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completion, it was evident that the assistance of the gunboats would also be required to make a successful landing of the troops across the river. The enemy, to oppose any attempt that might be made to cross the river, had planted field pieces along the left bank for the distance of several miles above and below New Madrid. Gunboats were also needed to protect the transports from any gunboat of the enemy that might appear during the passage across the river. For these reasons the gunboat Carondelet, Capt. Walke, undertook to run down past the batteries of the island on the night of the 4th of April. For this purpose her hull was protected in all weak places by additional covering, and a barge laden above with hay was taken in tow on her left side. Starting at ten o'clock on the night of the 4th, amid the darkness of an impending storm, she proceeded on in silence. Twice as she approached the batteries of the enemy the soot in the chimneys caught fire, and a flame five feet high leaped out from their tops, lighting brightly the upper deck of the vessel, and everything around. It was seen by the enemy, and the anxious listeners for the signal of her safety in the fleet above now heard the long roll beat in the camps on the island. At the same time five rockets were sent up from the mainland and the island, and were followed by a cannon shot from Fort No. 2. A full head of steam was now let on, to make the greatest possible speed; and while vivid flashes of lightning lit up the hurried preparations of the enemy, while peal after peal of thunder reverberated along the river, and the rain fell in torrents, the moment for coolness and heroism came. For thirty minutes the discharge of cannon and musket ball at the dark and silent object, revealed on the waters only by the lightning flash, was furious, but no injury was done. Then stopping her machinery, her officers fired the signal guns to inform their companions in the fleet that she was safe. On the night of the 6th, the gunboat Pittsburg, Lieut. Thompson, also passed the batteries. On the morning of the 7th the transports were brought into the river from the bayou where they had been kept concealed, and while the division of Col. Paine was embarking, the gunboats ran down the river and silenced the enemy's batteries at the place of landing. Then the passage of the wide and swift river commenced, and was completed at the hour of midnight.

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As soon as the troops began to cross the river the enemy began to evacuate the island and his batteries along the Kentucky shore. The divisions were pushed forward as fast as they landed, that of Col. Paine leading. The Confederate force was driven before him, says Gen. Pope; and although it made several attempts to form in line of battle and make a stand, Col. Paine did not once deploy his columns. It was pushed all night vigorously until, at four o'clock A. M., it was driven back on the swamps and forced to surrender. "Three generals, seven

colonels, seven regiments, several battalions of infantry, five companies of artillery, over one hundred heavy siege guns, twenty-four pieces of field artillery, an immense quantity of ammunition and supplies, several thousand stand of small arms, a great number of tents, horses, and wagons were taken." The force that surrendered was under the command of Gen. Mackall. Before abandoning Island No. 10, the Confederate officers sunk the gunboat Grampus and six transports. The force surrendered consisted of Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana regiments, and numbered about five thousand. At the island a large amount of commissary stores was found with the tents and baggage of the enemy. Besides there were eleven earthworks, with seventy heavy cannon varying in caliber from 32 to 100-pounders, rifled. The works, erected with the highest engineering skill, possessed great strength. There appeared to be no concert of action between the force on the island and that on the shore. Gen. Pope did not lose a man or meet with an accident in crossing the river or afterward. The canal was made on the sug gestion of Gen. Schuyler Hamilton. A part of the distance the route was through a bayou. The cut made was about four miles, sufficient for steamboats of moderate size, and about one thousand trees, ranging from six inches to three feet in diameter, were sawed off about four feet under water by means of long saws worked by hand. When the canal was finished, the water came through with such a current that the boats had to be dropped by lines nearly the whole distance. The work was done by an engineer regiment, under the superintendence of Col. Bissell.

The position thus taken was regarded by the Confederate officers as one of the highest importance to the new line of defence proposed by them. Upon their ability to hold it depended the safety of Memphis, and of the entire Mississippi valley thereabout. This line was adopted by the Confederate commander, with his left resting on the Mississippi, his centre between Jackson, Tenn., and Corinth, Miss., and his right between Florence and Decatur.

