pel us to go further than the terms called for. ed and destroyed them. On reaching Simmsport, The penalty for failing to burn the cotton on our I learned that two rebel steamboats had just left, arrival at Louisville was the simple surrender of taking with them the troops and artillery stationunworthy self to the confederate authorities; a ed at that point. They had left on the bank sevsmall penalty, considering the amount at stake. eral barrels of government beef, which I broke These terms being agreed upon, and Surgeon up and rolled into the river. I pursued another Waterman having made up a list of the paroled train of wagons for some distance, but they remen, the guerrillas left the boat, and the wound-treated into the swamps and escaped. One of ed of the Trio, and her crew and passengers were their wagons, loaded with ammunition and stores, transferred to the Hastings. While the transfer fell into our hands, and was destroyed.

was going on, another steamer hove in sightthe Parthenia, on her way to Clarksville. She was ordered ashore, and the same scene was enacted over in her cabin, save the fact that she had no sick or wounded of any account, but had several passengers. The rangers at once boarded her and for some time utter "madness ruled the hour." The Parthenia was a new steamer, costing thirty-three thousand dollars, finely finished and furnished. While engaged in rifling her, and piling up combustibles on different parts of the boat to make her burn rapidly, the gunboat Sidell, spoken of elsewhere, hove in sight. Her appearance was a signal of joy to our men and of alarm to the rebels, who immediately mounted their horses, ready to run. We hailed Van Dorn, and told him to anchor in the middle of the stream, and not come between our boat and the range of the guerrillas' cannon.

On her return at night, a party of overseers and other civilians, fired into the Queen from behind a levee, and immediately fled under cover of the darkness. First Master J. D. Thompson, a gallant and efficient officer, was shot through the knee.

Anchoring at the mouth of the Atchafalaya, I waited until morning, and then returned to the spot from which we had been attacked. All the buildings, on three large adjoining plantations, were burned by my order. I started up the Red River, on the same day, and reached Black River by night. On the morning of the fourteenth, when about fifteen miles above the mouth of Black River, a steamboat came suddenly around a sharp bend in the river, and was captured before she could escape. She proved to be the Era No. Five, laden with four thousand five hundred bushels of corn. She had on board two rebel lieutenants and fourteen privates. The latter I at once paroled and set ashore.

To our utter astonishment, instead of getting ready to cover himself with glory in the saving of so much property and several lives, he simply Hearing of three very large boats lying at Gorfired his revolver, and then ignominiously and don's Landing, thirty miles above, I decided on cowardly waved his white handkerchief in token making an effort to capture them, intending to reof surrender. The rebels had fired several vol- turn if I should find the battery at that point too leys at him and done no harm, save the wound- strong, and ascend the Washita. I left the Era and ing of one of Van Dorn's gunners. He then or- coal-barge in charge of a guard. We reached the dered one of his own men to strike the colors, bend just below Gordon's Landing, before dusk; which he obeyed. They then crossed over to the the dense smoke of several boats, rapidly firing up, rebel side, who, with tremendous yells, took pos- could be seen over the tops of the trees as we apsession of her. Having had no sleep for many proached. I ordered the pilot to proceed very slowdays, and sick at heart over the misery of this,ly, and merely show the bow of the Queen around the most unfortunate expedition of the war, I will close.

Doc. 105.

the point. From the sharp bend which the river makes at this place, there was no apparent difficulty in withdrawing out of range of the enemy's guns, whenever it might be desired. The rebels opened upon us with four twenty-three-pounders, the moment we came in sight. Their guns were

LOSS OF THE QUEEN OF THE WEST. in a fine position, and at the third shot I ordered

OFFICIAL REPORT OF COLONEL ELLET.

Mr. Garvey, the pilot, to back the Queen out. Instead of doing so, he ran her aground on the right-hand shore.

shot away, when an explosion below, and a rush of steam around the boat, told me that the steampipe had been cut in two.

