazoo River in order to dispute her exit into the Mississippi. Early on the morn-points of all iron-clad vessels that have been built ing of the fifteenth, as these two vessels were entering the Yazoo, they descried an iron-clad ram coming down. She had no flag flying, but when she got near, the Stars and Bars were flung to the breeze, and a shot was fired from her. Seeing the formidable character of their opponent, our steamers turned around and steamed down the river, at the same time using their stern-guns. The ram followed on, using her bow-gun, and a running fire was kept up. While all this was transpiring we were lying at anchor, with fires banked but no steam on. Most of the other vessels in the two fleets were in the same condition, our object being to economize in fuel as much as possible, we having no means to replenish our bunkers should the coal give out. I should judge it was a little past seven o'clock on the morning of the fifteenth that firing was heard up the river. It approached nearer and nearer, and by the time the fleet was fully astir two of our own boats came down the river at full speed. Soon after the ram came around the point, firing at the retreating vessels. As many of our boats as could bring their guns to bear on her immediately opened, and volumes of smoke were soon issuing from the smoke-pipes of the different steamers, as each one was endeavoring to get up steam. She approached the Richmond and received a terrible broadside from her guns. For a moment she was lost in the smoke, and eager eyes watched for the smoke to lift in order to get a shot at her. As it cleared away the bow-guns of the vessels lying astern of the Richmond commenced firing on her, and she turned down-stream. As she passed us we gave her the benefit of a broadside, but she steamed on without firing a gun. A shot took effect in the boiler of the ram Lancaster, of Commodore Davis's fleet, and several persons were killed and wounded. It is not certain whether this shot came from one of our guns or from the Arkansas, as the vessels were much crowded, and in no position for such an encounter. As the Arkansas got past the Hartford she fired two rifle-shots, which passed harmlessly over our heads. The Benton had got under way by this time and started out to meet her, but she did not and tested. Her sides are at an angle of about forty-five degrees, but are not run up to a point, like the Merrimac, her top being flat, with a single smoke-stack protruding. She has three guns on each side and one at each end, and her sides are completely cased with thick iron plates, which seemed to resist all the shots that were fired at her. She stands about five or six feet above the water-line, and presents a very small surface for our gunners to hit. Although her prow is sharp, I have not heard that she attempted to run into any of our vessels. She was commenced at Vicksburgh, but taken up the Yazoo River when our fleet came up, some two months since. Huge rafts of logs were then placed across the river to prevent our boats from approaching her, but these had all been removed the day before she came down. We greatly feared that she would run down to New-Orleans. All the captains in the fleet were immediately called aboard and a consultation resulted in the determination to again attack the batteries, and, if possible, sink or capture the ram. At about six o'clock in the evening the fleet got under way. It was growing dark and the Davis fleet had commenced to engage the batteries. All of our fleet were engaged before we got in range, our inten tion being to run into the ram and sink her. The batteries were firing rapidly and our boats were returning the fire with good effect. As we approached shot and shell commenced whistling over us, riflemen were busy at work in the woods along the river side, and bullets chirruped a symphony to the bass voice of the artillery, while the mortars, at either end of the city, kept up a roaring accompaniment. The scene was terrific, and never did our men work their guns with such rapidity. The rebel artillerists would cease their fire to a great extent the moment we opened on them; they could not stand it. Poor George Lounsbery, the brother of Lieut. Lounsbery, of the New-York Fifth, was killed during the action. His usual station as First Master was on the spar-deck, where he had charge of two guns, and in all our engagements we stood side by side; but he was placed on the berthdeck to take the place of the officer of the powder division, who was sick, and thus met his death. He was in the act of speaking to some one down in the cockpit when a solid shot came through the ship's side and severed his head down to his shoulders. His head was literally torn to pieces, and but fragments of it could be found, while his body fell across the edge of the hatch, and his life's blood gushed in torrents down in