On the 12th of April the gunboats under Com. Foote, with the mortar boats, followed by the transports, left New Madrid, and stood down the river. The order of a line of battle was observed. A part of Gen. Stanley's division, and those of Gens. Hamilton and Palmer, were on the transports. Their destination was Fort Pillow or Wright, which is situated on the first Chickasaw Bluffs, near Islands Nos. 33 and 34, and about seventy miles above Memphis. At Plum Point the Mississippi makes a sharp bend, running for some distance eastwardly, and at the first Chickasaw Bluffs turns off abruptly south-southwest, which course it continues below Island No. 34, where it again bends; the convex side of the curve being to the Tennessee shore. Here are the second Chickasaw Bluffs, surmounted by Fort Randolph, some twelve

miles below Fort Pillow. The location of these fortifications was admirably adapted for defence, and in case of a determined stand it would have been very difficult to reduce them. Opposite Plum Point is the village of Osceola in Arkansas.

On the next day, at evening, the fleet arrived at Plum Point and anchored. A force of three Confederate gunboats were in sight most of the time during that day, but kept at a safe distance. The anchorage was about three and a half miles from the fort. Operations against the fort were commenced by moving the mortars to the Arkansas shore at Craighead Point, and opening upon the enemy's gunboats and batteries with shells. The distance of the contending forces across the point was three fourths of a mile, although by the river around the point it was three miles. In the afternoon of the 17th of April fire was opened from the mortars, and rapidly and accurately answered by the fort. This continued until midnight and then ceased; daily afterward it was repeated without any expectation of an immediate reduction of the fort. The high water of the river prevented coöperation of the land forces. On the 4th of May a battle occurred between the gunboats and a Confederate ram and gunboats, which has been thus related:

"The enemy appeared with four boats-three gunboats and a ram-the latter a powerful contrivance, combining immense weight and strength with high speed and admirable steering facilities. Her hull and boilers, as well as all the Confederate rams, were those of old New Orleans towboats. The upper works of these were cut away; their sides protected, in some instances with a layer of railroad iron, and in others only with bales of tightly compressed cotton, hooped and bound together, one to the other, with iron bands. Their bows were pointed and sharp, and apparently of solid iron.

"At their first appearance the gunboats manifested no disposition to come up the river, but sent the ram ahead to attack and destroy the Cincinnati, thinking then, doubtless, to run up and make an easy prey of the defenceless mortar boats. The commander of the Cincinnati perceived the movement and apprehended its intent. The ram was already halfway up to her before she was cut loose, and then the accumulated driftwood on her bows prevented her getting her head out into the stream. To back out would be to run directly upon the enemy while they were seeking to run into her, thus adding to the force of the blow with which they would strike her. In this dilemma she let fly her stern guns full into the face of the enemy, and at the same time attempted to crowd along up the shore, hoping, before moving far, to succeed in getting her head out. Her guns made not the slighest apparent impression upon the ram, which still held its Course and was rapidly coming upon the entangled gunboat.

"Again the stern guns were let go full into the face of the enemy, but still her progress was not retarded in the slightest. A moment more and her tremendous weight came with terrible force upon the starboard stern quarter of the gunboat, but without inflicting any serious damage The force of the blow, however, threw the stern of the vessel in and enabled her to get headway from the shore. Then, in turning out, her broadside was discharged directly into the Confederate craft, which was backing off preparatory to renewing the assault.

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'Again the gunboat prepares to open fire on her assailant, and the ram seeks an apportunity to renew the assault. The Cincinnati has worked herself away from the shore and is now more easily handled. Turning to and fro, she gives her antagonist broadside for broadside, with no apparent result. Still he comes As he nears his object, his steam apparatus is got ready, and his crew, armed with small arms, prepare to board the Federal craft. Commander Stembel, seeing these demonstrations, orders out carbines, boarding pikes, and cutlasses, and also puts his steam battery in readiness to give the enemy a warm reception. On they come, closer and closer, and strike! The boats collide with fearful violence, followed by the crashing of timbers, and the bending of iron, and the shouts of men, and the discharge of musketry, and, above all, another broadside directly into the enemy now immediately alongside. Amid this general uproar Commander Stembel rushes upon deck, and, seizing a pistol, with admirable aim discharged its contents into the head of the Confederate pilot, killing him instantly. The pilot's mate seized a gun in retaliation, and shot the gallant commander, just as he was turning to give his attention to some other duty, the ball entering high up on his shoulder behind, and, passing in at an upward direction through his neck, went out under his chin.. He fell instantly, and was carried below.