UNITED STATES STEAMER ERA No. 5, BELOW VICKSBURGH, MISS., February 21. ADMIRAL: I have the honor to report to you The position at once became a very hot one. that I left the landing below Vicksburgh, in obe- Sixty yards below we would have been in no dience to your written instructions, on the night danger. As it was, the enemy's shot struck us of the tenth instant, taking with me the De Soto nearly every time. The Chief-Engineer had hardand coal-barge, and proceeded down the River.ly reported to me that the scape-pipe had been We passed Warrenton without interruption, and reached Red River the following evening. I destroyed, as you directed, the skiffs and flatboats along either shore. I ascended Red River, on the Nothing further, of course, could be done. I morning of the twelfth, as far as the mouth of gave orders to lower the yawl at the stern of the the Atchafalaya. Leaving the De Soto and coal- Queen, to carry off Captain Thompson, who lay barge in a secure position, I proceeded down the wounded in my state-room. Some persons had stream six miles from its mouth. I met a train already taken the yawl, however, and it was of army wagons returning from Simsport. I land-gone. The other yawl was on the De Soto, a VOL. VI.-Doc. 25

way up, I seized a hundred and seventy-five bales of cotton, and protected the Era's machinery as far as practicable. At St. Joseph I landed and seized the mails, and learned from them that Col. Adams was waiting for us at Grand Gulf with two pieces of artillery. Thirty-six shots were fired at the Era while passing the point, none of which took effect.

short distance below. Fortunately, the cotton- at once. Thinking we might be attacked on the bales with which the Queen was protected, afforded an avenue of escape, and a majority of the men and officers succeeded in reaching the De Soto. I ordered this boat to be brought up as far as it was practicable without being struck, and sent her yawl to the Queen. Lieut. Tuthill and Third Master Duncan, bravely volunteered for the purpose. I remained on the De Soto over an hour, picking up men and cotton-bales. Lieut. Tuthill barely succeeded in escaping from the Queen, the rebels boarding her in skiffs as he escaped. The Queen could easily have been burned, but this could not be done while Capt. Thompson was on board, and it was impossible to remove him. All the passages had been blocked up with cotton; the interior of the boat was intensely dark, full of steam, and strewed with shattered furniture. The display of a light enabled the batteries to strike her with unerring certainty. To have brought the De Soto alongside would have insured her destruction, as the light of the latter's furnace would have rendered her a conspicuous mark.

On reaching Island One Hundred and Seven, a body of riflemen opened a heavy fire upon the Era from the Mississippi shore. Suspecting it to be a ruse to draw us to the other side of the river, I decided on keeping the right of the Island. The furnaces of the Era became so clogged at this point, I found it necessary to stop and have them cleaned out a delay of twenty minutes being caused by this. The Era had barely passed the Island, when a battery of three guns opened upon us from the Louisiana shore. Forty-six shots were fired, but did no injury. At Warrenton the rebels opened fire upon the Era with two rifle twenty-pounder guns. They fired twenty-four shots, but did not succeed in striking her. Extraordinary as it may appear, there is every reason to believe that no one was killed on the Queen. It is probably attributable to the fact that those below got into the hold through the numerous hatches, and thus escaped the effects of the steam. Mr. Taylor, of the engineers, is reported by a deserter from the Webb, to be badly scalded. Twenty-four men were taken prisoners, ten of whom were civilians employed on the boat. Assistant Surgeon Booth was the only commissioned officer captured.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

A dense fog sprang up as we started down in the De Soto, and she lost her rudder by running into the bank. Drifting down fifteen miles, I took possession of the Era, and scuttled and burnt the De Soto and barge, knowing that the rebels would lose no time in pursuing. I pushed on down through the fog, throwing the corn off to lighten her. We reached the Mississippi at dawn, opposite Ellis's Cliffs. Mr. Garvey ran the Era, a boat drawing less than two feet of water, hard aground, actually permitting her wheels to make several revolutions after she struck, and it was with the utmost difficulty she could be gotten off. The disloyal sentiments openly expressed by Mr. Garvey, a few hours previous to this occurrence, rendered it necessary for me to place him under arrest, and fix upon me the unwilling conviction that the loss of the Queen was due to the delibSTEAMER ERA No. 5, IN RED RIVER, Feb. 15, 1863. erate treachery of her pilot. It is to be regretted The career of the gallant Queen of the West is that the unfortunate illness of Mr. Scott Long, ended. Her crew are dispersed; some are woundwho piloted the Queen past Vicksburgh, ren-ed, some are killed, and more are taken prisoners. dered it necessary for me to intrust the Queen A small remnant, so far escaped from death and to the management of Mr. Garvey.

CHARLES R. ELLET,

Commanding Ram Fleet.