the orlop. He was a clever fellow, and he and I were fast friends. The same shot that killed poor Lounsberry also struck a colored cook, taking half of his head off, and also wounded several others. A man named Cameron was also struck in the head and his head partly taken off, on the spar-deck, and but a few feet from where I stood. Our loss in the engagement is three killed and six wounded. The rebels seemed, as usual, to concentrate all their fire on the "Old Hartford." All of Commodore Davis's vessels, except the captured steamer Sumter, are still above the city to prevent the ram from going up, and all of our fleet are lying below with steam up, ready for action at a moment's notice. The ram could be seen moving about in front of the city yesterday, but she has not attempted to run the gauntlet again. Capt. Porter, of the Essex, says he can take the ram, and Flag-Officer Farragut says he may do so, but I don't know whether it will be tried or not. Owing to the darkness and the smoke, no one in the fleet saw a sign of the ram on the night we passed, otherwise an attempt would have been made to sink her by running into her. Lieut. Heisler, of the marine corps, died on his way to Memphis. He was attached to this ship and was going home on account of ill-health. I have no more room and must now close, and remain your affectionate son, ALBERT. REBEL REPORTS AND NARRATIVES. OFFICIAL REPORT OF LIEUTENANT BROWN. HEADQUARTERS THIRD DISTRICT, VICKSBURGH, July 25, 1862. SIR: I am directed by the Brigadier-General Commanding to hand you the accompanying communications from Capt. Brown, of the C. S. gun boat Arkansas. The first letter refers to the fight in Yazoo River, before the ram entered the Mississippi, where she encountered the whole Yankee fleet. Whilst every thing connected with the recent trip of the Arkansas from Yazoo City to this place is interesting to all of us, it is also due to Capt. Brown and his brave crew that this, not the least brilliant of her noble exploits, should be made public. Very respectfully, your obedient J. F. GIRAULT, servant, A. A. General. STEAMER ARKANSAS, VICKSBURGH, July 15, 1862. GENERAL: The Benton, or whatever iron-clad that we disabled, was left with colors down, evidently aground to prevent sinking, about one mile and a half above the mouth of the Yazoo, (in Old River,) on the right-hand bank, or bank across from Vicksburgh. I wish it to be remembered that we whipped this vessel, made it run out of the fight and haul down colors, with two less guns than they had; and at the same time fought two rams, which were firing at us with great guns and small arms this, too, with our miscellaneous crew, who had never, for the most part, been on board a ship, or at big guns. I am, General, very respectfully, your obedient servant, (Signed) J. N. BROWN, To Brig.-Gen. M. L. SMITH, Lieutenant Commanding. Commanding Defences at Vicksburgh. A true copy: J. F. GIRAULT, C. S. GUNBOAT ARKANSAS, VICKSBURGH, July 23, 1862. SIR: I beg leave herewith to send a list of names of the killed and wounded of the detachment who so nobly volunteered from the forces of your command, on June last, to aid in making up a crew for this vessel, to wit: Killed John Kane, private, Pinkney's battalion Louisiana volunteers; Charles Madden, private, Clinch's battalion Louisiana artillery; Henry Shields, company E, Antonio Florez, company G, and Daniel O'Sullivan, company A, of the Twenty-eighth Louisiana volunteers. Total killed-five. Wounded-Wm. Alexander, private, Clinch's battalion Louisiana artillery; Thomas Lynch, sergeant, Clinch's battalion Louisiana artillery; Bernard Martinez, private, Twenty-eighth Louisi ana volunteers. Total wounded - four. Total killed and wounded-nine. I regret the loss of these men to the vessel and to their country. They fought well. Very respectfully, (Signed) J. N. BROWN, To Brig.-Gen. M. L. SMITH, Commander C.S.N. Commanding at Vicksburgh. A true copy: J. F. GIRAULT, Assistant Adjutant-General. GENERAL VAN DORN'S DESPATCH. VICKSBURGH, July 15. batteries, ran gloriously through twelve or thirThe sloop-of-war Arkansas, under cover of our of-war. Our loss was ten men killed and fifteen teen of the enemy's rams, gunboats, and sloopswounded. Captain Brown, her commander and smoke-stack of the Arkansas was riddled. Otherhero, was slightly wounded in the head. The wise she is not materially damaged, and can soon be repaired. and the boats ran ashore to keep from sinking. Two of the enemy's boats struck their colors, Many were killed and wounded. This is a glorious achievement for the navy, her heroic commanders, officers, and men. One mortar-boat, disabled and aground, is now burning up. All the enemy's transports and all the vessels of war of the lower fleet, except a sloop-of-war, have gotten up steam, and are off to escape from the Arkansas. (Signed) EARL VAN DORN, GENERAL COOPER'S