"While this fierce engagement was in progress, the shots from the other vessels had exploded the boiler on one of the Confederate gunboats, and set fire to another which was burned to the water's edge.

"The Cincinnati, thus released from her antagonist, sought, others of the foe. It was soon after this withdrawal that the Mallory, which is also fitted as a ram, though carrying a heavy armament, moved up and singled out the crippled Cincinnati as her special victim.. This craft was more lumbering and slower than the rams proper, and could not be so easily moved about. She worked very hard to get her nose into the Cincinnati's side, but every time was foiled by the movements of the latter. At last she had apparently secured the desired opportunity, and was crowding all steam to make good headway, when an unlooked-for adversary appeared. The St. Louis bore down upon her, unseen, until close on her, and then came

the unavoidable collision-the ram was cut half into and sunk immediately. Her crew perished with her, but half a dozen or so escaping by clinging to the St. Louis. This was a brilliant manoeuvre on the part of the St. Louis, relieving and probably saving the Cincinnati, which was already half sunk and almost unmanageable from the weight of water in her hold. Seeing her condition, the acting flag officer signalled her to withdraw, and she was run upon the shoal at the foot of the island, and sunk to the bottom.

"The action had now lasted about forty-five minutes. One of the enemy's boats had been sunk and two blown up. The rest of their fleet was crippled. To prolong the fight was to insure its destruction. They therefore gradually fell back, under cover of the smoke, around the point to the protection of their land batteries. The Cincinnati was the only boat injured in the Union fleet. Four were wounded on board of her."

On the night of the 4th of June Fort Pillow was evacuated. Everything of value was either destroyed or removed by the Confederate officers. On the same night Fort Randolph, some miles below, was evacuated. The few guns were dismantled. Com. Ellet, in his report to the Secretary of War, said: "Randolph, like Pillow, is weak, and could not have held out long against a vigorous attack." The remark is worthy of notice, as it raises an inquiry why such an attack was not made. The forts were not attacked because this expedition, was not sustained at the critical time for its success. There were no land forces to coöperate with the fleet.

On the 13th of April the gunboats and transports arrived before Fort Pillow, and on the 4th of June this fort and the one below were evacuated, and the way clear for the fleet to attack Memphis. On the 7th of April the battle of Pittsburg Landing took place between the Federal forces, under Gen. Grant, and the Confederate forces, under Gen. Beauregard, which resulted in the withdrawal, by Gen. Beauregard, of all his forces from the battle field to the strong position at Corinth. Reënforcements were required by the Federal army, and Gen. Pope was ordered to join it. On the 21st of April he arrived in transports up the Tennessee river at Pittsburg Landing. His force numbered between twenty and twentyfive thousand men, and were taken on some thirty transports. This withdrawal of the force of Gen. Pope put a stop to the progress of the Mississippi river expedition. The gunboats, however, were obliged to remain in such force as to prevent any movement of the Confederate gunboats up the river. Soon after the withdrawal of Gen. Pope, Com. Foote obtained leave of absence, and the command of the fleet was taken by Charles Ellet, jr., until the arrival of Charles H. Davis, the successor of Com. Foote.

As has been stated, Forts Pillow and Ran-
VOL. II.-5

dolph were evacuated on the night of the 4th of June. This evacuation was in consequence of the withdrawal of a large portion of the Confederate army from Tennessee, and their abandonment of Corinth. The positions of Fort Pillow, Randolph, and Memphis could not be held under these circumstances, and were therefore wisely evacuated.