Rear-Admiral DAVID D. PORTER,

Commanding Mississippi Squadron.

CHICACO "TRIBUNE" ACCOUNT.

capture, are now twenty miles from the mouth of Red River, moving as rapidly as Providence permits, from the scene of one of the most thrilling incidents of the rebellion, toward the farfamed city of Vicksburgh.

We had intended to leave on Monday, the ninth instant, but certain repairs were, at the last moment, found necessary, and we were compelled to remain over the succeeding day.

The next morning, a short distance below Natchez, I met the Indianola. Captain Brown thought that he might be able to ascend Red River, and destroy the battery at Gordon's Landing, and I accompanied him down in the Era, leading the way. I had not gone three miles, when a break in the dense fog disclosed a steamer rapidly moving up-stream, about a mile ahead. I at once rounded to, and caused the whistle to be Col. Ellet decided to run the batteries by starblown to warn Capt. Brown of her presence. As light, and just at dark the chimneys of the Queen soon as the rebel steamer, which was undoubted- of the West and the De Soto began to vomit ly the Webb, perceived the Indianola, she turned forth huge columns of dense black smoke, and and fled. The latter fired two shots at her, but we knew that the time of our departure was apwithout effect. I learned afterward, that three proaching. Precisely at nine o'clock we swung other armed boats had been sent in pursuit of the into the stream, the De Soto, around whose boilEra, and had been turned back by the Webb oners and machinery bales of cotton had been her retreat. They all went back up Red River. On reaching this stream, Captain Brown decided not to ascend it, and I thought it best to return

placed, and on whose bow was mounted a huge thirty-two pound rifle, toward the batteries, the Queen of the West next, and the coal-barge on

We arrived too late to capture her, but not too late to seize seventy barrels of beef belonging to the Valverde battery, which the Minerva in her anxiety to escape had left behind. This was destroyed by cutting the hoops of the barrels and tumbling their contents into the river. Colonel Ellet also captured a rebel mail and important letters and despatches at Simmsport, from one Colonel Ellet, on leaving the Atchafalaya, anof which he learned of the occupation of Berwick nounced his intention to go down the Mississippi Bay by Commodore Farragut. A few confeder- and attempt to open communication with Comate cavalry were quietly watching our move-modore Farragut, below Port Hudson; but on ments from the bayou to the rear of the village, reaching the mouth this intention was abandoned, but a shell from our rifled Parrott bursting over and we turned our vessel into Red River. The their heads caused them to hunt their holes. air was as balmy as June in our northern climate, From Simmsport we moved down the river a the trees were decking themselves with green, few miles, and came in sight of another heavily men were walking about the hurricane-deck in laden train, which the negroes from the bank their shirt-sleeves as we entered the Red. We said also belonged to the Texas battery. Upon could not help commiserating poor Northerners, our approach the teamsters turned into the shivering before coal-fires and freezing-" on ice." swamps just within reach of our shells. We When we returned we would willingly have ex

we left the Era with three or four men to guard the boat and prisoners.

We moved slowly up the channel, making the bend with considerable difficulty, until we reach

changed positions. Late Friday night we anchored at the mouth of Black River, as before, the De Soto thrown out as our advance picket. Saturday morning, at daylight, we raised anchor and proceeded up the river. We had hearded the point below the negro quarters where the that the enemy had lately constructed fortifications at Gordon's Landing, eighty-five miles from the mouth, called Fort Taylor. We had heard also that there were heavy guns at Harrisonburgh, near the head of navigation on Black River, and for a time Colonel Ellet was undetermined which to attack. He finally settled upon the former, and we moved as rapidly as the tortuous nature of the stream and the ignorance of our pilots would admit, in the hope that we should reach the position and commence the attack before nightfall.

The steamer Louisville, we also learned, had, just before we reached the mouth of the Black, passed up the Red with a thirty-two pounder rifled gun, intended for the gunboat W. H. Webb, then lying at Alexandria.