ORDER. WAR DEPARTMENT, ADJUTANT AND INSPECTOR GENERAL'S OFFICE, Now, the moral of this is, that our batteries and people have been afraid of a set of cowards, who stood less hammering when brought in front corded. The fellow ran away without scratchof an equal foe than history has heretofore reing us. The successful defence of Vicksburgh against the mortar fleet of the enemy by Major-Gen. Van Dorn and the officers and men under his comThe two "swift and stiff" rams of Commodore mand entitles them to the gratitude of the coun- Ellet were making splendid time down-stream, try, the thanks of the government, and the ad- and we, in the hope of disabling or destroying miration of the army. By their gallantry and them with our guns, pushed on after, but they good conduct they have not only saved the city gained steadily and gave us breathing time beintrusted to them, but they have shown that fore the final struggle, which was soon to come. bombardments of cities, if bravely resisted, As we rounded a point the immense fleet came achieve nothing for the enemy, and only serve to in view. The river seemed to be blocked up by unveil his malice and the hypocrisy of his pre-armed vessels of all descriptions. There was tended wish to restore the Union. The world now sees that his mission is one of destruction, not restoration. Lieutenant Brown and the officers and crew of the confederate steamer Arkansas, by their heroic attack upon the Federal fleet before Vicksburgh, equalled the highest recorded examples of courage and skill. They prove that the navy, when it regains its proper element, will be one of the chief bulwarks of national defence, and that it is entitled to a high place in the confidence and affection of the country. By command of the Secretary of War, S. COOPER, Adjutant and Inspector General. GRENADA "APPEAL" ACCOUNT. the majestic Hartford and Brooklyn and half-adozen other boats, together with the cumbersome tar-boats and transports by the score. and unwieldy up-river boats, besides rams, morAll were under way taking position. It seemed to me that their plan was to form a complete line across the river in the shape of the letter V, the point up-stream; the Hartford occupying the van and centre, the Brooklyn immediately astern, the right and left wings being composed of rams and gunboats of both classes. We made one dash to break the left wing, near Farragut's flag-ship. As we approached the enemy looked on in mute wonder and astonishment. Not a gun was fired at long-range. All were waiting for the moment when the dreadful missiles would be most effective. The large sloop had her eleven-inch guns VICKSBURGH, July 17. charged with solid shot and bided their time with At six o'clock on the fifteenth inst., while the steadiness, never diverging an inch from their Arkansas was in Old River, into which the Yazoo position; the little ones, however, edged off to empties, about one and a half miles from the the right and left, bows up-stream. Gunboat Mississippi, she made out three of the enemy's No. Six fired the first gun, loaded with grape, but vessels bearing down upon her-one an iron-clad with too much depression. It fell short. At the gunboat, the others rams. In a few minutes same instant the port-bow gun of the Arkansas they were within range, and commenced the ac- sent a solid shot crushing through one of the tion. The ram was more deliberate and cau-iron-clads, which alone sent her to the flank. tious, approaching till within a few hundred yards, when she opened with her bow battery. At this the enemy turned and fled, the Arkansas pursuing directly after the gunboat, raking her by frequent discharges from her forward guns. The port-bow gun was disabled. But in twenty minutes from the time the running began, the enemy deserted their guns, having been whipped by the starboard-bow gun alone! The fight began at close range, which was gradually decreased to about forty yards, and when at this latter distance the port-bow gun was again brought into action, and commenced to assist its mate to demolish the Yankee's river pride. The effects of these terrible engines were soon apparent. The crippled duck commenced his favorite dodge of hunting for shallow water, and for this purpose sheered into the left bank of the river, exposing himself to the port broadside of the Arkansas, which was poured into him at a depression, and went crashing through his sides and bottom. He did not return the fire. As he fell behind, our steam battery commenced the raking process again, which caused the rascal to haul down his colors, set a white flag, and desert his vessel. As we neared the Hartford, a ram (the Lancaster) took up her position just ahead of us, but the port gun blew her up, and the crew jumped overboard on all sides, the Arkansas running through the sinking, drowning people. Now we were in the midst of the melée; broadsides came