Nothing now remained to oppose the Federal fleet but the Confederate gunboats. On the 5th of June the fleet arrived within two miles of Memphis, and came to anchor for the night. On the 6th, at 43 o'clock in the morning, the gunboats Benton, Cairo, Carondelet, Louisville, and St. Louis, and the four rams Monarch, Lancaster, No. 3, and Queen of the West, weighed anchor, and dropped slowly down toward the city. The Confederate gunboats were seen approaching in order of battle. This was in two lines, the first consisting of the Beauregard, Little Rebel, Gen. Price, and Gen. Bragg, the second of the Gen. Lovell, Gen. Van Dorn, Jeff. Thompson, and the Sumter. When within three fourths of a mile, a shot from the Little Rebel, the flag ship, fell within a short distance of the Cairo, which replied with a broadside, and soon the engagement became general. The Confederates had fewer guns than their opponents, but exceeded them in the number of gunboats. The scene of the battle was in front of the city of Memphis, and the shores were crowded with spectators. After half an hour two of the rams, Monarch and Queen of the West, which had been lying on the Arkansas side, in rear of the line of battle, steamed out toward the scene of action. The Queen of the West started directly for the Beauregard, and that gunboat fired at, but missed her. A second shot struck the ram but did her no injury, and she steamed steadily and swiftly toward her adversary. When she was within ten feet the latter swung round, and the ram missed her prey. Not discouraged, however, the Queen ran toward the Gen. Price, which fired several shots but did no damage, and thrust her iron prow into the wheelhouse of the Price, crushing it to pieces, and causing the vessel to leak so badly that she was run to the Arkansas shore, to prevent her from sinking. The Beauregard now determined to avenge the Price, and hurried toward the Queen, while the ram in full motion was dashing toward her foe. They bore down upon each other bravely, but the skilful pilot of the enemy contrived to evade the shock of the Queen, and struck her aft so heavily that the ram was disabled and began to leak. The Monarch, seeing the state of affairs, dashed boldly at the Beauregard. The latter fired four times at the ram, and struck her bulwarks once, the ball glancing harmlessly. She could not, however, avoid the unerring aim of the Monarch, which crashed through her bow, and caused her to fill in a few minutes and go down as far as her cabin, the shallowness of the water preventing her sinking lower, and the white flag she had run up

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stopping further damage from the fleet. The Monarch then looked after her disabled consort, the Queen of the West, and towed her ashore, placing her in a position of security. The gunboats now increased their fire against the enemy, when the flag ship, having obtained an excellent range, threw a 50-pound ball from a rifled Parrott, striking the Gen. Lovell aft above the water line, tearing a great hole in her, through which the water rushed like a torrent. She began to sink at once, giving few of the officers and crew time to save themselves. In less than four minutes the vessel had sunk in seventy-five feet of water, and passed entirely out of sight. Some of the crew went down with the Lovell, but about fifty of them leaped into the river, and were struggling in the water, when the Benton's crew arrived in

advance of several other cutters from the flotilla, and just in time to see the chimneys of the hostile gunboat disappear beneath the water. Many of the crew had already begun to swim for the shore. Some six or seven, however, were rescued by the cutter, but the current was so strong that a large number were carried off and drowned. The engagement still continued warm and desperate. The smoke of the battle so obscured the boats that it was difficult to see them at any distance, yet the levee of Memphis was black with the crowd of human beings. From the time the rams made their appearance, the Confederate gunboats had been steadily falling back, though continuing to fire heavily, before the advance of the Federal gunboats.

The Jeff. Thompson, Gen. Bragg, Sumter, and Van Dorn were the only vessels remaining, and these were so frequently struck and saw so little opportunity of escaping, that they turned their bows ashore. As soon as the Thompson reached the shore her officers and crew leaped off, and ran through the woods; but a shell exploding on the vessel, she took fire and was burned to the water's edge. The Gen. Bragg reached the shore about half a mile below the Thompson, and her officers and crew escaped. The Sumter followed next, and the Gen. Van Dorn, which was a swift vessel, alone escaped down the river. The Federal fleet now came to anchor before the city. The engagement had lasted over an hour. No one was killed on the fleet. The loss of the other side could not be stated. About one hundred were made prisoners. The other mortar boats, owing to a misconception of orders, were not engaged. The following correspondence then ensued between Com. Davis and the city authorities:

UNITED STATES FLAG STEAMER BENTON, OFF MEMPHIS, June 5, 1862. SIR: I have respectfully to request that you will surrender the city of Memphis to the authority of the United States, which I have the honor to represent. I am, Mr. Mayor, with high respect,

C. H. DAVIS, Flag Officer commanding, etc. To His Honor the Mayor of the City of Memphis. The answer of the mayor was as follows:

MAYOR'S OFFICE, MEMPHIS, June 6, 1862. SIR: Your note of this date is received, and contents authorities have no means of defence, by the force of noted. In reply I have only to say that, as the civil circumstances the city is in your hands.