We had, therefore, incentives for speed. At ten o'clock the look-out reported a steamer descending the river, and shortly after the Era No. 5 hove in sight. She saw us as quickly as we discovered her, and was half turned around, as if attempting to escape, when Col. Ellet ordered a shot to be sent after her. This took effect in her stern, passing through the cook-room, demolishing a stove and slightly wounding the negro cook. The officers and passengers then came on deck, and hoisted white sheets and waved white handkerchiefs in token of surrender. The Queen ran alongside and took possession. The Era No. 5 is a fine boat of a hundred and fifty tons burden, belonging to the Red River Packet Company, and heretofore engaged in transporting supplies for the confederate army. At that time she was laden with four thousand five hundred bushels of corn, intended for the Quartermaster's Department at Little Rock. This was to be taken to Camden, Arkansas, and to be transported thence by army wagons. Among the passengers were fifteen privates of the Fourteenth Texas cavalry, and three belonging to the Twenty-seventh Louisiana, Lieut. Daly, of the Texas State troops, and Lieut. Doyle, of the Fourteenth Texas. The citizens on board were set on shore without parole, the soldiers were set on shore with parole, and the officers were retained. Among the parties retained was a German Jew named Elsasser, who had upon his person thirty-two thousand dollars in confederate money. Col. Ellet thought he was a confederate quartermaster, although he strongly insisted to the contrary, and brought him along. One man dressed in citizen's clothing and claiming to be a non-combatant, and on that account released | without parole. We have since learned that he was one of Gen. Hindman's brigadier-generals His name I did not learn. Our prisoners being thus disposed of, the fleet, now numbering three steamers, moved toward Gordon's Landing. Four miles from the Landing, in a direct line across the country, but fifteen miles as the river runs,¦

land is cleared, when we discovered a long line of dense black smoke moving up the river beyond the fort, indicating the hasty departure of a transport. Our gun upon the bow was immediately placed in position, and two percussion-shells were sent in that direction. These exploding in the vicinity of the transport, which we afterward learned was the Doubloon coming down the river with corn, caused her to disappear toward Alexandria.

The land makes out into the river on the point, leaving an extremely shallow place twenty feet or more from its extremity, which pilots are careful to avoid. Our pilot, whether designedly or other wise I know not, ran the Queen aground, and at the same instant the batteries opened fire upon us. Recollect, we were not four hundred yards from the fort, and immovable. The pilots tried in vain to back her off, but she would not budge an inch. Shot were flying, shell were bursting, and, worse than all, we could not reply. The enemy had our exact range, and every explosion told with fearful effect. Your correspondent sought the pilot-house, and thus became an unwilling witness of the terrible affair. Three huge thirty-two pounder shells exploded on the deck, and between the smoke-stacks, not twenty feet from our heads.

The air was filled with fragments and explod ing shells, which flew before, behind, and all about us. Soon we heard a crash among the machinery below. Word was passed up that the lever which regulates the engines was shot away. Another crash, and we learned the escape-pipe was gone. Still another, and the steam-chest was fractured. The whole boat shook with the rush of the escaping steam which penetrated every nook and cranny. The engine-room was crowded with engineers, firemen, negroes, and prisoners, who had sought that place under the impression that it was the safest. All this time, while we supposed we were blown up, and looked every moment to be launched into eternity, the batteries played upon the unfortunate vessel, and pierced her through and through. Men crowded to the after-part of the vessel. Some tumbled cotton-bales into the river, and getting astride of them, sought to reach the De Soto a mile below. The yawl was tied to the stern, and a man stood there with a loaded pistol threatening to shoot the first one who entered it. The cry was raised for Col. Ellet, and men were sent forward to look after him. The negroes in their fright jumped overboard and many of the poor creatures were drowned. Some of our men were scalded. Word was sent to the De Soto to come alongside to remove us. She came as near as she dare, and sent her yawl, but before it returned, she herself was compelled to move down the river out of range.

As I have before stated, I was in the pilot

house when the explosion occurred, and took the precaution to close the trap-door, thus keeping out a quantity of steam. There was still enough to make breathing almost impossible that came through the windows in front of us. I had sufficient presence of mind to cram the tail of my coat into my mouth, and thus avoid scalding. Shortly we discovered that to remain would induce suffocation, and we opened the trap-door, and, blinded by steam, sought the stern of the vessel. Groping about the cabin, tumbling over chairs and negroes, I sought my berth, seized an overcoat, leaving an entire suit of clothes, my haversack, and some valuable papers behind, and emerged upon the hurricane-deck. The shell were flying over my head, and here was obviously no place for me to remain. Looking over, I saw the woolly pate of a negro projecting over the stern below me, and, calling to him to catch my coat, I swung myself over by a rope, and landed directly upon the rudder. At this time it was suggested that a boat be sent to hurry up the De Soto, and among those who entered it was your correspondent. We reached it in about ten minutes, passing on the way several men on cotton-bales, among them Col. Ellet and McCullogh of the Commercial. Almost exhausted, the occupants remained behind, while another crew was sent up to pick up survivors.