as fast as blows from a blacksmith's hammer; crash came the shot and grape through the ports. But we were through. As soon as we came in front of Vicksburgh the enemy below showed signs of a stampede. They forthwith burned a mortar-boat, their transports got up steam, and had not our crew been exhausted we could have destroyed the whole bevy. But the thing was not over for the day. At sundown Farragut's fleet commenced passing down, eight going down and exchanging shots with us as they passed. But as we were not at our favorite range, we have no idea what damage we inflicted. Before closing, I must pay my respects to the “sturdy rams that were to pounce upon us. The rascals gave us a very wide berth; and I would advise Abraham I. to dispense with Col. Ellet, Medical Cadet Ellet, Lieut. Ellet, etc., etc., (see Phoenix's Survey of Mission Dolores Railroad.) No doubt they whizzed away at Mr. Montgomery's light boats, but when they heard the ring of the true metal from our vessel, they "skedaddled." Doc. 153. THE FIGHT NEAR MEMPHIS, MO. MISSOURI "DEMOCRAT" ACCOUNT. On the eighteenth of July, Major John Y. Clopper, in command of a detachment of Merrill's Horse, about three hundred strong, and a detachment of Major Rogers's battalion, Eleventh Missouri State militia, about one hundred strong, attacked and, after a very severe fight, entirely routed Porter and Dunn's combined bands of guerrillas, six hundred strong. At last accounts Major Clopper was still in swift march upon the forces of Porter, which had fled south, crossed the railroad and posted themselves for another fight in the vicinity of Florida, where they were doubtless attacked this morning by our forces, which crossed the road in pursuit of Porter yesterday. The fight took place near Memphis, Mo., and was brought on by a small advanced guard being fired upon by the enemy, who were concealed in heavy brush and timber across the road, where they had halted and chosen the ground for their fight. They were immediately attacked by Major Clopper, and after a desperate conflict were completely driven from the field, leaving a large number of their dead and wounded on the ground. The severity of the fight is well illustrated by the fact that five successive charges across the open ground, on the concealed enemy, were repulsed, and the sixth was successful, resulting in a hand-to-hand struggle, in which one man of Merrill's Horse was killed by a blow with a stock of a musket across the back of the neck, breaking his neck. Doc. 154. EXPEDITION TO BEAVER DAM, VA. I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient ser- RICHMOND "DISPATCH" ACCOUNT. RICHMOND, July 23. We have received a full and correct account of the raid made by the Harris cavalry upon the dépôt at Beaver Dam, Hanover County, on Sunday morning last. From the best information it appears that they left Fredericksburgh on Saturday evening about four o'clock, and came some fourteen miles of the way that night. Early Sunday morning they came on to Beaver Dam, where they arrived about eight o'clock. Here they found nothing to oppose them, and they at once At the time the messenger left the ground all set to work to destroy, by burning the dépôt-ofof our killed, wounded, and missing had been fice, water-tank, and cord-wood. In the dépôt found, amounting to eighty-three, and twenty-there were about one hundred and seventy barthree dead guerrillas had been discovered upon rels of flour belonging to the army, a few bushels the field, yet the search among the thick brush of oats, a case of shoes, a small lot of ammunition for the dead and wounded of the enemy had just and a few arms, some tents, and perhaps a few commenced. other things of little value, nearly all of which were consumed. 4 In Major Clopper's hasty note, written on the field, and when just starting in pursuit, he says: "I cannot find terms adequate to express my admiration of the heroic manner in which my command stood the galling and destructive fire poured upon them by the concealed assassins. The enemy are badly whipped, and in a free fight, and I follow at once. "The enemy were well concealed in thick brush and timber, and I must do them the justice to say that they fought desperately. They will not meet me on other ground." They also tore up the railway in several places, and cut down about a half-dozen telegraph-poles. The operator, Mr. Smith, was arrested for refusing to give them information, but succeeded in making his escape. They also obstructed the railroad-track, expecting to throw the train off, but luckily failed in their attempt. The up-train was signalled, and induced to turn to Richmond, by a servant named Dick, the property of Dr. Terrill of Hanover. Their stay at Beaver Dam was limited to some thirty minutes, at the end of which time the whistle of the up-train sounded, and some one having told them that there would |