Respectfully, JOHN PARK, Mayor. To C. H. DAVIS, Flag Officer commanding, etc. Commander Davis wrote in reply as follows: UNITED STATES FLAG STEAMER BENTON, OFF MEMPHIS, June 6, 1862.

SIR: The undersigned, commanding the naval military forces of the United States in front of Memphis, has the honor to say to the Mayor and the city that military possession immediately. Col. Fitch, commanding the Indiana brigade, will take

Col. Fitch will be happy to receive the cooperation of His Honor the Mayor and the city authorities in maintaining peace and order. To this end he will be pleased to confer with His Honor the Mayor at the military headquarters at 3 o'clock this afternoon.

Yours, etc.,

C. H. DAVIS, Flag Officer commanding, etc. To the Mayor of the City of Memphis.

The military occupation of the city followed, and the appointment of a provost marshal. Memphis is the most populous and important town, on the Mississippi river, between St. Louis and New Orleans. Its population in 1860 was 22,625.

About the 10th of June the gunboats St. Louis, Mound City, Lexington, and Conestoga, with the transport New National, having on board the 46th Indiana regiment, Col. Fitch, left Memphis, on an expedition up the White river, to open communication with the army of Gen. Curtis, and to remove the obstructions in that river. The White river is formed by the junction of three small branches, which unite a few miles east of Fayetteville, Arkansas. It flows first northwesterly into Missouri, and after making a circuit of about one hundred miles, returns into Arkansas, and pursues a southeasterly course to the mouth of Black river. Thence its direction is nearly south, until it enters the Arkansas fifteen miles above its mouth. It is navigable by steamboats to the mouth of Black river, three hundred and fifty miles, in all stages of water.

As the expedition approached St. Charles, the Mound City, being in advance, was fired on from two concealed batteries. This was returned. Meantime the troops were landed below for the purpose of marching in the rear and capturing the batteries. At this juncture a ball from a siege gun on the bluff struck the forward and left side of the Mound City and penetrated the casemate and passed through the steam drum. The vessel was immediately filled with the escaping vapor and nearly every one on board was scalded; only twentythree of the officers and crew, numbering one hundred and seventy-five, escaped uninjured. A horrible scene ensued. Many of the crew, frantic with pain, jumped overboard, and some were drowned. The boats from the Conestoga, which was coming up at the time, were sent to their relief, but the enemy fired on the men in the water with grape and canister from their field pieces, killing most of those who were

attempting to escape. Meantime Col. Fitch, learning the facts, pushed forward with his regiment and carried the works at the point of the bayonet. They consisted of two batteries, the lower of which mounted six field pieces, and the upper one three heavy siege guns. About thirty prisoners were taken, among whom was Col. Frye, commanding the post. This expedition failed to open communication with Gen. Curtis, as has been heretofore stated.

The military operations in Tennessee, which finally controlled the movements of the Mississippi river expedition, had paused after the capture of Nashville, as above described, but were soon resumed again. The first step consisted in fitting out a great expedition to proceed under Gen. Grant up the Tennessee river. More than fifty-seven steamers and two gunboats were required to transport and convoy the force. It was organized in five divisions, each consisting of infantry, cavalry, and artillery. The advance was under the command of Gen. Sherman, 2d division under Gen. Hurlbut, 3d division under Gen. McClernand, 4th division under Gen. L. Wallace, 5th division under Col. Lanman of the 7th Iowa regiment. On the 11th of March the transports began to arrive at Savannah in Tennessee. On the night of the 12th the Tyler and Lexington were sent up the river to reconnoitre as far as Eastport, forty miles above Savannah. The enemy was found constructing fortifications and with a considerable force. It was known that the Confederate forces were also concentrated along the lines of railroad south and southwest of the river.