The yawl had reached the boat and was busily engaged in picking up the crew, when three boatloads of confederate soldiers cautiously approached the vessel and boarded her. Of course there was no resistance, and our boys became their pris

oners.

The De Soto hearing several men shout from the shore, "Surrender," was allowed to float downstream, picking up as she floated several who had escaped on cotton-bales. When she reached a point ten miles below, the yawl overtook her with others who had been similarly preserved.

We reached the Era No. 5 and found her all right. Our coal-barge was leaking badly and hard aground. Of course, we had to leave it. The De Soto had unshipped both rudders and became unmanageable, and it was concluded to destroy her, lest, with her valuable gun, she should fall into the enemy's hands. Her pipes were knocked out, a shovelful of live coals placed in her cabins, and she was soon destroyed.

of the Queen and of the escape of a portion of
her crew. Our only hope lies in reaching the Mis-
sissippi quickly, whence we shall make the best
of our way to Vicksburgh. The Webb is a model
of speed, and can make fourteen miles an hour
against the current. If we do not get aground,
and if our machinery does not break, we hope to
outrun her. If I am captured, a visit to Vicks-
burgh will be my portion.
We shall see.

The following is the loss by the capture of the Queen of the West, as far as I can ascertain: Prisoners.-Cy. Eddison, Second Master; Henry Duncan, Third Master; David Taylor, Engineer, (scalded ;) D. S. Booth, Surgeon; First Master Thompson, (wounded on the Atchafalaya ;) Adjutant C. W. Bailey; one blacksmith, name unknown; George Andrews, James Foster, carpenters; L. C. Jarbou, Thomas Williams, David McCullom, Charles Launer, Carrol Smith, Ed. Hazleton, Charles Faulkner, John A. Bates, Norton F. Rice, Wm. Brown, Geo. W. Hill, soldiers; Mr. Anderson, of the Herald, and about thirty negroes.

Killed.-George Davis jumped overboard from the De Soto, and is supposed drowned.

The above list are the names of those who floated down the river and were not picked up by the De Soto. They will probably be captured by the next confederate steamer in these waters, probably the Webb, as she pursues us.

Doc. 106.

FIGHT AT BAYOU TECHE, LA.

NEW-YORK "TIMES" ACCOUNT.

LAFOURCHE STATION, Friday, January 16, 1863. We have just arrived here with Gen. Weitzel and the larger number of the forces under him, who are encamped at Thibodeaux, near this place, having accompanied them from their successful expedition up the Bayou Teche, in which they destroyed the rebel gunboat Cotton, and sent the enemy skedaddling.

If you have moral courage enough to examine any detailed hydrographical and topographical map of Southern Louisiana, and lose yourself among the labyrinthine intersections of the countless lakes and bayous there represented-resembling more the plan of a spider's web than any portion of the habitable globe - you will find the Lafourche Station just where the bayou of that name is crossed by the New-Orleans, Opelousas and Great Western Railroad, which extends at present, no further than to Brashear City and Berwick's Bay, at the junction of the Atchafalaya River and Lake Palondre.

It was now ten o'clock Saturday night, and if we would escape more intimate acquaintance with Southern society and Southern prison life, we must make every exertion now. With a sigh for the poor fellows left behind, and a hope that our enemies would be merciful, the prow of the Era was turned toward the Mississippi. The night was a terrible one, thunder, lightning, rain, and For the benefit of those of your readers who fog. I doubt if under any other circumstances may not know-and perhaps there are many such Red River would be deemed navigable. All hands -any thing about these extraordinary bayous, or were set to work to throw overboard the corn, to water-courses, it may be well to state that, allighten her up, and we are slowly crawling down though when compared with the mighty Missisthe river. We know to a certainty that we shall sippi, they sink to the insignificance of mere be pursued. The gunboat Webb is lying at Alex-streamlets-many of them far exceed in volume andria, and we know that she will start in pur- the river Thames, a very short distance above suit of us whenever she learns of the destruction London,-and the smallest of them would, in any