The line of defence now adopted by the Confederate commander after his first line was broken up, had for its base the Charleston and Memphis railroad, the preservation of which was absolutely necessary to any pretence of resistance through northern Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia. Along this railroad are Tuscumbia and Florence at the foot of the Muscle shoals in the Tennessee river and the junction with the Florence and Nashville railroad; Decatur near the head of the lower Muscle shoal; Huntsville and Bellefontaine; Stevenson, important as the junction with the railroad from Nashville through Murfreesboro' and Chattanooga, a strong position. All these points are east of Corinth. On the west of Corinth the railroad runs in a nearly straight line to Memphis, ninety-three miles distant; and northwest runs the road to Jackson, almost in the centre of west Tennessee.*

The Union line was the Tennessee river, extending from Paducah, Kentucky, to Eastport in Mississippi. The gunboats Lexington and Ty

The distances of these places along the line of the Memphis and Charleston railroad are as follows: From Memphis to Germantown, 15 miles; to Collierville, 24; Lafayette, 31; Moscow, 89; La Grange, 49; Grand Junction, 52; Saulsbury, 58; Middleton, 69; Pocahontas, 75; Corinth, 98; Burns, 107: Inka, 115; Tuscumbia, 145: Jonesboro, 163: Decatur, 188; Huntsville, 212; Bellefonte, 259; Stevenson, 272; Chattanooga, 309.

ler, by moving up and down the river, prevented the erection of batteries. Above Eastport, at Chickasaw Bluffs and at some other points, Confederate batteries were placed to command the navigation of the river.

On the 5th of March, Gen. Beauregard assumed the command of the Confederate forces in this department, when he issued the following address to his soldiers:

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE MISSISSIPPI, }

JACKSON, TENN., March 5. SOLDIERS: I assume this day the command of the army of the Mississippi, for the defence of our home steads and liberties, and to resist the subjugation, spoliation, and dishonor of our people. Our mothers and wives, our sisters and children, expect us to do our duty, even to the sacrifice of our lives.

Our losses since the commencement of this war, in killed, wounded, and prisoners, are now about the

same as those of the enemy.

He must be made to atone for the reverses we have

lately experienced. Those reverses, far from disheartening, must nerve us to new deeds of valor and patriotism, and should inspire us with an unconquerable determination to drive back our invaders. before us, let him transfer his arms and equipments at Should any one in this army be unequal to the task nce to braver, firmer hands, and return to his home.

Our cause is as just and sacred as ever animated ourselves, with the continued protection of the Almen to take up arms; and if we are true to it and to mighty we must and shall triumph.

G. T. BEAUREGARD,

General Commanding. Associated with Gen. Beauregard in command were Gens. Albert Sidney Johnston, Bragg, Polk, Pillow, Cheatham, and others. The Confederate force consisted not only of the troops from the adjacent States which had been in service for months, but also of new levies now called out by the governors on the requisition of President Davis. They were encamped principally at Corinth, with detachments at various points on the railroad, so situated that they could be easily concentrated on any point.

Corinth is at the intersection of the Mobile and Ohio and Memphis and Charleston railroads, in Tishemingo county, Mississippi, forty miles from Grand Junction, fifty-eight miles from Jackson, Tennessee, and about eighteen miles from Pittsburg on the Tennessee river. It is situated in a hilly, semi-mountainous country.

The Federal forces at first concentrated at Savannah, a small town of two hundred inhabitants, on the Tennessee river, about one hundred and seventy miles above Fort Henry. The number of transports which arrived by the 13th of March, was eighty-two. This force comprised all of Gen. Grant's original command, with an additional force of infantry, almost entirely from the State of Ohio. All the steamers that formed the regular line of packets between Louisville and New Orleans and between Louisville and St. Louis, were in the fleet, carrying from 1200 to 1500 men each, and heavily laden. The demonstrations of the inhabitants along the shore of the river were of the most extravagant character. One declared

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